Dressage Footwear

Socks

I just got the best deal ever at Target.  Although, when do you NOT get good deals there?

You know those really cute Ovation Zocks that you can find in the catalogs - the ones that sell for $8.49 and up?  I found the exact same tall socks at Target this week, on clearance, for $1.75.  I bought four pair, but I should have bought more.  I have two other pair that I bought a few years ago, but they're starting to get a bit thin.  They work perfectly under my tall boots; they're thin, colorful, and tall enough.  

Which brings me to my dressage boots...

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Boots

Newly widened boots

I like my dressage boots, a lot. They are so comfortable that I can wear them to work.  They don't pinch or rub anywhere. Until lately...  

I am already pretty muscular, especially in the calves and thighs, and when it's hot, my calves get even bigger.  I am not a super skinny twig, but my weight is right for my 5' 3" frame. I eat a healthy diet, and I exercise, maybe too much.

I like to run, but I have trouble being consistent when the daylight wanes or the mornings are too cold.  This spring I got back into the groove.  Since school finished up, I have been on the treadmill five days a week for upwards of 30 minutes.  

Since I really like my dressage boots, I only wear them for showing which means I only put them on once a month or so.  Imagine my surprise at the Clovis show a few weeks ago when I could NOT zip up my lovely, well fitting dressage boots.  It wasn't easy, but I ultimately dragged the zipper up over the widest part of my calves, cussing the entire time.  What the heck?!

You're probably a lot sharper than I am and have maybe even had this problem yourself.  It would seem that my recent bout of running has increased the muscle mass of my calves to the point where my calf width now exceeds the width of the boot.  

I AM NOT FAT! is what I had to tell the boot maker who fixed my problem. While in Clovis, several riders recommended that I send my boots to Luis Jovel, a custom boot maker, for a bit of widening.  I took their advice.  He assured me over the phone that I did indeed look lovely and that my boots needed just a teeny-tiny bit more wiggle room.  Hmm ... I like this guy.   

Luis did a fine job of widening the boots just where I needed it.  If you look closely, you can see that he added a small piece of leather on either side of the zipper at the widest part of the calf, but it tapers to a small point where the boots still fit.  Click photos to enlarge.

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