Boot Culture, A Personal Favorite
photo credit: Joanna Pinneo
It’s almost the end of another semester in western New York but that doesn’t mean my horse culture involvement is coming to a halt. I’ve been becoming quite the cowgirl.
Horses aside, cowboy/cowgirl boots are a culture within itself here in WNY. You don’t need to ride to own a pair of these beauties but you do need a little dough in the bank. The sweet smell of leather resonates through western New York like the wonderful stench of horse manure cloaks a damp field in the early hours of morning. They’re colorful, wild, daring and they’re a necessity for every “cowgirl.” The heavy price tag should be considered, especially when thinking long term. Most of these gems are hand crafted and 100 percent genuine leather. Some of the pricier boots sport alligator skin and snake skin, which is debatable if they are longer lasting.
Hundreds of years ago, as long as horses have been domesticated, people protected their legs with animal hides. They’d wrap their calves and feet and away they went, bareback across our world. “Wherever there’s a footprint, there’s a hoof print right beside it”-Flicka (love that quote). In an article by National Geographic Traveler it said, “The Mexican vaquero tradition helped shape the development of the boot that 19th-century Anglo cowboys wore while herding the cattle across the central and western states.” The article went on to say that early cowboys wore flat, round-toed boots sometimes recycled from Civil War uniforms. A higher heel was introduced a few decades later to help secure their feet in the stirrups a little better. It wasn’t until the 1870s that the basic cowboy boot we know today came into existence. Boot makers opened up workshops across our country’s western states, primarily in Texas. Embroidery, skins, hand crafting designs and bright colors were on the rise in popularity and creation by the 1920s when boot makers starting getting competitive. The cowboy boot craze trickled across the country, leaving us western New Yorkers with the ravishing “boot.”
So where is everyone getting these colorful creations? For those of you that went to the 2012 Equine Affaire this year, or plan on going, plan to boot shop. Bargaining is big at these fairs so don’t be afraid to kick that price down, it’s worth a try right? I, unfortunately didn’t have any luck at the Equine Affaire with finding a pair. I was pretty overwhelmed and to be honest, I didn’t really know what I was looking for. My sister, a city kind of girl, fell head over heels for the country way of life, including the footwear. She traveled to New Mexico not too long ago and bought a pair of boots, well a couple of pairs. Old Gringos seems to be her favorite due to the comfort factor. Ariat is another choice of boot. While the looks of these two brands of boots can be similar, it really comes down to what people prefer. I’ve always been an ariat kind of girl even though I’ve owned a pair of leather cowgirl boots. Ariat is an equestrian boot, clothing and product line that lasts forever. I swear by it’s durability and for years, I’ve been wearing their high English riding boots and low English boots- not one tear or thread out of place. On average, a pair of cowgirl boots will run you about two hundred bucks. The lowest I’ve seen for mid calf boots with embellishment has been around the 150 mark. I’m taking my sweet time picking out a pair I’ll have for the next…decade. Below I have listed some favorite sites. Enjoy!
photo credit: Joe Duty
May 1, 2012
cldrake
Rein&Thunder 