I do like a good pair of long boots that are versatile enough to wear on the yard, in the saddle and out and about at events. Sturdy boots are essential for anyone who spends with horses, so when I first received the Mountain Horse Wild River Tall Boots in brown I couldn’t wait to give them a try, not least because of how stylish they are.
I’ve been testing them in a size 7 (wide) since March and I’ve really put them through their paces. I am a part-time freelance groom, so being comfortable on my feet all day long (7am-5pm) and able to move quickly is important. If I’m honest, I’ve never cared much for footwear, but when I opened the box, I finally understood how Carrie Bradshaw felt about her Christian Louboutins.
The Wild River Tall Boots are truly beautiful and I loved the look of them instantly. They’re full grain leather in brown and to be honest it almost felt criminal taking them out of the box to get them dirty on the yard. Alas, that’s exactly what I did, and four months on they still look good.
Before I even saw the boots I was impressed, because there was minimal plastic packaging involved in getting them from Mountain Horse HQ to my front door. I’ve actually kept the lovely cardboard box they arrived in as it’s handy for storage. When it’s no longer needed for (or able to do) that job it will go into my recycling. Inside the box, the boots were wrapped in paper and they were filled with paper so that they didn’t lose their shape while in transit.
Fit
Although I’m 5ft 8ins, sadly I wasn’t blessed with the long legs of Jodie Kidd and my height is mainly made up of upper body. This means that very few boots have passed the test of fitting my stumpy legs. Sad times.
I opted for the wide version in the Mountain Horse Wild River Tall Boots and I was holding my breath the first time I tried them on. Thankfully for me, they did do up and so the testing process began. I have to admit, though, that initially it was a bit of a squeeze to zip them up. Perseverance (and an extra pair of hands) was necessary to get the zip done up the first time as it was slightly sticky, but this got easier with wear. Now I zip them up without a second thought.
The boots themselves are quite long for me, which means when I’m sitting down on a chair the top of boots dig into the back of my knees slightly. However, I suspect this is more of a design flaw with my short legs rather than with the boots themselves. When I’m in the saddle, they don’t dig in at all and they are comfortable to ride in.
Performance & comfort
These boots really look the part and if I was rating on looks alone they would score full marks. I feel smart and put together when I’m wearing them, whether it’s working on the yard mucking out, poo picking fields or having a day out walking the cross country course at Badminton Horse Trials. I also wear them for lunging, schooling and hacking fit showjumpers. In short, the Mountain Horse Wild River Tall Boots have really lived up to the job.
They are waterproof so they keep my feet dry and toasty in all weathers. I also love the colour, as well as the shape.
The Mountain Horse Wild River Tall Boots are made of real leather, so it took a handful of wears for them to really mould to my leg without feeling restrictive. Now that I’ve worn them in, I can wear them all day without really thinking about them.
Value for money
Although £249 is a lot of money, you do expect to have to dig deep when looking to buy this style of boot and I think the price is in line with the market. Ultimately, they are robust, comfortable, easy to wear and they look good. Yes I had a few teething problems with the zip and ideally I’d like them to be slightly shorter to suit my calves, but the main thing is that they’re very comfortable to wear all day. They feel very sturdy and I’m confident they will last me a good few years. Therefore, I would say these boots are a worthwhile investment and offer value for money.
Important information
RRP £249
Sizes: adult 4-8 in regular or wide
Colours: black or brown
Buying in the UK? Purchase here
Buying in the USA? View the Mountain Horse range here
