turnout chaps/boots what do you use?

I only ever boot up for turnout in potentially exciting situations . . . turn out in new field/with new fieldmates, extreme weather, fireworks, etc. For regular turnout, he goes out with nothing on his legs - I have found that pretty much all boots either rub or make his legs hot and sweaty so it's always a balance between stopping him from brushing or overreaching/hurting himself, and preventing rubs/overheating.

That said, when I do boot him up, I use regular brushing boots (woofwear in front, PE behind) and bog-standard overreach boots (he is quite short-coupled and has bar shoes on in front).

Hope that helps.

P
 
Do you want them to prevent mud fever?
I have a total wimp of a TB with 2 white legs which get mud fever at the 1st sniff of moist ground. I bought the equilibrium turn out chaps in an attempt to prevent it. Sadly last winter the mud was just too bottomless & I found it got inside the boot & made everything worse.
I will try them again as the mud isn't as bad this year but being on quite a heavy clay I think it might be too much for boots/chaps!
 
I have a set of Equilibrium Equichaps which I think are fab.

Pros:
Well padded
Waterproof
Covers from knee to heel / hock to heel
Keeps them clean and dry

Cons:
If you have a muddy field the mud can get stuck under the bottom of the boots
Can get too warm
Take a while to dry out
 
I have some Premier Equine XC type boots but have yet to send the pony out in them

I considered the chaps but have seen sooo many advertised secondhand and very cheaply that I assumed that they were rubbish
 
glamourpuss said:
Do you want them to prevent mud fever?
I have a total wimp of a TB with 2 white legs which get mud fever at the 1st sniff of moist ground. I bought the equilibrium turn out chaps in an attempt to prevent it. Sadly last winter the mud was just too bottomless & I found it got inside the boot & made everything worse.
I will try them again as the mud isn't as bad this year but being on quite a heavy clay I think it might be too much for boots/chaps!
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thanks. not so much mud fever but to protect white legs a little
 
My horse has 4 clipped white legs so I got him the shires turnout socks/boots in an attempt to keep them a bit cleaner! last winter I got so fed up of trekking through a muddy field to find out where he had dumped his half eaten socks that I'm not even going to bother with them this year!
 
Polos said:
My horse has 4 clipped white legs so I got him the shires turnout socks/boots in an attempt to keep them a bit cleaner! last winter I got so fed up of trekking through a muddy field to find out where he had dumped his half eaten socks that I'm not even going to bother with them this year!
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hmm well reminded I had one that kept taking them off I dont think current neddy will though
 
I'm going to buck the trend here and say that I would never, EVER use turnout chaps or boots on any of my horses.

I have only ever known them to cause or exacerbate problems. They're hot and don't breathe, mud and grit gets trapped underneath keeping legs wet and causing mud fever, and the heat up the legs which increases the risk of injury by weakening tendon fibres.

I have two greys and had a coloured with white legs until I lost him last year, and all of them have survived quite happily without turnout chaps. One is a TB prone to mud fever who can't be stabled (she's blind) and so at the start of the winter she comes onto the yard, has her legs washed and dried, and obscene amounts of pig oil slathered on them. I then add more pig oil every day to make sure her legs are mud free, and she's never had a problem.
 
Starzaan said:
I'm going to buck the trend here and say that I would never, EVER use turnout chaps or boots on any of my horses.

I have only ever known them to cause or exacerbate problems. They're hot and don't breathe, mud and grit gets trapped underneath keeping legs wet and causing mud fever, and the heat up the legs which increases the risk of injury by weakening tendon fibres.

I have two greys and had a coloured with white legs until I lost him last year, and all of them have survived quite happily without turnout chaps. One is a TB prone to mud fever who can't be stabled (she's blind) and so at the start of the winter she comes onto the yard, has her legs washed and dried, and obscene amounts of pig oil slathered on them. I then add more pig oil every day to make sure her legs are mud free, and she's never had a problem.
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Whilst I agree they can trap mud and heat up the tendons, they can also be very good at preventing injuries.

My WB was wearing them last winter whilst he was turned out during the day. He's flighty and spooky in the wind and rain, so I booted him up and turned him out. When I came up later that same day, he had he front legs stuck in some pigwire fencing. Luckily he was calm and standing still, but the wire had still done a lot of damage to the boots and thankfully not his legs
 
Starzaan said:
I'm going to buck the trend here and say that I would never, EVER use turnout chaps or boots on any of my horses.

I have only ever known them to cause or exacerbate problems. They're hot and don't breathe, mud and grit gets trapped underneath keeping legs wet and causing mud fever, and the heat up the legs which increases the risk of injury by weakening tendon fibres.

I have two greys and had a coloured with white legs until I lost him last year, and all of them have survived quite happily without turnout chaps. One is a TB prone to mud fever who can't be stabled (she's blind) and so at the start of the winter she comes onto the yard, has her legs washed and dried, and obscene amounts of pig oil slathered on them. I then add more pig oil every day to make sure her legs are mud free, and she's never had a problem.
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I can appreciate your points! however I also worry that sand from the school will stick to pig oil and cause scrapes, cuts etc

oh well proves my one theory with horses,,,,is that whatever you do, you can't win!!
 
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