Re: The GZG Digest V2 #561

In a message dated 06/25/01 5:23:20 PM Central Daylight Time, 
owner-gzg-digest@lists.CSUA.Berkeley.EDU writes:

> They change their boots when the dismount? Not likely.
> 
> Combat boots protect well enough when riding (I ride a 
> motorcycle...). The leg armour should work well as protection against 
> what chaps were meant to help against...things like thorns and 
> brambles. Coybows tended to wear those more since they had to dive 
> into the brush to snag/snare errant cattle. Cavalry and Dragoons 
> don't tend to need that as much I think.
> 
> A nice compromise on the boots would be strappy tanker boots vs laced 
> up combat boots.
> 
> 

The reason for pointy toe boots when riding isn't for the brush or
cattle 
reasons, it's so that you won't be dragged to death when your
square-toed 
boots catch in the stirrup when you fall off the horse. The way stirrups
are 
constructed makes a pointier toe more easily able to slip out. OTOH,
they are 
a pain in the feet to walk around in. Which is why cowboys ride as much
as 
possible. (I know this from personal experience, having come off a horse

twice, once wearing combat boots, which got stuck in the stirrup, and
once 
while wearing cowboy boots, which slipped out very nicely. The only
reason I 
can tell you this story was that my boss at the time was riding with me,
and 
she caught my horse before it dragged me too far.) Having a second pair
of 
boots made for the ground would be a good idea for these types of
troops.

John Hamill
JohnDHamill@aol.com