Which boots for an arena with quite coarse sand?

[now_loves_mares]

I'm currently hiring a neighbour's arena, which is doing the job if not perfect. It's sand and rubber, but the sand seems to be quite coarse, almost like builders sand. I have been booting up all round with NEW fleece lined boots. I am not wearing her O/R boots whilst in that school as she seems to have a lot of sand stuck to her lower limbs after I'm finished, and I figure it will rub.

As far as I can tell the fleece is preventing the sand going up underneath the boot, no sign of rubs, but I have to say the boots aren't looking great. I don't like the idea of constantly washing sheepskin so ideally would use other boots in this type of surface, but what? Currently I only have these or Woof club boots but would buy other ones if it would do the job without ruining my expensive sheepskin ones!

Or should I stick to the fleece lined as the best defence. She is a bit of a princess about her leggies getting sore. Or Muddy. Or wet

Confused of Scotland

 

[Miss L Toe]

Bandages or no boots?

 

[Goldenstar]

My school is coarse silica sand rubber and fibre it's never rubbed the horses legs I don't know about builders sand though.

 

[whizzer]

My old yard had similar sounding surface & I gave up on posh/fluffy/expensive boots! I stuck with woof boots & also have some NEW boots which I had off eBay, not sure which ones they are but they were great, they are made of dense foamy stuff & never rubbed, I could just rinse them off every day & they'd be dry for next day. I had them off eBay & am forever trying to find more. After 8 yrs of this I've moved to a yard with a really good school but I feel your pain!

 

[now_loves_mares]

My old yard had similar sounding surface & I gave up on posh/fluffy/expensive boots! I stuck with woof boots & also have some NEW boots which I had off eBay, not sure which ones they are but they were great, they are made of dense foamy stuff & never rubbed, I could just rinse them off every day & they'd be dry for next day. I had them off eBay & am forever trying to find more. After 8 yrs of this I've moved to a yard with a really good school but I feel your pain!

I have no school of my own and it's very kind of my neighbours to let me use their one, but it's human nature to never be satisfied, I guess

I like the sound of boots you can hose off like that though I'd need to be sure the sand wouldn't creep up, which at least the sheepskin seems to prevent.

 

[wench]

None?

 

[now_loves_mares]

No, I do specifically want leg protection, which was the reason for asking the question.

 

[milliepops]

my old yard had a similar sounding surface. The only thing that kept the sand out for me was fleecy NEW boots, it tracked up inside any other boots I'm afraid to say On the plus side, mine have always washed really well

ETA, my friend used bandages which also worked, but needless to say they got filthy too!

 

[cptrayes]

Did you realise that leg boots can overheat the tendons? If your horse does not actually strike itself, then I would leave the boots off completely.

 

[now_loves_mares]

Thanks milliepops, guess I'm stuck then.

Cptrayes yes I'm very aware of the potential risk, I wear air cooled boots for faster work but in my experience the risk is low for the work she's doing. This horse has already had 2 bone trauma type injuries so I have chosen to wear boots for all ridden work.