Wearing hiking boots horse riding?
Hi, going horse riding soon. The place where I'm going horse riding doesn't have boots available, would hiking boots with heels work?
Thanks
Thanks
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Absolutely. If you can, try wearing half chaps too, at least with English saddles, to prevent the stirrup strap from pinching, a sock knee high can help with that too.
If you take a look at the photos in the trail riding subforum you'll see a lot of people wearing hiking boots.
They have a down side, because they're wider, so some narrow stirrups might not fit, and the sole might get hook up due to the spikes, at least in English styled stirrups, but in this case, the security release in the saddle takes care of it if an accident happens (knock on wood).
If you take a look at the photos in the trail riding subforum you'll see a lot of people wearing hiking boots.
They have a down side, because they're wider, so some narrow stirrups might not fit, and the sole might get hook up due to the spikes, at least in English styled stirrups, but in this case, the security release in the saddle takes care of it if an accident happens (knock on wood).
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The reason I say NO to hiking boots is if they have any kind of cleated or heavily 'waffled' bottom, it can make it harder for your foot to come out of the stirrup if needed. Do your boots have cleats? or heavy treading? you know what I mean, right?
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I'm a NO as well. Hiking boots are made to be non-slip with deep treads. They're also very bulky and may make the stirrups too small for your feet. If anything goes wrong it's going to be tough to remove them.
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I wear the Ariat Terrain boot--it's a hiking boot with heels made specifically for horse riding. They are narrow enough to fit into stirrups and don't have a huge tread. And they last forever--had the same pair for years. Comfortable too.
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Absolutely you can
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again, depends on tread. I"d feel safer in a tennis shoe with no heel than in a heavy boot with tread. The shoe will usually come off if you get cuaght in the stirrup, the boot will not. But the Ariat Terrains do not have tread/cleats. I have a pair , too. They are wonderful casual riding shoes.
I also wear the Ariat terrain boots, they are all I ever wear now, they are made to ride/work in, I wont wear anything else since they are so comfortable and I can wear them all day. My boots just sit in my closet, Ariat's are worn everyday.
Hiking boots would be a hard no for me since they are thicker and have more sole and deeper thread, I would think if someone is giving riding lessons and the client came to ride in hiking boots I would think they would be truned away for safely reasons.
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I've seen a lot of people wearing hiking shoes (not leather boots but they look kind of like heavy duty tennis shoes) with half chaps.
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Someone mentioned Ariat Terrains. I needed shoes for my groom job that I could ride in too and these are amazing. They don't have the heavy treads. I'd hunt in them if they didn't reek of horse poop.
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So, a true hiking boot to me is a no for riding in.
True hiking boots are made to lace tight and apply firm, steady pressure to the ankle area so when hiking you not so easily roll your ankle. They are also several inches higher a fit on the leg, = restricts motion.
Riding boots allow ankle motion since as you ride your ankles are part of the "shock absorber" your body has to ride quiet astride.
I ride with Ariat Terrains myself....
No way do I consider these a real hiking boot, a walking boot...sure.
So, in reality for me if this is a real hiking boot then my answer is no because you will restrict your ankle to move and that will create pain for you and possibly a position of continual nuisance to the horse bumped with that boot in its side.
🐴...
True hiking boots are made to lace tight and apply firm, steady pressure to the ankle area so when hiking you not so easily roll your ankle. They are also several inches higher a fit on the leg, = restricts motion.
Riding boots allow ankle motion since as you ride your ankles are part of the "shock absorber" your body has to ride quiet astride.
I ride with Ariat Terrains myself....
No way do I consider these a real hiking boot, a walking boot...sure.
So, in reality for me if this is a real hiking boot then my answer is no because you will restrict your ankle to move and that will create pain for you and possibly a position of continual nuisance to the horse bumped with that boot in its side.
🐴...
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I started riding in hiking boots - as long as they lace in the front/no side zip should be fine (just make sure not to jam your foot in the stirrup; also potential chance it could be too wide for the stirrup but I never experienced that in all the years I rode in hiking boots). If you have or could borrow Bundstones, those are my faves for riding that also work for every day use. Snug fitting rubber boots could also work in a pinch.
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I've been wearing army boots to ride with for 50 years. Riding boots and "cowboy" boots are the most uncomfortable things if you need to do any walking, so if you do any serious riding (where you might find yourself having to lead the horse and walk much) you want something that's more comfortable to walk in for more than a few yards at a time. And you don't need a big heel either (combat and jump boots have relatively shallow heels). English boots survived as a matter of style and traditions. "Cowboy" boots were worn by cowboys because they allowed for the pants legs to be inside the boot (protecting the bottom of the pants leg from excess wear or damage) and the large heels were strictly for fasion during that era (notice how English riding boots can have pretty shallow heels). The "cowboy" had little that was fashionable so they used whatever fasion style that would still allow for functionality. Large heels serve no real function for riding (although a lot of myths have been made up about them). Even comfortable walking shoes are good for riding.
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