Questionnaire about choosing riding boots

· Choice of riding boot type (model and design for different disciplines)

· Choice of leather

· Choice of shoe size

· Choice of slim, standard, or full calves

· Standard size or custom-made and why

· Additional accessories for riding boots

· Boot maintenance

Choice of riding boot type (model and design for different disciplines

On our website, we have divided the boots into five disciplines: dressage, polo, jumping, eventing, and outdoor riding:

1. The dressage boot has a zipper at the front or front inside. The ideal dressage boot has a soft, supple interior and a stiffer exterior. The main purpose is to provide better support for the foot and leg, resulting in better leg position. The old-fashioned “stovepipe” is long gone. Although the dressage boot has a higher and stiffer counter (rear heel support), there is a clear trend towards a supple shaft. The foot is no longer a passive object but is incorporated into the pattern of the boot, especially when it is a custom-made boot. The entrance to the boot (the entry area above the counter) has been made much slimmer by the use of a zipper, which means that the foot is much less likely to rise up at the back of the shoe. The boot can be made in CYB (Customize Your Boots) with a supple, medium, or hard shaft. Petrie models are Bergamo, Olympic, Anky Elegance, Sublime, Significant, Padova and the lace-up boot Florence

2. The polo boot is characterized by a zipper in the middle of the front and a slightly lower counter than the dressage boot. The number of active polo players in the Netherlands is limited, but the boot is also widely worn in dressage. The instep strap is omitted to allow for the wearing of a spur. The boot can be customized in CYB (Customize Your Boots) with a supple, medium, or hard shaft. Petrie models are Athene, Polo Rome, Superior, and Verona

3. The jumping boot has a zipper at the back, a short lace closure at the front, a low counter and a supple shaft. The “close contact” principle is fundamental to a jumping boot. The lace closure allows the foot to roll more easily when walking and is also slimmer around the ankle. Petrie models are the Coventry, Luca, Napoli and Firenze.

4. Like the jumping boot, the all-purpose boot has a zipper at the back and a lower counter. The boot has a continuous upper (i.e., no laces). This all-purpose boot is also increasingly used for dressage because the shaft provides sufficient support with the new generation of Petrie boots such as the Siena, Palermo, Tivoli, and Riva. The lace-up boot (with laces at the front) such as the Petrie Rimini is also an all-round boot.

5. The Outdoor boot is characterized by its Nubuck leather, the zipper at the back, its “rugged” appearance, and its suitability for walking. The boot can also be made with a lambswool lining. The Nubuck makes the boot easy to maintain and therefore ideal as a work boot. The Petrie model Explorer is also available as a jodhpur boot (a half-high shoe, model Outlander), also available with a lambswool lining. The boot is highly water-resistant and has more tread in the sole for better grip, but is of course suitable for riding (sliding in the stirrup).

Choice of leather

Four basic types of leather are used for riding boots: full-grain cowhide, calfskin, nubuck (wild leather), and patent leather. The cowhide and nubuck are more durable and resistant to moisture than calfskin due to a different tanning process. Calfskin has a supple structure and finer grain. It also has a more attractive shine than cowhide leather. Nowadays, all kinds of printed leather are used to decorate boots, such as crocodile, honeycomb, ostrich, etc. Patent leather is characterized by the shiny coating applied to the leather. Patent leather is used for dressage boots, among other things. For custom-made boots, there is a considerable price difference between cowhide and calfskin, around €200! Click on CYB - accessories

Choosing your shoe size

Unfortunately, the mono point system (foot length in mm) is still not used! Each country has its own sizing system, and when you compare the size charts, there are differences between them. Petrie uses the European (also known as French) sizing system of 36, 37, 38, etc., but also the English sizing system in inches, which is slightly more refined by using half sizes such as 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, and so on. To make things even more complicated, the last shape also determines the shoe size. An Italian shoe size is often smaller than a German shoe size. So it's quite confusing in boot country with these shoe sizes. In the Customize Your Boots program, the last can be adjusted for riding boots (for example, for a long, narrow foot, a short, wide foot, or a foot with a high instep). See also website

Choice of slim, standard or full calves

I have published articles on this subject on Facebook. Riders with standard calf sizes can hardly imagine that riders with very long, slim legs or, conversely, riders with very heavy calves or “balloon” calves encounter major problems when buying a new pair of riding boots. In short, I would advise someone with heavy calves to choose a boot with a zipper at the front or inside front or in the middle front, and for dressage riders, also a zipper at the inside front or in the middle front. This provides the rider with better support around the foot, and the new Petrie zipper (YKK brand) is virtually indestructible. Advice is therefore essential for the above-mentioned leg types.

Standard size or custom-made and why

No two feet or legs are the same! For someone with standard legs (whatever that may be), it is difficult to imagine what a rider with very long, super-slim legs experiences when buying new boots. Someone with “balloon calves” (a difference of more than 2 cm between the calf and the lower knee) can easily put their hand in the shaft of a standard boot, while someone with a 2 cm difference in the calf (left and right) will find that one boot is either too loose or too tight. A standard boot is therefore fine for someone who is reasonably symmetrical and where the three elements of shoe size, shaft height, and calf circumference are indeed correct. In practice, I all too often encounter people with heavy calves who are recommended a shoe size two sizes too large in order to be able to close the boot at the zipper. Sometimes, an adjustment to the foot is necessary due to a very high instep and heel width, or a very wide foot, in order to obtain a well-fitting riding boot. Accurate measurement is therefore essential. Unfortunately, it is all too often the case that major mistakes are made. The number of times that only the left or right leg is measured is countless! Good advice on the type of riding boot and whether or not customization is necessary is essential. Click here for Measuring instructions for correctly measuring riding boots, complete with size chart - www.rijlaarzen.nl

Additional accessories for riding boots

Useful accessories such as a boot bag (which can also accommodate boots with an extra-long shaft), inner soles (which really need to be replaced after 2-3 years), talonette or heel lifts (the foot is placed more than 2 cm higher in the boot) can be very useful for riding boots that are too high at first. Good maintenance materials, i.e. no leather grease, oil or saddle soap, contribute to a longer life for your riding boots. Boot trees (see Petrie Accessories, shoes & chaps - www.rijlaarzen.nl )

Boot maintenance

For the maintenance of the boot, it is essential that leather grease, leather oil, or saddle soap are never used. These products clog the pores of the leather and cause the boot to become dull and greasy. The website Onderhoud van rijlaarzen - www.rijlaarzen.nl provides detailed information on this subject and also includes a video.