Boots or bandages?

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athomeinthesaddle

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Was doing some research into whether people prefer to use either boots, bandages or leave them naked and why but there's not really much info out there. Is anyone willing to help?
 
What for? I bandage for travelling every time, but I tend to use boots more for exercise purely for convenience & if im honest a little to laziness.
 
i use boots or bandages for traveling depending on the horse and how they travel, us to have one pony that boots where to big for!

any how i use bandages, to keep legs clean before a show (over night)

often boots for work due to easi-ness

happy to answer any questions for your research :)
 
Depends on the activity:

Flatwork, hacking : brushing boots in front, bandages behind
Pole work, gallops : brushing boots & over reach in front, bandages behind.
Dressage lesson, dressage warmup : bandages all round or anky sports wraps, over reach boots
Showjumping : open fronted tendon boots in front, over reach boots & fetlock boots behind.
Cross country : prolite event boots all round, over reach on fronts
Turn out : always over reach boots !
 
I doubt there is any research because personal preference will change depending on the horse, discipline, fashion and which company has recently done the best marketing campaign!
 
I use:
Tendon and over reach boots on the front and bandages on the back for schooling, jumping and fast hacks
Nothing for slower hacks but will pop knee boots on if doing a lot of roadwork
Stable boots when stabled at night in winter so he doesn't walk out the stable stiff, used to bandage but found the boots more convenient
 
glamourpuss said:
Depends on the activity:

Flatwork, hacking : brushing boots in front, bandages behind
Pole work, gallops : brushing boots & over reach in front, bandages behind.
Dressage lesson, dressage warmup : bandages all round or anky sports wraps, over reach boots
Showjumping : open fronted tendon boots in front, over reach boots & fetlock boots behind.
Cross country : prolite event boots all round, over reach on fronts
Turn out : always over reach boots !
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Well that about covers every eventuality! Personally I would only use boots when the horse is likely to get injured, and I would rather spend time building fitness through exercise so that no boots are needed even if they are needed initially, when horse is weak and likely to knock joints.
The heat generated by some of these boots will cause problems, to my mind that is an injury waiting to happen.
I never did understand why dressage horse are bandaged from day1, in fact I know internationals who don't do it, supporting the legs prevents the horse to strengthen his own tendons and ligaments.
I see girls out hacking in open fronted jumping type boots, what is that about..............
 
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I've often wondered about dressage horses always ridden in leg protection, doesn't that just increase the risk of strain when they are doing their test?
 
I use boots (overreach, brushing and knee) to hack as my boy has fallen previously.

I'll also use overreach and brushing boots if we were doing lateral work or polework/jumping as he has a history of wobblers.

I sometimes use bandages in the stable if I need to dry his legs off or back in the day, keep them clean for a show.

He travels and turns out with no leg protection except his feathers - his preference on the travel.
 
I used to use brushing boots for all ridden work but I don't any more. My horse (LW cob) wears nothing for hacking, dressage, show jumping at home etc. He wears cross country boots for cross country. Brushing boots on some rides where I know there will be jumping. Bandages when we want to be fancy! Over reach boots for turnout. Travel boots for travel.
 
I used to embrace all forms of leg protection - mainly bandages, and particularly on my old dressage horse, who has ligament issues. It wasn't til I was chatting with my vet, when she said that bandaging to support tendons and ligaments during exercise was pretty pointless, as only a plaster cast would really prevent excessive movement, that I rethought my tactics. I boot him for hacking, because he can be a wally, and that's when he's most likely to knock himself, but I don't boot or bandage for schooling - he's an advanced horse who is more than balanced enough not to knock himself when behaving in a civilised fashion. He's a sweaty sort of chap, and I'd rather keep his legs as cool as possible, so I keep them uncovered unless he's going to be in a situation where he could bash himself.
 
I only boot to hack or school if shes in a particularly wild mood and is likely to knock herself, jumping at home I sometimes boot for the previous reason, but tend to use open fronted tendons on the front at a competition. XC always have a full set of xc boots on currently using the Le Mieux which are brilliant and sometimes over reach boots depending on the ground, i tend to use them more if there are boggy/wet bits because its then that she will over exagerate the hind action and more likely to step on herself - would never XC in rubber over reach boots though, always the no stretch/ non twist kind. Use travel boots or magnetic boots for travelling, will often use the magnetics on the way home after XC. I can bandage but often don't have the time/ inclination to do so - maybe if i was having a lesson and some one was taking photos! i tend to ayr on the side of 'less is more' on the boot front except for XC, since my horse practically shredded a set of PE event boots just by tripping coming out of the water, had she not had the boots on i don't reckon she would be here today! funnily enough, i don't always hunt in boots, depends where we are and what we are doing!
 
Travelling they wear travel boots
Schooling either bandages if i have time or brushing boots
Jumping tendon and fetlock boots
Hacking either no boots or brushing boots
I also have some stable wraps for if it's extra cold

Never use over reach boots as they are barefoot and never over reach!
 
Bonkers2 said:
Well that about covers every eventuality! Personally I would only use boots when the horse is likely to get injured, and I would rather spend time building fitness through exercise so that no boots are needed even if they are needed initially, when horse is weak and likely to knock joints.
The heat generated by some of these boots will cause problems, to my mind that is an injury waiting to happen.
I never did understand why dressage horse are bandaged from day1, in fact I know internationals who don't do it, supporting the legs prevents the horse to strengthen his own tendons and ligaments.
I see girls out hacking in open fronted jumping type boots, what is that about..............
Click to expand...

LOL, I agree completely. I only using brushing boots on the back as he's still weak behind and will knock himself. As soon I can get them off and remove the need for me to take them on/off and clean them I will!

Will probably use boots the first time I take him cross country and this will be new for us. The horse generally looks after himself and if he can go bonkers in the field and not hurt himself he'll be fine when I'm on him.

I think it depends on the horse and the owner.
 
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