Nevermind...

The website that I previously went to was ridersmall, which is the same company as Hispar, just sells under a different name.  Ridersmall has the pullup option to their boots.  But the Hispar site doesn't.  I'll be ordering these boots next month, so look for the review.  Ignore this post:  

When I was at Saddle Liquidators I found that they sold Hispar boots.  These would be perfect for many folks because they make such a variety of sizes, especially wides.

When I looked at their website last week I found that I could fit in their men's dressage boots if I got a size 7 wide calf.

When I was inspecting them at Saddle Liquidators I noticed that they are really nice.  The price is not bad either.  No more than $300, not sure what it is now.

And they had no zipper!

But now they aren't on the website anymore!

Complete bummer.  I'm going to email the company see if you can see order them.

Boot Shopping Horrors

I went to Leesburg, Virginia today to volunteer at the USDF Region 1 Youth Team Competition. It's a two day show, showcasing youth riders in Region 1 (MD, VA, and a few other states). I have to say going to a show like this makes me excited about the future of the sport. Despite having a long day I figured I had time to go by Saddle Liquidators and go boot shopping.

I've lost some weight, I figured hey I can find a cheap pair of tall boots I can ride and costume in.

I have to go back to Friday real quick. I went to Dover Saddlery for their tack shop. In the catalogs the Mountain Horse Firenze dress boots would fit me!!!!!!

Nope. She put me in a different Mt Horse, the ones with the back zipper, but size 10. They fit, but I wasn't a fan of how the expanded. So fail on that part.

So back to today. I got dressed in a pair of breeches and went tromping through Saddle Liquidator's stock of boots. They carried Ovations, Mt. Horse, Ariats, and a few other brands. Ovations were crappy.

I was appalled. I noticed a lot of tack shops starting to put them in clearance and I finally realized why. The leather quality is a sad state. These boots are all new. The most stress that's been put on the leather is people putting them on and zipping them up. They were so cracked and wrinkled. No wonder why they were 50% off.

When I saw the Made in India also was a note to be cautious. A lot of times tack that's made in India is really poor quality leather. Sometimes the leather is painted black, so they can chip and peel. There is a tack store near me that sells Made in India tack and it's just awful. Just doesn't hold up well. Another thing I noticed was the glue. Most boots the soles are glued on. The few Ovation boots I picked up had shoddy glue jobs. I checked Dover's review and a few people complained about the zipper, and one complained about the soles coming off. So just be wary with Ovations.

My search continues...

Go Explore...

My friend Budi Tulodo on my mare in a nice pair of dress boots. To be a perfect fit they'd have to be 2" taller. (me being nit picky)

My mother’s ringtone is the “Imperial March”. I would fear her more than I fear Emperor Palpatine. I’m sorry Sith don’t scare me, but an angry Korean mother makes me quake in fear. I love my mom, despite her crazy ways, she is a great mother and she has taught me invaluable lessons over the years.

Last year, my father and I got my mother an iPad. This was her first non cellphone device she’s had since Ninento handheld. She discovered youtube which she watches all her favorite Korean comedies and soap operas on. She told me she clicked on a link looking for a tv show and she found her first pornography website. Then her newest discover has been recipes.

The internet is a powerful tool. I mean just look at the wealth of information you can get from just typing in a few simple words. You can do comparison shopping. You can find reviews. You can be like my mother and discover porn and recipes.

But you can discover 800 million recipes, but unless you actually try to make it, it’s just another browser search. I have tons of recipes on my pinterest site, but I’ve made like two. While boot shopping online is convenient for most costumers because they don’t have to go into the shops, I think you need to go to the stores and try on boots.

I think many folks are embarrassed. Honestly, don’t be. Most tack store owners are used to hearing people coming into their shops for variety of different reasons. When I talk to the local tack shop, she said she’s heard some crazy plans for the stuff she sells. And when I told her about the 501st, she was completely enthralled. She thought that what the 501st does was completely cool.

And honestly you don’t have to tell them what your plans are. You can just say you’re in a market for a pair of tall boots. Most stores are willing to help you out.

Support your local tack shops. Most of them are locally owned. Many since the economy has tanked aren’t doing as well as they have in the past. And if you’re on a budget, some still offer layaway plans. If you have stores like where I live, they can find things in their catalogs that they may not often carry, but they can still order.

update

Gasp! An update. I know. Life grabbed me, put me in a blender, and pushed crazy. There are a few sales going on. Dover Saddlery is having a summer sale at the moment until August 31st. So check them out. They also have retail stores if you prefer going to the stores and trying your boots out.