Travel boots/bandages - do you/don't you?

[MiniMilton]

I don't. I used to travel my first horse with loads of boots etc and he travelled terribly. I removed the partition and the boots and his travelling ability drastically improved. Most of my horses for a while after that were either unhandled youngsters or foals, so I wouldn't use boots or partition then either. I just never went back to using boots, rarely using a partition, and never had a bad traveller since (touch wood)

 

[charterline]

I gave up with boots as one horse didn’t like them.

Also gave up with a tail guard when it fell down every time and ended up in a pile of poo on the trailer

 

[claret09]

if going locally i always travel him in brushing boots. he can be tricky to load so don't want to add to his stress. also when we get somewhere he is quite excitable and can kick out. i certainly don't want to be putting boots on at that point. if we are going long distances and staying away i will bandage him, really to give his legs more support.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I tend to just put on thermatex wraps or I do bandage, and that is because I travelled a horse once that had cut her leg so bad on a lorry it was like a blood bath when we took her off.

 

[Nicnac]

O/R boots only on fronts - shod allround. Decided that laughing at the horses doing a Ministry of funny walks in travel boots was them trying to tell us they weren't comfortable.

Always makes me at BE when people spend ££ and time on cooling legs after XC, then stick great big travel unbreathable boots on their horses in the heat to travel home.

Racehorses aren't booted and neither were mine when they were shipped to England.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Haven't used them for many years now. Don't like anything that over heats legs.

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

Usually bare legs and tail guard for bum itchers. Always leather headcollar too.

 

[Fools Motto]

I grew up always using gamgee and bandages on my ponies. (from the 80's) I learnt to bandage said ponies very early and was often asked to teach friends how to do it before I was 10!! My late grandmother always insisted we did this, for protection and support. Over heating legs we never even considered. If we even thought of using travelling boots, I think she'd have a heart failure. Maybe it's a generation thing?
Early 2000 I purchased the 'shaped leg gamgee/fibergee', and thought it was brilliant. My late mare was almost impossible to unload, she'd crash, bang and leap about on the ramp, so we felt it did it's job perfectly. She loaded perfect, and travelled very well though. Always bandages for return journeys to help tired legs.
Loaded other people's horses and ponies in recent years, a few wearing boots, one bandages and probably more naked. Personally, from previous habits I guess naked legs look wrong.?

 

[mariew]

I'm another one who does over reach boots and possibly some kind of tendon boots if I was worried. I just gave away a very dusty pair of big travel boots.

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

Brushing boots & over reaches all round with a tail guard - I find normal boots slip plus the sight of them send him into a frenzy & even worse to load!

 

[Lots of Gift Bags]

No, rarely put anything on the legs for travelling. It will overheat them and do damage that you can't see. If I'm on a short journey and going jumping, I may boot up before I go with o/r and brushing or tendon boots, but nothing on the way back.

Someone above said they booted for support, but boots don't support anything. They can prevent strike injuries but that's pretty much all they do.

 

[Kat]

I don't use travel boots my horse hates them and travels badly in them. I have considered bandaging but she's a fidget and I don't think I could bandage when she gets wind she's going out!

She is unshod which helps. I mostly travel in brushing boots and over reach boots. The exception being on our way to hunting when she just wears her brushing and knee boots, I don't want to be messing with boots when I arrive and we don't normally travel far.

I always use a leather headcollar and put a sheet on. She doesn't rub her tail so I don't always bother with a tail guard.

 

[Scotsbadboy]

Nope I dont bother anymore and haven't for a few years. Tail bandage only. I have travelled locally tacked up or at least with a bridle on and/ or with a saddle and martingale on. Not easy trying to tack up when the horse just wants to get hunting and is being fidgety!

 

[oldie48]

Although I've never had a bad traveller I always use something depending on the length and purpose of the trip. Going to a lesson I'd use O/R and brushing boots, boxing out for a hack I'd just use O/R boots and if I'm not boxing with the intention of riding I have some lightweight travel boots which hopefully protects both the shoes from being stepped on and a scrape to the leg. Some horses that I've had do an initial few steps of "funny walk" then are absolutely fine, never had one that's made a fuss and they are so quick to pop on and take off. Never happened to me personally but I've known of horses stepping on themselves and causing an injury.

 

[bubsqueaks]

I used to but as half the time have to do groundwork prior to loading I don't now other than overreach boots - I do however have a camera & equi travel safe so am totally safety aware as I can be.

 

[HeyMich]

Thanks everyone for your replies! It's really interesting to hear all your views. I'm not feeling as guilty for travelling my lot naked now..

 

[Honey08]

I used to use travel boots but my mare crashes around a little and often stomps them off. Nowadays I use over reach boots on all four feet and neoprene turnout socks.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Nothing but a tail guard used here...

 

[SpotsandBays]

Tail guard always, then either travel boots, or if I’m doing XC or a sponsored ride I travel in the brushing boots and overreach boots (but that’s more to save time and faffing when I get there. I usually take my travel boots to use on the way back).

 

[McFluff]

Mmmm, making me think now. I always use tail guard and travel boots. Always have, and it's what I've known. Now wondering if this is wise. He does have white legs, so the boots help keep clean, but perhaps also make him hot. I also thought they were supposed to protect if the horse misjudged coming off the ramp and mine does sort of launch. But now I'm wondering if the boots are hindering rather than helping.
How long is it safe to leave brushing boots on for? Just thinking that if he's in them for the travel, tacking up and warm up, that is quite a long time.

Decisions, decisions...

Also just realised that I pay no attention whatsoever to what other people do!

 

[emilylou]

Depends, never for hunting. but all our meets are no more than an hour away. I will for eventing if travelling further, if in the trailer then front boots only as they tend to stomp more with back ones on, if in the lorry then I boot all round as they use the back to brace and I want to protect their hocks.
I always use a tail bandage

 

[Floofball]

Gave up with my lad, he wouldn’t stand for me to put them on so it would end up with us both being in a bad mood, he would also stomp his feet the whole journey ? used overreach boots all round when he had shoes on as he could step on himself but now he’s no shoes on I just leave him be. If I’m just going locally I take him tacked up.

 

[scats]

I don’t like using the big travel boots. I don’t know of a Horse who ever travels well in those. I ended up selling my sets as I never used them.

Millie wears little shires ones, they just offer a little bit of protection but don’t seem to worry her too much. Polly wears brushing boots.

 

[Muddywellies]

Nope never used anything (a light sheet in winter perhaps). We do BD and people do a double take when we unload a bare legged horse at shows, when most other horses are padded up to the eyeballs. Scientifically, tendons are best when cool anf all this bandaging and booting lark can cause tendons to be too warm. And they are a hazard when the slip down in the lorry mid-journey. Almost every horse travel company (dare I say all?) dont use leg protection. My horse had a 13 hour journey from the continent with a very reputable transport company, without boots. My belief is that a bit of sponge won't save her in an accident and I don't want her tendons too warm.

 

[Inda]

I’ve never used boots, given up with tail bandages now too.

I asked Derek Knottenbelt when the idiot was at the weipers centre, I was feeling guilty as everything else was suited and booted to travel. He said they don’t recommend them anymore as they’ve seen more issues with travelling boots than without. i would guess its due to the overheating risk.

 

[brighteyes]

Although I've never had a bad traveller I always use something depending on the length and purpose of the trip. Going to a lesson I'd use O/R and brushing boots, boxing out for a hack I'd just use O/R boots and if I'm not boxing with the intention of riding I have some lightweight travel boots which hopefully protects both the shoes from being stepped on and a scrape to the leg. Some horses that I've had do an initial few steps of "funny walk" then are absolutely fine, never had one that's made a fuss and they are so quick to pop on and take off. Never happened to me personally but I've known of horses stepping on themselves and causing an injury.

Yeah, I have had one tread all over himself and smashed an over-reach boot and hind travel boot but they saved his leg from untold shredding. He struggles to stand for turns at what you'd think were a reasonable speed in the nearside partition (but can manage at turn speeds of 2-3 mph} and is fine on the straight. I am considering a larger trailer. He is 16.1 and a 'blood' TB. I understand what is behind the falling about and we have a modified 'skeleton' divider with no rubber as our other one is impossible on the nearside but both are rocks on the offside. weird.

 

[silv]

Haven't used them for many years now. Don't like anything that over heats legs.

Same here, plus I think they irritate many horses, two I have had hated them. I only put a bandage and gamgee on over chalked white socks if I am going showing.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Sometimes, sometimes not. I normally travel him to shows/hunting in LW travel boots but mainly to keep his legs clean. He doesn’t move so much now we’ve taken the partition out but went through a stage of pulling shoes and shredding his legs when travelling so had OR boots and bandages all round.

 

[Winters100]

I do use them. I only recently learned (from someone here) that many people in the UK don't. Had to transport one to the hospital today and was torn, but in the end decided to use them as they have always travelled in them and have been ok. Anyway it was less than an hour, but I need to think about next season.