Do You Hunt Your Horse In Boots?

3Beasties

3Beasties

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Sorry, another question from me :o

I'm hunting my TB tomorrow, I haven't been out for years and am not sure how he will behave (he'll be silly but not sure HOW silly!). He is likely to take a bit of time to settle and is prone to spinning, getting his legs in a tangle when he doesn't get his own way.

As a rule I always hack him in brushing boots as he is quite close in front so with this and the above in mind I'm thinking Brushing boots on is the way to go?!

I don't see many horses with boots on out hunting so just wandered if it is a big No, No to boots?

We're not planning on staying out for hours, nor am I planning to jump much (unless by some minor miracle I have complete control!).

Sorry for the numpty question, I'm stressing!!
 
I don’t have them on mine but he’s quite sensible and has quite chunky/hairy legs!!! I think in your situation I probably would.
 
I don't because he's a big chunky legged hairy monster so has more than enough natural protection!! My friend I hunt with sometimes takes her TB and she's booted up, there's no right or wrong at our hunt it's whatever your horse needs. ;)
 
I wouldn't hunt with boots. I have a couple of reasons for this, you could be out for most of the day, and if they don't fit properly they could rub (have heard of horses getting tendon damage as a result). My second reason is I would worry about twigs and mud getting trapped inside the boots, rubbing and doing more damage. My final reason, is that if a stick went inside the boot and cut my horses leg, I might be unaware of this for sometime as it would be covered by the boot itself. Just my personal preference :)
 
I always wear tendon and fetlock boots jumping x cross and would hunting too. If it was a young horse i'd put neoprene knee boots on as well. As for the boots coming loose, the elastic on all my tendon boots are really good and it hasnt been a problem but some people put black tape around them to be super sure they wont come loose. I dont wear overreach boots because my boy has hair legs and they dont fit right and look ridiculous but theyre not uncommon. I wouldnt worry about looking out of place, with the amount of cuts and bumps that come back from hunting i would want to take every precaution! enjoy!
 
I don't usually put boots on my TB, but he is quite sensible out hunting so in your case I probably would! My only worrys are they might fall down, or like said previously that twigs could get inside and they could rub; BUT as you are only going out for a short while I would say yeah go for it. Don't take white ones though, haha! xx
 
Getting off to readjust them then the field moving off made me decide to not bother again ;) though as others have said, I have a big ledded lad. If it's your normal kit I'd put them on. Also just cos he's TB don't assume he'll get hot, without exception they are always the quietest, best behaved ones I have seen out. It's the big strong things that get an opinion I reckon! :D
 
My big boy with big legs wears nothing but the 2 IDs have prolite XC boots in front. I don't tape them though. No problem with rubs.....yet. When OH ended up with horse in bottom of VERY big ditch at start of season was glad he had them on!!
 
My sister hunts her horse in boots (on the odd ocasions that she hunts) - prolite XC boots in front only. He's never ever had them slip or rub even in our famous bogs!

having said that I personally wouldn't use boots out hunting unless I really had to.
 
I did until a month ago. Then I jumped a hedge and very uncharacteristically my fabulous hedge hopper left a leg in a hedge and nearly collapsed on landing. I stayed on by the skin of my teeth. As I cantered along after the fence someone told me I had a large twig stuck in a front brushing boot. It had to be pulled out for me and I was lucky it had not injured his leg when it got stuck in there as he brushed the top of the fence :(

It's a swings and roundabouts thing. In the three hunts he has done since he has a wire cut on a back leg which could have been really serious but juuuuust avoided slitting the tendon sheath, and blackthorns in front legs which would have been stuck in boots instead. On the other side, I don't now risk a fall from catching a twig in a boot.

It's a big dilemma, I have to admit. If my horse had not been badly blemished by a kick from his field mate, I'd probably still have the boots on to keep him perfect. Now his looks are spoilt anyway, the balance is veeerrrry slightly in favour of bare legs. And boy does it save some work keeping the boots clean!
 
I boot my horse up. She has PE XC boots on the front only as she brushes quite a bit and a pair of overreach boots on as a precaution too.

I haven't yet had a problem with boots slipping etc.. but im aware it may happen so check at the end of each line.
 
I think it depends on the horse, personally I don't bother with them. But there are a few people that hunt with us that wear boots and I notice that they are always having to get down to adjust them. Some people that hunt with us only wear them because someone else is wearing them, sort of a trend rather than a necessity!
 
I watched two meets set off this weekend - sat and sun, and was suprised at how many people did have boots on - most of them! I haven't hunted for 20 years, and very few did in those days.
 
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