When the temperature drops below 40 degrees, do your feet start to turn into icicles? Mine definitely do! For years, I’ve been cleaning stalls and doing barn

chores in the winter with either regular boots and about 5 pairs of socks or rain boots with multiple pairs of socks. Neither worked that great. Finally, this fall, I started doing some research on which winter boots would be best. I looked at multiple pairs and found some great ones, but I had a few stipulations…they had to be in my (limited) price range and they had to work better than my previous options mentioned above. The other stipulation, although not required, was for them to actually look cute…

However, I was willing to sacrifice cuteness for warmth!

I read many product reviews, and finally decided on the Bogs Mattie boots. They were initially appealing to me because they’re rated to keep your toes nice and toasty up to 20 below…and they’re completely waterproof. The Mattie design looks almost exactly like English paddock boots, and the colors were very appealing to me. I love anything with bright colors and fun patterns. I went to their website – Bogsfootwear.com – and learned more about how the shoes were constructed. I had seen these multiple times in my horse product catalogs, and I thought they were mainly rain boots. I’m glad I gave them a second look!

Now, I know what you’re thinking – these boots are kind of expensive! Yes, I agree with you. They’re very expensive if you buy them full price from a catalog. But, with a little help from my friend Google I managed to find the Mattie in last season’s patterns for 40% off! I still had a handful of colors and patterns to choose from, but they weren’t the latest to hit the shelves. Having “the latest thing” is not that important to me, so I went ahead and bought a pair.

After 4 months of continuous use, I’m glad I gave them a chance. They’ve held up great in the mud and snow. I even wear these to take my dog outside. They’re comfortable enough to wear for hours at a time without your feet getting sore and can be worn with or without socks. I prefer to wear them with socks, be

cause I’m probably more sensitive to cold than most and it adds another layer of warmth. I also like that they don’t have any laces or velcro…just slip them on and you’re good to go!

Warning: If you decide to buy these boots, order a 1/2 to whole size up. I normally wear a size 7 or 7.5 in shoes and I ordered a size 8. They fit perfectly! I have also heard others say that these boots are more narrow than others. I think this is because they’re supposed to fit snug on your foot. I have “normal” width feet and they work great for me. No complaints so far!