New pony - tell me about boots, all the boots!

[DeliaRides]

So daughter is moving from whizzy and very hardy section C up to a 14.1 who is a lovely chap, and after saying we were looking for a Connie or section D native sporty type, have ended up with nothing like that at all! We don't have his pedigree as he has a replacement passport but everybody is guessing he's some kind of TB/arab/warmblood mix and a lot lot finer than previous pony or anything we intended getting. He's 8 but was only backed last year so currently low mileage, but I do look at those skinny legs and think...need to look after those!

So tell me about boots. With Welshie we literally just popped some brushing boots on for XC really just to protect from bashes rather than for 'brushing', but didn't bother with anything else the rest of the time, she just looked after herself really.

Daughter is doing RC activities, UA eventing, dressage and SJ. And he will be turned out daily in a herd. For a horse/pony (he's little but he is built more like a TB horse really) of this build what do I need? What are the pros and cons? Must-haves and nice-to-haves. I know some people would have knee boots, brushing boots, other exercise boots, turnout boots. Travel boots obvs we have and use them with him when we rarely bothered for Welshie who fidgeted and pulled them off. Obviously there are some who would say I need to purchase an entire tack shop and replace/update regularly, and others who would probably have 1 or 2 items that they use for everything. I want to hear it all and would welcome lively debate!

At the moment I know of no issues and he passed vetting with flying colours and is doing everything we would wish, so this is care and prevention at this point.

Thanks

 

[Abacus]

Personally I only use boots for xc - I tend to believe that the risk of overheating tendons is higher than the risk of injury when hacking or schooling. I might be wrong, and maybe I am just too lazy to put them on. Horses are all irish / connemara and reasonably finely built, except for one cob mare whose legs resemble a Victorian pine table.

I did break this rule for one horse who brushed so badly that he would bleed after a short hack.

Travel boots I have always found fall down and cause more problems than they solve - I don't use them either. Before going xc schooling I will put the xc boots on at home and travel in them (maybe just to save time when there) but take them off to travel home so the legs can cool down.

Turnout boots - goodness, what a faff this would be, and full of mud in winter which again would cause more rubs and sores than having none.

Your post does make me wonder: is there any evidence to show that delicate looking, slender legs are more injury-prone than the chunky type? Any one know?

 

[Maddie Moo]

Honestly I wouldn’t boot unless I needed to, potentially I’ve put some front boots on for XC but that would be about it. If I thought they’re going to throw shapes on the lunge and they’re shod, then over reach boots plus the front boots.

Definitely not turnout boots unless it becomes absolutely necessary as there’s no need to heat the tendons up particularly for such long stretches of time.

Obviously if the pony brushes or seems to overreach that is a different matter but I’m in the less is more camp.

 

[DeliaRides]

See, I LOVE these first two replies, as they make me feel less complacent than I feared I was being!

Travel boots have always been stupid for the Welshie, she would spend all the time contorting herself trying to push them off which must be far more of a risk to her in the trailer than simply standing there with no boots.

Good question though, I have no idea really if delicate looking legs are more injury-prone than chunky legs, but I suppose I do feel like it's something people talk about a lot!

 

[Bobthecob15]

We never used to boot for our welsh B, but we have a skinny ISH princess now so we do use brushing boots for her every day work...from the research it looks like if you do boot you should use something that promotes air flow because the hotter their legs get the greater the risk of tendon damage...although I've only seen one study that states this, I'm not sure on the specifics.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I've had Arab's for years and never used boots for anything really I used to stable bandage one of mine as he kept cutting himself in the stable, then he started to chew them and destroy them so I didn't bother with that anymore either.

 

[visa_bot]

I think you need to boot for what is needed. If they brush then use brushing boots, if they overreach use overreach boots. My only exception is that I NEVER ride on the roads without knee protection. I’ve seen a horse with holes for knees after going down. Personally, I would boot at the front for higher risk activities such as xc and hunting, and provide some support for dressage but I have older horses that benefit from some support. As somebody said, there is also a risk of tendons overheating.

 

[First Frost]

The only boots my Connie wears are knee boots for road work. He is 20 now but when younger and eventing he wore open fronted tendon boots for show jumping and boots allround for XC.

My younger horse has a small splint so wears brushing boots in front. He is also booted in front for show jumping and allround for XC and he wears knee boots for road work.

What boots you use really depends on the needs of the horse. However having seen the damage that can be done I would never go on the roads without knee boots.

 

[dottylottie]

i think the equilibrium tri-zone boots are a really fab place to start for an “everything” boot…when we can do a bit more than walk and the 4yo is backed i will be getting both of mine a set, but for now i really like the shires air motion brushing boots, do the job well enough for us for now!

 

[Peglo]

I have Westropp knee/brushing boots for mine hacking on roads. She got a fright once and went down on her knees and I was very fortunate she only lightly grazed her knees. A friends went down and did much more damage although recovered.

 

[Kaylum]

I showed a girl in the video she was doing trying to jump ridiculously high jumps on her pony, which nearly stuck its front legs with its back as it lost its balance. She put some tendon boots on but totally ignored the fact that the pony nearly had an accident as it was struggling with that height.

People tend to use travel boots to keep the horses legs clean for shows. Same with stable wraps.