Part of the boot covering the leg or a portion of it; it can fit closely by means of a zip or laces, be loose fitting or cossack style, without fastenings .
This pattern remained standard issue until the army abandoned the horse and horse units shortly after the 1st World War. However, this pattern gave rise to a three piece western boot with a one piece top and a seam running up the back of the leg as in the military boot. Because the leg of the boot--the top--presents a large canvas for decorative work, some of the most beautiful and refined work ever done by western bootmakers was applied to this style.