Travel boots? Travelling problems.

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taraj

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Can anyone recommend a good set of lightweight travel boots that don't slip? or any ideas welcome!
I have always bandaged/booted my horses for traveling. A couple of years ago one of my youngsters rear boots slipped, he panicked and went down in the trailer. Very scary for all involved. Since then we went through months of getting his confidence back, eventually getting to the stage he could travel with a partition and another horse again but with brushing boots on rather than travel boots as he doesn't like the rear ones now. But a few weeks back, whilst on his own he went down again in the trailer (think he slipped as he had a pee) and just could not regain his balance (we had to unload and walk home) he scrapped the sides of his knees pretty badly (could of been worse). I am now worried about loading him again! I am worried about bandaging him encase they come undone, any ideas protection wise? oh and his been seen by the physio.
 
I prefer short boots and leather knee and hock boots which can be doubled up to use in the winter on the roads when riding, i do however have one pair of all in one travel boots which stay up and they are mark todd. These are rigid boots, if they are too flimsy and bendy they wont stay up. When looking at some see how rigid they are as they in my experience are the best
 
I use the shires half travel boots, my horses dont go super long distances and are really happy in them - dont move at all. Theyre fleece lined so if im showing I wash legs and put them on the night before to keep legs clean in the stable. I'd put a good amount of bedding down also, if he has a tendancy for slipping. Has your trailers been checked and have you watched him travel?
 
I know you have not asked about travelling, only about boots but I thought I would tell you my story. Speaking from experience with a horse that went down in a trailer many years ago, we hadn't bought ours long and it had no rubber matting. In my horses case it was the winter and the condensation was making the ceiling drip and that was freezing on the wooden floor. My poor horse went down. We adjusted the partition making it wider so he could spread his legs and balance better and we also put rubber matting down. None of my horses ever slipped after that.

When you stand on a bus or train you spread your legs to keep your balance. If you make the partition so it is 3/4 / 1/4 in favour of the horse you might find he is better able to balance.

I never travel my horse in boots now. The reiki/horse whisperer lady said he didn't like wearing them.
 
I always bandage, I hate travel boots because I had a horse who had awkward legs, pony circumference but cob length.. cob boots slipped, pony boots did nothing.

I have never had bandages move or come undone.
 
Damnation said:
I always bandage, I hate travel boots because I had a horse who had awkward legs, pony circumference but cob length.. cob boots slipped, pony boots did nothing.

I have never had bandages move or come undone.
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I'm the same! I always compete in exercise bandages and never tape them, never have done, never would. If they are tied/velcroed properly they won't come undone. Same with bandages for travelling. I wouldn't tape those either.

Travel boots can slip really easily whereas stable bandages over wraps seem to be more secure.
 
applecart14 said:
I'm the same! I always compete in exercise bandages and never tape them, never have done, never would. If they are tied/velcroed properly they won't come undone. Same with bandages for travelling. I wouldn't tape those either.

Travel boots can slip really easily whereas stable bandages over wraps seem to be more secure.
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That is my worry - slippage. My mare is luckily an incredible traveller so I don't want to do anything to jeapordise that!

I usually use polo bandages and some bandage pads underneath them. If shod I'll put overreach boots on.

If you have a poor travaller, too many things on their legs can make it worse. Last mare was travelled by boat from the Isle of Man to Cumbria with an overnight stop with no boots/bandages on. Not even a scratch!

P.s. Clear your PM's AC14 ;)
 
Bandages shouldn't come undone if done properly.

I used to use the MarkTodd travel boots but i dont use anything now other than any boots/ bandages they might wear at the other end
 
For a really fidgetty horse I'd use something like the stable wrap boots with separate knee and hock boots..

Personally I wouldn't travel without anything after seeing the mess my mare made of her travel boots going down in the trailer..

Fiona
 
I've never seen anythng like my mountain goat horse tripping over herself with a set of travel boots on. They were whipped off sharpish before I loaded her. I have no idea why horses immediately goose step when they're on. My preferred method of travel is overreach and brushing boots with a generous amount of dampened wood pellets on the floor for grip.
 
Thanks for the ideas, very helpful!. The brushing boots and over reach boots he was wearing are wrecked so I am glad he had something on, but maybe just needs a bit more, for my peace of mind! I will see what he thinks of knee boots as could use them with bandages or the travel wraps.
The trailer is a 6 month old Ifor Williams so should be fine. (im impressed how it stood up to over half a ton of horse thrashing about, bit scrapped about inside but nothing major). Does anyone put bedding down on top of the rubber matting? I never have but thinking it may soak up any wet?
 
If horse is prone to sloppy poo or wees then i put bedding down at the back. Driving client puts shaving down on whole of floor area ponies stand on. Easier to soak up the wet and bit more enticing for them.
 
9tails said:
Have you tried walking on wet rubber? It can be like ice.
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That's true, most people I have spoken to say no bedding is needed with the rubber mats but its certainly worth a try in case as he does like a pee/poo in the trailer.
 
taraj said:
That's true, most people I have spoken to say no bedding is needed with the rubber mats but its certainly worth a try in case as he does like a pee/poo in the trailer.
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No bedding should be needed but most prefer something under their back feet to stop them slipping about, I never travel anything without a small amount of bedding under them to soak up the droppings, it makes cleaning the floor more difficult but if it helps keep the horses happy that is more important.
 
I use wood pellets which compact nicely and stop any wet going under mat (which is a pain in arse to remove to clean underneath) I wet them down if fresh to make good grip. Don't use any boots, only ever travel one and he travels beautifully, as it is a van conversion he is literally behind my head and I have a camera so would notice if he looked unbalanced hopefully before he fell (I know there are some situations which are unavoidable) mostly he is half asleep.
 
I always use flax,shavings etc lots of, to soak up muck. I used to use big padded travel boots. But not suitable for my sensitive arab. Brushing boots and over reach boots now. But he is unshod and travels alone.
 
I tried putting shavings down on the rubber matting to see if there was a physical reason my horse was reluctant to load after seven years of practically dragging me into the trailer. The physio thought possibly his legs may have hurt or his joints ached and it would absorb concussion, but it never made any difference. I wouldn't use bedding for any other reason, especially as it blows everywhere in the wind and most yard owners don't like it blowing everywhere when the horse unloads!!

If he poos in the trailer (he always has at least one upon arrival at a show) then I scrape it forwards half way so it lies under his belly so when he travels he is not stood in it. Normally its dry enough that it doesn't leave a skid! :) Lovely :)

I've never had a problem with rubber matting being slippy, mine has a bubble effect on the top so it give good grip anyway.
 
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I'm soft, I do put a sprinkling of shavings down, especially towards the back as my mare will poo 5 million times in the space of a half hour journey.

She is rank.
 
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