How Our Boots and Tights Are Made

By Aaron Englander, founder of Just Horse Riders. Checked 7 September 2026.

This page explains what each Englander Equestrian product is made from, what the parts do and where the limits are. If a detail is not here, we do not know it yet and we will not guess.

Uppers

Vegan synthetic leather: Gaia jodhpur boots and Athena tall boots

Gaia and Athena uppers are a synthetic leather with no animal material in it. It wipes clean with a damp cloth and needs no polish or conditioner. It is water-resistant, which we define below, and it is not waterproof. Gaia has a padded ankle and insole, and Gaia Zipped adds a padded mesh lining. Athena has a padded interior, a cushioned sole and a stretch panel in the calf beside the rear zip.

Who it is not for: riders who want a leather boot that can be fed and polished. Choose the Hera or the Atlas instead.

Full-grain buffalo leather: Hera country boots

Hera is handcrafted from full-grain buffalo leather in chocolate. The seams are sealed to give a 100% waterproof construction. Inside is a breathable mesh lining, comfort padding and a PU-moulded footbed. An elasticated panel and working calf laces let you adjust the fit, and the boot comes in Standard and Wide calf. Hera is the only boot in the range with a 12-month fair-use warranty. Leather needs looking after: wipe it down after use and feed it with a leather conditioner or boot polish. See warranty and returns.

Oiled wax leather: Atlas zip-front yard boots

Atlas has an oiled wax leather upper with a reinforced microfibre toe cap and heel cap, bonded and stitched on. Inside is a padded synthetic mesh lining. The centre-front YKK zip sits behind a stitched leather storm flap, there is a woven pull tab at the back, and the hexagon-E is moulded into the rubber heel counter. It comes in dark brown only. It is fully waterproof; the waterproofing section below explains how.

Zips

Gaia Zipped jodhpur boots and Atlas zip-front yard boots use genuine YKK zips, set centre-front, with a stitched storm flap behind the zip to keep wind and wet off the teeth. On the Atlas the flap is leather. A zip is the part of a boot that gets opened and closed most, so treat it kindly: pull it straight rather than at an angle, and keep grit out of it.

Shank and heel

A shank is a stiff strip built into the sole under the arch. It stops the boot folding in the middle and gives the foot something firm to stand on in the stirrup. Gaia Zipped has a metal shank, moulded into the sole as the Metal Shank Support System.

A riding heel is a distinct step at the heel that helps stop the foot sliding forward through the stirrup. Gaia Zipped and Atlas have a defined riding heel. The pull-on Gaia and Athena have a low block heel, and Hera has a separate heel block.

Soles

Gaia jodhpur boots: rubber sole with a herringbone tread.
Athena tall boots: rubber sole with a cushioned footbed. The sole carries the ENGLANDER wordmark and the EU size.
Atlas zip-front yard boots: multi-directional hybrid rubber outsole, with deeper lugs at the heel and a finer tread under the ball and toe, plus a defined riding heel.
Hera country boots: shock-absorbent, slip-resistant rubber sole with a deep multi-directional lug pattern and a separate heel block.

A word on grip, because riders are told two different things. The tread on these soles is there for the ground: a wet yard, a muddy gateway, a concrete aisle. It is not a deep walking lug that could jam in a stirrup iron. What stops a foot sliding through the stirrup is the heel, not the tread, which is why every boot here has a defined step at the heel. If you are choosing between boots, look for the heel first.

Water-resistant or waterproof?

The two words are not the same, and we use them carefully.

Water-resistant means the upper sheds splashes, wet grass and light rain, but water will get in if you stand in it or if it comes above the protected part of the boot. The pull-on Gaia is water-resistant up to the elasticated ankle. Gaia Zipped is water-resistant to the last stitch line. Athena tall boots are water-resistant. None of these is waterproof, and we never describe them that way.

Waterproof means water is kept out by the construction itself, with the seams sealed so there is no path in through the stitching. Hera country boots are built this way: 100% waterproof construction with sealed seams. Waterproof does not mean bottomless. Water that comes in over the top of any boot still gets in.

Atlas, honestly. An earlier batch of the Atlas was tested and did not pass as waterproof. We do not sell that batch here. Just Horse Riders sells it separately as clearance at £24.95. The Atlas we sell is fully waterproof: the oiled wax leather upper sits over a sealed internal waterproof construction, with a leather storm flap behind the YKK zip.

Read more: waterproof vs water-resistant.

Aiya riding tights fabric

Aiya riding tights are knitted from 76% nylon and 24% elastane, in both the cloth and the full seat, and stretch four ways. The waistband is 5 cm deep and covered, with elastic stitched inside. The seat is covered in a silicone grip; on the Unicorn print the printed panels add extra grip. There are two side pockets sized for a phone, smooth internal seams, double side panels and folded hems. Small silicone logos sit on the pocket and waistband, with a tonal hexagon-E on the centre back. They are made in India.

Washing

The care label says: wash at 40°C, do not bleach, iron on low, do not tumble dry, wash separately, use a detergent for delicate fabrics, no conditioner or softener, and dry slowly. The label also notes that the fabric is not protected against pilling from outside rubbing and that a little colour may be lost in the wash.

Packaging

Boots arrive in a branded box with tissue paper and a swing tag. The box, tissue and tag carry only the hexagon logo and the ENGLANDER wordmark: no slogans, no claims. The back of the tag has care hints and points you to englanderequestrian.co.uk for the full range.

Care

Wipe every boot down with a damp cloth after use. If a boot gets soaked through, take out the insoles, stuff it with paper to draw out the moisture and hold the shape, and let it dry away from direct heat such as a radiator. Feed the Hera's leather with a leather conditioner or boot polish. Do not use those products on suede, nubuck or distressed leather. Synthetic boots (Gaia and Athena) need only the wipe.

All prices include VAT. Prices checked 25 September 2026.

Questions riders ask

Why use synthetic leather instead of real leather?

Because for a first boot, lessons and everyday riding it does the job at a lower price: Gaia from £26.95 and Athena from £49.95. Synthetic leather wipes clean and needs no feeding. It is water-resistant rather than waterproof, and it will not age the way leather does. If you want leather, we make the Hera and the Atlas.

What is the difference between water-resistant and waterproof?

Water-resistant means the upper sheds splashes and light rain, but water gets in if you stand in it or it rises above the protected part of the boot. Waterproof means the construction itself keeps water out, with sealed seams. Gaia and Athena are water-resistant. Hera is waterproof.

Is the Atlas waterproof?

Yes. The Atlas sold on this site is fully waterproof: the oiled wax leather upper sits over a sealed internal waterproof construction, with a leather storm flap behind the YKK zip. An earlier batch did not pass as waterproof; Just Horse Riders sells that batch separately as clearance, and we do not sell it here.

What are Aiya riding tights made of?

Knitted fabric of 76% nylon and 24% elastane in both the cloth and the full seat, with a silicone grip across the seat, a 5 cm covered waistband and two side phone pockets. Made in India. Wash at 40 degrees, do not tumble dry.