Kids' Boots & Paddock Boots
2 products
Paddock boots for children: robust for the riding school, comfortable for everyday yard life.
What should I look for in children’s paddock boots?
Paddock boots for children need to be at least ankle-high and have a small heel so that the foot cannot slide through the stirrup. A smooth, continuous sole helps the foot to slip quickly out of the stirrup in the event of a fall.
Trainers and wellies are not suitable for riding. Hook-and-loop fastenings are considered less suitable because they can open too easily.
How much space do children’s feet need in paddock boots?
Children’s shoes should be at least 12 mm and at most 17 mm longer on the inside than the foot. This is the recommendation of the Austrian research project “Kinderfüße und Kinderschuhe” (children’s feet and children’s shoes).
Measure the feet preferably in the second half of the day and check regularly. Between the ages of three and six, children’s feet grow on average about one millimetre per month. When your child tries them on in our shop in Tangstedt, we can check size and fit together.
Paddock boots or long riding boots: which are better for children?
For most children, paddock boots, optionally with half chaps, are a good choice because they can also be worn around the yard. Long riding boots provide more support for the ankle and calf, but paddock boots allow more precise leg aids.
According to Cavallo, an unstable ankle makes riding-position faults more likely. Half chaps provide the calf with additional support and partly compensate for this disadvantage.
Do my child’s paddock boots still fit into the stirrups?
You should check this with every new shoe size: the foot must slide easily into and out of the stirrup. There should be at least half a centimetre of space on both the left and right sides.
Winter paddock boots with thick lining are often wider. If the foot is jammed, a wider pair of stirrups is necessary so that the foot can be released in the event of a fall.
By Julia Lühr, Ahrens Reitsport · Updated