What leg protection for travelling?

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humblepie

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Have really old set of travel boots which happy with as horse is a good traveller but as they look so tatty gave in and bought a set of Mark Todd ones.

Obviously much better protection but feel that the horse's legs would get very hot in them and we do (though not at present) travel 2 - 3 hours quite often.

Any thoughts/preferred makes etc?

Am about to hand the MT ones over to a friend to sell and just want to make sure that is a sensible decision.

p.s. love Mark Todd rugs and Mark Todd socks just not sure about these boots.
 
I have the Amigo ones in blue, love them. They are not bulky but offer loads of protection and fit very well, they are very smart worn by my little 14.2 competition pony who has fine legs and a 16.2 dressage horse at our yard, obviously in different sizes but they don't fail any expectations. The legs never get hot and stay in place all of the journey, we both travel quite far. They are also reasonably priced for such a well respected brand.

Here they are- if you want anymore info, just ask.
http://issuu.com/horseware/docs/ss12-amigo-collection/7

Flick through the catalogue to the travel boots.
 
I no longer use any after my lad frequent trashed sets when our trailer was too small and I realised that they were not protecting him. I now don't use any, and never had any issues.

However, I still think there is a place for wearing overreach boots and if you want to give the legs more support during travel, the old fashion bandages and gamgee are best IMHO.

I think a lot of modern travel boots are a fashion accessory
 
DON'T let the Mark Todd ones go they are fab boots! My set came with my mare 7 years ago and they are still going strong and I never have problems with her legs overheating!
 
Nothing. I have more damage to horses due to traveling boots than I care to remember. Mostly due to them scrabbling to get them off.

Never a single scratch since they travel bare leg (many years). And the legs stay cool.
 
I'll have your mark Todd ones - they are the best on the market IMO. Have two sets which are also about 7 years old and they are still in perfect condition and don't slip. I bought some wood wear ones in a hurry recently and already they have rips in them despite being on the same horse as the mark todds.
 
Another in the no boots camp im afraid,Very few of the professional carriers will put boots on a horse!
I find it odd that people are so paranoid about cooling legs after CC and then put boots on that insulate the legs for a 2 hour trip in the box.The legs will be hotter at the end of that than a 5min round the CC.
 
No boots :) Or if I'm going somewhere withing an hour and how clean his warming up/working boots are then sometimes I travel him in them :p
Put normal excersice bandages and OR boots on when he was going through a I can't work out how to get up a ramp stage :o
 
Boots all the way for me, my mare had a accident in a trailer (upside down the lot) and had she not have had any boots on her injuries could and probably would have been a lot worse.

I travel in Masta boots and dont have an issue with slipping, overheating, etc

I think the Amigo, Masta and Weatherbeeta ones are all very similar I'm not too sure about the MT ones as I havent seen them. :)
 
I have Pessoa ones, they are similar to the MTs.
His legs don't seem to get overly hot, though obviously warmer than bare-legged.
I had get an injury that boots would have prevented (puncture in hock), totally freak accident but now I never travel without :)
 
Chels what did your horse puncture it's hock on?
I'm in this debate phase ATM. Have the mark Todd boots, think they are one of the best on the market, however their legs do get a bit warm in them. Traveller roo without last night, just OR boots, as was so hot I didn't want to cook his tendons!! But am nervous of a silly injury resulting from naked legs... Tempted to go without for short trips and for 1.5hrs + get some coolex wraps or something similar.
 
I have the premier equine travel boots - they are lovely!!! Super quality and stay up perfectly, legs are always nice and dry when we arrive anywhere (no over heating). I do do some longer distances, up to a few hours to some venues. They are really good. Very pleased with them!
 
I've always been in the no boot camp, but recently my youngster has scuffed his hocks in the trailer, so I have invested in some Mark Todds and so far so good. My other option is bog standard hock boots, but these make him sweat far more!
 
Interesting to read everyone's replies. I have always put boots on as habit, but my youngster now travels bootless. I tried bandages but he had a paddy and got them all off.

I think I might try some short travel boots in the near future. Once he is broken in he'll be in gamgee & bandages as he'll be warmed up in them to keep his leggies clean :)
 
I normally just travel mine in overreach boots and the brushing boots he will wear to jump in/warm up in.
If it's hot or a long journey he will just have just overreach on or maybe a very old, soft pair of front travel boots that you can velcro up well and don't slip down at all.

I don't normally like travel boots tbh, not after my late mare was a prat loading one day, her travel boot slipped down got caught around her shoe, she panicked and threw the travel boot off complete with shoe! I just think they can slip and cause more troubles than they solve.

My horse is an impeccable traveller though.
 
I hate rigid travel boot's i personally feel they cause more problems traveling horses than there worth.
My WB started this as i had previously used rigid travel boots only to find he would be a pain to load & would be a pain once loaded & traveling.

Ever since the above ive use Thermatex wraps & over reach boots for traveling & never had any issues since i use them on everything now, if im going to be riding in boots or bandages & the venue im traveling to isnt that far i will just travel in what there going to be ridden in.
 
ecrozier said:
Chels what did your horse puncture it's hock on?
I'm in this debate phase ATM. Have the mark Todd boots, think they are one of the best on the market, however their legs do get a bit warm in them. Traveller roo without last night, just OR boots, as was so hot I didn't want to cook his tendons!! But am nervous of a silly injury resulting from naked legs... Tempted to go without for short trips and for 1.5hrs + get some coolex wraps or something similar.
Click to expand...

To this day we have no idea. Was one of those situations, we couldn't ride across the neighbors farm to pony club, one of the other girls wouldn't ride around the road (I was happy to) so they brought the truck down. Jake too big for that truck but was going not even 5 minutes around the corner and he was an awesome traveller so we squeezed him in. Just pulling in the drive, god-awful kicking from the back. Ramp down, Jake with big hole in his hock, missed the joint by about 5mm. The spot would have been covered by boots. Never again!
 
I use the Amigo travel boots, I love them! They never slip and I've had them for at least 7 years and wash them after every journey and they still look like new :)

PS. just had a look at the Mark Todd ones, they look sooo smart! Think i may have to add to my xmas list...
 
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