NOT SURE I'M IN CORRECT FORUM CATEGORY BUT I NEED HELP!

[parawyn]

Hi there. I am a disabled rider with cerebral palsy and I am looking for a pair of long boots to accommodate my needs. A couple of months ago, I decided I would invest in some long boots to help me be more independent and quicker with putting them on (I am doing a full time course on Equine Management and am required to ride for the qualification,I currently have a helper who puts my chaps on for me, and it takes rather a long time for me to do it myself, I need to wear chaps to protect my legs from sustaining pinches and to protect scarring from previous operations). However, I have had no luck in finding anything suitable. I have emailed many brands asking for assistance and have had no replies, and if I got any replies that had nothing suitable which would be able to accommodate my 11 inch leg length and 13.5 inch right calf and 14.5 inch left calf. I have also tried on multiple boots in tack shops and had no luck because the zip didn't come down far enough to get my heel into (I require a zip to secure my leg). I have also emailed a place in Wales about having made to measure boots but they haven't responded. I am really stuck with what to do now. Can anyone suggest anything which may be suited to the needs I have described?
Thank you.

 

[Calluna]

I don't think I have any goo dsuggestions becuase I suspect from your description M2M is the way you will probably have to go...and I've not been there. I'm surprised that zipped boots don't undo low enough to get your heel in though...its one of the things I like about my Mountain Horse boots, the easy access.
Good luck with your search!

 

[eml]

I suspect that if you find it difficult to do up chaps the long zips may not be any better. We have a client with CP and it only takes a minute to help her put chaps on, she is having Ariat boots for Christmas so it will be interesting to see if how she finds them. Have you experimented with stiffer gaitors or chaps that velcro on?

 

[sophie33]

I'm no expert - I'm sure eml has given you more useful advice - but my boots are a french brand called RECTILIGNE that zip up the back and the zip comes down low. I think they do made to measure so might be able to help. Having said that I got mine secondhand from ebay, I think they cost a pretty penny new!

 

[Jessey]

Made to measure is probably the ideal answer, but its costly. Perhaps considering some of the boots that have large elastic panels in them, they are designed to fit a wide range of calf sizes. My friend brought some Toggi boots recently, she's short like me with wider calves and they fitted her nicely as they had loads of stretch, just thinking all that stretch might accommodate your different size calves http://www.toggi.com/?product=quest or as EML suggest, the chaps that have Velcro

 

[Gimp]

Perhaps try phoning some companies, Emails can be lost or forgotten about especially at this busy time of year

 

[GaryB]

I can't get my feet into any boots that zip down the back. The boots I can get on are these:
http://www.toggi.com/?product=cartwright
and these
http://hopevalleysaddlery.co.uk/546/Ariat-Volant-Mens-Tall-Front-Zip-Long-Leather-Riding-Boots (they do a ladies version too)

I don't know if these would suit your other measurements. The Toggis came from Robinsons, so if you have a store by you it might be worth a trip.

 

[Skib]

Almost everyone finds half chaps hard to do up - However wearing half chaps with short boots gives you more flexibility of fit and you can wear different boots - according to what you are doing and the weather. And you can alter the size of the half chaps if you put on weight - whereas with boots you need to change the whole thing.
My OH wears smart Ariat half chaps and matching Ariat boots. He finds the half chaps hard to do up - he is 76 years old.

But with short boots I wear Tuffa suede half chaps which are easy to do up - innexpensive and you could buy 2 pairs one to fit each leg. My grand daughter wears the same.
But heavier winter short boots often need to go with the half chaps of the same brand designed to fit over them. My example is Mountain Horse.
I also know that some half chaps zip from the top down and others are like long boots and zip from the bottom upwards -
I am not sure which you find easiest?

My friend with cerebral palsy used to have her shoes made to measure - I imagine through Riding for the Disabled or your GP you might be able to get half chaps made specially for you or with easier openings?

It is very tempting to get long boots but unless they are very expensive they wont be as flexible or as adaptable as short boots and half chaps.

 

[parawyn]

Thank you to everyone who has gotten back to me, I will look into all which you have suggested.