Petrie rijlaars Riva stardust

Looking after your riding boots is very important and will ensure they give you many more years of enjoyment. Here are 4 tips:

1. Apply cream before riding

Always rub a clear, hydrating boot cream, such as Petrie Riding Boot Cream, into your boots before you go riding. The cream should be easy to apply and produce a shine, but should not be too greasy as sand and dust will then stick to the boot. Applying the cream nourishes the leather and protects it against external influences, such as sweat from the horse. Sweat is salty and draws out moisture from the leather, causing it to dry out and crack. Never rub cream into the inside of the boot as this will stop it absorbing moisture and it will become water-repellent.  

2. Apply a cleaner after riding

Use a good, concentrated cleaner, such as Petrie Riding Boot Cleaner, to clean your boots after riding. This will wash the salt from the leather. Once dry, rub in a boot cream. Allow this to work into the leather for a while before polishing it off. If you tend to be fairly laid back about such things, don't worry – you can leave the cream on for a whole day! Or perhaps you are the kind of person who likes to get things done? In that case, it is fine to polish off the cream sooner. We advise against using an ordinary leather cleaner to clean your boots as these do not contain sufficient agents to remove the salt and no nutrients have been added.

3. Don't forget the zip!

It is very important to keep the zip clean. The teeth must be free of dirt and should also be lubricated. You can use Petrie Zip Spray for this. It does not attract dirt and is non-sticky.

4. Bring the colour back

For regular maintenance we recommend you use a clear boot cream for all boots, irrespective of their colour. Once every 2-3 weeks you can apply a cream, such as Petrie Riding Boot Color Cream, in the colour that matches your own boots. The extra pigment in this cream restores the colour of the leather. This is necessary as leather is not naturally brown or black, but much lighter. The colour applied as the top coat of the boot will fade with wear and tear. You can use the colour cream to bring the colour back. This cream should not be used every day as the leather will be unable to absorb all the colour and your trousers may be stained.