Perfect! Size small fronts, generation 1. |
The generation 1 boots came in small, medium and large, so when I saw that the generation 2 Dressage boots came in medium, large and XL, I was hoping the names had changed and the sizing hadn't. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and I'm going to be returning them. Before I do, I'm going to do an in-depth sizing review here to help everyone else out.
The length is similar to the XC mediums. Yes, I did keep the XC boots that fit similar to these despite not being crazy about the way they fit, but he wears those for probably a total of 10 hours per year, if that. For boots he wears for almost every ride, I'm not comfortable with how far they come down past his fetlock.
It's tough to see here, but there's over an inch where the boot is not making contact with his body at the bottom. They're also going up pretty high onto his knee, and ideally I would shift them down a bit if I could. Looking at him wearing them, you got the impression that he was borrowing his big brother's suit jacket.
Note thought that despite being similar in height, they're smaller in diameter than the XC boots, which overlap. This is a photo from Majyk Equipe's website showing a well-fitting Dressage boot:
The mediums do fit his hinds in terms of length. He wears a medium in the old hinds, so that's not surprising.
Appropriately fitted boots. |
But the new mediums fit smaller in terms of diameter than the old mediums, at least on Connor. Obviously, this doesn't REALLY matter - it's Dressage, you're not going to have anything hitting the horse on the outside of the leg - but it's an aesthetics thing for some people. And as I pointed out above, they're designed that way.
Old hinds, medium size (and some lazy velcroing) shown:
New hinds, medium shown:
There's a lot to like about them, though, and I'd buy a full set if they still came in small. Some highlights:
- Same new and improved softer interior material as the XC boots. It's very squishy.
- Same improved ventilation as the new XC boots.
Showing some daylight through the interior material. |
- Classy navy blue pinstripes on the straps
- Tabs on the Velcro ends! Love it!
- Nice looking "infinity" logo on the inside.
One thing I would like to point out to everyone is this absolutely fantastic sizing guide on the Majyk Equipe website. It goes into great detail about the sizing and exact dimensions of every boot, and has photos demonstrating proper fit, as well as tips for putting them on correctly. It's much more informative than the usual size charts, and very helpful.
Bottom line: The generation 2's are definitely a better boot, with all of the same improvements seen in the new XC boots, but they won't work for the little guys.
Buy the generation 2's if:
- You have a normally proportioned horse.
- You live in a cold climate and need those Velcro tabs.
Buy the generation 1's if:
- You own a pony - you're most likely outta luck for gen 2 fronts if you're a pony owner.
- You get a good deal on them - they're still great boots.
That's disappointing.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. I'm assuming that means the generation 1 fronts didn't sell well in small. Oh well.
DeleteBUMMER :( :(
ReplyDeleteYeah. :( First ME boots I've ever returned. Not because they're bad boots, they're just not meant for ponies and honies.
DeleteWhat a bummer that they aren't keeping the small size.
ReplyDeleteTotally. I was so hoping I could keep them with the Velcro tabs and not have to rip them open with my teeth in the winter anymore! I'm still happy with the 1's aside from that.
DeleteKinda sad that the boots don't overlap :( I don't like the little space between the edge of the boots… oh well- I have a pair of larges coming in of Gen 2 for my guy- still pretty excited about them and even if there's s little gap like you said it's not really a big deal :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of the gap either, but after a year it doesn't bother me. Depending on your horse, they may still meet up. I hope you like them, keep me posted!
DeleteAnd I suppose polos are out too--if you can't feel your fingers, there's not much you can do with them. What a challenging fit.
ReplyDeletePolos aren't bad, they're just not my favorite. They also do tend to be a bit of a tough fit on him - pony isn't long enough, and horse is too long. Maybe I could cut horse-sized down? And I'm not a fitting-in-with-the-crowd type of person, but not one single person uses them at my barn.
DeleteShort version: I love boots, I own a horse who is not a good candidate for boots.
I'm not totally sold on the aethetics of the newer boot, but they look so nice and ventilated. Bummer they don't make small, maybe they will offer it eventually after the line is out a bit? I mean geesh make a few hundred for all the poor ponies.
ReplyDeleteThey really are both softer and more ventilated than the old ones. I know, I would pay so much for a one-off small! But I'm sure with manufacturing being the way it is, that isn't an option.
DeleteThose tab ends are ingenious!
ReplyDeleteI really dislike the gap on the new boots
ReplyDelete