Ariat Boots: Western, Chelsea and Work Pairs Named for a Racehorse

Ariat Boots: Western, Chelsea and Work Pairs Named for a Racehorse

Ariat boots started with a racehorse and an idea about athletic shoe technology, and this edit sorts western, chelsea, riding and work pairs by how they wear. I say when I would reach for each one and what to check when you try them on.

Ariat takes its name from a racehorse. The company's own history page says its founder remembers watching Secretariat win the Kentucky Derby on TV in 1973, and that his big heart and competitive spirit were the motivations behind naming the company. Secretariat went on to take the Triple Crown that year, with a heart almost three times the size of an average thoroughbred. I love that. A boot brand named after a heart.

 

The company was founded in 1993 by Stanford Business School classmates Beth Cross and Pam Parker, who had worked at Bain & Company and Reebok and saw they could apply athletic shoe technology to riding boots. Ariat says it was the first to do that for equestrian athletes. So when I look for Ariat boots, I am looking at work boots and riding boots that learned to be comfortable first and pretty second, and that is why the western styles here wear so easily.

 

Start with the western pairs. The Heritage Western R-Toe and the Easton R Toe are the classic cowboy shape: rounded toe, scalloped shaft, and I would wear either with straight jeans and a plain white tee. The Round Up StretchFit Wide Square Toe has a deep scalloped shaft with room for wider calves, so it is the one I would check first if most pull-on boots pinch you. The Round Up Collins is the same square-toe idea in a simpler shaft.

 

The Darlin short western boot is the one for skirts and a denim jacket, and the Calera X Toe and Hazen are sharper in the toe, which I like with a slip dress. The Casanova carries the most decoration, so keep everything above it quiet. Before you buy, pull the boot on with the socks you really wear and walk the room twice.

Collage of western cowboy boots, chelsea boots and ankle booties, and tall, riding and work boots, and a mood photo of light jeans with brown western boots and a suede bag

Ariat western cowboy boots

Chelsea boots for rainy days

Chelsea boots are the quiet side of the brand, and the test is the same as for any ankle boot: pull it on, stand up, and check the heel does not slip. The elastic gore should hold, not squeeze.

 

The Wexford Waterproof Chelsea in black has a block heel and elastic gore, and it is the one I would put on for a rainy commute with wide trousers. The Wexford Sherpa Waterproof in amber brown has a sherpa-lined insole, so it is the cold-weather pick, good over thick socks. The Wexford Waterproof Lug Boot is the chunkier, sportier version, and I would wear it with a midi skirt and a big sweater.

 

The Booker in distressed brown has a double-stitch welt and twin gore, and the Southlite in Brown Bomber has a heel pull tab that makes it quick to get on. Both suit cropped jeans. The black Cooper is a short pull-on with a round toe, the plainest boot here, and it works with almost anything. For something with more attitude, the Fatbaby Chelsea Harness in black deertan mixes leather and suede with a harness strap. The Dixon in weathered brown is the slim ankle bootie with western accents, and the maker says it suits skinny jeans and leggings.

 

What I would skip: a lined waterproof boot on a warm day. Your feet will tell you by lunch.

Ariat booties and chelsea boots

Tall, riding and work boots

Pick tall, riding and work boots by the job first and the look second. Ask what weather and what ground you will actually be on, then check the closure, since a zip or a buckle decides how the boot fits over a trouser leg.

 

The Heritage R Toe Tall Stretchfit in black deertan is the dressy one, a knee-high western boot with embroidery, a block heel and side pull loops. I would wear it over skinny jeans or under a long skirt. The Scout Zip Paddock and the Heritage IV Zip Waterproof Insulated are black paddock boots with a zip, and both look sharp under a straight trouser. The Heritage IV adds waterproofing and insulation for winter yard days.

 

The Kelmarsh in navy and the Woodstock in deep navy are waterproof rubber boots, and the Woodstock has a buckle for adjusting the fit. These are for mud, puddles and rainy markets, with leggings tucked in. The Barnyard Twin Gore II in antique brown is a leather ankle work boot with waterproofing, a good one for the garden or the barn.

 

Then the proper work boots. The Rebar Lift in distressed brown has DRYShield waterproofing and a round toe, and the Anthem Patriot has a composite toe and a pull-on square toe. I would only choose these if the job calls for them, and I would try them with the thick socks I would wear to work.

Ariat western, riding and work boots

How I would pick a pair

Here is what I would do. Pick the job for the boot first: a dinner, a rainy week, a barn. Then the shape, a round, square or snip toe for western pairs, and a gore or zip for the rest.

 

Next, try them on at the end of the day with the socks you really wear, and walk around. The shaft should not gape and the heel should not slide.

 

Then decide how much you want people to notice. A founder named a whole company after a horse with a very big heart. I would choose boots with a little of that spirit.

 

If you want a few more to try, the last four ariat boots below stretch the edit: the Round Up Remuda is another wide square toe, the Beaux has a J toe, the Langley is a second waterproof chelsea and the Bench Made Eleanor is a suede chelsea with an almond toe. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Chanel Boots and Hunter Boots for Women.