How To: Tie field boots

July 10, 2013Leslie WylieUncategorized#HOW TO1 Comment

When it comes to horses, nothing is ever simple–not even tying your shoes. Carla Lake guides us step-by-step through the process of getting those field boot laces just right.

From Carla:

Anyone else bust a field boot lace RIGHT before a show and wonder why we don’t just abandon tradition and go for curly laces?

Yeah, me too.

Until then though, here’s how to make your laces look just like the clerk tied them at the tack shop.

You Will Need:

Field boot laces (35+ inches for adult size boots)

Field Boots

A Spotter (just in case your boot bag gets any ideas)

The Method:

1. Prop up your boot with your legs so it’s facing you. Thread the lace through one of the top eyelets and through the opposite bottom eyelet (diagonally across). Make sure the ends of the laces are the same length.

2. Starting at the top, thread the lace straight across.

3. Tighten and thread the lace diagonally through to the next row of eyelets. This should be the eyelet immediately under the one you started with in step 1.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 (over and through, over and through) until you reach the bottom of the top section.

5. Bring the top lace diagonally down and through the first hole of the bottom section. It should be on the same side you started on in step 1. Leave it for now and start on the bottom section, threading the bottom lace directly across.

6. Thread the lace diagonally up and through the eyelet on the same side you started in step 5.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until you run out of eyelets.

8. Looks pretty darn good, right? Top it off with the tiniest bow ever or a simple knot. If you had the foresight to buy longer laces, tuck the ends of the laces in.

If you made it through, congratulations! Now you can step into the world proudly, one more arcane skill under your belt, ready to save the day if you come across a boot lacing emergency.

Go Tying? Is that weird?

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About the Author

Carla Lake is a financial media editor and a recent convert to dressage from hunterland. She leases an OTTB named Midnight who is an excellent teacher. You can follow their adventures at the Collegial Equestrian blog.