Hunting boots....

[biffa]

Hey guys, I'm after a bit of advice. I am a regular hunter with the draghounds and like jumping the big stuff so believe in booting my horse up. I hunted her in Delmar front eventing boots last year but the carbon fibre began to rub so I don't want to use them again this year, has anyone got any recommendations??


Thank you in advance!

 

[JenHunt]

if you choose to boot then my belief is that there's not much better at standing up to hunting as the prolite boots.... one of ours hunts in their front event boots, and they've never once slipped, moved, rubbed or come loose in 15 years

 

[Goldenstar]

If you have to use boots I would use prolite as well .

 

[Ditchjumper2]

Another vote for Prolites.

 

[Lizzie66]

No comment on type of boot but reading between the lines of JH and GS I am with them on the thinking that you should seriously think about whether booting is the best option.

When you hunt you are frequently out for minimum 2-3 hours you will be going through all sorts of terrain, the boots get wet and can trap stuff underneath including grit or chemicals which when trapped against wet skin can make a right mess. Even if you don't get anything trapped, the horses legs will be hot and sweaty under boots (maybe this is where the pro-lite are OK ?) and this is more likely to cause ligament or tendon problems than any issue you get from going not booted.

 

[JenHunt]

No comment on type of boot but reading between the lines of JH and GS I am with them on the thinking that you should seriously think about whether booting is the best option.

When you hunt you are frequently out for minimum 2-3 hours you will be going through all sorts of terrain, the boots get wet and can trap stuff underneath including grit or chemicals which when trapped against wet skin can make a right mess. Even if you don't get anything trapped, the horses legs will be hot and sweaty under boots (maybe this is where the pro-lite are OK ?) and this is more likely to cause ligament or tendon problems than any issue you get from going not booted.

yes - certainly boots can cause or contribute to as many problems as they solve IMO. Yes, there's a risk of causing legs to heat up, but if they provide tired legs some support then it's a trade off of which is the bigger risk factor for your horse...
similarly, getting mud/grit trapped in them vs getting thorns/splinters etc in legs from whatever you're jumping...
or, a horse who stands on his heels wearing over reach boots, vs the over reach boot causing a trip/fall if they come off etc...

my personal preference is to avoid booting if you can (the exception being that knee boots in stone wall country are not optional IMO). That said one of mine wears prolite even boots and Pikeur OR boots for hunting because he's a fool (and quite close in front) who smacks himself/stands on himself every time we stand still when he's pratting about (but doesn't on the move... don't ask, he's just special!).