Travel Boots

[JessPickle]

Well dad MAY let me take pickle somewhere to do some schooling if I work hard for A-Levels.

So was wondering whether I would need travel boots to travel Pickle, allthough chunky he has minimal feather but equally when he came, he was completely naked (no rug,no bandages, Nothing)!

So would he need boots most people know what he looks like

also if he did what makes would fit him

ETA: he is very good to travel, loads himself and doesn't make a fuss man that brought him to us said he was one of the best behaved he has seen. May be travelling with one other horse for roughly 1/2 hour-1hour

 

[ladyt25]

If you're only going a short distance and on his own then i wouldn't be overly concerned but may depend on what he's like travelling.

I travel mine in boots if there are two or more going together or going a long way so they don't tread on each others or their own feet/coronets and do themselves damage!

 

[sammiea]

i voted other for these reasons.....

1) if he's as good as you say to travel then for a short distance (under 30min) then i wouldnt bother.

2) has he worn them before? some horses object to them & travel worse.

3) personally i prefer bandages, however my 6yo travels in boots as i brought him up in them but my mare has to have bandages & hock boots (behind only, i leave her front end with nothing) cause she goes mad in travel boots

 

[fairhill]

You don't need travel boots for him, but I always feel that using them gives you one less thing to worry about.
You might struggle to get any big enough for him though, in which case go without!
We used to bandage Chloe, and even the shaped fibagee leg pads were too small, so had to use gamgee

The only boots I've found that fitted her were very soft ones, a bit like thermatex leg wraps but they cover hocks and knees.
In fact, let me know if you do struggle to find some to fit, and I'll post them down to you for a fiver and postage costs

She doesn't need them anymore

 

[ajn1610]

I'd put something on to protect him from knocks, purely because it would be very irritating if he got off at you destination lame. If you are not going to be doing loads of traveling rather than spending money for something you won't get much use from I'd put stable bandages over big squares of gamgee from coronet to above knee/hock. Or use brushing, over reach and knee boots if you have those.
You can also buy gamgee shaped like travel boots which might be useful because it will fit anything.

 

[JessPickle]

see was thinking of having a look at hickstead have tickets for the end of this month, a friend of mine got a set for £10 last show! only problem in as some people have said extra full is anything is hard to find

 

[Kenzo]

Well first of all, it does not matter if you are travelling short distances or longer ones, so when people say 'well if your only going down the road etc' is the wrong way to decide if your horse needs added protection, accidents happen no matter what, be it loading, having to brake quickly or if your horse gets unsettled and starts stomping about, so please don't let that be your deciding factor.

Some horses don't like travel boots and things that cover their hocks, as they feel restricted and can panic, I've seen a horse trash a brand new trailer within minutes, one that is used to travelling all round the country every week but took disliking to travel boots....he came out unharmed but then again he could of been cut to shred on his legs if travel boots were not worn.

So I'd see what your horse makes to them first, walking them about with them on, leaving them on in the stable etc, horses need to feel secure and unrestricted so they can find there balance when traveling.

If your horse is good at travelling and doesn't object wearing them then yes, I'd use them, otherwise no, plus you can always use bandages, which is better than nothing.

Plus there not overly expensive so even if you find you dont use them, you can always sell them again.

 

[HorseS0S]

I dont travel all the time in boot but i voted "Yes" because I think you should, I probably am just lazy sometimes on short journeys. Dont bother with bandages, they have to be perfect or can be more harm than good. Get some good travel boots, work hard and then go have fun somewhere schooling x

 

[JessPickle]

I personally wouldn't bandage as I really don't have enough knowledge and I know if you get the tension wrong your screwed and can cause damage. Allthough YO/Instructor would be able to do them without a problem If I needed them

 

[Weezy]

Nope I would save my money - horses are travelled all over the world without boots with no probs whatsoever.

 

[BigBird146]

It's entirely up to you but I believe that on the continenet they don't use travel boots at all and they think we're a bit crackers for using them!! (I heard of someone buying a horse from Spain and she sent a load of spensive gubbins for the transport company to put on her new baby... just got chucked in a locker and horsey travelled across Europe naked, perfectly fine!!)
I put front boots on but back one's seem to irriate him so just put some lightweight brushing boots on which I wear to ride when I get there anyway (he's such a stresshead the less I have to do round his backend once we're out, the better though).

 

[Weezy]

I had never even seen travel boots in the flesh (so to speak) before I moved over here from Spain!

 

[checkmate1]

I think travel boots are up to you, however whether its is a short or long distance, or hes good traveller dosen't come into it. I would, but then my horse wears boots, poll guard the lot when travelling. Maybe bandaged legs would be better as you may not find boots big enough (but I'm sure you will!).

 

[Theresa_F]

I don't bother with them for short trips on Chancer or Cairo. Most I use are thermatex stable wraps - and them more to keep them clean for showing.

That said, mine load and travel well and have lots of feather protection.

My WB hated them so I used knee boots with brushing boots and over reach boots all round - this was because she didn't load or travel that well.

At the most I would probably just put on some thermatex stable wraps or brushing boots if he is ridden with them on Pickle and would not use the large and bulky travel boots. I have yet to have a horse that liked the ones that go over the knees and hocks - my TBs tolerated them, but were happier in stable wraps.