New shoes – update

Sof modelling
her new shoes

So a while ago I wrote a post about getting Sofie some brand new boots (having so far only having hand-me-downs).

 

 

Last month they arrived and they were beautiful. Unfortunately they did not fit! NOOOOOOOOOO! Despite all the due care with fitting shells, when I came to put on her spangally new boots they were too tight. After a very short ride it was clear that these were no good, they were just twisting off. I re-measured her feet to find the little madam’s feet had gotten bigger. Months they had stayed the same size, only to grow and extra 4mm just after I ordered the boots. Sods law. I think the gel insoles also made the boots come up a bit snugger, exacerbating the problem. Heartbroken I had to email the hoof boutique back for suggestions as to what to do.
 



Boots on the back feet

Renegades offer a free exchange if boots do not fit, however this only applies to standard boots. Because we had got gel insoles bonded on my boots were classed as a special order and so exempt for free exchange (because it is not likely another customer would want what I had asked for). Bugger. Thankfully for me Liz at the hoof boutique and renegades are very keen to do their best by their customers and so agreed to treat the boots as a hire which was very kind of them. The larger set of boots (which I bought for the fronts) fit her back feet so I only needed to return one set.

Nervously I ordered the next size up, the largest they do. This time we played it safe with no gel insoles. Not quite as luxurious but they fit. Hurray!

We took the new boots round Frensham Sponsored Ride – a bit of a baptism of fire really – but they were brilliant. Nothing dislodge them -  galloping across wet fields, jumping fences, and Sofie digging for Brittan – they stayed put and did not budge. No sign of a rub, even though she had been in the boots for over 5 hours (I put them on in the morning before we loaded and did not take them off until after the event). Worth every penny.

 

 

I hope to God her feet don’t grow anymore!

 

post test ride success