[future vet]

Do the Muck Boots run large or small in the foot? The Amazon reviews aren't really clear, but maybe lean toward "a little large."

They run a tetch big, but not enough that you'd want to order a smaller size than normal. They are awesome in the winter; I feel indestructible when I'm wearing them, plus I don't have to wear 3 pairs of socks to keep my feet warm!

[Calvincrowe]

Gosh, I feel like I've been risking my feet all these years by wearing my gray rubber boots out to the barn every day....sheesh! I wear mine every day, seriously. I guess I must have either the luck of the angels or am careful with my feet, but the worst I've ever been hurt when stepped on was in my field boots at a show--now that HURT!

I have good, old-fashioned gray "industrial" rubber boots from our feed store. I like to wear them when mowing, in shorts, in the spring and summer because Mr. CC thinks that's a hot look. The neighbors? Not so much!

[Amwrider]

I use men's hunting boots. They are insulated and seem indestructable (unlike the rubber boots I have bought at TSC that crack and then leak water into the boot). I think they are steel toed. They are incredibly heavy though and after a day of wearing them I feel like my butt muscles got a workout!

They are a lovely camoflage design (ick) but I think they are pretty indesctructable. I do not ride in them though, the treads are too thick for me to feel safe with my foot in the stirrup.

[horsepoor]

On sizing, I found the Muck boots ran just slightly large. I wear them mostly with thicker socks, so that works ok for me. Not so big that going down a size would work, at least for me.

[RiverOaksFarm]

I had a foal break my foot. I was wearing rubber Wellie-type boots. He spooked and landed not on my toes, but on the arch of my foot. "Break" is putting it mildly -- the x-ray looked like toothpicks, with three bones broken and splintered in multiple places. I can remember sitting in the exam room and hearing my orthopedist on the other side of the door as he called over a second orthopedist -- hey, you've got to see this, you won't believe it, I think I'm going to name it 'the Horse Fracture.'

Gigha

[jen-s]

My Muck's are a bit big. Just enough that I can wear my normal wool socks and in the winter, swap the athletic inner soles I add in for a pair of Ugg inner soles. Warm, squishy goodness! It almost makes up for them being rather warm in summer, although I keep the neoprene folded in half so they are a bit cooler. Next time, I'd buy the shorter style.

I did wear them last spring for all 3 days of a horse show. My feet were dry (except for sweat), but I left there vowing to never do that again without Dubarry's. I'm still too poor for Dubarry's. And I still worry about getting stepped on--I know they offer decent squish protection (learned firsthand), but they are wide enough that I've had horses catch the side of my foot. Now that's awkward.

[rivenoak]

Thanks for everyone's input. I have a pair of MuckMasters being shipped.

RiverOaksFarm, my mare stomped & twisted on my arch a few years ago, breaking multiple bones. I don't think the docs named it the Horse Fracture, though.

[equinekingdom]

I use these in the winter: http://www.horse.com/item/dafna-bliz...-boot/E002943/ They are great for riding, waterproof, COMFORTABLE and fairly protective/sturdy. I've never had any trouble with them, and I can go through all kinds of mud, water, etc and my feet never get wet.

[caballero]

I don't wear steel toed boots to the barn because I'd always been told that they could crush & injure your toes.

Don't listen to nonsense. ANSI-ASTM approved safety shoes would not be requirement in most construction and manufacturing environments if they didn't work.

I've been stepped on before while wearing leather riding boots and what little injuries I've had would have been zero with steel-toed footwear.

Not wearing steel toe shoes because they could hurt your toes/foot is about the same as not wearing a seatbealt because you are "safer" being thrown clear of the vehicle.

[S1969]

Wasn't there a mythbusters episode years ago that debunked steel toe boots crushing or amputating toes?

probably...or rather, the force it takes to crush a steel toe, your foot would have been mush long before that!

That's exactly what it showed - that by the time the steel would amputate your toes, your entire foot would have been pulverized anyway. I think they dropped a 20' steel girder from 10'+ onto the "foot" to demonstrate. Scary!

I wear Mucks in winter but am already searching for a summer-weight protective boot. There are Much gardening type boots - shorter uppers but similar foot - that I might try.

My problem with Muck's is that there are no half-sizes, and I am an absolute dead on half-size. The size above is way too big and my foot slides around (and I get really tired trying to walk in them); the smaller size is just a tiny bit too small and my heel rubs. I go with the smaller, but would love to find a better alternative boot.

[tinydragon]

I wear Dakota steel toe boots with two pairs of socks. It gets chilly around here, but it's very mild. I've had horses step on my toe, dropped heavy items on my toe, nothing. When I wore them for work, there were a couple horses who'd step on the backs of my legs but the boots came up high enough that they were protected. I'd definitely feel unsafe in rubber boots, but if you're still put off by steel toes, maybe Ariat or Mountain Horse would have something.

[trubandloki]

I love my Muck boots. I have low for summer chores and mid calf for really muddy and snow season.

[The Crone of Cottonmouth County]

Wasn't there a mythbusters episode years ago that debunked steel toe boots crushing or amputating toes?

Yes they did. TV is awesome!

[sherian]

I am a farrier, and wear steel toe boots. I as you can quess get a higher rate of toe stepping on then average and have never had even a dent in my steel toes. The worst I have had was a big dumblood spook with corks in land on my toes - cork punctured the leather and the twist as he left again ripped out a nickel sized chunk of leather. No damage to the steel toe other than it started to rust later. I do switch to Sorrels for the winter - steel toes are painfully cold in a Manitoba winter. I am thinking of looking at work boots with a steel tongue - I have had a horse come down on the top of my foot and I limped for over a month (probably should of had that one xrayed)

[caballero]

I am a farrier, and wear steel toe boots. I as you can quess get a higher rate of toe stepping on then average and have never had even a dent in my steel toes. The worst I have had was a big dumblood spook with corks in land on my toes - cork punctured the leather and the twist as he left again ripped out a nickel sized chunk of leather. No damage to the steel toe other than it started to rust later. I do switch to Sorrels for the winter - steel toes are painfully cold in a Manitoba winter. I am thinking of looking at work boots with a steel tongue - I have had a horse come down on the top of my foot and I limped for over a month (probably should of had that one xrayed)

There it is, right from the pro's mouth......

[rivenoak]

Both pairs arrived today. I am keeping the Muck Boots.

I like the more solid feel of the foot, the squishy footbed, and the stretchy calf.

I wish they came in half sizes. Luckily I don't have to wear super thick or multiple socks too often here.


The Le Chameau fit my foot nicely and are more substantial than Hunter wellies, with a built in lining. But the calf didn't offer much room to fit more than my thin sock.

[candyappy]

Both pairs arrived today. I am keeping the Muck Boots.

I like the more solid feel of the foot, the squishy footbed, and the stretchy calf.

I wish they came in half sizes. Luckily I don't have to wear super thick or multiple socks too often here.


The Le Chameau fit my foot nicely and are more substantial than Hunter wellies, with a built in lining. But the calf didn't offer much room to fit more than my thin sock.

You should be very happy with them. I live in my Muck boots from Oct-May around here doing farm chores and it can be 4-5 hours a day on my feet in those boots. They are cushy as well as giving excellent arch support ( if you need it). Even in frigid temps -40 below my feet have never, ever been cold, even though the rest of me was!!

[Equibrit]

Don't listen to nonsense. ANSI-ASTM approved safety shoes would not be requirement in most construction and manufacturing environments if they didn't work.

You don't see many 1500 lb prancing loonies in those environments.

[dreamingofdressage]

I feel unsafe in the cheap rubber boots from target- but you can usually find tough, made-from-melted-tires boots at any feed store in a non-urbanized (is that even a word?) area. And if they are too loose- more socks!

[Raystown]

As the other farriers have said here, steel toed boots do their job saving toes. I'm pretty sure my toes would be a disgusting mess if I didn't wear them. And yes, draft horses have stomped on the steel and they did not get damaged in any way.