How do you treat your riding boots?

Boots

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I have ariat grasmeres which i wear everyday. Mucking out and riding and walking the dogs. I hose them off before riding or getting in the car if needed and treat them with the conditioner as and when (not enough). They last me for approx 12- 18 months but would be longer if I took more time to clean them.
 
I'm another with three pairs of boots.
Yard boots
Home boots - Ariat bromonts
Competition/hunting boots - Sarm Hippiques

Again there isn't really any cross over. Really must clean the home boots more often though!
 
I have three separate boots.

My Ariat tall boots are for competitions/lessons only. I really couldn't imagine walking too much in them anyway! They're not designed for it. (I actually sometimes clean these ones!)
My Toggi paddock boots are for day-to-day schooling and summer yard work (if I can't be bothered to change into my country boots). I should probably treat these a bit better...
I've just bought myself a pair of Muck boots for winter yard duties and I must say I'm super impressed with them! Let's see how I treat these ones :D
 
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I'm quite good at looking after my boots, most of the time...

Yard work: Ariat Terrain H20 Zip boots if dry / very old Aigle wellies if wet
General riding: Shires Stow Long Leather brown boots
Competition (very rare!): Mark Todd Long Leather black boots - a bargain from Blenheim Horse Trials
Racehorse exercise: Shires Oxford Paddock black boots with Ariat Close Contact Chaps (was going to get Ariat boots, but the saddler said to try the Shires as cheaper, and I am very happy with them.)

I really do need to replace my wellies as they are finally leaking after very many years of good service, but sadly can't afford another pair of Ariats.
 
Competition leather boots (Shires Norfolk) - go on before the class and off straight after (I ride side saddle and their turnout standards are, shall we say, rather high so the cleaner they stay the better)
Leather schooling boots (Shires Norfolk again, a retired pair of competition boots) - worn for schooling, clinics and on the yard on schooling days if the ground is dry
Johd boots (any brand but must have front zip) - worn to the yard and for hacking with 1/2 chaps unless its freezing
River boots (Dublin) - for competitions when dismounted, watching other people compete, going to the vet etc. and for yard hacking when its minus something
Cheap wellies (whatever Robinsons has for under £20)- for turning out in during Winter

Now I see it written down, that's quite a lot...

The schooling leather boots and river boots get a good dose of Effax Leather Balsam when I remember. The competition boots after every use get proper boot polish, melted in with a hairdryer and then polished up with an old pair of tights till they shine (welcome to the world of side saddle...). Johd boots get a quick scrub under the tap if they look terrible and the wellies never get cleaned!
 
Depends on time of year as in the summer (if dry) I will wear my either my Ariats or my short Shires boots for yard/fieldwork so I don't have to change in between, apart from adding half chaps to short boots. Short Shires have given up the ghost this summer so will have to look for another pair of short boots.

In the winter it is wellies for everything except riding and I change when I tack up.

The access to our school is currently ankle-deep mud (can't be sorted for a few weeks for reasons too long to explain) so that is a challenge. I end up hopping round the school holding horse while changing my boots! My wellies definitely are not suitable for riding in. Then I do it all again in reverse once off.
 
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I used to just have 'best' boots and those for everything else - yard jobs, mooching about and riding in. Then I worked out that the boots never lasted very long. So now I have 'best' boots (in the loft and not used for years!), boots to ride in and everything else boots - oh and wellies of course (and waders for when the floods arrive).
 
I've just bought a new pair of long boots for home and competitions as I need to use spurs, and my "old" long boots dont have spur rests.

Hack out in "old" boots, and use wellies when I drag pony out of the field!
 
Currently I have a pair of ariat heritage for yard jobs when it's not wet, a pair of ariat heritage steel toe that are totally waterproof for when it's wet but not too deep, and a pair of just togs mud ruckers for when it's really wet and muddy. I WAS riding in my heritage and tredstep chaps, but they are now always muddy so I started wearing my best boots (Ariat volants) for everyday riding. I was feeling uneasy about this as was sure I would end up ruining them so bought some ariat Volant XT short boots and matching chaps in a beautiful camel colour. They are gorgeous and immediately comfortable. They were intended to be my everyday riding boots so I could save my long boots for competition. BUT I have just realised what an impractical colour they are being so pale and in nutbuck leather and suede so I haven't even ridden in them, doh! I think they will be great for summer but I daren't wear them in the winter. Oh well, back to wearing my competition boots... or will I have to buy more boots? I mean, I really DO need them...
 
I treat my boots very badly... I live in them, barely taking the time to scrape the mud off if I've been catching in, I'll muck out in them, ride in them and they are a state.

I do have a nice clean and tidy pair for competing in, but as they are a half size too big I don't wear them on a day to day basis.

When it gets really cold, I do have a pair of yard boots for jobs and catching in.
 
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