Eventers - help - would you go x-country without proper eventing boots?

[little_flea]

I might be taking Maggie on a x-country fun ride at the weekend. Fences from 2ft - 3ft6 but I guess I will avoid anything too big and scary. Maggie is a (not super careful) show jumper.

I only have brushing boots, dressage wraps and SJ tendon boots for her though - nothing for proper x-country and I am wondering if it is stupid to go out without proper boots on. Am I being a wuss, or would it be better to just invest in some cheapish & cheerful XC boots? I do value this horse very highly and she is not very careful sometimes, and I don't want an injury. On the other hand, people hunt over crazy country with no boots on... and this is just a little fun-ride! I am such a wuss...

What do you reckon?? If I get something, can you recommend something decent that won't cost a fortune? Premier Equine?

 

[eishi]

whack your brushing boots on to be safe but don't bother buying anything else.. I often event the younger ones in just woof brushing boots.

 

[Hemirjtm]

I go XC in tendon boots, my boy has never touched a fence and not many will reccomend it but tbh unless you are jumping over 3ft6 XC I think you will be fine in tendon boots!

 

[palomino_pony]

use the brushing boots - you'll be fine

 

[Charlotte125]

im sure the brushing boots will be fine!

 

[only_me]

I did up to open pony club eventing with my pony with bog standard woof wear boots!
I do all my schooling in woof wear brushing boots as well

my last pair of brushing boots lasted me 7 years of constant use - they only died last year!

 

[little_flea]

Thanks guys for de-wussing me! It will be her muddy old Woof Wear brushing boots then. Maggie is built like a brick sh!thouse that should be carting a 16 stone huntsmaster across country so I should imagine she'll be fine... she'll just have to pick those old legs up.

I evented to a pretty reasonable level on ponies back in the day, and it never even occured to me to wear anything other than old brushing boots and only in front. There is just so much choice nowadays - I can spend 20 minutes debating what rug to put on, whereas in the olden days it would have been the same New Zealand as the horse would wear every other day... on the other hand, seems a shame to miss another shopping opportunity... *sits on hands*

 

[only_me]

oh, but you could buy some nice boots for when you start aff eventing?

 

[jumptoit]

I used a £5 set of brushing boots on mine for 2 aff seasons! If you are looking to buy some my Premier Equine ones are fab used them for the first time on Sat and everything else has rubbed, slipped etc. but these were great .

 

[little_flea]

oh, but you could buy some nice boots for when you start aff eventing?

Tssssk never! The sj is fine and so is dressage - but that bit where you lot jump those massive solid fences that don't fall down when you hit them... Terrifying stuff. And water is for jumping over - not canter through! ;-)

 

[Festive_Felicitations]

I wouldn't worry about her hitting stuff, most horses with a sense of self preservation can tell the difference between a knock down show jump and a rock solid log! And recognise the benefit of picking up there feet =)

 

[TarrSteps]

Another vote for brushing boots. I definitely wouldn't compete in anything new before you'd tried them at home - it's unusual for boots not to fit to a point that causes problems but it's not unheard of. I've seen horses with short cannons not be able to jump properly in boot that are too long and harder boots can rub if the horse is unusually shaped.

I wouldn't, personally, go xc in open fronts (tendon boots) because I've seen horses scrape over a rail a bit an pull the front straps up the front on the cannon, which strikes me as being uncomfortable! I have *gasp* jumped unshod horses in no boots at all.

 

[criso]

One question - between me giving up riding when I was about 18 and coming back to it as an adult, there was a move from using bandages cross country to boots.
Is it just the convenience of boots versus bandages and the fact that the latter take a bit more skill to put on; or is it that bandages with gamgee don't offer the same sort of protection or are more prone to overheating?

Just strikes me there were certain advantages in terms of price and fit esp if you were just trying out x country.

 

[KitC]

My youngster had 4 down in a PN last year. So I went XC without boots. Unsurprisingly he picked his pins up XC!

 

[wench]

if its a clumsy horse i would be tempted to just stick the brushing boots on