Boots Advice (Dalmar v Premier Equine)

[luce1]

Hello,
I think its time to update the boys boots. Does anyone use the Dalmar eventing boots or the Premier Equine boots? or both? How do you find them?? Any preference?

Thanks

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I have used the dalmar and wasn't a fan not used Premier Equine but have found the polites good.

 

[becca1305]

I read up about eventing boots when I was changing my mares and was told to avoid dalmars due to some horrific injuries caused by the tendon piece shattering (i think this goes for all carbon fibre boots but issues with dalmars are the most well known). I bought prolite in the end but unfortunately the backs swivel when working so back to the drawing board!

 

[Ali16]

Premier Equine all the way! Love mine! I had some Dalmar ones but for some reason they did not fit right on my horse's knobbly legs!

 

[lannerch]

My premier equine have not lasted too well the netting over the air vents is ripped will nit be buying again!

 

[squiz22]

I use Dalmar and think they are really good but premier equine are also good and cheaper.

The only issue I had with my dalmars was when I fell up the up bit of a sunken road and my horse dragged his leg and the boot got stuck and snapped. The velcro goes through plastic fastenings which snapped which could be a good thing because his leg wasn't stuck but at the same time it was only our second outing in them and they were £65. I finished the course in three boots. Luckily the tack shop swapped them over and I haven't had any issues since then.

I looked at someones premier equine ones and it wouldn't have been able to happen with those.

 

[kerilli]

The Dalmars' tendon guards are made of carbon fibre. very light, very strong, but it shatters under extreme force. a HHOer had a horse written off because its Dalmar tendon guard shattered into its tendon.
I've seen a broken PE guard and the plastic had just snapped clean across. Horse was uninjured. The plastic was identified by my OH as a segment of pipe (like drainage pipe, it still had the product code on it!) but it did its job well... explains how they can make them so cheaply though I guess!
A lot of Pros use the prolites, which have a very good reputation, although i've heard that the old style ones were better than the new ones...
I use NEW lightweight and aircooled boots, both have excellent tendon protection. ditto Style (light, padded, good guards, don't rub, don't absorb water).
i have a pair of Ecogold XC boots which are also excellent, but the tendon guards are bizarrely short, shorter than the guards on their open-fronted SJ boots, which is odd, and which they couldn't explain.
if the perfect xc boot is out there, i haven't quite found it yet!

 

[luce1]

gosh I didnt know that about the Dalmars! Thanks for the feedback, will have a look at the prolites

 

[OneInAMillion]

A lot of Pros use the prolites, which have a very good reputation, although i've heard that the old style ones were better than the new ones...

I use PE's but when grooming for a eventer the old style prolites did seem to work better, they sat much much stiller and just seemed much stronger

 

[WoodfordFox]

I've used Prem Eq. Found they rubbed my boy's fetlock a tiny bit, not to make him sore but enough to ruffle the hair so didn't suit me for everyday use. But I really like the length of them, I find a lot of boots come-up on the short side for a fine-boned tb (NEW were too short), but PE really do protect from knee to fetlock.

 

[Maddie2412]

personally prefer prem equine to dalmar by quite a bit but prolites best of all...

 

[Fairy Dust]

I have PE boots and although I like them and they've done well this season- I just don't think they look like they're built to last! For my next set I will look at NEW Equine