Does anyone prefer Hiking boots over Expensive 'Horsey' Boots?

cambrica

cambrica

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 November 2011
Messages
2,145
Visit site
I have read many posts about 'What boots are best' and normally they are somewhat expensive or just not upto the day to day challenges.
What 'Equestrian' boots do you think would stand up to the following??

Today I have finally resigned myself to the fact that my hiking boots will have to be replaced.
Sad as I have had them many many years. They cost £28 in a sale and have mucked out 5 stables every day, walked a million miles (usually leading the kids out), used for all my gardening work, hiked their way around France.
Never leaked, survived my bearded collie puppy attack and even now the soles are in no way worn out. Keep me warm in winter and not sweaty in summer.
I put them in the black bin, then half hour later took them back out.... think I will plant something in them !!!
 
Yep, have a fab pair that were well worth the £60 investment ten years ago!! They've tramped across a range of terrains ad mucked out many a stable and are looking fantastic still!
 
I prefer hiking boots to expensive horsey boots any day. As much as I LOVE my Ariat Tellurides ( the comfiest boots ever) they do leak, and as much as I look after them...they do crack. I have had 2 pairs over the past year and they have cracked...I wear them all day BUT I WORK INSIDE! Luckily worked in a shop that stocked them so I wasn't forking out £100 each time! OH used to take the mick when he had nice dry feet in long wet grass wearing his walking boots, and I had wet socks in my £100 horsey boots! Also despite their "grip" I still slip about everywhere.

I used to have a lovely pair of hiking boots which here hand me downs and they were honestly the best boots I have ever had. Wore them all day every day when I worked with horses. Rode, mucked out, trekked to the field in them, walked the dog etc. They survived 5 years with me, and a couple of years with my mum before...and I never ever cleaned them.

I am saving for a bloody good pair of walking boots now, and my comfy horsey boots are resigned to wearing at work inside.
 
Yep. Just wish you could ride in them too (mine have super thick soles so would be tres dangeroo). And you can have them re-soled and everything :D

Mine are really ugly though. They're blue!
 
I love mine too. Usually get them on sale for £30 tops & get a few years use. Except for when its 3' mud in mid winter I wear them for all yard work & riding.
 
Yes! Got 10 years out of my last pair of Hi Tecs. Just replaced them with another pair less than half price on eBay :D
 
Hi Tecs seem to be getting a lot of praise!

I have a pair of hi tec walking shoes that I picked up in TK Maxx last year for about £30- they are fantastic. Very comfy, keep my feet at a good temperature regardless of the weather and seem to have water repelling qualities beyond my wildest dreams :D
 
cambrica said:
I have read many posts about 'What boots are best' and normally they are somewhat expensive or just not upto the day to day challenges.
What 'Equestrian' boots do you think would stand up to the following??

Today I have finally resigned myself to the fact that my hiking boots will have to be replaced.
Sad as I have had them many many years. They cost £28 in a sale and have mucked out 5 stables every day, walked a million miles (usually leading the kids out), used for all my gardening work, hiked their way around France.
Never leaked, survived my bearded collie puppy attack and even now the soles are in no way worn out. Keep me warm in winter and not sweaty in summer.
I put them in the black bin, then half hour later took them back out.... think I will plant something in them !!!
Click to expand...

Me!!! I but Hi-tec walking boots, comfy enough to ride in, do yard work and generally wear all day. I pay approx £30 a pair and they outlast equestrian stuff by miles. I really think with equestrian stuff you pay way over the top for inferior crap. I paid £89 for mark todd boots that lasted less than 6 weeks - disgraceful.
 
Yes, i have completely worn out a very nice pair of leather hiking boots with goretex lining - they had a nice heel and fitted under my Regent half chaps so I rode in them too. Now have a nice pair of Berghaus, also waterproof, but a bit too chunky to ride in, so have bought a pair of Mark Todd boots... which I'm actually hiking in a bit, because they're so comfy! The Berghaus boots were £65, and I think the Mark Todd were similar price, both waterproof.

My old leather ones are still in the shed, but I think they may be now providing a home for some mice...
 
Yep, very expensive ariat short boots barely lasted a year. £30 walking boots off eBay(been worn once) still going strong a year on. I waterproofed them when I got them but done nothing since, look great still & I think they'll do me a good few years. Won't be wasting money on expensive short yard boots again!
 
I LOVE my Mountain Warehouse walking boots.
Mine were on sale, reduced from £90 to £60. I'd gone in looking for a new synthetic pair, not because my year old ones were too old, damaged or worn out, but because they were so comfy.
The synthetic ones are windproof/waterproof/breathable, extremely comfortable and keep your feet at the right temperature at any time of the year. I used to wear them to work every day.
I actually bought a new leather pair instead of a new synthetic pair, as again, they were on sale and are breathable/waterproof/windproof. They are the comfiest boots I have ever worn, and being leather, they should last a very long time (going by the performance of the MW synthetic boots).
I keep a pair of joddy boots at the yard for riding, but wear my walking boots to walk to/from the yard plus to do everything on the ground until it's time to ride :).
 
YAY. Now I'm sorted for the next 5 years. Sorry Hi-tec but I just got a super bargain on ebay for some Mammut hiking boots. Fab reviews and apparently I can run on ice with them :p

Pleased Im not the only one as I feel a bit left out when folk go on about what the best yard boots are.
I remain a non- dedicated follower of fashion :cool:
 
How do the sizeing on the hi tec boots come?? I need a good pair of walking boots and like the hi tec ones. I have seen some on ebay so much cheaper then the shops.
 
cambrica said:
YAY. Now I'm sorted for the next 5 years. Sorry Hi-tec but I just got a super bargain on ebay for some Mammut hiking boots. Fab reviews and apparently I can run on ice with them :p
Click to expand...

My brother would love you. He works in the outdoor shop selling boots to people and raves about Mammut stuff, lol. Too expensive for me although he was much impressed by my beautiful Marmot soft shell :)
 
Two winters ago I started going really lame, and discovered a heal spur (arthiritis). I swoped my muckers and horsey boots for my walking boots and have never looked back! I keep an old pair of joddy boots at the yard to ride in, and wear them winter and summer. My only problem is that when I go walking with non-horsey people I stink!!
 
No, cos often, the heel is sloped as opposed to a proper riding heel. I'm a fuss ass! :p There are cheapo riding trainer/boots out there, you just have to look.
 
ct, I don't think many of us ride in them. Just slop about in them!

Honey08, how did your heel spurs present? My dad has them and I get absolutely horrible pains in my heels if I'm on my feet too often. They go if I wear my actual running shoes for a few days but they throb even when I'm off my feet when bad. They don't sound very nice really so I'd rather not have them!
 
I used to love my hiking boots until they finally died and I came to replace them, nothing lasted more than a month or so. I tried several makes and resigned to toggi (countryside?) boots. I live in them 24/7, ride, work etc and couldn't fault the things. Won't go elsewhere unless they ever get made badly
Pan
 
jesstickle said:
ct, I don't think many of us ride in them. Just slop about in them!

Honey08, how did your heel spurs present? My dad has them and I get absolutely horrible pains in my heels if I'm on my feet too often. They go if I wear my actual running shoes for a few days but they throb even when I'm off my feet when bad. They don't sound very nice really so I'd rather not have them!
Click to expand...

I just had real pain in my heal - couldn't actually decide where by myself - sometimes it felt like a bruise, other times like I'd pulled something. Couldn't feel or see anything. On a bad day I couldn't even put my foot down on the bed with the sore point touching. The Dr sent me for Xrays which showed it. An insert in my boots (only tiny and bought over the counter) and sturdy shoes solved it completely. I have always walked v heavily on my heals, which probably doesn't help! Strangely high heals helped.

I just flew with a lady who had had a lot of foot problems, and her podiatrist said if you can fold the sole of a shoe over its not worth wearing as it doesn't support your foot. That ties in with the kind of shoe that affects me - trainers, muckers, flip flops and wellies all start the pain again!
 
Mine isn't that bad. I'm probably just a wimp then. My dad ended up having steroid injections (like a navicular horse, I told him that he wasn't impressed!) which he said hurt more than his feet did :eek:
 
God I wouldn't risk ruining my lovely hiking boots by wearing them round horses! To replace them would cost more than replacing any of my riding boots! I've had them for over ten years now and couldn't face breaking in a new pair!

However I have worn my North Face hiking trainers round the horse and they are brill, totally waterproof and very comfortable. Sadly going through on the soles now but they have trained for and completed a half marathon, and a marathon, walked all over many countries, around the UK etc etc they were on sale at about £25 too :D can't find anything else as good.......
 
Don't want to put you off buying hiking boots to use for equestrian purposes but worked (9 years ago) for one of the companies mentioned on here,refuse to name them, and wanted to point out that their boots are not horse pee proof!
Had a few complaints from people using these boots for mucking out who where then surprised when a few months down the line the leather failed. (Also obviously not thoroughly cleaned after such use).
I just like to point out that urine ruins the leather on these boots which ended up cracking and splitting. Not surprising as they were not designed or the leather treated for this purpose.
Technology and leather treatments may have improved over the last 9 years but please bear this in mind when deciding to use something for a purpose for which it is not designed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top