For the riding disciplines that fall into the category of
English riding, there are a number of different styles of riding boots, intended for different styles of riding, from
horse shows, to
pleasure riding. Tall boots, which end just below the knee of the rider, include field, dress, and hunt boots. These are standard show apparel, worn by all competitors in the hunter/jumper and dressage disciplines. A lower paddock boot that stops just above the ankle, is worn by children, by some show competitors in the UK, Australia, and by those that show
saddle seat.
Field boots: so called because they were traditionally worn by officers ranked "
field grade" or higher, have lacing at the
vamp, which allows for some give so the rider is more comfortable riding with the highly flexed ankle that develops from the shorter stirrup length required for work over fences. Therefore, field boots are preferred in all jumping disciplines, including
Hunt seat equitation,
show jumping,
fox hunting, and both jumping phases in
eventing. They are also worn by
police officers riding motorcycles or on
mounted patrols, and by some
police agencies as part of their "Class A" uniform or with ceremonial mounted units. The majority of field boots are black, although brown-colored boots may also be purchased.
Dress boots: do not have lacing at the ankle, and are generally stiffer. They are worn by
dressage riders,
eventers in the dressage phase, and at formal
fox hunts. They are also worn by riders of
show jumpers. Dress boots are traditionally black in color. and are frequently worn by children when showing in
hunt seat disciplines because they are less costly for rapidly growing children than are tall boots. They are sometimes combined with
half chaps, a type of
gaiter also known as chapettes, for added protection or to give the visual impression of a tall boot. The lace-up style is primarily seen in
hunt seat riding, whereas the elastic-sided
Chelsea boot design is seen in both hunt seat and saddle seat disciplines. The elastic side boot is also commonly used in Australia as a riding boot and dress boot. They are part of the required attire in
Australian Stock Horse turnout competitions and for
Pony Club riding. Heavier versions, such as
Blundstone boots, are made for general work and gardening but are not suitable for riding owing to their heavy, deep-grooved soles. Field boots (and many paddock boots) have an extra layer of leather on the toe, called a toe cap. All styles have somewhat tapered, round toes. Current styles include zip-on boots, with a zipper running down the back of the calf of a tall boot or the front of a paddock boot, making them easier to put on and remove without aid of boot hooks or a
boot jack. Brown tall boots (field or dress) were somewhat more common before
World War II, when the English riding habit lost popularity outside of formal and/or
horse show events. The
U.S. Army, whose officers had worn high brown boots in
World War I, abandoned the practice by the late 1930s. For a time, some show sanctioning organizations did not allow brown boots, considering them to be casual attire, although the rule has been relaxed somewhat. ==Cowboy boots==