[grayfalls]

Interested in hearing everyone's riding boot care routine!
How do you clean your boots? How often do you clean them? Do you use boot trees? Boot hooks? Are you fanatical about a certain kind of boot polish? Are you strict about who touches your boots?

This is mainly about English boots but would be interesting to hear about some Western boots as well! I think it will be great to see everyone's opinions.

 

[bsms]

Western: Clean mud off as needed. If they get tight, some neatsfoot oil. About once a year, some Passier Lederbalsam.

 

[Corporal]

Water and soap to clean. I use saddlesoap, but if I have time, castile soap, good sudsing and a very good rinse, use an old towel to dry, and then I oil with Neatsfoot oil.
Then I let them dry for a good week.
If I am riding the next day, I use my hand and put saddle soap to oil and push it into every crevice to soak in.
I love Neatsfoot oil, but it will stretch out leather if you use it and don't give it time to be absorbed by the leather. It will also continue to soak into very dry leather, and will "disappear" as you use it until you have saturated the leather.
If I am riding every day AND it's sunny, I will put my boots out to dry thoroughly in the sun, and then treat with mink oil which seals in the clean dry leather and seals out water. If your leather is still wet it also seals that in and starts molding your leather.
There are wonderful products out there, but mine are the least expensive. I used to have a small riding academy, my horses and my tack and I had to clean and maintain all of it. The pricier leather products have never been within my budget.

 

[boots]

Since I clean my polo tack every time I practice or play, cleaning my boots is not difficult. I use saddle soap and a light brushing of neatsfoot oil at the end of every day they are worn just like the rest of the tack.

Once of month, more often if I want, I work in a good amount of a leather cream. I use a black liquid shoe polish for touch ups but it is rarely needed.

 

[updownrider]

I follow Vogel Boot recommendations for English boots made of leather, and have for at least 45 years. I never use saddle soap to clean boots. Vogel says it is too harsh for boot leather. I use a damp cloth for cleaning, and a leather conditioner (not oil) for boots, if needed. Allow to dry naturally, drying in the sun can cause discoloration I have discovered. Once dry, I then polish. If I used neatsfoot oil, it would be hard to ever get a good shine on them again. My boots last for years with proper care.

 

[boots]

I follow Vogel Boot recommendations for English boots made of leather, and have for at least 45 years. I never use saddle soap to clean boots. Vogel says it is too harsh for boot leather. I use a damp cloth for cleaning, and a leather conditioner (not oil) for boots, if needed. Allow to dry naturally, drying in the sun can cause discoloration I have discovered. Once dry, I then polish. If I used neatsfoot oil, it would be hard to ever get a good shine on them again. My boots last for years with proper care.

Intersting, UDR.

I know a young man who has "paid his dues" coming up through the ranks of polo. He cleans his this way.

I noticed the care with which he cleaned them and after a few days asked about it. He said "I wore rubber boots when I started. Then I got a second hand pair of cowboy boots to school in. Got a second hand, worn out pair of polo boots when I got good enough to play. Now I've had these for a couple years. They mean a lot to me." It was touching.

 

[bkylem]

I have sort of a ritual I do each week after my lesson. I first throw all my clothes in the washer as I wear the exact same thing every week. Sort of a uniform.
I then wipe down my paddock boots and apply a thin layer of polish and buff them out. I don't overdue it, but I like to take care of them as a matter of pride and their initial cost. I also wipe down the half-chaps and dab a bit of polish on them every two weeks.
It simply makes me feel better and a bit more confident each week.

My very best to you !

ps....I often wear my old pair of paddocks for everyday. Love them.

 

[Fort fireman]

General cleaning. Murphy's oil soap.

Mink oil once a month give or take. Had my ariat cowboy boots going on 3 years now. Everyday wear and replaced the insoles twice but they are still going strong. I may need to replace them soon however . The outside of the heel is wearing and I'm not sure if I can have them redone. But that has nothing to do with the leather care. Just the way I walk.

 

[trailhorserider]

I ride in tennis shoes (less than $10) and throw them away after about 6 months of everyday use when they start falling apart. :lol:

 

[aspin231]

I ride in tennis shoes (less than $10) and throw them away after about 6 months of everyday use when they start falling apart. :lol:

The lack of heel on tennis shoes makes me worry about you getting a foot caught in a stirrup, should an emergency arise. I urge you to reconsider your footwear.
That, and a sturdy pair of western boots can be found second hand for very little, maybe less than your tennis shoes, and with proper care will last forever. Paddock boots aren't expensive either, and certainly the cost of neither is worth your neck.