# Dress Boots or Field Boots?



## Jemma (Sep 9, 2008)

Hey everyone,

There is a chance that I might be able to compete in some horse shows this Spring and Summer. I have never done horse shows before so I am going to have to buy the full outfit for them. I was just wondering if there was a specific class that Dress Boots and Field Boots are used for. For example would one use one for one class but not the other? I'd probably just be in flat classes, walk/trot or walk/trot/canter and such. Is there one that I should or should not get or doesn't it really matter?

Thanks!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I wear field boots to a lot of my shows (like, for walk-trot-canter classes), & they don't ever seem to mind.  But dress boots are good too, can't go wrong with them either. I don't think there's a specific class, it's really your choice.


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## Jemma (Sep 9, 2008)

Thanks! I thought that might be the case but I wanted to make sure before I bought anything


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## LauraB (Nov 11, 2008)

I like field boots better! They are easier to get on.


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## BeauReba (Jul 2, 2008)

Dress boots are usually used in dressage, I think. I have field boots and they are easy to put on! They're a bit big for me but they work. I don't need boot pulls (although I should probably use them to help extend the life of my boots) or any help getting them on and off.


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## Jemma (Sep 9, 2008)

Thanks for the information! I thought field boots looked like they might be eaiser to get on and off.


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## appylover31803 (Sep 18, 2007)

Dress boots are for dressage (no lace in the front) and field boots are used for everything else.

I have a pair of the Ariat Heritage II field boots (with the zipper) they are by far the best, most comfortable (after you break them in) boots. I don't currently show, but am thinking about it for the spring/summer.


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## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

if you are doing dressage you definitely want dress/top boots

for jumping, sporting etc field/ankle boots are fine


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## Jemma (Sep 9, 2008)

appylover31803 said:


> Dress boots are for dressage (no lace in the front) and field boots are used for everything else.


Haha, makes sense! Field boots it is then 



appylover31803 said:


> I have a pair of the Ariat Heritage II field boots (with the zipper) they are by far the best, most comfortable (after you break them in) boots. I don't currently show, but am thinking about it for the spring/summer.


Thanks for tip! I'll look into those


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## BeauReba (Jul 2, 2008)

You can use field boots for lower level dressage too if you get interested in it!


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## Miss Katie (Dec 30, 2007)

I always thought feild boots were a showjumping and hunter jumper thing


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## suenosderosas (Nov 30, 2007)

Dress boots are for dressage and field boots are for pretty much everything else. I personally think dress boots are the most uncomfortable thing ever known to mankind, so I would buy field boots no matter what. :lol:


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## IrishRider (Aug 7, 2008)

I have Ariat Challenge Zip field boots and they are great. They are one step above the Heritage boots another poster mentioned. They break in pretty easily. Just be sure to try on a bunch because you can't always go off of your calf and foot measurement alone. I had to try on a million boots before I found some that fit because according to their charts my foot which is pretty small should be accompanied by a smaller calf, but my calves are pretty muscular. I had to get a half size bigger in the shoe part to accomdate my larger calf.


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## Jemma (Sep 9, 2008)

Yeah, I am worried that when I start trying on boots I am going to have the same problem, but oppisite, as you. I have pretty large feet (9 1/2) but they're paired with pretty thin legs. 

Have any of you had much luck with used tack stores? I'm going to have trouble affording everything new so I am hoping to find some nice stuff that fits me used.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Yeah, my calfs are kinda muscular too so I had to get big ones, lol. :lol: But yeah, the field boots are much easier to get into...I have Devon Aire boots, I got them from Dover Saddlery. I wear size 9.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

There is more to dress boots than just the really hard dressage ones. For general english riding it is possible (and usually easiest) to just get field boots without the laces, usually considered a type of dress boot. Also, to make it easier to get them on and off it is possible to get ones with zippers.
If you are looking for a relatively cheap pair of boots that look good in both the dressage and hunter/jumper rings then Equi-comfort makes a wonderful boot that fits well and is comparatively durable for other boots in it's price bracket.
Also, imo field boots are ugly in the dressage ring. Those flappy things are just a huge distraction and draw too much attention to a floppy leg. If you are leaning towards doing more hunters or jumpers then go for them, but otherwise general purpose dress boots are much more cost efficient in the long run.


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## IrishRider (Aug 7, 2008)

Jemma said:


> Yeah, I am worried that when I start trying on boots I am going to have the same problem, but oppisite, as you. I have pretty large feet (9 1/2) but they're paired with pretty thin legs.
> 
> Have any of you had much luck with used tack stores? I'm going to have trouble affording everything new so I am hoping to find some nice stuff that fits me used.


I had terrible luck with my local tack stores. Partially because they only carry the most expensive of each line, and partially because they just did not have anything to fit me well and they weren't the best at problem solving. It took me going to a tack store in another state to find the size that I needed. Since I can't afford custom boots I tried on a million pairs of boots before finding the right ones. Once you know your size for sure then you can start shopping around for the best deal. I found mine online for $70 cheaper than in stores and they were still brand new. I just needed to figure out what brand I wanted and what size I needed.


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## BeauReba (Jul 2, 2008)

pffft 9 1/2? My feet are a ladies 11! I usually end up buying mens boots


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