Question of the Week - Do you ride your horse in protective boots?

My Horse - For general riding I don't put boots on him but I wear overreach boots for SJing and tendon and overraech for XC. Mainly because I have seen the odd overreach mark on him before I started wearing the boots. in general he doesn't like tendon/brushing boots and doesn't seem to SJ well in them so i don't wear them but for XC, due to going a bit faster I prefer to have something on him and he doesn't seem to mind XC.

I took to wearing tendon boots on my pony a few years ago out hacking as he has a tendency to spin when excited and has knocked himself (he's getting on a bit so not as nimble as he thinks). I prefer putting him in harder, open-fronted tendon boots to protect him as opposed to brushing boots as he doesn't brush.
 
yes pretty much always. jump in front tendon boots and XC in boots all round plus overreach boots. for flatwork just use brushing boots or wraps or bandages. don't always put back boots on but always have front boots on- get worried about his striking into his tendons...
 
yes, I put on boots for jumping and hacking, and just some exercise bandages for schooling.
I use just XC boots and over reach boots usually. :) with tendon and fetlock boots when jump training.
 
Schooling - nothing, I sometimes use bandages.
Jumping - tendon boots
XC - Brushing boots all round
Hacking - brushing boots all round (hi viz wraps over the top) and knee boots.

What does surprise me is that very few people use knee boots.
Personally I think knee boots are more important than other boots when hacking but maybe that is just me.
 
I have sports boots for my boy as they support where the tendon runs under the fetlock and he had navicular so needs the extra but non on the back.
 
Depends on my horse, I have a few who have to go in over-reaches unless I want no shoes left! Some of the tb's have fronts for canter work etc. and will have boots all round for xc.
My others all go without , but they are all fairly straight moving so I've never really had a need for them, it's just an extra thing to remember otherwise! Never hunt in boots bar the odd hound exercise if first time out and those that need over-reaches, too much mud and grit to get in them and another thing to lose!
 
Dressage - bandages on all four legs and over reaches
SJ - open fronted tendon boots, fetlockboots and over reaches
XC - brushing boots all round and over reaches
Hacking - over reaches, front boots if cantering
 
No I think they can do more harm than good, unless it is for specific injury prevention i.e overreach marks present or if it has been recommended by a professional.

I look at it from a physio point of view, the more stuff you put around a joint the weaker it becomes because they rely on the extra support more than their body and would be more prone to injury when the boots are not on, also they can overheat the tendons and make them easier to damage.

Though much like anything horsey there is no black and white, this is just my opinion. :)
 
yes- all the time.
the need for boots was highlighted today- when some from my yard was bolted with- into a brick wall :eek: her horse has some nasty cuts- but will be alright. dread to think of the state of her legs had she not been wearing protective boots.
by the way- her owner is ok.
 
I think many people over-boot to be honest. In over 25 years of riding I have never put knee boots on a horse and only put boots on for hacking if the horse actually brushes or does something it's it normal way of going that may cause injury to its legs (ie silly daft spinning pony!).

Some people go OTT as far as boots are concerned and they can cause more harm and good. Sadly one memory that will always be with me was my pony breaking down at a team chase. The vet present basically told me it was my fault for putting boots on him (and taping them to stop them coming off in the water). That will stick with me even though i am sure they did not cause it, the tape was not tight. However, I do consider why i boot now and if it's necessary. Sadly too late for that pony who never recovered and the combination of the pain, shock and having to go on box rest caused his body to shut down and he died a few weeks after.
 
Dressage - equilibrium flex wraps
SJ - open fronted tendon front, fetlock hind & overreach boots
XC - Anything all round that is massively protective but cooling and non absorbant
Hacking - knee boots if icy and brushing boots all round or the flexiwraps - depends on how fast I am planning on going!!!!
 
Flatwork - Front brushing or tendon boots. nothing behind as horse dosent brush
Jumping - front tendon boots. Nothing behind
Xc - Brushing boots all round & overreach boots on front
Lunging - brushing boots all round
Hacking - front brushing boots :)
 
I don't use boots for any general riding or jumping. I only put boots on for competitive XC. I will happily school over small XC fences with no boots on.

Unless the horse has a specific action fault that needs a boot (eg. my old event horse was so close behind he did need brushing boots all the time) I would prefer not to overheat the legs and provide a source of irritation and rubbing. I would also quite like to know that the horse is fully aware that all 4 legs are there, and running into things results in some form of pain!

At work with the racehorses we don't boot or bandage much - even with group/listed class horses - only those with history of leg problems will ever be bandaged, and boots are generally only used for schooling over hurdles and lunging.

Luncinda Green did an interview not that long ago where she was explaining how over time she has come to realise that she didn't actually need boots on her horse for general work/jumping, and in fact thought that they were potentially harmful in the long run.

A horse I know died due to a bandaging accident - bandages came undone whilst galloping, horse fell and broke his neck. Absolutely tragic - if I must use them, I will check, double check and triple check that they are secure.
 
*Nothing for flatwork, unless i'm having a lesson when I use bandages or wraps
*Brushing boots all round for hacking + over reach boots if doing fast work
*Tendon and fetlock for showjumping
*Dalmar XC boots and over reach boots for XC
 
Nope. Always bandage. I find legs stay much cooler in bandages and don't like the idea of something rigid around their legs. Have got some wraps, but found they made the legs really hot!

ETA: I don't put anything on for hacking. (Boots wise :rolleyes:) I like the legs to be bare for some work and I only hack gently tbh so it's nice for the legs to have a breather :D I also read (I think on here) about a horse, which got a twig impaled in its leg because it got stuck underneath the boot, had the leg been bare it wouldn't have been trapped against the leg if that makes sense. But I guess you could got on and on and on about freak accidents like that. There are always going to be cons whatever you do :)

J&C
 
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Gosh, I am surprised at how many people boot up for hacking - wonder why? Do people boot their horses up when they're turned out in the field???
 
I boot up for hacking because all we have is road hack. Plus the fact that horse might spook sideways & knock into themselves in front.

We really should put knee boots on, but I don't have any.

horses are turned out with no boots btw :)
 
I too hack on a lot of roads and do a lot of trot work but I don't boot up. As said the only one I boot is the silly 24 yo pony and that's only been in the last few years due to the spinning when he wants to canter as he's knocked himself twice. I've had him since he was 7 and nevre booted him until recently and i did a fair bit of SJing and XC (ridiculously fast!) with him. I guess I always think they should know where their legs are really! lol. If the horse suffers regular issues then i will boot them but otherwise I just leave well alone.

I have seen some people boot up when their horses are out in fields. in fact i know someone who boots all round and puts overreach boots all round!!! MENTAL that's what i say - let the horse be a bloody horse! You ca't wrap them in cotton wool for gods sake.
 
ladyt25 said:
Gosh, I am surprised at how many people boot up for hacking - wonder why? Do people boot their horses up when they're turned out in the field???
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I boot up for hacking because a lot of my hacking is roadwork and some of the tracks are very stoney - I would never forgive myself if she damaged her knees because I didn't put knee boots on. I put brushing boots on in case we go for a good canter through fields and the hi viz wraps over the top for obvious reasons.

Would never boot for turnout.
 
Always booted up for ridden work,have seen what spooking can do to their legs when they strike into themselves without :(
 
Depends on what i am doing, i.e just a gentle hack then no, except they always have their hi viz wraps on when ever we're doing road work. If going on long hack this usually involves jumping, forest and road work etc then they have brushing boots and over reach boots.
 
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