MICK’S BOOTS are in the classic elastic-sided style that actually originated in Australia, where saddle maker R.M.Williams decided there was a better way to make a dollar — produce a booth that would release the foot in the event of a hang-up in a stirrup iron. He came up with the idea now almost a century ago. The boot might fix itself in the stirrup, but in the event of a drag, the foot will come out. This feature has saved countless lives in the Outback, where a serious injury from a horse was invariably fatal, especially if the rider was alone. In addition, of course, “ringers” (Americans would call them cowboys) have the added safety feature of a curved stirrup suspension bars, a feature that has remained common in ALL Australian stock saddles. In a drag, the chances are excellent the stirrup leather will slide off the bar. If that doesn’t happen, the foot comes out of the boot. For this reason, ringers would never ride a Western saddle working cattle hundreds of miles from medical care. MICK’s BOOT also has a steel toe, so if your horse steps on your foot, your toes will not get crushed. Of course being stepped on can happen in many situations involving close handling of horses. The outer leather is subtle, extra tough cowhide. The rubber sole was developed for a wide range of tough conditions, so it will absorb shock, while being resistant to heat over 300 degrees C , It will also resist oils, acids, organic fats, snake bite and slipping. Now if you’re having a bad day, and you have to walk home, the soles are excellent for hiking!