Brushing boots on hind legs only

soph15

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I’ve just got a new horse who is very close behind and is injuring himself by brushing. I’ve never had horses that have needed boots before so looking for recommended brushing boots (that aren’t too expensive) but don’t overheat the legs or anything.

Also this is probably a stupid question but can you wear brushing boots just on the hind legs and not the front as I’ve never seen someone with just the back legs booted up. I just don’t see the point in getting front boots too as he doesn’t brush them
 

Annagain

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Yes my boy wore brushing boots just behind when I first had him as he was very close behind and had a nasty scar from an old injury which i didn't want him strinking and opening up. Having done lots of fitness work in walk (up and down hills) for the first 6 months he was no longer close behind and he's never worn boots since (unless he was jumping but that had to stop due to front feet issues after a couple of years).
 

Meowy Catkin

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That's really sad w1bbler. :( What was the issue?

Thankfully the main sausage boot wearing horse I'm thinking of was just a big, gangly youngster and they grew out of needing it as they muscled up.
 

eggs

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Perfectly fine to just wear boots on the hind leg. There are a fair few ventilated boots on the market and that is where I would start looking.
 

soph15

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Thank you for your replies everyone! I’d never really looked into sausage boots before as I never realised they protect from brushing, so I will look into getting some

Do fetlock boots help protect from brushing as well, as I saw a thread about using them for protection?

I’m hoping my horse will grow out of this once he gets muscled up as he’s only 5
 

windand rain

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Brushing boots were desgned to be used on the hind legs they were intitially never used n front. Horses dont brush with their front legs but the word evades me altziemers kicking in. Horses only ever wore brushing boots behind and tendon boots in front if needed but the invention of a variety of new designs has taken over the old fashioned ones
Obviously getting old as didn't know you could get brushing boots for the front legs
 

Mrs. Jingle

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soph15 What size/type is your new horse? I only ask as I do remember in particular one heavy weight cob I had who brushed quite badly behind for the first 18 months or so between 4 a 5 1/2, and I used a sausage boot on him with some success. With work and fittening eventually it became unnecessary as he learned to use his back end properly and the sausage boot was never used again. I found up and down hill work was particularly useful for him.

I wouldn't be too concerned about it at this stage - if he was an older horse who has suddenly started doing this then I would be a little concerned and getting it investigated. For a relative youngster who might well be unfit and not using himself properly I wouldn't panic at all - good luck with him and wish you many happy years riding with him :)
 

M1lbie

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Hi, this is my first ever post on this forum but just thought I’d say I had an Irish draught / thoroughbred from the age of 8 to 28, he always moved close behind and wore hind brushing boots for everything from hacking to cross country, ( not for dressage obviously). He was the soundest toughest horse ever and even when hunting fit his action behind was always close. In those days he wore woofwear boots but now there are many better boots available with ventilation etc. I wouldn’t worry and as others have said as he gets older/ fitter and more muscled up his action may well improve but it’s not a disaster to have to use boots for protection if necessary
 

rara007

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No problem just using them behind. I like the PE double Velcro and Le Mieux elastic and vented ones but for general Schooling and short bursts of fast work happy to still use the classic WW!
 

soph15

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soph15 What size/type is your new horse? I only ask as I do remember in particular one heavy weight cob I had who brushed quite badly behind for the first 18 months or so between 4 a 5 1/2, and I used a sausage boot on him with some success. With work and fittening eventually it became unnecessary as he learned to use his back end properly and the sausage boot was never used again. I found up and down hill work was particularly useful for him.

I wouldn't be too concerned about it at this stage - if he was an older horse who has suddenly started doing this then I would be a little concerned and getting it investigated. For a relative youngster who might well be unfit and not using himself properly I wouldn't panic at all - good luck with him and wish you many happy years riding with him :)


New horse is an Irish draft x Irish sport horse mix, so he’s big. That’s good to hear, I’m glad it’s something that can be solved with exercise and strengthening of the muscles. It’s not something I’m used to as I’ve never had a horse that does it luckily, so thank you for your help and advice 😊He does need a lot of work as he’s a baby and the previous home have done no proper flatwork, just jumping so he really doesn’t work through his back which is why I’m guessing he’s brushing his legs. Thanks again for your help😊
 

soph15

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Hi, this is my first ever post on this forum but just thought I’d say I had an Irish draught / thoroughbred from the age of 8 to 28, he always moved close behind and wore hind brushing boots for everything from hacking to cross country, ( not for dressage obviously). He was the soundest toughest horse ever and even when hunting fit his action behind was always close. In those days he wore woofwear boots but now there are many better boots available with ventilation etc. I wouldn’t worry and as others have said as he gets older/ fitter and more muscled up his action may well improve but it’s not a disaster to have to use boots for protection if necessary


Thank you, I’m so relieved to hear from everyone that it’s something they can grow out of. My boy is an Irish draft mix too like yours 😊 it’s all so new to me booting them up as I worry so much about overheating their tendons but hopefully I’ll find some good boots with ventilation until he grows out of this habit
 

soph15

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No problem just using them behind. I like the PE double Velcro and Le Mieux elastic and vented ones but for general Schooling and short bursts of fast work happy to still use the classic WW!


Thank you!😊 I’ll have a look at those boots now! I’ve got a traditional mum who always insists on WW as they’re the only brand she’s heard of but I worried they don’t have much ventilation and taking the new horse to a training camp next week with lots of exercise
 
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