Riding boots normally fall into one of two different categories. One category is the formal riding boot and of course, there are the informal riding boots. As you may have guessed, formal riding boots are intended to be worn in situations where you need to look your best. For example, if you are riding in a horse competition where you and your horse need to look great, then you are going to want to go with formal riding boots in order to improve how you look. You may also want to wear formal riding boots for other events as well such as fox hunting or dressage riding. Since formal riding boots need to look their best, they will generally be sold at a higher price than informal riding boots.

Informal riding boots are worn in all other situations where how you look is not critical. Many people wear these boots for work or casual dress where it is not expected that you have a formal look to your attire. You should not automatically expect informal riding boots to be less expensive than formal riding boots. As a matter of fact, a steel-toed riding boot that is made to be worn around the ranch and protect your feet may be sold at an expensive price. However, many informal riding boots are made out of less expensive materials such as faux leather and have synthetic soles on the feet, which allows the boots to be sold at a lower price than formal riding boots.

When you are picking out riding boots, you will want to consider what sort of materials are used to make the boots. More expensive riding boots tend to be made of real leather material, while less expensive riding boots are generally made of faux leather. Both materials will have a dramatic impact on how the boots look and feel so you will want to think about what is important to you when you are picking out a pair of riding boots. Synthetic leather, or faux leather, is a man-made material that has been designed to look like leather. It is less expensive to make and has the advantage of being water resistant. This allows you to maintain the boots by simply wiping them clean with a sponge and water. However, synthetic leather does not tend to breath as well as real leather and it can feel stiff.

Natural leather is leather made of animal skin, usually cattle, and almost always costs more than synthetic leather. Thes are a more traditional riding boot and as you wear them for riding, they will tend to feel smooth as they rub against the horse and the saddle which will make them more comfortable to wear. The leather is also more flexible and breathes well so many people find it to be a more comfortable material to wear. The main disadvantage of leather is that it needs to be maintained with regular leather conditioners and treatments. Otherwise, the leather will stain and breakdown which will cause the boots to look bad.

Most people will agree that it isn't fun to wear an article of clothing that is not comfortable. For this reason, you will want to make sure that your riding boots are something that you enjoy wearing. Otherwise, you will have spent money on boots that will ultimately collect dust in your closet, which will lead you to be dissatisfied with the boots. When you are trying on a pair of riding boots, you should take the time to see how they feel on your feet and your legs. The toe box should leave enough room for your toes, without there being too much room or too little room. You should also make sure that your foot arches are supported properly and that the heel of the boot is comfortable.

It also matters that the material feels good against your skin as well. Your boots will most likely rub against your body as you wear them, and if they feel as if they are itching or scratching then they aren't going to be something that you will want to wear. The boot should also breathe well so that you do not feel hot and sweaty while you are wearing them. It is also important that they flex well so that you can move around while you are wearing the boots in a comfortable fashion. You should keep in mind that new boots will require time to break in so they will most likely feel stiff at first. However, if they are unbearable while they are new, then you most likely will not like them after they have broken in either.

How the boots fit on your feet is closely related to the comfort of the boots. There is a good chance that if you do not like how the boots fit while you are wearing them, then you most likely will not find that they are comfortable either. When you are shopping for a pair of riding boots, you will need to make sure that the fit of the boot is proper for your body so that you enjoy wearing the boots. There are a few different areas that you will want to check in terms of how the boots fit.

One of the things that you should check is the calf area of the boot. Since everyone has different length legs and differently sized calves, this can be a difficult area of the boot for designers to get right. Some people have short legs and large calves while other people have long legs and short calves. You will likely need to measure the length and the width of your calves according to the directions provided by the boot's manufacturer to make sure that the calves are the proper length and width. You may not be able to wear the boots when the calf opening is too small and if the calf opening is too large then the boots will fall down on your leg. It is also important that you check the shoe portion of the boots as well for the proper fit. The boots should not be too loose or too tight on your feet.

The quality of your riding boots is a critical area that will determine how long the boots will last. Some boots are well made and will last for years at a time while other riding boots are poorly made and fall apart quickly. In many cases, you may end up saving money by purchasing a better quality riding boot that lasts for a long time rather than making repeated purchases of low-quality boots that do not hold up. When you are looking at a pair of riding boots, you should take a look at some of the more common points of failure to make sure the boots are well made.

One of the things that you will want to look at is the sole of the boots to make sure it has been attached well. The sole should be firmly glued and fastened to the boot so if it seems loose or overly thin, then you may want to look at a different brand of boots. Stitching is another common area where riding boots fail so you will want to make sure that the boots have been well stitched. Good stitching will be tight and will not have any loose threads. You should also expect the stitching to be even through the entire seam. In other words, the stitching should not veer off to one side of the seam or the other side. If the boot has buckles or straps, you will also want to make sure that the straps are fastened well to the boots. The better job that you do inspecting for quality, the happier that you will be with your boots.