Boots for a clumsy oaf out hunting?

[Kallibear]

Sorry, this has been done before but still not sure.

I'm taking a friends ID cubbing this weekend, his first time out. I expect him to be as good as gold but a little concerned about his dinner plate feet being so far away from his peasized brain, and his therefore ability to fall over his own toes.

He's close behind so occasionally clatters himself. He's also been known to stand on himself in front. Thankfully he has no shoes on now but arrived to us with a full set and badly cut-up hind fetlocks. The odd times he's damaged himself it's never been higher than the fetlock.

However I don't like the idea of hunting in boots due to rubbing and twisting and hence I'm torn.

Thoughts on over reach boots, fetlock boots and sausage boots out hunting please? My main consern is his hinds.

 

[Happy Hunter]

How is he out hacking without shoes now?? - By the location of the injury only overeach boots are going to save you - and they are the one boot I would NEVER wear hunting.
BUT I say Personally...
Perhaps try a bit of 'sensible' cubbing without boots and see how it goes?

 

[Kallibear]

He's usually fine and rarely damages himself now but that seems to be luck and the fact he's a sensible quiet boys who's not prone to throwing his legs about. And he usually wears his neoprene overreach boots, front boots and fetlock*boots. Neoprene boots are pretty much shreaded by now (they are ancient though as they're the only ones we could find big enough), front boots have barely a mark and backs have a fair bit of scuffing.

Can't decide! Are fetlock boots likely to slip or rub? In front it'll only be his hooves he stands on and they're pretty rockcrunching solid.

 

[L&M]

If you are just going for a few hours autumn hunting, and you have concerns, then I would boot.

The issue with boots tends to come later in the season when the ground is muddy and you are out all day tramping through the stuff - this is when boots are more likely to slip or rub.

Hope you have a lovely time!

 

[Onefortheteam]

I think I would be tempted to try a sausage boot, always worked for my close behind warmblood

 

[Kallibear]

Thanks all. In the end I went for just fetlock boots behind.
He waa fabby and a lot less clumsy than at home. He's found his calling in life! Despite being very hilly and charging up and down all sorts of slopes, he never once fell over his own feet. Impressive for a horse who can trip himself up and take a chunk out his leg on a flat smooth road!

 

[Goldenstar]

On horses with big movement I sometimes use overreach boots at the hounds .
Onthe hinds if pushed between arock and hard place I will try a sausage boot behind .
But more than forty years of sending horses out hunting has taught me that hunting and boots are just not compatible.