FOUR STARS
Not What I Expected, Other Reviewers Are Out of There Minds
I struggled for quite some time about whether to give these boots 3 stars or four. After having used them for two years, I can only now say that I am throroughly enjoying all the perks they claim to possess. The qualities that first drew me in when researching- comfort, elegance, solid fabrication and, COMFORT- did not show there faces until almost two years down the road.
The main characteristic that sealed the deal for me was Mountain Horse's claim to superior comfort while still have the look of a show boot. Well, I wore these boots every day all day for a year solid with no observation of comfort. I patiently hobbled around on my my sore blistered feet for weeks, owing my state to an unusually long breaking-in period. When weeks turned into months and I was still having to wear two pairs of socks and several layers of medical tape on my toes, ankles and heals, I solidified my opinion that the other reviewers whom I had so heavily relied on before my purchase were out of there minds.
I can't fully blame Mountain Horse for this misfortune, however, as my boots seemed to be slightly large. The people who tell you to
order them a size smaller deserve an applause. I highly recommend taking that risk as ill-fitting boots could only exacerbate the initial comfort issues. I have finally worked through the 2 year breaking in period and am comfortably wearing my boots daily with no added protection from thick socks or tape. Now, I can move on to complain about the other lacking qualities.
A week after I bought my boots,
the leather on the toe started peeling despite my tedious efforts to follow the recommended care instructions. While they claim to be work boots, they don't quite live up to the toughness that is implied. Thankfully, I noted this problem to Mountain Horse and the immediately sent me a new pair along with profuse apologies. My second pair has not had this problem but, in the last few months I have noticed that the sole near the ball of my foot on both boots has started to separate. Perhaps any boot would would succumb to this fate after the work I have put them through but, I have my doubts. I owned a pair of
Justin paddock boots for over 10 years with the same workload and virtually zero care. The only damage that befell them was cracks to the leather due to the fact that they had never seen oil in their lives.
Now on to the "competition worthy" merit they have been honored with by the company. While the thick leather is great for protection of the legs when working on the farm, the heaviness looks cumbersome and out of place amongst other sleeker brands. The leather at the ankle was the main deal breaker for me. It is very wide and makes even the thinnest rider carry an appearance of canckles. I am almost embarrassed to where them at other farms. Especially with the added thick heal for comfort, I have had several professionals who were unaware of the Mountain Horse brand ask me, "WHAT are you WEARING!??"
While I certainly don't recommend these boots for any recognized competition, I do recommend them for daily riding and farm work. Especially for a working student position where professionalism is important. I like the thick leather and sole in this environment and appreciate the height when working in sand arenas or mucking out stalls. I think too, if a properly fitting size is ordered, the breaking-in period wont be so dramatic. The price, however, is a stumbling point for me, as I think the majority is a brand name inflation. While I am aware of this, I have yet to find other boots that are their equal. For this, I have awarded them four stars instead of three.
I would love to hear recommendations for a better product at a better price.
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