Boots

When most people think about a pair of boots, they probably think of shoes that you wear for extreme weather or for working. When I hear the word boots, my mind lights up, because I only think of one thing, my riding boots.

My riding boots look like typical western style cowboy boots. They’re black with steel toes to protect my feet from being stepped on by a horse. They have a high heel that makes a very distinctive sound when I walk, and they fit perfectly secure in my stirrups when I ride. My favorite thing about them is that every time I put them on they seem to get more comfortable. The night before a gaming day I spend a lot of time cleaning them up and polishing them, so the judges don’t subtract points for appearance. The smell of shoe polish doesn’t really bother me, but I’d rather they be left untouched and carry the smell of leather mixed with dirt from the farm instead.

Over the years, I’ve seen some cowboys wear some pretty outrageous looking boots. Some have been multi-colored, others have had crazy patterns stitched in. I think I’ll always prefer the modest and understated black boots that I’ve always had because the classic look says, I have the western swagger, so I don’t need to be a bragger.