New Boots - Help!

[gummybear]

I bought a lovely pair of new leather riding boots at Hickstead at the weekend. Got measured, tried them on, walked around the shop for about 10 minutes in them (had jods etc on) and they felt fine. Decided to ride in them last night to "break them in", and after about 10 minutes had to stop and take them off as my right leg felt like it was about to drop off the boot was so tight! Clearly my right leg is more muscular (OK - fatter!) than my left! Spent so much money on them, dont want to waste them - any ideas for stretching them. Got a comp in 4 weeks that I want to wear them to!

 

[louisevictoria]

try just wearing them for a bit first before you try and ride in them - I had to wear mine over my thickest winter jods
just around the yard for 2 weeks before I could ride comfortably in them

wouldn't be without them now

 

[seche]

Put them on - keep them on and wear them in!!!

- New boot syndrome is something we all have to get over im afraid - ride in them everyday - hacking schooling jumping etc get them to drop and to "break-in" alternatively could wrap iced peas round your leg to narrow it down in order to do boots up - if they dont give how about getting your saddler to fit some elastic by the zip(did that with my 1st pair -I now just jump in them as arent round topped & got them when I was 16)

Or you could just do what my great Aunt used to do - lie on her back in the back of her lorry with her legs in the air to try and drain the blood out of them so she could get her boots on!!!!

 

[CracklinRosie]

PMSL at the vision of your great aunt in her lorry!!!

Stand in the bath with them on and then wear them until they dry!!!!! Obviously you have to put water in the bath first!!!! Extreme but it should work!

 

[Heidi1]

Just wear them at home to start off with and then ride. Went hunting in mine and it rained all day, soon broke them in. So the standing in a bath full of water is also a good idea......... Good luck and I'm sure they will soon be comfy..........

 

[gummybear]

Think I am just going to have to ensure the pain and wear them around the yard to start with - no chance of riding in them at the moment. Suppose should set myself a task of wearing them for 5 minutes longer each day. I know what a hassle it is breaking them in, but dont remember my last boots being like that - but that was 15 years ago!! At least they are zips rather than pull on, so no struggle getting them off!! Thanks guys.

 

[seche]

NB - standing in bathwater is a surefire way to upset the leather their made out of - id don some long wet socks and wear them about the house - haveing covered them in neatsfoot first -leave that to soak in as your walking aobut in your wet socks.... Friend who is a dressage rider used this method with her Konigs - and a hot hair dryer down the boot before you get into them with your wet socks on... then polish them up with some good quality guardsman polish - like the kiwi stuff is fine - enjoy I bet they will be cracking!

 

[neigh]

How does wearing wet socks help?

 

[gummybear]

That's what I thought - I dont want to ruin them by wearing wet socks - and give myself a cold at the same time!!!!! Was thinking of seeing if a boot mender could stretch them slightly for me?

 

[seche]

How does wearing them in the rain and in the bath help? - Dampness in general tends to soften things up and thus aiding them to stretch? = make sure you condition the outside of them first

BTW - Im only going on the advise Major Dickie Waygood gives to his troopers when they are issued with their boots..

 

[muffinino]

Get some knee high tights/pop socks and try them first, then move on to knee high socks, then breeches and persevere! I bought my first pair for Christmas and my legs felt like they would drop off for the first week or so, I could feel the blood pumping around them as they were so tight, if you know what I mean.
Put a bit of leather oil around the ankles to soften them. Put them in front of the fire/radiator to loosen the leather up a bit first, tends to make them more pliable.
But don't do what I did, leave them too close to the fire, slip them on, realise the leather is burning your skin, try to get them off but only manage halfway, realise you're in the house on your own and can neither get them off or on now, then cry because you're stuck and your skin is scorched!