Now an American staple, riding and cowboy boots owe a lot to European history.
Boots have always played a role in the footwear of humankind—cave paintings dating back as many as 15,000 years show men and women wearing them. But by the 16th century, boots were mostly worn by soldiers, who needed to protect their feet and legs on the battlefield. Knights often wore boots up to their thighs to protect their knees. Over the years, boots moved into the general population, and nonmilitary riders usually preferred knee-highs—they were high enough to protect the lower legs from chafing but not so high that they interfered with riding.
During the 17th century, boots became increasingly popular in Europe. Royals and other elites liked to raise and ride horses, and the boots they wore while riding came to signify status. In particular, the size of the boot’s heel was important. Riding boots came with heels of up to three inches—leading to the term “well-heeled” to show that a person was rich enough to own a horse. The thicker the heel, the thinking went, the wealthier the person was.
By the 1800s, riding boots were common among wealthy cavalry officers, and even among some regular citizens. But they could be uncomfortable, especially thigh-high military boots. Then came Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, who decided to change that.
When Wellington defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, he didn’t just strike a blow for England, he also made a case for fashion. He didn’t like the military boots he had been issued, so he directed his cobbler to create something calf-length, to offer a tighter fit around the legs. His boots (which came to be called Wellingtons) also had a lower heel than typical riding boots to make it easier for the rider when he wasn’t in the saddle—higher heels stay in place better while riding, but aren’t as great to walk (or fight battles) in. Plus, the boots were easy to mass-produce. Soon, riders all over Europe and the United States were wearing Wellingtons.
Northern and Southern soldiers wore Wellingtons during the Civil War, and the boots were so well received that, when the men returned home, they brought their footwear with them. It was perfect timing. The cattle and beef industry in America was booming in the late 1860s, and the cowboys who herded the cattle needed a comfortable boot.
Before the 1860s, cowboys had to put up with a lot in their footwear. Mostly, they had to sacrifice comfort for function: that high heel again. Many boots also had very pointy toes, which made them fit more easily into stirrups, but pinched the rider’s feet when he was out of the saddle.
But after the Civil War, Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild Bill Hickok, and other cowboys started wearing Wellingtons, which led to an evolution in cowboy boots. Over time, the boots developed a lower heel and more rounded toe, and had a slicker sole that helped the cowboy slip out of his stirrups quickly if a horse got out of control. From there, riding and cowboy boot evolution was pretty much complete. Over the last 150 years, boots have changed very little, and the basic medium-heeled, slightly rounded-toe style remains popular.
May your horse never stumble,
Your spurs never rust,
May your guts never grumble,
Your cinch never bust!
May your boots never pinch,
Your crops never fail,
While you eat lots of beans,
And stay out of jail!