Riding boots for prosthetic leg

dreamcometrue

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Well today me and daughter went to Rideaway shopping for horsey accessories. We had a hard time finding some boots for her prosthetic foot. It doesn't bend and simply will not go into boots with a zip at the side, laces at the front, zip at the back or any other combination of openings.

However, we finally found these

http://www.rideaway.co.uk/harry-hal-ohio-jodhpur-boots

and lo and behold she got her foot in them without too much of a struggle. :D

Its the curved zip that does the trick. These will be her yard and everyday boots.

On this premise I am wondering if her long boots will have to be Ariat volant which are a bit expensive! Does anyone know of any other makes that can fit onto a prosthetic foot?
 

LessThanPerfect

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I'm an RDA rider and many other RDA and PARA riders with prosthetic legs and/or feet find gaiters much easier than long boots, the ariat and tredstep ones are very smart for competing.

I understand you can get a dispensation card for British Dressage if you cannot wear long boots but as I only do RDA competitions I don't know much about it or if you can get dispensation for other disciplines.

Looking at the link, I think gaiters would look like long boots with the boots you have pictured and would look very smart.
 
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ruth83

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I appreciate it is not the same but a livery at my yard when I was a kid had her ankle fused and as such it didn't bend at all. She took a pair of pull on boots to a cobbler who inserted a zip which opened right down to the bottom of the boot - rather than stopping 2 inches from the sole as many seem to. This might be worth a thought?

I would also echo the above that the jod boots you have posted (a pair kept for best) with gaitors would look smart if you could find some to fit the leg well.
 

Patterdale

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I am able bodied but have quite short legs and find it hard to get long boots to fit. I have worn short boots and gaiters for years now for everything from unaff dressage to novice eventing, it's perfectly acceptable and with spurs on you can't even tell :)

Once again - so pleased for your daughter to be getting back into riding :)
 

ebonyallen

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Hi the ones that I use for my false leg, all have back zips. I have long Ariat Boots that our great and also have a few pairs of johd boots which are Ariat and also Mountain horse. What you have to be careful of is that the zip comes right the way down near the heal of the boot I find that if there is a gap even a small one I am unable to get the stupid leg in and you and your daughter very well know you are not able to bend or flex the foot and you have to slide the foot into the boot, therefore boots with a rear zip are the only ones that I can get into, so I do understand how hard it is to get the correct boots to fit. I also have a pair of Mountain horse paddock boots which have the laces on them, because you can open them up well again you are able to slide your false leg into them, this is not the case with any other boots that I have tried and failed to get on, it can be very frustrating at times but keep trying them on and you will find a pair that are really easy well sort of lol to get on and off. I also found that their are not too many johd boots out there that have the back zip so when I have found them I brought myself a couple of pairs of them to make sure I have some for the future. As said in my other answer to your thread please contact me and I can through things in more detail with you. Chrissie x
 

MagicMelon

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Not sure, sorry not helpful - but I absolutely love the Volants. Wish I could afford some too!

You never know, it might be worth contacting some of the main boot manufacturers - they might tailor a boot just for her if they were feeling kind... worth asking anyway.
 

nclem

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Hello, another vote here for zips at the back, though they have to be quite far down the boot (some just don't quite go far enough), I have been able to wear (although needed help to get them on until they loosened up) one pair of the long kinpurnie boots from derby house (on sale for £60) and once was able to wear a cheaper pair which were around £60 - however with both, the zips on my false leg boot broke after around 6 months of wearing them every day - and to replace one zip at timpsons they quoted me £40!! So I opted for a new pair of jod boots instead, also a struggle to find some to fit as not many jod boots have zips.

So just to say really it doesn't need to be expensive - just need the patience to try on looooads :) which can be fun :)

Glad your daughter has managed to find some that work well :)
 

LessThanPerfect

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Never thought when I posted my last thread, I have some Shires Brompton paddock boots from Rideaway that have both rear zips AND front laces--did your daughter try those ones as they look very smart with tredstep gaiters?

Sorry if they were one of tbe opening combinations already mentioned.
 

dreamcometrue

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Thank you so much for the replies. ebonyallen and nclem it is so good to know its not just us that are having to deal with this and that it is possible to find boots that will go on the damn foot! She tried every pair they had with zips down the back. The short boots she bought are brilliant though and I think I will write to Harry Hall to tell them so.

Thanks for the suggestion to get a best pair and some nice chaps. I think that is the way we will go. The pair she bought are brown so a black pair with quality half chaps should be good for her dressage.

I will no doubt be picking your brains for many more things in future. :)
 

nclem

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Glad she is pleased with her short boots :) interesting that - the ones I got recently were also harry hall, maybe a good make to bear in mind in future..please do keep us updated I would love to hear how she is doing and share ideas/experiences, please also say hello to her from me :).
 

turnbuckle

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Just an idea - I had some excellent bespoke boots made in Hungary for £350. The measuring was a bit of a faff, but the end result was brilliant. Not much cheaper than the Ariats, but you will be able to have any tweaks you want. PM if you would like their details.
 

Wheels

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De niro do a long boot with a front to side zip like the ones on the short boots you posted up. Not sure they'd be any cheaper than the volants though
 

Princess Rosie

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I have a pair of toggi Calgary boots which I ride in and find very comfy, they have full length zips down the back and a Velcro fastener at the top so you can pull the top in a little, I would suspect these might be good for a prosthetic leg and they're not ridiculously expensive and last a long time.

A lady I met at an airport once told me that a lady at bury equestrian centre can replace long zips on riding boots for fairly cheap. x
 

Clannad48

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Timpsons are daft prices when it comes to things like that! Our local cobbler replaces zips for less than half that!

So true, whilst our local Timpsons will often say it cant be done or the price is exhorbitant, our local 'cobbler' will often repair it for what I consider to be peanuts. One example is when my daughter took her jodphur boots in to see if he would fit a new zip as the old one was completely stuck/jammed. Two minutes later zip was freed, working fine and done for free. He wouldn't take a penny.

If you're ever in Dunstable he is in Ashton Square.
 
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