Riding Boot Alterations

[TomE]

Although my favorite leathercraft activity is making tack, it seems the local equestrian community is more interested in repairs.  I've come to view repairs as a service that clients appreciate, and a way to build new skills while making a few friends.  I used to turn away riding boot alterations because I didn't want to mess up expensive boots, but lately I've begun to dip my toe into that pond.

These boots were altered by a repair shop that added an elastic gusset to the inside aspect of the shaft.  They did an expert job but now the client has lost a lot of weight, moved out of state, and asked me to take in the width of the shaft.  As she said, "My German farmer's wife calves aren't as big as they used to be." Here was a chance to make friends with my patcher sewing machine and learn more about shoe repair.  I opted to leave the elastic gussets in place and remove about 1/2" of width from the leather gussets flanking the zipper.  Compare the unaltered boot on the left with the skinny version on the right.  I also shortened the flap that secures the zipper at the top of the boot.  Thankfully, the altered boots fit the client.  The elastic gussets can absorb any future weight gains, if needed.

 

This next pair of boots was more out of my comfort zone.  They are from a made-to-order boot maker in the Netherlands and $$$.  The client sent in her boot measurements and the vendor replied that they had 3 pairs of boots almost that size that had been special ordered and they would sell for a discounted price.  She bought all 3 pairs but it turns out they are about 1" too tall and interfere with bending her knee, making it uncomfortable to sit in the saddle. I told her I was reluctant to cut into such an expensive boot.  She said the boots had been unused for a year and she had nothing to lose.  A learning opportunity for me.  

I looked at the crease caused by the back of her knee pressing down on the shaft, and sketched a shape for the alteration.  After some disassembly and trimming, I had to skive the  edge by hand to create the rolled edge.  There wasn't enough room to run it through my bell skiver (maybe if I disassembled more area around the repair?).  I used a French edger that needed sharpening, and more sharpening to thin this chrome tanned leather.  After gluing and assembly I was relieved that my patcher tracked smoothly along the rolled edge close to the top of the boot.  The two halves at the back of the boot are joined by a herringbone type stitch, overlaid with a plastic stiffener and a strip of leather trim.  I sewed all that by hand. 

One thing I haven't worked out is how to neatly trim the lining after assembly and sewing the rolled edge.  I used scissors, which was awkward along the inside of the curved edge, because I thought a knife would gouge the rolled edge.  Also, I'd appreciate any tips on skiving chrome tanned boot leather by hand. 

The client is happy with the fit of the first boot I modified, so I am screwing up my courage to modify the other other boot as I write this.  She has 2 more pairs that she'd like me to alter in the same way - one pair is pink leather and the other is a faux alligator finish that feels more like patent leather.  Yikes! 

The pictures below show one altered boot (left) and the unaltered boot (right).

[JDFred]

Nicely done as with all you work.

[TomE]

On 6/27/2026 at 8:08 AM, JDFred said:

Nicely done as with all you work.

Thank you kindly @JDFred.  One pair done and two to go. 

[Mulesaw]

@TomE 

Sorry for the late reply, but as usual, I never fired up the computer while at home.

Really good looking repairs. I know the feeling all too well about cutting into expensive boots. But like your client says, if they can't be used - the aren't worth much to the client.

If I have to enlarge boots, I use a wide piece of elastic if I need to insert around 1" in width or more. 
If the insert needs to be narrower, I use a piece of thin skin/leather. My reasoning is that if the elastic is so narrow, it won't have much give in it anyway, and it is more likely to tear compared to a soft piece of chrome tanned skin. If I mount a piece of chrome tanned, I have begun to roll over the edge that is visible. On my earlier repairs, I just cut it and that was that. But skiving the edge and rolling it over makes a huge difference in the look, it does take a bit of time, but the result easily outweighs the extra time spent.

When I have to alter riding boots, I always make sure to tell people that they have to wear their normal riding pants and riding socks if they want me to do the measuring. Especially during the winter someone will show up having heavy socks and then they can't understand that when they pick up the boots and are wearing regular thin riding socks - the boots feel bigger.

If the zipper is on the side, I won't add much, since I am afraid that I'll move the back stiffener so it isn't centered anymore. I have considered trying to expand them by inserting a new back piece, but I am still a bit reluctant about it. In theory it should work fine. Maybe I'll buy an old worn out set just to test the idea, but it will be when I feel I have a lot of time on my hands 🙂

This time at home, a client asked me to shorten a pair of boots as well. They were specially made for her since she is kind of tall, but somehow they were around 5/8" too tall in the shaft. She had used them and like your clients, when bending the knee - they buckle near the ankle. She had worn them enough times to make a permanent damage near the ankle with bulging. So she told me to shorten them at the ankle sewing and not on the top as I would have preferred to do.
I was a bit hesitant at first, and told her that I could in no way guarantee that it would be a success. She insisted and said that at the moment the boots were useless to her because she would get blisters during warm up, and she was willing to take the chance. 
It took me around 3 hours per boot, and I shortened them by 3/4". It was a messy operation to get all the layers back in, but the result was better than I had hoped for, and she even hugged me when she picked them up because she was so glad that she could use them for dressage competitions again. (I forgot to take pictures of the repair job because I was so focused on the job)

When I skive thin chrome tanned, I use a Japanese type skiving knife, using a slicing motion, I have managed to do it decently and reasonably fast. 
You can trim the lining by using a edge beveller size 3 or 4. I constantly try to remind myself that those boots weren't designed to be repairable, so small blemishes do happen every now and then.

Remember to charge a decent amount for the repairs. For alterations, I charge by the hour, since I don't want to end up having given a fixed price that ends up being way too low. Those special jobs take time, and when you are dealing with expensive boots, they are often worth so much that a repair job is well worth it. That is actually an advantage of riding boots. They are so expensive that people will pay to have them repaired instead of just throwing them away.

Brgds Jonas

 

[TomE]

Lots of good ideas and advice, as usual.  Thanks, Jonas!  This week the boot repairs seem like a good line of work, as I am working through a pile of broken halters and chewed up martingales for a local show barn.  I don't charge enough, and tell myself it's a service to the local community and a means of building my skills.  I can't imagine sewing the ankle of a boot back together.  That's reconstructive surgery and above my pay grade.  I still have trouble sewing across the heel counter at the bottom of a zipper without breaking a needle.  I am slowly getting the hang of using a patcher.   Someday when I grow up I hope to be making more bridles and doing fewer repairs.