how many people put boots/bandages on horses for hacking?

[RobinHood]

I always use woof reflective brushing boots, over-reach boots and knee boots (can you tell I've had a lot of accident prone horses?!

)

 

[burtondog]

I always put brushing boots and overreach boots on my boy. I'm completely paranoid about knocks and bumps.

 

[Ottinmeg]

i use fetlock boots on soph as she is really close behind.

 

[_April_]

I use Westropp knee-brushing boots on the front every time I hack

 

[Theresa_F]

No - not for any horse other than Breeze my first TB after she had a cracked fetlock due to a field kick and I wanted to be sure it had some protection just in case she knocked herself.

Never had a problem with any of them not having boots on and they all had good strong legs and this was my TBs as well as my hardy hairies.

 

[fornema]

Always all round boots for mine

 

[Murphy88]

Murphy has tendon and overreach boots for everything, even though he has legs like tree trunks. Savannah, who has tiny, delicate little legs, only ever wears boots for XC. The reason being Murph tracks up almost too much, and will forge out hacking, which makes me think he's more likely to strike into himself doing fast work (or when he throws a tantrum). Savannah has managed 21 years unbooted, and *touchwood* has never so much as turned a hair when ridden - I'm not sure she even has any boots anymore, now she's semi-retired.

 

[Abbeygale]

I normally use boots or wraps all round on my mare for everything - she is a bit of a spooky wotsit at times and she is a little clumsy! I have found that when it is warmer she seems to do better in bandages - she has an old scar on the front of her off hind fetlock - and the boots and wraps do tend to rub this in the summer.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

I boot for everything. Brushing boots for hacking/schooling and tendon and fetlock boots for jumping.

 

[spotty_pony]

My pony wears front and back brushing boots for everything to protect his legs.

 

[tammyrocks]

depend on the horse and what im doing
for fast rides i use brushing and over reach boots but for short slow rides i dont bother as tammys legs are quite chunky anyway

 

[RachelB]

I never used to put boots on Maiden for anything other than jumping or fast work, but now she has brushing boots on at least in front if not behind too. She doesn't brush in front or behind, but she can be unsteady on her feet (old tendon injury, she will never be quite right but is hacking sound and will only stay that way if I take exceptionally good care of her) and she stumbles a bit on rough ground. She has fallen on her knees a couple of times and often knocks herself (she doesn't brush when she walks normally though, only when she stumbles). She cut into herself quite badly yesterday falling up a bank she was trying to climb, with me trying to get her not to (

) so I am of the opinion that I need to prevent any further injury! I'm not entirely sure I could cope with another injury - I didn't cope very well with the last one

My first pony (Welsh Cob) had legs of steel and only wore boots for jumping. She once walked through a five bar metal gate and tore the skin off the front of her cannon bone - I'm pretty sure she would have snapped it in two if she had flimsy fine legs!!

 

[amandaco2]

mine wear boots all round. or boots if doing fast work.knke boots if doing road work.

 

[burtie]

I use boots as little as possible and school in front boots only when doing laterel work, no boots for hacking or turnout. A lot of modern research has shown boots/bandages may cause the tendons to overheat and because they may provide support long term use means the tendons and ligaments developed are not as strong. Also it would be like you always working in support bandages even if you had no problem.