Mountain Horse High Rider II, Sportive or Tuffa Norfolk?

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Malin100

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Hello,

I'm new here (have been reading helpful posts for the past few months though).

I used to just ride once a week at a riding school, and have recently stopped that in order to start sharing a horse a few times a week. I feel it's time to let the old rubber boots go and get my first pair of long leather boots for Christmas!

I will mainly use them for general riding, plus the occasional local show. I have so far narrowed down the ones I like to Mountain Horse High Rider II (tried on, fit well), Mountain Horse Sportive High Rider (tried on but they didn't have my calf width in the right foot size, but have to assume they'll fit) and Tuffa Norfolk (hopefully going to try on at the weekend). I tried on a few others which didn't fit - Ariats definitely seem much too long on me.

I am probably going to buy in brown no matter what I get. The main thing I want is for them to last a long time, keep my feet warm (or cool in summer) and dry. Preferably not too expensive!

If anyone has experience of any of these boots, please can you tell me the positives and negatives, if they do their job and how long they last? I seem to be able to find mostly good reviews for the High Riders. I haven't seen much about the Norfolks. And to be honest, I can't see what the main differences are between the high rider and sportive! Any advice welcome!

Fyi, I can get the High Rider II around £150, Sportive around £170 and Norfolks about £95.

Thanks in advance!
 
I can't comment on the Tuffa Norfolk boots, but love my Suffolk boots. Good workmanship and believe that the zips last longer than Mountain Horse.
 
I previously had Mountain Horse boots and got on very well with them, they were very warm and comfy, and quite tough too. Only thing was the zips were weak, and i have heard this from loads of people with MH boots. When mine broke i had them replaced cheaply and the boots carried on for another couple of years so was a small inconvenience really, i would recommend them. No experience of tuffa I'm afraid.
 
Thanks for the replies so far! Out of interest, how much do zips cost to replace and do they have to be done by specialists or just Timpsons and the like?
 
The only thing I would say that really you should have black boots if you want to use them for some shows as well. The Mountain Horse sportive is very similar to the High Rider II but is not quite as chunky so good for shows and still as comfy. I had my zip replaced by a local cobbler (MH sent me the correct zip free of charge) and got years more wear out of them, they are still going now :D I have not had a pair of the Tuffa ones so can't comment on them.
 
I bought Mountain Horse Sportive High Riders about 11 years ago in black, absolutely wear them to death for everything, muddy hacking, polished competing, don't take particularly good care of them (no boot trees, rare to polish or wash them) and finally 2 months ago, one zip broke. I sent the boot, which by now had cracked across the ball of the foot so was letting in water, off to Horsemasters, the Mountain Horse distributor, who offer a replacement zip service for £35. The boot was back within 2 weeks and the new zip is fine. I then ran a lot of clear flexible bathroom sealant around the edges of the boot where top meets sole and across the cracked leather area, so now the boot is waterproof again.

For those of you who are now aghast, I shall add that back in June this year I realised my knackered but beloved MHs were beyond their competition days so I bought a brand new pair of the same which I keep for competition outings only.

PS For complete toastiness of MH boots, you need to add in the lambswool inner soles which you can buy for £2 from either Edinburgh Woollen Mills or Timpsons (key/shoe repairs). Timpsons zip replacement service was £40.
 
I have the mountain horse sportive and I do like them. They have lasted about 7 years so far, I've had the zips replaced but the soles and the uppers are still in good nick. I've done all sorts in them, everyday riding and lessons, shows and yard work.

My DH has the high rider II and he loves them, they aren't smart enough to wear for shows though really. They are also quite bulky, they can mean that you need to get bigger stirrups and that your spurs don't fit. I don't think his have lasted quite as well as my sportives either.

I rate the mountain horse boots but will buy Ariats in future. I do think that they are a better in terms of the technical specification, they also do a bigger range of fittings. Have you tried on their short fitting? And have you tried heel raisers? Ideally you want your boots to be a bit too long so that when they drop they are perfect.
 
Malin100 said:
Thanks for the replies so far! Out of interest, how much do zips cost to replace and do they have to be done by specialists or just Timpsons and the like?
Click to expand...

Timpsons near me won't do them but I have an excellent independant cobbler who does them. I think the last one was £40 for a total replacement zip. Other places are a bit cheaper but if I have to post them or drive miles then it isn't worth it.
 
Thanks!

I didn't realise you shouldn't wear brown boots for shows. I am totally clueless (been riding a while but non-horsey family and friends and I've never really been to any shows or anything). I assumed it was preference, and I always prefer brown over black! But if black is better for in case I do some competitions then that's what I better get as I certainly won't be able to get two pairs!

Great tip about the insoles. I bet that's £2 very well spent.

I'm glad to hear MH last a long time. My current rubber "start" boots(!) must be over 11 as well, although admittedly there's a large chunk of that time when I didn't ride! Thankfully still warm and waterproof, but I think it's time to get grown up boots!

I wouldn't like to have to buy new stirrups or anything, if the high rider IIs are that chunky! Seems a bit daft owning my own stirrups when I don't own the horse! :D

I don't think the shop even offered shorter Ariats. They did give me the heel raisers but they still weren't anywhere near comfortable. If this other shop has Ariats then I'll try again. I understand now about the boots needing to be a bit long (shop assistant educated me a bit there) - the MHs are just slightly too long on me but to a degree where I can envisage they'd be comfortable pretty quickly.

Hmmm...right now I'm perhaps thinking I may ditch the High Rider IIs and choose between the Sportive and Tuffa Norfolk. And I'm talking myself round to black...decisions, decisions!
 
Just ordered some nice cosy insoles. 2 pairs - one for current boots (which will still be used as wellies in winter) and one for prospective new boots.

Still can't decide which boot is best, having read bad revies about Mountain Horse zips, but also think the Tuffas might come up short on me judging by the size chart. Trying them on NEXT weekend now!

Also totally swithering on the colour. Any further advice in that respect? My hat and body protector are black, but only because it's the only colour they came in. I have a jockey skull that i mainly wear so can always change the silk on that. I usually avoid black as I am the palest of pale and so have been a browns and neutrals person all my life! But if I'd need black for competing then no point getting brown. As I say, I am clueless about competing, and would like to try a few disciplines so maybe best to keep my options open.
 
Of course you can wear brown boots for shows (whatever discipline)! They look very smart with tweed :) I personally prefer brown boots to black, by a long shot!
 
On my 4th pair or Mountain Horse Rimfrosts and also have a pair of Mountain Horse High Rider II that I use for competitions - had a problem with the zip on second pair but this was easily fixed and boots lasted another 18 months
 
Don't worry too much about the zips on the mountain horse boots, they are guaranteed for about 6 months so if they go early you can get them replaced, beyond that I have had the zips on mine repaired and replaced as and when required. It is a bit of a pain, but you will have the same problem with any zip up boot, so keep your rubber boots as spares! It cost me about £35 for a new zip last time at a local independant cobbler, if he can repair the zip it is about £5 though.

If you want to just have one pair of boots for everything then I can really recommend the sportives, I bought mine when I was having lessons, they are much warmer and more comfortable than rubber boots or joddie boots, they clean up really nicely for competitions and look smart, but are sturdy and practical enough for everyday. I have worn mine for everything.

But don't bin those old rubber boots, mine are now 20 odd years old and with the next generation :D
 
I have a piar of Norfolk, the good thing about it is they come into different calf size and lenght, leather is lovely, price for value. Still going strong after 18m ( weekly rider)
 
I think I've made my decision!

I tried on the Tuffa Suffolk and Toggi Calgary today. The Suffolk was too short, and not overly comfortable. The Calgaries were comfortable in the foot but had a lot of breaking in to do in the calf before they'd be comfy.

Needed to decide tonight on MH Sportive or Calgaries. Calgary is half the price of the Sportive! But I like the look of the Sportive more.

They both have issues with the zips so no real pluses/minuses in that respect.

I think I want the Sportive, but would it be really bad to pay twice the price for looks?!

Hubby wants to sort my Christmas tomorrow so need to decide! I am so bad at making decisions!
 
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