Dressage boots with Wide Toes/Foot?

[khemo]

I can find boots with different calf widths and different lengths, but I'm looking for boots with a wider foot, or a more forgiving toe instead of a pointy narrow toe.

I've spent the winter riding in Tuff Rider Winter Riding Boots: I love their wider toe...my toes have relaxed and aren't as scrunched up now! http://www.smartpakequine.com/images/product/15655.jpg
And, my arch/insert support fits inside them without breaking down the side of the foot.

So, I'm trying to find a tall boot for summer that's wider, or has a different shape to the toe.

I've heard different terms used to describe boot/toe shapes, what term would you suggest I search for? Any brands you'd recommend I check or avoid?

[khemo]

http://www.ridersmall.com/eHimalayas/graphics/prds/tall-boots/ladies-dressage-boots/sole_m.jpg

I like the look of this toe shape, but they got a horrific review:
http://www.horsetackreview.com/review-display/3666.html

[BaileyTW]

I would check into seeing if Ariat makes a type of boot you are looking for. I have a wider toe/foot area, and have a hard time finding normal shoes to fit me, but Ariats have fit me well so far, no pinching. I don't have any tall boots by them, I dont ride too competitively, so I just have paddock boots and half chaps, but both of those are Ariat, and very nice.

[Grey Pony]

I wear a 7 wide shoe and had bunion surgery on one foot. Too many years of squeezing my feet into medium width shoes and boots. In order to prevent the same thing from happening to the other, I used to buy men's boots(at least one size smaller) which have a naturally wider foot. I now have a pair of Mountain Horse Sportives which are very comfortable. I haven't yet tried their dress boot but I would hope it would fit just as well.
My experience with Ariat boots is that they are just not wide enough.

[khemo]

Were you able to find Sportives in a small enough size? Where?

For sneakers, I wear a Men's 7.5 Wide. (That's an 8.5 Womens).

So far I have only found tall boots in a Men's 9 or larger.

[Romany]

Try looking at men's boots - they tend to have squarer toes, and the soles are usually slightly wider.

I defy anyone to tell the difference between men's and women's boots unless they're practically standing ON your toes anyway, so I really don't think it matters.

[Mrsmph]

Check out Tally Ho Equestrian outfitters. He made me custom boots (I wear a EE width) . If you do a search here on them, you will find mixed reviews, but I really like my boots, and for $350, they are the cheapest full customs you will find. The service was excellent, and Thomas went over all of the measurements with me to assure the proper fit. Good luck!:D

[lizathenag]

I have the Mt. Horse field boots and they are quite comfortable in the toe box.

[mzm farm]

Ariats used to make a C width which was great, but it has been discontinued:(

I got a pair of Tally Hos and they are very nice. Much better then any other tall boots I have worn before and fit very well. I would recommend them.

Best of luck.

[Wayside]

I have a really short wide foot, can't even come close to being able to shove my foot into an Ariat. Got a pair of Dehner's stock boots in c-width, and they fit great. Well worth the price for me.

[khemo]

Ok, I have made some calls about the Mountain horse and a few others in Men's sizes.

Turns out I'm too short and skinny for their smallest sizes (Men's 8 or 9) to fit. :no: Dang men and their muscular calves. :winkgrin:

Custom might take too long for my short term needs (schooling show two weeks from now - I think will be too warm to get by with wearing insulated winter boots). Next rated show is in May, so that gives a few weeks for custom.

So I might take a pair the boots I have that are too big (too tall, too wide calf, too long in foot) and see if a boot repair guy can cut down the calf and leg a bit. I can live with the foot too long for a few weeks if the rest fits better than old elephant skin... though stirrup position looks funky.

I know there's no hope for the one pair...nice quality, given to me for free, nearly new. Had an elastic gusset added so I could squeeze my (then) bigger calves into them. Got the boots back, and I had lost some weight so I didn't need the gusset any more... and it turns out they never dropped... no sag to them at all... so they were too tall. Boot guy couldn't cut them shorter because of the gusset! Dang!!!! :eek: Now I have loads of extra calf room in them, just can't bend my knee. :sadsmile:

Boots, bah! I wonder how long custom ones would last me before I changed calf sizes again. Ah well.

Thanks for all your suggestions!

[Valentina_32926]

http://www.ridersmall.com/eHimalayas/graphics/prds/tall-boots/ladies-dressage-boots/sole_m.jpg

I like the look of this toe shape, but they got a horrific review:
http://www.horsetackreview.com/review-display/3666.html

Yup - Used to be known as Nittany Boots. I purchased a pair (using Visa) from a lady in Pa. Took forever to get them, then had problems:
1) Hole in bottom of sole
2.) Zipper broken
3.) Didn't fit my foot (order 8 got 8.5)

So insured then and tried to return them. Thank God I paid using Visa.
I when went into immediate dispute after receiving my first Visa bill after purchasing the boots, by telling Visa I had NOT yet recieved the boots and would Pay (Visa) when I received the boots. After I got them (piece of crap) I informed Visa I had returned them.

Crazy Pakistan guy also called me repeatedly - at work no less!
1.) Initial call I stated my case nicely explaining I'd pay the bill WHEN I received the boots and was happy.
2.) Second time telling him I had sent boots back due to the 3 items above.
He had the gall to tell me to:
a.) fix the hole (myself),
b.) wear BIG socks so the foot would fit (in Florida in the summer???), and
c.) the zipper was OK when it left (first time I tried them on the zipper split - I wasn't on the horse 5 minutes).

I told him no - I was sending the boots back.
I sent them back (insured) and theye were returned - Pa vendor didn't pick them up. Guess she got too many complaints and quit selling Nittany (now Hispanola or something like that) boots.

3.) Third time he called I informed him boots had been returned to me after attempting to send them back, and since I'd spent money on postage I send them COD to whereever he wanted. He told me to keep them. I then informed him I was not paying Visa (who in turn wouldn't pay him) and I had ordered boots from Dressage Extension instead. That's when he told me to keep the boots and tried to tell me how his product had improved and he'd like to tell me about all the other products he was selling (besides boots).

After his rudeness the first time, his BS the 2nd time I couldn't believe he'd be stupid enough to think I'd believe his "latest" story when he called the 3rd time. Since I have the calling phone # at work I wrote down the US exchange # and naver picked up the phone when the caller was from that phone number again. Jerk. I hung up on him the 3rd time after telling him to nver waste my time (and his) by calling again.

So do NOT order from that company - Trust me!

[Danged Arab]

I wear 7-1/2 C (women's) shoes and have skinny calves, so I have never found any off-the-shelf boots that fit. I have custom Dehners for show. For daily riding, I wear Tuff Rider Amazip paddock boots, size 8 wide (just barely wide enough, probably not quite a real C), and Ariat Crowne Pro half chaps, which come in every conceivable height/width combination. (Mine are XSM.)

Good luck! Boot and shoe shopping is the pits for us wideys!

[khemo]

Thanks for confirming about that company.

I tried on the boots I thought I could take to the shop -- there's no way.

I got lucky and found a very helpful sales person who measured a bunch of boots. I ordered a pair of ladies that seemed very close to my measurements.... I hope they fit!