Does Anyone Else Get Sentimental When It’s Time to Retire a Pair of Boots?

EC Blog by: Amanda Delgado

Does anyone else get really sentimental when they retire a pair of boots? Or is it just me?

I’ve had these boots for SEVEN years, almost to the week. I bought them in San Antonio, TX., when I was still in the Army. My buddies and I piled into a shared taxi and headed to Cavenders. I probably tried on 50 pairs in the store; but, when my foot slipped into these Ariats, I knew they were the ones. They are, by far, the most comfortable pair of shoes I own, so I’ve worn them EVERYWHERE. I’ve worn them out to the barn, out dancing, and to just run errands. I preferred them over any other pair of shoes and boots I own. They were just so dang comfortable! Yes, they were always a little rugged and covered with a light film of dust, but they supported me through so many great memories.

These boots were my old reliables, the ones I always pulled on when volunteering and riding at various barns. They were the boots I was wearing when I first saw my rescue horse, Athena. They accompanied me through the trials and frustrations of getting her sound and safe. They were the boots I wore when I started her groundwork, protecting my toes and feet from stray hooves. I remember sliding them into the stirrup the first time I mounted Athena. They were the boots in the stirrups for the first horse I broke by myself. They supported me through the long nights, standing on my feet, braiding for the next horse show. I remember jumping up and down in them when Athena and I won our first High Point together.

I knew our time together was coming to a close when the small holes started popping up. I endured, refusing another pair. The holes became bigger, and the leather became thinner. Friends and family started making comments, “Time for a new pair!” or “Don’t you think you’ve gotten enough wear out of them?” I still pushed it further and further, waiting until they could be worn no longer.

I love these old boots so much, despite the holes in the sides and the stitching coming loose. As I sit here and look at them laying on the floor, it feels wrong to simply throw them away. It’s like I will have somehow turned my back on a good friend, replacing them with someone younger and not so damaged. But, I know it’s time to let go. They’re just a pair of boots, for Heaven’s sake. But, for some reason, I just cannot bring myself to put them in the trash can.

Banged up and covered in dirt, no one may see what I see when I look at them. They remind me of all the memories, the good times and the bad over the past seven years. Maybe I will repurpose them into a flower pot. Or maybe they will just sit in the corner to remind me all of the memories we shared together.