Children’s Riding Boots Guide
Children are constantly growing. Clothing and footwear therefore need to be bought regularly. This also applies to riding clothes and riding boots. While with children’s riding hats, for example, you can adjust the size, riding boots simply have to fit well for the moment. So riding boots should not be too expensive, but still safe and comfortable.
Riding boots made of rubber are therefore best suited for absolute beginners. Riding boots made of leather are a more expensive purchase and are particularly suitable for children who are a little older, spend a lot of time on the horse and may even already have show ambitions. Here is a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages of rubber and leather riding boots for children:
| Children’s rubber riding boots | Children’s leather riding boots | |
|---|---|---|
| Advantages | + good value + waterproof + easy to care for + suitable for stable work and muddy surfaces | + very comfortable after breaking in + breathable + robust + more suitable for competition + heat insulating |
| Disadvantages | – not breathable – not very flecible – very cold in winter – not very durable | – higher price – more maintenance-intensive – not waterproof |
Buying riding boots with your child – the checklist
#1 The spirit: when buying riding boots, both child and parents should be in a good mood, this makes it easier to try on the boots and make a decision.
#2 Involve the child: What does my child like? What doesn’t? Children usually make decisions based on their gut instinct, and in most cases, looks are the primary factor. Keep the important facts like safety and practical details in mind and stay open to compromise. A child who does not like his newly bought boots will not (willingly) put them on.
#3 Requirements for the boot: Your child loves to run through the mud in the stable after the rain? Then rubber riding boots are the best solution. A child with show ambitions will certainly be happy about his first pair of leather riding boots.
#4 Fitting: If you want to buy a children’s riding boot we recommend putting on a pair of riding breeches for the fitting, so you can better assess how the boot fits on the leg.
#5 Fit: Smaller children cannot yet judge whether a boot fits or not. Therefore, make sure that the boot is not too tight and also not too big. Basically, the foot should still have 1.5 cm of space in the boot. The best way to check this is with the thumb test. Ask your child to keep their feet relaxed (no curled toes!) and then feel with their thumb at the front of the toe if there is still a thumb’s width between the toe and the toe of the boot.
#6 Where does the shoe pinch? Ask your child to walk a few steps and move around (squats are also a good idea). Are there any places now that hurt or put pressure when you move? A boot – and especially a leather riding boot – will certainly not make you feel like you are walking on air from the start, but pressure points or friction points should be avoided.
#7 After purchase: Over the next few days and weeks, check to see if your child has any pressure points, redness or chafing anywhere on the feet and also the back of the knee. Children of school age need new footwear about 1-2 times a year due to growth. With even younger children, the feet grow even faster.
Can my child also ride with conventional rubber boots?
Parents of young riding beginners often worry about what is best to wear for their child before the first riding lesson. In most cases, household rubber boots are the supposedly best alternative. But beware: most rubber boots for children have a continuous flat sole without a tread. In such a case, there is a danger that the child’s foot will slip too far into the stirrup and get caught in a fall. Sneakers and other shoes with continuous soles should therefore be avoided.
Also a no-go are: Laces or a treaded sole that is too coarse. In addition, shoes for the first riding lesson should at least cover the ankles and have a small heel.
Are there alternatives to classic children’s riding boots?
If rubber riding boots are too stiff and leather riding boots too expensive, you can also choose a combination of riding ankle boots and chaps. Ankle boots and chaps are available from about 20£ each. Riding chaps are made of soft material (usually synthetic leather) and thus offer more flexibility and freedom of movement. Another advantage is that chaps usually fit longer than the corresponding footwear. So you simply change the riding boots as soon as the child has outgrown them.
