Riding Boot - English Riding Designs

English Riding Designs

For the riding disciplines that fall into the category of English riding, there are a number of different styles of riding boots, intended for different styles of riding, from horse shows, to pleasure riding. Tall boots, which end just below the knee of the rider, include field, dress, and hunt boots. These are standard show apparel, worn by all competitors in the hunter/jumper and dressage disciplines. A lower, paddock boot that stops just above the ankle, is worn by children, by some show competitors in the UK, Australia, and by those that show Saddle seat...

Field boots: so called because they were traditionally worn by officers ranked "field grade" or higher, have lacing at the vamp, which allows for some give so the rider is more comfortable riding with the highly flexed ankle that develops from the shorter stirrup length required for work over fences. Therefore, field boots are preferred in all jumping disciplines, including Hunt seat equitation, show jumping, fox hunting, and both jumping phases in eventing. They are also worn by police officers riding motorcycles or on mounted patrols, and by some police agencies as part of their "Class A" uniform or with ceremonial mounted units. The majority of field boots are black, although brown-colored boots may also be purchased.

Dress boots: do not have lacing at the ankle, and are generally stiffer. They are worn by dressage riders, eventers in the dressage phase, and at formal fox hunts. They are also worn by riders of show jumpers. Dress boots are traditionally black in color. A recent fad is dress boots for dressage that are cut to go extra high on the outside of the knee.

Hunt boots, or Top boots: like the dress boot, except it has a "cuff" at the top. The boot is usually black, with a tan cuff (traditional for male riders). It is appropriate for fox hunting.

Paddock boots, also known as Jodhpur boots, are short boots that come just above the ankle, used most often for pleasure riding and everyday use. They are also required for Saddle seat style riding and are frequently worn by children when showing in hunt seat disciplines because they are less costly for rapidly-growing children than are tall boots. They are sometimes combined with half chaps, a type of gaiter also known as chapettes, for added protection or to give the visual impression of a tall boot. The lace-up style is primarily seen in hunt seat riding, whereas the elastic-sided Chelsea boot design is seen in both hunt seat and saddle seat disciplines. The elastic side boot is also commonly used in Australia as a riding boot and dress boot. They are part of the required attire in Australian Stock Horse turnout competitions and for Pony Club riding. Heavier versions, such as Blundstone boots, are made for general work and gardening but are not suitable for riding owing to their heavy, deep-grooved soles.

Field boots (and many paddock boots) have an extra layer of leather on the toe, called a toe cap. All styles have somewhat tapered, round toes. Current styles include zip-on boots, with a zipper running down the back of the calf of a tall boot or the front of a paddock boot, making them easier to put on and remove without aid of boot hooks or a boot jack.

Brown tall boots (field or dress) were somewhat more common before World War II, when the English riding habit lost popularity outside of formal and/or horse show events. The U.S. Army, whose officers had worn high brown boots until the 1930s, abandoned the practice in wartime. For a time, some show sanctioning organizations did not allow brown boots, considering them to be casual attire, although the rule has relaxed somewhat.