Looking after horses through the winter months has its major downsides. Firstly there's the added expense for feed, hay, bedding, rugs etc. If you work full time you rarely see your horses in daylight and on top of this there are the wet, wind, cold and mud to also contend with! The thought of 'Why do I do this?' is constantly in my mind!!

So after what seemed like my 50th pair of standard wellingtons split through the sole resulting in me having to use carrier bags as socks yet again, I decided to treat myself to a nice new pair of boots for the winter months. As a regular on a lot of the equine forums, I'd heard/read a number of people talking about Muck Boots and how fabulously warm and sturdy they were so decided to give them a go.

About the Company

The Original Muck Boot Company manufacture rubber boots for a variety of markets including outdoor sporting and gardening. The company was founded in 1999 to create comfortable, high performance footwear for use in messy and tough conditions. They now have a line of more than 20 styles.


About the Tyne Boots

These boots are made from durable neoprene covered by a watertight rubber outer around the foot and ankle, which combine to insulate the foot and lower leg, keeping them warm and dry. The welly is lined with a thin moisture-controlled material that draws away perspiration to allow the foot to breathe, while the upper part of the boot has a soft nubuck outer cover.

Parting with my cash

I'm always after a bargain and bought my pair from eBay for only £38. They were unused due to the seller having bought the wrong size so I was instantly happy due to getting them at a cheaper price.I think the RRP is about £62 though I'm sure if you search around you will find them cheaper now.

The Parcel's Delivered

When I first took them out of their box I thought they looked huge and I had to double check they were the size I had ordered - they were! Pulling them on was easy with the help of the reflective tab on the back of the boot. This also has the benefit of being reflective if you wish to leave it out of your boot for improved visibility when walking or riding on roads.

Once on, despite feeling fine, they made my feet look about 2 sizes bigger! I took a few steps and my stride felt really odd. They just seemed very big, clumpy and robust! However they were very comfy. I wore them to take my dog for a walk and despite a blister on my heel (I'm prone to blisters when breaking in new footwear) I soon got used to the initial weird feel of them.

The real test for them was when the weather turned really cold. They are so incredibly warm, you can be walking through frozen fields in -6 degrees centigrade and your feet haven't got a clue it's so cold! Even with the thinnest pair of socks I own, I've not once known my toes to get cold.

I had read that these boots are also designed to enable you to ride in them but due to them being quite big in the foot, they only just go into my stirrups and having a rearer, I like my feet to very easily come clear so don't really trust that they wouldn't. I also usually opt for short boots and gaiters over long boots due to them having more freedom in the ankle, because of the hard rubber these boots don't have that much give so feel quite restrictive in your foot positioning. I find them ok for a 1-mile trot round the block but wouldn't wear them for anything more.

Being 5'11 I have particularly long legs, most boots feel as though they only reach half way up my calf but these fit snugly all the way up with a stretch fit top to stop unwelcome cold air. Due to length I'd say they could possibly be a little too long for people with short legs and you could be better off going with the Tack version due to being shorter in the leg though I'm not sure these are suitable for riding in.

How they've faired

The versatility aspect of the boots are great, they can be used for trudging across wet, muddy fields, mucking out yet can be easily hosed off and if you're happy to ride in them, this removes the need for changing footwear. Just wish I got on with riding in them, I hate taking them off on a cold winter's evening to change into something else!

I'm sure they've saved a number of bones from being broken in my feet! I've already broken a bone in my one foot thanks to a horse standing on it and need to be careful about it happening again. The reinforced toe area saves my pinkies from any unwelcome stomps and the general robustness of the rubber and Achilles overlay protection helps against kicks and knocks from the horses wondering legs.

Onto some negatives, after about 7 months use the rubber outer on the insides of both boots started to come away from the neoprene. Also the neoprene started to wear away on the inside of the right boot. I'm guessing this must be because I slightly rub the boots as I'm walking. Although this hasn't affected the use of the boots and hasn't got any worse over a year later, it does mean that I can't go in water any deeper than where the top of rubber meets the neoprene.

So in summary, I'd definitely recommend these boots just for the fact they keep your feet fabulously warm, safe and comfortable, even if they did feel odd to walk in at first!