How to Choose, and Properly Fit, Tall English Riding Boots

Put on the breeches you will be wearing the boots with, either every day or show. With your foot flat on the floor, have a friend carefully measure around the widest part of your calf (width of boot). Then have him or her measure from the bottom of the back of your heel to the crack of the back of your knee (height of boot). Write down both of these measurements. These + your foot size are your boot measurements. Make sure to write down your boot measurements in both inches and centimeters as many boot manufactures are European. (It is also helpful to use an online conversion chart to have your European foot size).

Have a knowledgeable tack sales person pick out some boots in your sizes and price range to try on, or look for some for sale used in classifieds, internet, or through the grapevine. It will usually take a couple of tries to find a pair of tall boots that fits correctly, so only order boots over the internet that can be returned.

There are numerous choices and price points available for tall boots. Expensive boots can be maintained for a long time but might not be a good fit for children or adolescents that are growing. Decide what you can pay going into the boot search so that you won't be talked into something you simply can't afford. However, it's also necessary to recognize that quality boots can be expensive.

Try on the various boot possibilities placing a heel lift (leather wedge) in each pair before trying it on. As the leather breaks in while you ride in your new boots, it will "drop" about 1/2." Therefore, trying the boots on with the heel lifts in, will show you where they will end up on your leg height wise after being broken in. You will also want to buy a pair of heel lifts to wear in the boots so that they will not chafe the backs of your legs during first couple of weeks until they drop to the proper height.

Use boot pulls and boot powder if necessary to get the various tall boots on. See the resources below for instructions on getting tall boots on and off. Feel out the foot bed (shoe area), it should feel comfortable size-wise as if you were trying on a shoe. However, many boots have hard soles.

Observe the tall boots for proper height. In height, the English riding boots should come up to just under your knee cap, as high as it can get with out being very uncomfortable when you bend your knees. A little discomfort is OK, as the leather will break in. The height is important as it makes your leg look long and elegant while riding, regardless of discipline. Short boots appear sloppy.

Observe the tall boots for fit in the calf. The calf should be snug and tight without cutting off your circulation. If it is too loose, it will stretch out even more and drop, creating sharp folds around your ankle that can dig in and cause blisters.

At this point, you will probably have tried several pairs of boots. Try on ones in your shoe size, calf size, and height as wells as pairs in a size up and down in all three measurements to find the right combination. Walk in the boots, and more importantly, bend your knees and crouch in a riding position. You might have to use techniques to compensate for one of the dimensions to make the others fit right as a last resort. For instance, if the boot that fits right height/calf wise is a size too big in the foot, put full insoles in that will take up that extra size. If the boots that fit right otherwise are slightly too tall, put an extra pair of heel lifts in (one of these you will leave in permanently).