Travel boots?

[Loubidy]

What are people doing these days with regards to leg protection travelling?

My current boots are a little worse for wear and I’m considering not replacing with new boots. My horse can get quite hot in the lorry which I think might partly be down to his travel boots so I’m considering either just using backs and getting some knee boots / brushing boots for fronts? Do people use hock boots?

I categorically will not be bandaging as my horse will be high as a kite when we offload in the dark after a v long day of travelling and trying to unwrap will be a disaster.

 

[Steerpike]

I don't travel my horses in any boots, only a tail guard or tail bandage.

 

[AntiPuck]

I don't use any boots, my horse gets warm enough traveling as it is

 

[DeliaRides]

I've given up on travel boots for daughter's pony. After 18 months of almost weekly travelling, she still loathes them and prances around on 3 legs with her legs crossed trying to push them off, even when we're moving. Without them she stands still and munches hay. I figure the risk of overbalancing or falling from messing with the boots is probably just as high as the risk of anything the boots are protecting her from. Obvs inside of trailer checked regularly for any issues.

So not really what you were asking, but I've stopped bothering!

 

[Abacus]

I gave up ages ago. Can’t even remember where they are.

 

[littleshetland]

Nope, me neither. I put overreach boots on each hoof to protect from treading on his own feet, set higher up and a wee bit 'snugger' than usual, but thats all. I had to many self inflicted injuries with travel boots - sliding down, treading on them, just getting in a general pickle. One incident resulted in a bad cut to the coronet band followed by a visit from the vet. He told me he'd lost count of the injuries caused by travel boots he'd had to deal with. That was years ago, and I've never used them since.

 

[abbijay]

Another that hasn't used travel boots in years!
I have used over reach boots (especially behind) for my shod old boy who wasn't a great traveller. I would use stable wraps if I needed to keep white legs white but that was it for me.

 

[JGC]

I don't use on either of mine, they both kick like mad on the lorry if they have them on, plus they both get far too hot. I can't think it's great for the legs to get so warm really. First time travelling the both, I put brushing boots while I saw whether they were good travellers or not, but even then they were really warm.

 

[Annagain]

I've stopped too. Wiggy did a lot of hunting when he was young and when I bought him I was told he's never worn them. I put them on once or twice and he was fine but it's a faff and he's clearly ok without so...

I think I'd still put them on Arch if he went anywhere as he's a bit of a wobbly traveller but the only place he's likely to go is the vet 1/2 a mile away and to be honest if he needs the vet from now on it's likely to be something where the vet will be coming to him if you get what I mean.

 

[LEC]

Never use any. Found they cause more issues than they solve. Horses travel better and never had any issues. I stick xc boots/OR boots now on young horses travelling for first few times instead now and then leave them off when all confident.

 

[Green Bean]

As my horse is a pain to load, I have started just using brushing boots. The ones that cover from hock / knee to hoof are a dead giveaway for her so she is more difficult to load with them on. I have very basic ones that start at the fetlock up to below the knee / hock that I use for longer trips which do the job fine. I don't put a rug of any sort on her whilst travelling as she just sweats herself to a standstill

 

[Birker2020]

What are people doing these days with regards to leg protection travelling?

My current boots are a little worse for wear and I’m considering not replacing with new boots. My horse can get quite hot in the lorry which I think might partly be down to his travel boots so I’m considering either just using backs and getting some knee boots / brushing boots for fronts? Do people use hock boots?

I categorically will not be bandaging as my horse will be high as a kite when we offload in the dark after a v long day of travelling and trying to unwrap will be a disaster.

I gave mine away as the horse whisperer said my horse didn't like them. I never felt very confident travelling in them anyway.
I used to use a tail guard though and at one time a head bump protection pad.

 

[First Frost]

I don't use anything on the legs either. Just use a tail bandage and guard.

 

[humblepie]

Just overreach boots in front, nothing else. He gets hot travelling and seldom has anything other than a sheet even when clipped.

 

[Suncat]

Same here, I use overreach boots and brushing boots. My younger one was like something from the ministry of silly walks in travel boots and I really couldn't think what benefit they were giving over the boots I use to protect his legs when we get where we're going...

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I use brushing boots if he is wearing them for a show or clinic. If he’s not then I use Premier Equine stable wraps. These keep the legs clean for showing or dressage.

 

[PoniesRock]

I use travel boots all the time. I trail hunt so my horse goes out in the trail once if not twice a week. She’s never minded wearing them and travels well. Easy enough to whip off once we arrive.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

What are people doing these days with regards to leg protection travelling?

My current boots are a little worse for wear and I’m considering not replacing with new boots. My horse can get quite hot in the lorry which I think might partly be down to his travel boots so I’m considering either just using backs and getting some knee boots / brushing boots for fronts? Do people use hock boots?

I categorically will not be bandaging as my horse will be high as a kite when we offload in the dark after a v long day of travelling and trying to unwrap will be a disaster.

don't like Mark Todd generally, but have got their travel boots - well made stay up and lots protection.

Wont travel mine without, seen too many injured legs, horses only have 4 pins and i am making sure they are well protected when in a moving vehicle, which could potentially flip over. I was lucky once with my late mare traveling her as a 15 month old filly, but with trailer flipping over and faced wrong way on M4 and struggled out the roof, not risking it again with any of mine.

 

[rara007]

My feathered Cob has boots on the way out for clean preservation and naked home- we’ve not been over 1.5hr yet.
My sports horse wears stable boots as he’s quite precious, thin skinned and cold! His journeys are much longer. He sometimes has his brushing/XC boots on ready instead if we’re going locally to a 1 day thing. I wouldn’t boot ‘normal’ horse not needing to keep clean!

 

[Bobthecob15]

Just shows you how times change.. back in the day everyone used them! Now nobody seems to...can't work out why! We use them on our pony but only because he came with them, haven't ever travelled him without

 

[Lady Jane]

I always used travle boots but stopped when I realised they were causing travelling issues with a young horse. I now have 4 over reach boots and a tail bandage. They can also cause legs to over heat which can lead to other problems.

 

[Squeak]

If I had a horse that travelled well in them I would still use them as I've seen some injuries that could have been prevented by them. I really like the premier equine perforated ones as they're breathable and stay up.

My current horse doesn't balance very well in a horsebox at the best of times and if I put anything more than brushing boots on him, even over reach boots, he bangs around a lot more.

 

[SpotsandBays]

I use travel boots en route to a show to keep the legs clean. Don’t usually put them back on again for the return home