FinkleyAlex
Well-Known Member
For the last however many years, I have ridden in my Dublin river boots with fluffy tops. This is handy as it means I don't have to change boots in the freezing cold for riding, and the steel toe caps always seem to come in handy. They do sometimes slip down at the top when I'm riding, but once I pull them back up they're fine.
Yesterday I set off to the gym in trainers and gym clothes, but found it completely rammed with no machines free, so I decided to go and see the horse instead as he's a few minutes drive away. I hadn't anticipated riding, so I didn't have any riding stuff but I thought I'd hop on and ride without stirrups as I don't think riding in trainers is safe. Towards the end of my session I did a few minutes of trot with stirrups in my trainers and couldn't believe how much better my entire contact was. My leg felt as though it was in the right position (I have a very responsive gelding with a barrel belly as he's half Welsh D so it can be hard to keep my leg back and keep contact), I felt more balanced and more in control of my legs in general.
Does anyone prefer short boots to long boots for this reason? I'm not sure if it's just the Dublin boots which are quite thick and inflexible. Should I maybe try a less rigid long boot?
Yesterday I set off to the gym in trainers and gym clothes, but found it completely rammed with no machines free, so I decided to go and see the horse instead as he's a few minutes drive away. I hadn't anticipated riding, so I didn't have any riding stuff but I thought I'd hop on and ride without stirrups as I don't think riding in trainers is safe. Towards the end of my session I did a few minutes of trot with stirrups in my trainers and couldn't believe how much better my entire contact was. My leg felt as though it was in the right position (I have a very responsive gelding with a barrel belly as he's half Welsh D so it can be hard to keep my leg back and keep contact), I felt more balanced and more in control of my legs in general.
Does anyone prefer short boots to long boots for this reason? I'm not sure if it's just the Dublin boots which are quite thick and inflexible. Should I maybe try a less rigid long boot?