Horseback Riding Attire
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Questions
Where to get used horseback riding boots
June 2010
Looking for used or in good shape horseback riding boots for my daughter. Size 4 or 5. Any idea where I could buy used riding boots? Thanks!
There's a great site- Bay Area Equestrian Network- bayequest.com- that has a pretty extensive classified ad section. There are some tack shops that take consignments (I know Marin Tack and Feed does) but the selection is relatively small. You can also get tack store listings on bayequest. I'd call and see what they had in stock before I went. Fellow rider
for cheap riding boots you can try ebay. or you could buy her a pair of tingley stormtracker boots online for under $20. lots of horse people buy gardening boots at osh. the main thing about any riding shoes is that they have to have heels. if you want the real thing, and to try them on before you buy, i've heard there's a used supply store out at one of the stables in briones and one down in fruitvale, of all places, although it's only open a few days a week. call and see if they have kids stuff. my kid rides and i'll be d***d if i'm going to get new boots every year for something he doesn't use more than a few times a month, but if you have the money and she wants new shoes, there's a good equestrian supply store in orinda. horse mom
I did lots of riding as a child and I always wore either duck shoes or regular boots with a heel at least 1/2' (not made expressly for horse riding). My parents were not about to spend the money on paddock or dress boots. Duck shoes are available through LL Bean and you might normally think of them as rain shoes. chenaw
Where to buy horseback riding clothes
April 1999
I didn't see the original request for information, but it's true that a lot of riding stables have consignment shops. My daughter takes lessons at Bottomley Farm (on Bear Creek Rd. in Martinez - about 20 to 30 minutes from Berkeley). Bottomley Farm has a small tack shop where you can buy new riding clothes and gear and also a consignment shop where you can buy used riding pants, boots, etc. It's not a good idea, however, to buy a used helmet, just in case it might have been damaged Janet
Stateline Tack is a mail-order discount store. They have an (800) number, and a website at http://www.statelinetack.com. For helmets, its best to try on helmets at a tack shop that has a lot of variety, and then perhaps get it thru mail order. Make sure that you get one that is ASTM/SEI certified. The best and cheapest type of helmet is a vented schooling helmet - it keeps the head cool and is quite adequate. Do not get a hard hat - they are not safe. Do not get a velvet covered helmet (hot and expensive and unnecessary unless you intend to show (which is REALLY expensive). Buy a helmet NEW, used helmets may have cracks in the foam lining which render them ineffective safety-wise. Make sure the helment fits properly - it should not be tight, but the skin of the child's forehead should move when you shift the helmet up and down. You can get a schooling helment in the $40-$60 range that is fine - I've had mine for 6 years now and its dirty but still safe and serviceable.
As far as boots go, rubber riding boots are ok (kind of hot in the summer, but critical in the winter) and pretty cheap $20-$40 dollar range. For a child, who will outgrow a pair of boots every year, they are good enough. Bottomley Farms on Bear Creek road in Martinez has a consignment shop where used riding apparel and equipment can sometimes be found for a reasonable price. Another place to shop is Vista Madera Tack Shop on MacArthur Blvd. in Oakland, between 35th and High Street. Nice knowledgeable people, a lot of stuff, and a good book selection.
Breeches last longer than riding tights. Really, your child can ride in regular cotton-lycra leggings that fit snugly and don't ride up under the boots. Jeans aren't so good because the seams rub the insides of the legs and they tend to ride up and twist under your knees. But snug stretch jeans without a lapped inseam might work fine. My 12-year-old daughter has been riding since she was 4, and has been in Pony Club since she was 5, and we have 3 horses. If anyone out there is interested in horses, Pony Club, riding lessons, trail riding, etc. feel free to contact me. I've been riding in the bay area for about 20 years and know lots of places and people and love to talk horses! Nancy