It’s essential that your new riding boots fit properly. This friendly guide will help you measure your height and calves to ensure you purchase comfortable and correctly fitting boots.
How to measure your calf
Measure in a pair of jodhpurs or breeches, and the socks you would usually wear with your riding boots. If you measure a bare leg, you may end up with a boot which is too small. Our long riding boots come with an elastic insert, allowing them to stretch by up to 2 cm to ensure the perfect fit.
Ideally, have a friend or family member help you. If you don’t have a soft tape measure, use a piece of string, cut it and measure later.
Measure the widest part of your calf, ensuring the tape measure is straight, not skewed and with neither too much nor too little tension.
Take your time, it’s worth it!
Height information
The right height may change based on your riding discipline and personal preference. A dressage rider may prefer the look of a longer lower leg and a taller boot, while showjumpers require the flexibility to ride short. We suggest a happy medium for those who don’t stick to one discipline.
Dropping - You’ve probably heard that leather boots can drop, so you need to purchase boots that are slightly taller than you need. This is not the case with our boots, as cork barely stretches or drops. There’s no need to purchase boots taller than you need, nor ride in pain for the first few weeks!
How to measure your height
You’ll need a slightly bent leg. Have a friend push their finger into your leg roughly where your knee crease is. Does this feel comfortable? If you are a dressage rider, you’ll most likely want your boot as tall as comfortable (do not go over the knee). As a showjumper, eventer or general horse rider, you should aim for more of a ‘true’ measurement. Use the crease of the knee as a guide (lower end of the crease), then go up or down depending on what is comfortable.
Measure from that comfortable point to the base of your heel, and voila!
We also recommend measuring both legs to ensure they are similar. Many of us have one leg that’s slightly different to the other, especially if you have had a previous injury, as most of us have! We would recommend purchasing the size to fit the larger leg.
If you have had long boots before you will have an idea of how long or short you like them.
Happy Measuring!
