[marta]

i'm on my second pair of mountain horse ice riders and once again i'm having a problem with cracking right at the area where the ankle flexes up and down. it's a real shame since the boots are in otherwise great condition. i thought the last pair suffered premature cracking b/c i kept them in a basement where the air is v. humid in the summer and v. dry in the winter. however, i kept this pair in my closet and the result is the same.

so, i need to find another tall winter boot for riding. we do a lot of hacking at walk so warmth is important. any suggestions?

[caballero]

Well, I got a pair of Active Winter Riders about two weeks ago so I can't vouch for their durability. Their zipper is routed differently than the Ice Riders, so that might help.

They are warm, warm, warm. The only time I have noticed even a hint of cold was after standing for about 20 minutes on an ice-cold barn concrete aisle. I've never felt any cold in the saddle even during slow hacks out in the snow.

[marta]

the area that cracked on my both pairs of MH winter boots is right next to where that "tongue" goes up on the front of the leg. the Active Winter Riders have the same design and the material looks similar, too i don't know. maybe i expect too much. maybe i just need to get used to replacing my winter tall boots every 2 years...

[Hinderella]

I have a pair of Ariat winter boots from at least 5 years ago that are still going strong. They're pull on boots, I think they were called the Summit. Very warm, and the foot is made of water resistant leather, so my feet stay dry in snow and mud. Love them!

[SarahandSam]

I really like my Middleburg fleece-lined boots--Dover carries them. I had a pair for three winters and finally got a new pair this year; the old pair is still going strong, they're just too small for me to wear layers of socks with. The fit is a bit odd; size up if you're between sizes, since the top of the calf and the foot tend to be smaller, but the calf itself is more generous. But they're warm, break in easily, and seem to be really durable--I wear them all winter.

[caballero]

the area that cracked on my both pairs of MH winter boots is right next to where that "tongue" goes up on the front of the leg. .

OK, I thought yours had cracked along the sides of the ankles.

Maybe a pair of boots every couple of years is the price to pay for warm feet. Once the thermometer dips below 40 I will not go back to cramming wool socks and toe warmers into leather boots.

I read all the reviews I could online and found only three major brands making winter boots: Ariat, Tuffrider, and MH. Tuffrider reviews were almost universally junk and I could not find any deals on Ariats. I found the Active Winter Riders new on ebay for $65.

Can't beat that with a stick.

[Vesper Sparrow]

Ditto the Middlebergs. Mine are by Treadstone but look identical to the Middlebergs, purchased at VTO on sale. Super comfy and warm. I had a cobbler put in an elastic panel on the side to fit my calves. I was worried about the plastic on the Mountain Horse boots wrecking my saddle.

http://www.vtosaddlery.com/product/WINTERBOOT/TAWB.htm

[CobJockey]

For a cheaper option, I'm halfway through my first winter with the $99 Tuffrider Winter Riding boots and I'm really impressed. I can ride in them (in any size stirrup!) and wear them through the deepest mud and they still hose off to look brand new and keep me very warm. I've got circulation problems that cause me to lose feeling in my toes easily, and they've kept me warm through 6 hours of feeding and mucking down to temps in the teens. Highly recommended.

[TarheelJD]

Love, love, love my Ariat Bromonts. My feet always get cold when skiing, etc., but with these boots, I have never had cold feet at the barn in the winter, and I wear regular Zocks -- don't even need thick winter socks with them. I have had them for 2 years, and they are holding up well, but last year in Georgia winter was very mild, so I did not need to use them that often. So I guess I would say they have 1.25 years of use on them.

I haven't had to show in then, but if the weather required it, they are nice enough looking that I certainly could.

[marta]

Ditto the Middlebergs. Mine are by Treadstone but look identical to the Middlebergs, purchased at VTO on sale. Super comfy and warm. I had a cobbler put in an elastic panel on the side to fit my calves. I was worried about the plastic on the Mountain Horse boots wrecking my saddle.

http://www.vtosaddlery.com/product/WINTERBOOT/TAWB.htm

i have treadstone half chaps that i bought used (on COTH) and have had for years and love them still. i will look into these. do look a bit short? is it just the photo? are they waterproof? (i'm in NJ, our snow is rarely dry and fluffy )

[sheltona01]

I was super excited to try on the Middleburg boots. Make sure if you do not have slim calves to try them on before buying them. I could not even zip them half way up my calves they were so tight. I also tried on all of the Mountain horse boots and Ariats. Basically with you have any sort of wide calf, make sure you try before buying. None of them were close to fitting properly at all. Even the boots the sales person thought were big on a lot of people were tight on me. I do not have that big of legs.

[Vesper Sparrow]

No, I'd say they're pretty standard in height. I don't think they're waterproof but I'm not sure. Up here, the problem at this time of year is cold rather than wet.

Shelton, I got the wide version of the Treadstones and had the cobbler put the extra elastic panel in the side. I have wide calves that bulge wierdly so wide calf boots tend to be not big enough at the bottom but too wide at the top. Since I won't be showing in these boots, it worked just fine.

[candysgirl]

I quite like my Ariat Brossards. You wouldn't be able to show or anything in them, but they're comfy and warm.

[myhorsefaith]

I broke down and purchased the Ariat Bromont's. There was no break in time, soft as butter from day 1, and still supportive.

They are warm, but not super toasty- ie no sweaty feet. I do get cold/numb feet easily, and yes I have gotten cold in these, but not terribly bad. Less warm than mountain horse active boots (had last year, couldnt stand them), for sure. But far more comfortable.

[dreaminOTTB]

I'm also having an issue finding winter riding boots - but my issue is my wide calves. Went to a nearby tack store, tried on the MH Active Winter Rider and the Ariar Bromont and neither came close to fitting up my calves. I've just been layering under my regular paddocks and half chaps, but they're really taking a beating so far this winter.

Any suggestions for those whose calves don't resemble a twig? Am I stuck with the winter paddock boots?

[caballero]

I have 16 1/2" calves and men's 9 feet. MH Active Winter Riders in womens 11 Regular fit just a hair snug at the calves but their huge elastic panel makes them fit like a glove.

I probably should have bought 11 wides but those were sold out at the killer price.

[randomequine]

If you don't mind something a touch clunkier or are on a tighter budget, I've been very happy with the Dafna Blizzard Boot. The only thing that annoys me is that I have to put wider stirrups on (but I have narrow feet to begin with) for the winter months. http://www.smartpakequine.com/blizza...ult-8969p.aspx

They're not as sleek as your Ariat/MH/etc, but they're warm and get the job done....plus, I like that the bottoms are rubber so I'm not as worried about the mud. That, and the calves are super adjustable... I don't ride daily, but I'm on my second year of 2-4 rides a week and these being left in the barn and no issues.

[babyeventer23]

I LOVE my Mountain Horse Stellas. Super warm and comfy, fits in my regular stirrups, and going on a year now without any issues!

[ladyfreckles]

I love Ariat Bromonts as well. Have not tried mountain horse yet though.

There are MuckBoots with a riding heel as well, and even beter are Hunter Wellingtons because those have a smaller ankle which offers a little more support. When I wear those in the winter with thick socks I don't ever worry about my feet getting cold. Both are cheaper than the really nice winter boots I've tried.

[myhorsefaith]

I had a version of the muck boot riding boots - brit colts i think they were. they were fantastically warm...however - they split at the back of the heel very quickly - creating a nice little hole.

I will say, before i broke down and purchased the Bromonts, I did use muck boot Futi's over my paddock boots. They kept my feet pretty warm too - but i just felt a little weird in them - like i had duck feet or something. LOL. But for $30 ish bucks, they may help make existing boots be warmer!