Should I use boots?

J

JJ!

Active Member
Joined
29 June 2010
Messages
37
Visit site
So I ride a 15.2 Medium/Heavy weight cob and just started jumping him (he used to jump a bit, but we are talking 8 yeras a go when I didn't have him).

He has never worn boots, and does not brush at all, but was really after some advise on whether or not to get some boots for when I take him jumping and do small cross country jumps just to give him a bit of protection.

And if I do get some boots, what type, whether it just be some sports boots or tendon boots etc.

Help!
 
JJ! said:
He has never worn boots, and does not brush at all,
Click to expand...

If he is also a careful jumper then no. You don't need them. Just make sure you cool his legs down with some hosing or cool packs if you have worked him hard or on going thats not the best and he will be fine!

If it ain't broke don't fix it!
 
If your just popping over smallish jumps and he's good with it, then i'd put some brushing boots on him, just to give a little protection if he knocks them, especially for any little scraps over cross country fences.

:D
 
Paddydou said:
If he is also a careful jumper then no.
Click to expand...

I dont agree with this AT ALL!! it doesnt matter if he is a careful jumper, you cannot guarantee that any horse with jump perfectly every time, there is never any excuse for an accident that could have been avoided, sorry just my oppinion.
 
Thanks for the tips, could try him in some brushing boots and see what he thinks of them, better choice than tendon boots?
 
FlorenceBassey said:
I dont agree with this AT ALL!! it doesnt matter if he is a careful jumper, you cannot guarantee that any horse with jump perfectly every time, there is never any excuse for an accident that could have been avoided, sorry just my oppinion.
Click to expand...

Thats ok - you are entitiled to disagree with me if you like!

I just don't agree with people putting tack on their horses that they do not need.

As I said if it isn't broken - don't fix it!

This horse isn't going round Badmington, its just having a quiet spot of every day fun. Club this with potential rubbing from the boots, boots being put on too tight, too loose and slipping... Much more potential for an accident than with out!
 
No use tendon boots when jumping, they do prevent brushing to a point but they protect the tendon far more, where as brusing boots don't really do this
 
Paddydou every horse should be protected wether is going round badminton or popping a cross pole, a tendon injury hurts an eventer just as much as it does a cob,
how would you feel if you 'if its not broke don't fix it' approach led to your horse getting an injury that could have been prevented?? not wanting a row here just genuinely interested?? i have seen the result of an accident happening jumping without boots, and it was horrific, in my mind prevention is ALWAYS better than cure.
 
if your going XC and he is a chunky cob type get brushing boots - a brand like woof wear which do cob fittings and will protect him against scraps off XC jumps if he touches them. My boy doesnt wear boots expect for XC - we use either woof wear brushing boots or my trusty tescos brushing boots (total bargins!). You might struggle to find fitted tendon boots than dont rub chunkier legs.
 
I would always use boots for jumping or fast work. Especially on a horse who is not an experienced jumper and therefore more likely to make mistakes. If you are talking about popping the odd log then you are probably okay, but if you are taking him xc then he should wear boots, preferably tendon boots, imo.

I'm the last person to load a horse with gadgets and firmly believe that schooling is a better solution than putting on a few extra straps. But boots are different issue - they are there for protection - and all the schooling in the world won't stop a horse from making a mistake over a fence now and then.
 
FlorenceBassey said:
Paddydou every horse should be protected wether is going round badminton or popping a cross pole, a tendon injury hurts an eventer just as much as it does a cob,
how would you feel if you 'if its not broke don't fix it' approach led to your horse getting an injury that could have been prevented?? not wanting a row here just genuinely interested?? i have seen the result of an accident happening jumping without boots, and it was horrific, in my mind prevention is ALWAYS better than cure.
Click to expand...

I agree with your opinion however I have also seen very nasty accidents caused by boots that do not fit properly, horrific injuries caused by boots being too tight and also I have seen a loosly fitted boot slip down prevent the horse from bending through the pastern causing the horse to do a 360 with its rider. I have seen boot straps caught on x country fences and many other accidents. How many people do you see use tape round the straps at the lower levels?

To my mind having good schooling, practicing and having a sense of caution prevents far more accidents than putting more and more tack on.

I don't think that there is a right or wrong way but there is weighing up a situation and looking for the danger.

Personally I prefer to keep it simple, keep the basics correct then work from there.

Already you have several opinions here, tendon boots to protect the tendon, but they could not protect the front of the leg from scrapes, brushing boots which are not as suportive but would offer a small degree of protection from scrapes but not not much suport and this horse doesn't brush any way, no one yet has mentioned over reaches which would of course protect the back of the hoof and bulb of the frog from any over reaches when horses "nick" as they land, knee boots would protect against knocks to the knee (which are more likely to happen than to the lower legs with a careful horse that picks its legs up but misjudges, also no one has mentioned SMB boots yet (Sports Med Boots) which would offer protection to tendons at front and rear of the leg as well as the pasterns but are often fitted incorrectly so do no good at all. If you are going to go for protection to tendons and to knocks these would in my opinion offer a much better deal than brushing boots on a horse that doesn't brush.

On my old boy, he now has bandages very carefully applied so I can ensure his legs are as protected as possible. He used to have SMB boots rear and fore and before that nothing if it were a small pop round and brushing boots, with over reaches and grease if it were more serious. The "extras" have been due to him getting old and me wanting to keep him going for as long as possible, at his age, like with humans, he is bound to pull something unless I go careful.

I think it also depends on your perceptions of work. My perception of hard work are horses competing at top levels, a RC horse to my mind is light - medium depending on how often. So for me personally, this horse has experience, the horse knows what he (?) is doing and they are not doing anything too much so no, I would not put boots on, on this occasion.

Mistakes will happen and at some point all horses will get a scrape or two, that is life. The trick is trying to guess and prevent when the big scrapes will happen.

My horse didn't get to the age he is now and looking as good as he does now with out careful thought and management. Before I brought him he had already pulled tendons, ligaments etc. So what is better gradually build up the work so his body can deal with it or go out with him covered from head to toe? Believe you me I would love to wrap him in bubble wrap but I vey much doubt that in the long run it would do him any good.
 
I was told by my vet that tendon boots will only stop a knock or scrape to a tendon. A pull or strain will occur whether you have a boot on or not, think of the forces involved with the weight of a horse + rider landing after a jump. There are some schools of thought that many boots and bandages can heat up tendons and make an injury more likely.

I would only use boots if I had a particular issue such as brushing or overreaching. I must add however we only do low level RC work. You realy have to make your own mind up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top