[Shannon]

Originally Posted by crayon

They look much too tall and too wide to me. They shouldn't be that bunched up at your ankle. And they will drop once broken in, but until then they should be very tight on your calves. They just don't look right to me...

The calf is actually the perfect width it seems, these boots just aren't tapered in the ankle at all so they're just wide in the ankle.

Originally Posted by idlewild

I think they look fine... they are brand new right? They WILL drop and really wrinkle up and soften. Are they Devon-Aire? I have the same kind Oil them with neatsfoot or olive oil on the inside around the ankle and it will help A LOT, but only do it once, twice maybe. I did that to mine and it really made an improvement.

Haha yup, they are Devon-Aire. Are you supposed to do anything else to the rest of the boots to make them less stiff? I don't think I will have time to ride for at least two weeks, so I don't want them to be completely stiff by the time I fly out to Virginia I'm just wondering if they are TOO wide in the ankle and there will just be too much wrinkled up there?

Thanks

[Shannon]

Originally Posted by txgray

no way they're too tall. Where they are now is not far from where they should end up after they're dropped, I think they might actually end up a little bit short by the time all is said and done.

they look a bit wide around the top too?

not the greatest fit but if they were cheap and you can live with it, they should do for what you need. Kudos to you for getting pull ons.. I can't live without my zip ups, I am too impatient and lazy. I think the zips tend to fit closer through the ankle as well.

They're probably wide around the top, too, but not NEARLY as bad as the Ovation Pro Zip Field Boots my aunt sent me. I could fit a whole hand in the top of those boots!

I bet the zip ups do fit closer to the ankle because the pull ons have to accomodate for getting the foot through the ankle. Hmmm...

I'm kind of not sure what to do right now. I sent the Ovations back to Dover and will have a $150 credit with them. I'm not sure if I should get a different blanket or better field boots...

These are on sale for $129 with Dover, just too lazy to go find the closeout item
http://www.doversaddlery.com/product...&ids=403962440

The Ariat Challenge zips are on sale in my size for $199. I just don't know if I really need field boots that are any nicer than this for a long time coming

[idlewild]

Well, I guess it depends on how you like them to fit... mine really settled around the ankle, but I like that because it offers more flexibility. I've had mine several years now, they've broke in pretty nice all things considered. i'll try and get a pic of what mine look like later tonight.

Oh and... do yourself a favor, go buy some insoles for these! Trust me, your feet will thank you.

[JBandRio]

Agree with tx - their height now is about where they should end up when they've dropped, and based on the ankle they're gonna drop at least 1", maybe more like 1.5", making them too short in the end

When correctly "too tall" when new, they need to be really TOO tall - middle of your kneecap, minimally, when new, digging into the back of your knee.

[Shannon]

Sigh. They're really being forced down by my knee and are obviously REALLY folded down in the ankle. I think if I tried these on for you guys in shorts, not the thick grippy breeches I was wearing, they'd be taller because I think they were forcing/holding them down.

Mind if I get another round of pictures? Thanks for your help so far.

[Shannon]

Such awkward pictures

[madvoice]

They look way too wide in the calf. You should not have that much room around the calf at all!

[Rhythm 'n Blues]

^^ Agreed, however, I don't know how picky you're being, as you said that you aren't planning on hitting up the show in from some time.

I will tell you that my only pair of boots (had them for 8years now) are too big in the calf & I can slide 1/2 my arm down beside my leg if I tried REALLY hard. I don't as I don't wanna stretch them any bigger though. BUT at the time I bought them they were the smallest calfed boots in the under $200 range, so I had to make do. They are also too short for me, but I can deal with that! My next pair however WILL BE nice new fully custom boots so they fit properly!

[txgray]

Originally Posted by Shannon

I think if I tried these on for you guys in shorts, not the thick grippy breeches I was wearing, they'd be taller because I think they were forcing/holding them down.

Well the problem is, you ride in breeches, not shorts. Being in breeches and on a horse does make boots fall even more from where they are just from walking around or not having them on with breeches. My well broken in boots actually hit a bit higher than yours do now, when I first put them on. By the time I'm in the saddle and riding, they end up just the right height.

*Edited to add - found a pic of me just standing in them, you can see better how high they come up.

They do look wide in the calf and really gappy around the top as well. That and the height would bother me, but I'm not the one wearing them. That's your call.

[paintpony1]

IMO they're too short. they'll drop in the ankle and become much shorter then they already are, which is just a smidge too short.