Alternatives to the bulky travel boots?

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IsabelleJ

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I have a horse who kicks a LOT when travelling in the trailer. I happened to be in the front of the trailer when he started kicking today, and I noticed that it seemed like he wasn't comfortable in his normal travel boots (Mark Todd ones.) I had read a post suggesting that a kicking horse while travelling might be due to the long boots, so on the way home I tried him naked (only a 15 min journey) and had hardly any kicking.

So, as the boots seem to be the problem, what do you folks who don't use 'traditional' travel boots put on your horses? I really don't want to travel him naked but also realise that in the case of a bad accident, practically nothing will protect him enough to go unscathed. There was a nasty accident on the trailer next to us today where a pony got wedged under the partition and I can't help thinking about that. Luckily the pony was ok with only a few cuts.

So, anyone care to share their wisdom? Thanks for reading!

Isabelle
 
Bandages are more comfortable for the horse, offer a more secure fit, they are also cheaper and easier to clean
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Okay so they might take literally a minute longer to put on and off but otherwise they beat clunky clumsy boots hands down
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Bandages sound like the best option. My horse hates back travel boots but I make him wear them
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mainly because I don't want his hocks damaged and imo bandages don't offer enough protection behind.
 
Bandages. But if you really cant bandage then use turnout socks. Loose bandages can be just as bad as travel boots.
 
Professionals chioce or similar sports medicine boots with the fetlock wrap give very good protection in travelling though you might feel you want to put knee and or hock boots on as well.

My friend uses them for her stallion when travelling to stud to cover, he knows the route and gets a bit excited on arrival so he can come staight out of the trailer and cover wearing his boots and no one has to get down and take his boots off first!!!!!
 
My TB hates wearing back travelling boots with a vengeance! He also kicks out a lot while travelling. I found that a pair of brushing boots and a pair of hock boots were the answer. He's not bothered by either and they are quickly removed on arrival!
 
But beware travelling a horse with naked legs. When Sunny had to go back and forth to hospital about his eye, he went naked and on one of the journeys he tore a shoe half off by standing on the very edge of it and then pulling that foot away. Could have been very nasty.
 
I'm not very good with bandages. My friend has used gamgee under bandages - would this be more forgiving of poor bandaging skills? I do have a set of the Premier Equine sports medicine type boots. Premier Equine also sell leg wraps (less protective) and what they call stable boot wraps (Premier Equine). I worry that the stable boot wraps might be too bulky and cause him to have the same reaction.

I prefer the idea of the sports medicine boots or turnout chaps, as obviously easier to deal with, and I feel confident in the protectiveness of the sports boots. But would I be better off biting the bullet and learning to bandage properly? Is he likely to strike himself while travelling?

Thanks so much for the advice - I will make it a priority to learn to bandage whatever I decide!

Isabelle
 
A horse on our yard fell over in the trailer, and wasnt wearing boots/bandages. She cut her leg right down to the bone.

I used to travel my boy with nothing on his legs - he travels quietly and doesn't kick, but is a funny loader and boots made the problems worse (long skinny legs = difficult to get boots to fit!), but now bandage even for short journeys.
 
You could also try travelling without a partiton. I never use one. My Horse travels really well either way but without the partition he stands diagonally. I've found that every Horse I've travelled without a partition prefers it. I use a full length breech and breast bar. As for alternatives....I used to work on a SJ yard and they used big padded wraps with bandages.
 
Personally I am a big fan of bandaging with the big chaep white pads. I have tried the shaped ones but think they are rubbish as just don't seem to wrap around the leg nicely - much prefer to get overly large square ones that go up over knees/hocks and down over feet!

If you're not happy bandaging and bulky travel boots don't suot why not try neoprene turnout boouts - Equilibrium hardy chaps go right down over the coronet so would protect everything except knees/hocks....
 
My mare is a funny one, doesn't give a toot what happens around her and that includes what you put on her legs. Gelding however, is a total hysteric! I'd never put him in travel boots, he gets a good set of double-lock brushing boots all round and overreach boots in front. I've even see people put overreach boots on behind too - looks odd but gives a little additional protection!

A lot of people - and I think I'm one of them - believe that travel boots can slip down and actually come under the horse's hoof - the horse then feels no contact with the floor and panics. That seems to be what made my gelding wary of them. I've unloaded my mare and been appalled to see a boot slipped down and folded under her foot - she just walks out with it flapping gaily, but my boy would be seriously frightened.
 
I really appreciate everyone's help. I will be getting a crash course in bandaging, but next week I have a 10 min journey so was thinking of travelling him in his sports boots, overreach boots, hock boots and knee boots. This should be all right, shouldn't it?

I'm really intrigued as to what is more protective, brushing type boots or bandages and gamgee. Has anyone ever done any research on this?

Isabelle
 
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