Shoe Care Step by Step

In order to maintain the useful properties of your shoes in the long term, regular care tailored to the material is a basic requirement, in addition to careful handling and appropriate pre-treatment before wearing them for the first time. It is especially, leather shoes and boots that are so often used in equestrian sports that do not tolerate any carelessness. However, shoes made of artificial leather or functional textiles can also be worn much longer if they are cared for regularly.

Before the first wear

To give new shoes and boots the best conditions for a long life, they should be given a little care before they are worn for the first time.

The following applies to all upper materials – whether leather or textile: thorough impregnation before the first wear not only maintains the water-repellent function, but also protects against colour loss. In addition, the protective film of the impregnating agent makes the material less susceptible to soiling.

Especially with stable boots, care is often neglected, although the demands of stable work are particularly high – after all, stable boots come into contact with a lot of moisture, dirt and also horse manure every day, which poses a particular challenge for the footwear due to the ammonia that is produced. In any case, you should create the best conditions for the durability of the shoes with an initial basic waterproofing and regular re-waterproofing.

Shoe Care Step by Step

Shoe cleaning has to be learned. Riders know how much care is required for saddles and snaffles, for example. While the leather equipment for the horse is well cared for, the care of one’s own footwear is often neglected. Especially leather riding boots or leather riding shoes need plenty of care in order to perform well in the long term. But no matter whether leather, imitation leather or textile shoes – we show you how to make your shoes shine again in three steps!

1. Preparation

• If necessary, remove the laces so that you can also reach the shoe tongue and care for it separately.
• Remove coarse dirt with a soft brush.
• The sole can be cleaned of dried dirt with a harder brush.

2. Gentle Cleaning

• Then clean the shoe with a damp cloth or a soft shoe care sponge and a suitable care product.
• For leather shoes, a suitable care lotion can be worked in, water should be used sparingly.
• For textile shoes, more moisture is allowed; here, a cleaning foam does a good job of cleaning deep into the pores.

3. Care & Waterproofing

• Apply a care product appropriate to the type of material with a soft cloth or care sponge in circular movements and let it work in well.
• Leather shoes are then polished with a soft cloth or even nylon hosiery; polishing is even quicker with an instant shine sponge.
• For lasting protection of the shoes, apply a waterproofing agent at the end, preferably 2-3 times at 15-minute intervals.

Wax Shoe Polish or Cream Shoe Polish?

Wax or cream are basically „two pairs of shoes“. Shoe creams and lotions are responsible for rich care, while a shoe wax is more intended to protect against moisture and dirt and is thus an alternative to waterproofing spray.

Rest is the power (of care)

Allow enough time between each care step for the shoe to soak in or dry: After damp cleaning, stuff the shoe with newspaper and let it dry for 24 hours if possible. Please do not place in direct sunlight or by a source of heating. When caring for shoes, the following applies: the more liquid, the shorter the exposure time. Lotions and cream polishes should be polished with a cloth after 15 minutes, wax shoe polish should be left on for at least 45 minutes.

Tips for careful handling of shoes and boots

To keep your riding shoes and boots looking as good as new for as long as possible, you should not only focus on active care, but also take our tips for daily handling to heart.

Careful storage

When your boots are not in use, a boot bag is just the right thing to store your boots gently. Alternatively, you can use the original shoe box or a textile bag made of cotton or felt. Make sure you store your shoes in a dry, shaded and clean place. Before storing a shoe for a longer period of time, it should in any case have been dried and given lasting care.

Give Your Shoes a Break

In order to allow the material to regenerate a little after wearing, a break of 24 hours should be taken, if possible, especially with leather riding boots. This also allows the moisture that has developed inside the shoe to escape. To speed up the drying process, you can stuff the boot or shoe with newspaper. A must – especially for leather riding boots – is a boot stretcher to avoid any unsightly creases.

Putting on and taking off shoes properly

When things have to move fast, everyone tends to take their shoes off freehand by stepping on the heel. This is a fatal mistake that makes the material at the heel brittle over time and thus deprives the shoe of stability in the long run.

Invest the time, open the lacing or the zip completely for easy entry and exit. For putting on, use a shoe horn or boot puller.

Taking off leather riding boots is usually particularly difficult due to the high and tight-fitting shaft. A bootjack makes it easier to get out of the boots and protects the material with a rubber lip.

Use Appropriate to Type

It is not a good idea to clean out the stables with expensive leather riding boots if you want to shine for as long as possible at the show. Take care of your high-quality competition riding boots and only use them on special occasions. For stable work, stable boots or rubber boots that are easy to clean and have been made for use in the dirty stable environment are better suited.