Best cool boots for post competition use?

[becca1305]

Hey guys, just wondering if anyone could recommend me some cool boots for use after eventing.

I currently have some old freezable ones (that I bring in a plastic bag with freeze packs) but they just aren't cutting the mustard barely being cool by the time I've finished the XC phase. I also have some premier equine water activated cool liners that velcro into boots - they are also useless. So I need some freezable boots that manage to stay cold all day in the lorry, or water activated cold boots that actually get cold!

I am umming and ahhing over horseware icevibe boots but are they worth the ££? The other ones Ive seen so far are Equomed Lumarks and Cold Ones. Any recommendations please?

 

[measles]

I've just ordered a pair of ice vibe boots as they came highly recommended.

 

[bluebellfreddy]

Just thinking about the boots you have. Have you tried putting ice in the water with the water activated ones? Worth a try and will save you money on buying new boots.

 

[becca1305]

hi measles, thanks . I do like the idea of the icevibe boots, have you heard whether they stay cold well if kept in a cool bag all day?

Hi bluebellfreddy - thanks I did try them with ice cubes in at home to see if there was any improvement but I think the problem is with absorption or something. I followed the instructions to the T leaving them for the full amount of time the first time before use, but it seems the gel in them has just stopped working they just don't swell up and you can feel the granules in the pockets of the boots, so the boots are sopping wet but gel doesn't seem to be activating at all really so only coldness coming from damp fabric. They have only been used a few times so not very impressed . I have noticed they don't sell the type I have anymore.

 

[dafthoss]

I have some PE water ones but I'm really not taken by them so don't use them any more, which is a shame as I really like all the other PE products I have. They get hot in a few minutes and he ends up with hotter legs than when I started.

Do you use a cool box or a cool bag? I use ice packs and they are always still fully frozen in our cool box by the time I finish xc and do 20 mins on his legs easily.

 

[becca1305]

Hey dafthoss yes ive found the same love their rugs, xc boots etc! Just not the water boots . I have just been using a plastic bag with cool packs in but they always used to stay cold with just that. However I will now try with a cool bag to give them more of a chance! I do need another pair anyway though as if I have 2 horses running trying to manage with 2 cool boots isn't working too well! Thanks

 

[katiebalmer]

I have a pair of Ice-Vibe boots, they are fab. I use them after show jumping, cross country as well as after hard exercise at home.
My boy has a previous tendon injury so they put my mind at rest.
The good thing is, they warm the horses legs up before exercise too!

 

[Lyle]

I swear by big neoprene boots with pockets that you fill with crushed ice. Just buy a bag of ice on the east and keep it in an eski/cooler bag.

 

[almostthere]

Cold ones are really good. I leave them in freezer, take them out of the freezer on morning of comp and when get to comp leave in water..usually find they have just about softened by the time put them on, and cool down legs best of any others tried. We also use the ice pockets ones that you fill with crushed ice. These are really good but you do have to make sure you get the ice pockets in the right place so a bit (but only a bit) fiddly....

 

[missprimitive]

My premier equine water activated things are about to go on ebay as I don't rate.
I have the ice vibes which i do really rate. However when used with the cool pack underneath keep sticking your fingers down and check they are still cool. They cycle lasts about 20 mins but I find after about 10 mins the ice packs aren't really all that cold anymore.
Ive gone back to freezeable ice cube bags. Pull them out the freezer before I leave into a cool bag and straight into wagon fridge. The other week I did that at 8 didn't go xc till after 5 and they were still frozen. I then stick them under my ice vibe boots as they stay cooler for the full 20 min cycle

 

[becca1305]

Thanks for all the recommendations .

It sounds like the icevibes are good but maybe a bit lacking in cold longevity which does put me off a little as they are a lot of £££ so not sure I want to be bothering with doing my own ice etc when Ive paid out that much for them, and imagine I would definitely have to do that if using on 2 horses one after the other.

A friend was using cold ones for the first time at event I went to and they were pleased with their performance then so good to hear another positive review
I think I will get at least one pair of coldones then but the question is whether to get another pair or a set of icevibes for the front legs hmmm..

 

[amage]

I have no issues keeping the icevibe ice packs cold...we have one of the styrofoam boxes used for transporting semen and just pop them in that with the ice block things you use in cool bags. Stay cold no bother for us. Longest trial was going to races 6 hrs away so they were probably out of the freezer 8-9 hours by the time they were used

 

[oldywoldy]

Horseware ice vibe very impressed with them but you do need to have the inserts frozen before use.

 

[becca1305]

ahh okay thanks amage so they should be alright in a cool box then hopefully .

Oldywoldy thanks, are you also finding that they can stay cold for a while after leaving the freezer and for 20 mins on horses legs? mixed reviews so far!

The other ones I've just found from a quick internet trawl. Anyone use either of these?

http://www.equinefitness.co.uk/stay-cold-boots-c22.html

http://www.dressagedeluxe.co.uk/Shop.asp?viewmode=vp&pid=1734 - Eskadron cool boots.

Thanks

 

[katiey]

Im also searching the market for ice boots - so hope you dont mind me joining in to keep an eye on replies.

Im a little worried re. ice vibe boots - how much do they vibrate? My horse can be very sensitive to things like that (eg he hates the equilibrium massage pad - when it pulses he goes crazy)!!

 

[fairyclare]

I have a pair of Icevibe boots, very good at staying cold before use but once on the horse they warm up very quickly once on the horse!

I travelled my girl home from a SJ lesson with the boots on, a 35 min journey, boots on, loaded and off we go - by the time I got home the gel packs and her legs were red hot.
I have since used them at home and experimented with them and everytime they have been hot by the end of the 20min vibration cycle.
For me, that is not ideal, I was hoping they would either stay cooler for longer or atleast for the duration of a vibration setting. Not happy they heat the leg!

 

[becca1305]

hey katiey. No not at all! theres so many products out there its mind boggling!

I'm not sure how much they vibrate, maybe not the best choice if he doesn't like a massage pad though? although that could just be because its on his back I suppose. Mine both have a magnetic massage rug used on them and love it so no concerns there. I'm still not sure about buying them for the £££ though. I think I am going to buy a pair of the ColdOne leg wraps/cool boots though as they are half the ££ of the icevibes and I have heard positive things from a friend, someone on here and positive reviews on the horsehealth website, and then deliberate further about investing in the ice vibes, hopefully there will be a few more reviews .

Ooh actually just remembered I think some tack shops hire out the ice vibes so you could try before you buy to check he likes them?

 

[georgiegirl]

Ive tried a few things and have ended up taking various cold boots back to the shop as like others are saying they actualy ended up heating the legs before 20 minutes was up!

To be honest now I just tend to do a good wash down with water at an event and pop on a thin layer of gel (not clays) and bandage up to go home at the last possible minute, although one of those portable washers would be on my wish list to do an even better job (they are ££ though) - I generally hose legs down for a good 20 minutes when we get home and again in the morning following a competiton followed by a good long walk hack out - better than leaving them doing nothing at all (my personal opinion)

The freezable strap on boots by aeroborn are very good for use at home though for treating any further injuries/swellings you may be worried about - just beware of leaving them on too long to prevent ice burns

 

[katiey]

Thanks becca1305

I am tempted atm of the Eskadron Pro Cool Set. I was going to go with the premier equine as heard few good reports but they dont sound like they are rated much on here :-/

I just called a saddlery the eskadron boots and they rate them highly. I have been impressed with eskadron products in the past so they are in my good books!! I do like how you can freeze or cool the gel pads and how it has transport box for it all to help keep cool. The lady i spoke to uses them as she says they stay cold for a good time and she has had hers ages and still good - she has spare gel inserts for hers in case its needed at an event but hasnt needed it as the first set does the job!

It is such a mind boggling market and choice. So many pros and cons of such a variety of products and large price ranges!!!!

 

[becca1305]

georgiegurl -I think theres a chance I may end up not being able to find any good ones either. My concern with gels is having to be uber careful to make sure I don't put one on with a competition banned ingredient in!

katiey - ooh I was interested in the Eskadrons but wasn't sure how the gel packs worked can you freeze them or dunk them in a bucket of water then? yes I liked how they came with their own cool bag thats helpful .

 

[katiey]

That the impression I got from the lady I spoke to that they freeze, go in fridge or in water!! Might do a bit of research into these ones x

 

[amage]

I have a pair of Icevibe boots, very good at staying cold before use but once on the horse they warm up very quickly once on the horse!

I travelled my girl home from a SJ lesson with the boots on, a 35 min journey, boots on, loaded and off we go - by the time I got home the gel packs and her legs were red hot.
I have since used them at home and experimented with them and everytime they have been hot by the end of the 20min vibration cycle.
For me, that is not ideal, I was hoping they would either stay cooler for longer or atleast for the duration of a vibration setting. Not happy they heat the leg!

One thing to bear in mind is that the IceVibes are designed to increase cold circulation and reduce inflammation as opposed to cooling down hot legs post exercise. This is what helps stimulate healing. We have used them to cool legs immediately post exercise in the past but get best response using them when legs have cooled particularly with horses with old injuries. IME (and I have extensively trialled these boots both following the advised protocols and testing some of my own theories) washing down legs, drying and then ice vibing when fully cooled yields the best results. These are what we have found with racehorses both post race and post work.

 

[sarah23]

I have Ice-Vibe boots and love them. If you freeze the ice pack they do stay cold if you keep them in a cool bag/box.

I would never use just ice boots again after doing my research on the Ice-vibe boots. Just Ice cools the leg but also slows the blood flow right down where as with the Ice-vibe the cold packs take away the heat from the leg, but with the message setting on it helps to keep the blood flowing so helps with any healing. With just Ice it can take up to 2-3 hrs for the blood flow to be back to normal so not really good.

If you read the instructions on any of the ice/cold boots or the gels boot most of them say should not be used for more than 20mins

 

[Marydoll]

I have FMB ice boots that i use after xc, they have a styrofoam box in a case with ice packeps that keep them iced, all boots in a nice wee case

 

[becca1305]

Thanks all. Still seemed to me some mixed opinions on the icevibes as regards cooling. I'm a little concerned with amage's discovery that the ice vibes work best on legs that have already cooled as I have always been taught to pop cool boots on asap after hopping off to cool the tendons down as soon as possible. I don't have anything with an old injury to manage just trying to find good ones to use hopefully helping as a preventative .

Sarah23 - so do you pop yours on immediately after exercise and find they keep the leg cool for the full 20 mins? (If stored correctly in cool box for the day)

Thanks

 

[amage]

Thanks all. Still seemed to me some mixed opinions on the icevibes as regards cooling. I'm a little concerned with amage's discovery that the ice vibes work best on legs that have already cooled as I have always been taught to pop cool boots on asap after hopping off to cool the tendons down as soon as possible. I don't have anything with an old injury to manage just trying to find good ones to use hopefully helping as a preventative .

Sarah23 - so do you pop yours on immediately after exercise and find they keep the leg cool for the full 20 mins? (If stored correctly in cool box for the day)

Thanks

Not a discovery...that is the way they were always designed! They are a therapy boot. I can't speak for eventing as don't do it but for example a racehorse post race we do a full wash down then walk for 20-30 mins to cool out and dry off. It is after this we apply the boots. Same goes for jumpers, out of the ring, light trot off, wash down, hand walk/graze boots on.

 

[becca1305]

Ahh okay so they are designed to use after the legs have cooled . I've always done - walk back from the Xc to lorry, hop off and strip off tack, BP & point 2. Wash horse down quickly and pop cold boots and rug on. I've always done it like this simply because it mirrors what my trainers does with her horses tbh. What does everyone else do? Cold boots on pretty quickly post hard work or let the legs cool of their own accord first?

 

[sarah23]

Thanks all. Still seemed to me some mixed opinions on the icevibes as regards cooling. I'm a little concerned with amage's discovery that the ice vibes work best on legs that have already cooled as I have always been taught to pop cool boots on asap after hopping off to cool the tendons down as soon as possible. I don't have anything with an old injury to manage just trying to find good ones to use hopefully helping as a preventative .

Sarah23 - so do you pop yours on immediately after exercise and find they keep the leg cool for the full 20 mins? (If stored correctly in cool box for the day)

Thanks

I don't put them on straight away. I come off the XC course and put her gel/water boots on while I wash her down so I start to take the heat out ASAP. The reason I do this is because of the cable and power pack in the boots I wouldn't want to get water in them and muck up the boots. I just put ice packs in with the Ice-vibe ice packs and in a cool box and I have found them fine, but I def would not leave them on for more than 20 mins.

 

[becca1305]

thanks sarah and amage for your input , have decided based on what you've said they aren't quite what Im looking for.

I now need to decide between Cold Ones and Eskadron Pro cools. Advantage of coldones - cover whole leg and actual boot cheaper to buy so if I did decide to buy 4 of them its less £. Advantage of Eskadron Pro Cools - inners are replaceable so can buy another set of inners and use same 2 boots first on front legs, then replace cool inners and use again on back legs. Disadvantage - more ££ to buy and don't cover as far down the leg as designed to be able to use during exercise if wanted so fit like a tendon boot. Anybody using either of these boots and loving/ hating?

PS Katiey from what I was told Eskadron Pro Cools (like the Cold Ones) have to be frozen .