Does anyone else not use travelling boots??

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I guess I've always just done what my mum does... but we've never used travelling boots and never had any problems..

My dad has always built our lorries with the horses in mind and they tend to find it quite comfortable - are we just being slack??
 
No, I don't use them, I've seen too many unhappy horses when they've slipped or rubbed. If I have to use something I'll use thick bandages, possibly knee boots if they're dodgy travellers oh and a tail bandage or guard but minimal is best for the horse's comfort as long as the driver is good.
 
I think they can be dangerous as they slip down. I know that when very valuable polo ponies or racehorses are flown into this country they travel without them due to tendons over heating and the slipping issue. I prefer bandages to be honest but I do also use travelling boots as I am lazy! On short journeys (10 mins to lessons) I tend to travel Fly in brushing boots and over reach boots.
 
I tend to travel mine in bandages.

The only time I really worry is when I've got 3 next to each other and there is the risk of them stepping on each other. But this hasn't actually happened yet so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it won't!!!
 
Never use them. Always use a tail bandage but that's it. Saying that - we only ever go travelling to go hunting and for some reason hunting people hardly ever use them!!
 
We never use them either. Most we've ever put on is Thermatex leg wraps in winter. They're used to those anyway as wear them every night in their stables and I know they stay put.
 
One of my boys was brilliant to load when I got him, I started using travelling boots and he walked to the lorry as if he had all 4 legs in plaster and became very difficult to load. I stopped using the boots and he is back to loading fine, travels well and (touch wood) I haven't had any problems.
 
My lad always has them on. They are easier & quicker to put on than bandages & afford good protection. Mine have never come off or slipped down & my horse is quite happy wearing them. He couls probably travel ok without then but I don't want to take the risk.
 
We don't use them on Chloe, mainly because I couldn't find any large enough for her, and her legs are tough.
I've got some soft ones for Meg as she's a bit clumsy at the best of times.
 
Not worth the risk of not using them if your horse can cope with them. HGV/Long haul transporters lorries are very different in stability to a majority of lorries/trailers we all use. Think if you have to brake hard for some reason, your horse can easily stand on himself/ or slip. I have to make sure I put mine on properly as otherwise Goddy take them off, but generally all the horses I have known that use them never have a problem.
 
The only time I do not use travel boots is when I am boxing 5 mins to a meet tacked up - she then has XC boots on all round. I religiously use travel boots as I have seen too many injuries to count when people haven't used them. For me it is irrelevant how comfortable or safe the transport is - if someone pulls out in front of you and you have to brake sharply your horse could tread/or strike into itself badly. Not worth the risk IMO.
 
Never use them. If meeting hounds or jumping the horses go with their sports medicine boots on, other wise only usually use a tail guard and tail bandage. I would consider leg bandages if I thought something else was needed
 
I use them for shorter journeys with my older horse, if I were going further I would bandage.
But the 3/4 yo hasn't worn anything yet to travel, although I will gradually introduce him to travel boots.

My older horse was saved from a more serious injury last summer when he spooked and fell of the lorry ramp while unloading. Boots were ripped but thankfully my horses leg hardly suffered.
 
I used to with mine, but he really hates his back ones and was more likely to hurt himself with them on. He still wasn't brilliant with front ones so I tried bandages/brushing boots and he was better. he's better still with nothing, so that's what I've been doing since the new Year. I think once the he's travelling further again he'll have to have something though.

I'd always rather they wore something as long it's not going to slip etc, but when they're more likely to injure themselves wearing them it's difficult....
 
We always used to but have just stopped. The only time any of ours have gone down was Richard on a training trip, because his boots slipped. One of Dads previous horse jumped of the ramp with boots on because he was worried about wlaking in them and broke both front legs. When we put them on Bob he freaked out so much he fell over jjust in his stable. Also when our boys went to the owrld championships they didn't use them. We don't use tail bandages/gaurds either as the ponies bums could never reach the other side of the lorry and they all slipped off too!

ETS. all these thing were arfter the horses had had a long time to get used to them and wlaked and trotted up with them, as well as traveled in them many times before. Our boots that slip down on the nponies are pony size new WW ones, but however you do it they slip down on dainty section B legs.
 
The problem with travel boots is not the boots, but people not allowing their horse to get used to them before travelling IMO.
My cob had a very nasty accident in a trailer (I wasn't driving - never again will I allow my horse to travel without me!) and shredded his rear boots, ripped off both back shoes but came out relatively unscathed - I hate to think what his legs would be like without the boots.
I took a long time to regain his trust in travelling and spent lots of time getting him used to first bandages and travel pads, loading and unloading, and convincing him yes, he COULD walk, move, stand, balance in them before travelling.
I now use the NEW travel boots which never slip, rub, move etc and it's all been worth while.
And I use them for every journey whether 5 minutes or 5 hours....I could never forgive myself if he hurt himself because I didn't bother with the boots for whatever reason.
 
Never put them on Chloe as if you did then she wouldn't load and if you eventually got her on she'd spend the etnire trip removing them.

Brooke had short little ones and she trashed her heel on the way to one show so bought the full sized ones and she was alway fine in them. In her later years used bandages over travel sized gamgee for support.

Mac always wore them never a worry with him.

Atty, has warn them twice and not worn them once, still undecided with him as they just don't fit him properly and do slip. Might go for normal polo bandages (which he wears for excersie anyway) and then add some over reach boots for travelling.
 
I haven't used them since our old mare went down in the wagon; caused by one of hers slipping and panicking her. She ended up with her back leg wedged under the partition and we had a hell of a job getting her out and calming her down.

I have heard too many similar tales, involving both boots, and bandages, with some quite nasty injuries as a result.

If I was going on a long journey with a fractious traveller, then I might consider using bandages, but I would rather not use anything at all as it's just not worth the risk imho.
 
dont on mine. You cant put them on his hinds anyway as he kicks out, and cant put fronts on as where we have to load at home you have to walk through a load of mud and puddles thus dont want it going up into the boots
 
I always use them on Pidge as does Sis with Sunny, they both aren't bothered by the boots and as Pidge is so accident prone I'd much rather travel him with protection on, but like most things it's my choice.
 
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