These Boots Were Made For…

Cowboy boots aren’t just made for walking, they are made for riding. You’ll be hard pressed to find a cowboy with even minimal experience riding or working without them. They are, without a doubt, a staple of a cowboy’s wardrobe.

Riding boots originated in the 19th century by various manufacturers. Many boot makers take great pride in their product and guard their trade secrets quite carefully. This secrecy results in a varied fit between brands in their boots.

The name cowboy boot refers specifically to a certain style of riding boot worn by cowboys, riders and ranchers. Although in years past boots have been increasing in popularity. More and more people are wearing cowboy boots as a fashion statement and not just for practicality.

Most often they are made from cowhide leather. If you are willing to pay a more premium price, you can find them in such materials as ostrich, alligator, snake, eel or even elephant. They materials take extra care but can be well worth it if you are looking for something different.

There are two different kinds of cowboy boots, Western and roper. The Western style has a tall boot shaft, an angled heel over an inch high and a pointed toe. The roper style is a newer design that has a lower boot shaft, lower heel and has a round toe box.

The Western style boot is better for safety and protection. The pointed toe of the boot is designed to slip in and out of your stirrup with ease, making mounting and dismounting your horse safe and easy while the heel keeps your foot from going too far into the stirrup. The tall boot shaft helps keep our dirt and debris, while giving better ankle support and protecting the leg from rocks, brush and thorns.

The roper style boot is better for using in more everyday settings. They were actually designed for use in the rodeo as they were a bit more functional when roping, however designers what take them even further. Their popularity has really pushed the industry into creating more style options with boots.

Regardless of the style, cowboy boots are far from simple. Boots have a lengthy construction time, often necessitating dozens, if not hundreds, of individual steps until they are fully made. But, the cliché "you get what you pay for" really applies when it comes to this product.