Who boots their horses?

Not a fan of over booting, if the horse is well schooled and balanced and receives good farriery, much of the need for booting is eliminated.
The risk of over heating and rubs from mud and grit out weighs a lot of the benefits.
I do occasionally use knee boots for riding an unfit horse on the road when its slippery or over reach boots for a day or so with a horse that is remedially shod.
 
Only ever for travelling, then I go a bit OTT, with overreach boots on all four feet and travel boots :eek: The reason for this is that when I travelled her without overeach boots she managed to put a huge dent in one back hoof with the heel of another shoe, presumably as she was doing the impatient fandango as I didn't get the truck moving as soon as she thought I should :D
 
I boot for XC (xc boots) and showjumping (tendon and fetlock boots).

Don't boot for schooling or hacking as a rule, but may stick some brushing boots on if I'm planning a particularly fast hack. Never boot for turnout.
 
I put stretch and flex wraps on mine but now I'm wondering why. She's never brushed. I somehow think it gives her a bit more support but I'm not sure. Most people at my yard are obssessed with bandaging all legs for flatwork which I really couldn't be faffed with and I think it's just for show in a 'look at my serious dressage horse' way.
 
Zargon_91 said:
What do you guys think about booting? My cob used to be bootless for everything, but my youngster is booted all the time (probibly over booted, im a bit over protective) He has wraps for turning out in, flatwork wraps by equilibrium that go under the fetlock in front, normal schooling wraps by equilibrium behind for flatwork, and plastic shell trizone tendon boots, fetlock boots and over reachers for jumping.
What do you do with yours?
Im of the opinion no boots or all boots i think, mine wears them because he is fine, and tbh im on the heavier side to ride him (but not too big) and he can be clumbsy so i like him to be protected.
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Similar to this!

Flatwork/lunging - overreach boots, equilibrium training wrap around boots in front, equilibrium brushing boots behind

Jumping - eskadron overreach boots, acavallo hard shell tendon boots and matching fetlock boots

Turnout - used to just be oversized overreach boots to prevent pulling off shoes but since he fractured his cannon bone i have bought mark todd wrap around boots, but considering some turnout wraps from equilibrium or premier equine

Call me OTT but i dont want anymore injuries
 
I boot according to need. And as for the earlier comment about checking the balance of your horses foot, that happens to be a particular paranoia of mine. I have a young ISH aged 5 who is still growing in fits and starts. Therefore I choose to have a remedial farrier to recheck balance EVERY time he is shod. The younger horse is always booted up for work and turnout. I have tried to reduce him as don't really like wearing boots in the summer BUT if he cuts or knocks himself at all he blows up like a balloon and I have 3 days or so of cold hosing and then slowly back into work. I hope that when he has finally finished growing he won't need quite such a full contingent. My old mare just wears brushing boots on the front and nothing else, but does the same for turnout. There is definately a school of thought which says that overbooting encourages a horse to be clumsy but I will ignore that with my still growing horse at the moment and hope it will settle in the future!
 
I use brushing boots on all 4 legs for hacking and schooling sometimes will bandage or put schooling wraps on. Has over reach boots on too. Also wears over reach boots in field and wears brushing boots whenmoved fields or New horse entering field for a few days.
 
Knee boots for hacking usually, but just bought a pair of the knee and brushing boots combined, so its them from now on.

Use brushing boots for xc though, just incase. :)
 
Question to all those who don't use knee boots out hacking; is there any reason you don't? Is it detrimental to the horse in anyway to use them? :) just curious.

I always use mine, as I saw a horse fall on the road and cut his knees open, they're still not fully healed months later, but if they're detrimental in anyway I'll reconsider using them :)
 
I boot because he is clumbsy and still has to grow into himself- yes he is shod, but he was booted before I had him shod too. But he is turned out in boots because all the other horses out are shod- which is a worry because he does get bullied.
 
lyndsayberesford said:
Similar to this!

Flatwork/lunging - overreach boots, equilibrium training wrap around boots in front, equilibrium brushing boots behind

Jumping - eskadron overreach boots, acavallo hard shell tendon boots and matching fetlock boots

Turnout - used to just be oversized overreach boots to prevent pulling off shoes but since he fractured his cannon bone i have bought mark todd wrap around boots, but considering some turnout wraps from equilibrium or premier equine

Call me OTT but i dont want anymore injuries
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My turnout wraps are premier equine :) theyre very good actually, and reasonably priced so if you needed you could probibly get 2 sets to keep one dry and clean all the time :)
 
To those who dont boot, especially for jumping and galloping work... please watch the inside natures giants with the racehorse...
It scared me 0.0
 
I used to boot religiously when my girl was younger but now I rarely bother :o Will boot up for xc and she wears her front xc's ones if we hunt, will put front brushing boots on if we lunge. I'll bandage if I'm feeling enthusiastic lol and always bandage for travelling as she can be an arse and I dont like travel boots as they always slip if they muck about. Think I've just got lazy riding wise... I never used knee boots hacking interesting to see how many people do
 
Having spent the best part of two and a half months battling with infections due to knocks behind, I am now a confirmed booter upper. Kal wears brushing boots behind and overreach boots in the field, the same for hacking and bandages for flatwork. If he's jumping he wears overreach and tendon boots.

P

P.S. He is close behind and has scars from brushing so even though he's not currently shod behind, I'd rather be safe than sorry. Also, he is a) short-coupled so has a natural overtrack and b) in eggbar shoes and has already overreached and ripped a (rather expensive) shoe off . . . so it's overreach in front.
 
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The warmblood has overreach boots for turn out and all ridden work, all round brushing boots for schooling, lunging and hacking, and tendon boots for jumping. He's clumsy and precious.

Welsh x hackney goes bare :) I ought to put front brushing boots on her really as she dishes but she never seems to knock herself and I'm lazy.
 
Sometimes mine is booted for everything... Partially because he has clean legs and would like them to stay that way!

He wears overreach boots whenever ridden or turned out as he has a tendency to step on himself.
He has lightweight tendon boots for jumping and equilibrium schooling boots on all 4 for work on the flat as we do alot of lateral work and I dont like the thought of him knocking himself.

He is also turned out in brushing boots as he is at a college and the boys can be very lively and kicky - i turn him out without them at home as I am wary of them over heating the legs/rubbing/causing generally more harm than good but when at college without them he received a nasty kick on his leg, and with them he has had no problems so far!

This is only for my boy though and Id obviously boot another horse accordingly :)
 
TigerTail said:
This is interesting - are all you worried about injuries caused by shoes? Any of you who boot barefoot?
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I see your point, but my attitude to boots has always been the same regardless whether they are shod or not. As a rule I don't boot, its important for young horses to learn where to put their feet and protecting them from the consequences by booting doesn't help, but its a risk evaluation depending on the horse.
In answer to your question, because foot balance is crucial, I'm always present for the farrier and discuss any issues that have arisen to ensure he's working with the information that might make a difference to how he trims and /or shoes.
The one that had remedial farriery would wear over reach boots for a few days after shoeing til she got used to the change, so yes, it was a direct consequence of shoes. Happily now she's fully sound and no longer needs to wear shoes and over reaching isn't a problem.

Still use knee boots on the roads when the going is slippery regardless of whether shoes are on or off. They don't restrict or over heat the leg so its worth using them as injury on tarmac can be quite severe.
 
Have never used boots on my girl, even when she was racing. Quite a lot of pacers need knee boots or over-reach boots (knee-knocking/cross-firing) as well as tendon boots. Fortunately Star keeps her legs so far apart and has such a clean stride that she never needed them. When she went to her new trainer this summer he rang me after a week and said 'umm it looks like you've forgotten to put her boots in the bag?', to which I told him she didn't need them...he seemed a bit baffled! However after working her out at the track he admitted she clearly didn't need any.

Don't bother with them at home/out hunting with her because of the above. If I had a horse that needed them, I'd be using them. Simple as.
 
Nope - how are they ever going to strengthen their tendons if there are constantly booted? I do boot for jumping as he's still a baby and over reach boots for lunging but that's it. No boots for hacking or schooling.
 
What Im wondering is if there is any correlation between leg injuries and shoes - whether its higher or not than in bf horses - entirely random lol

I dont boot as a wise old chap once said to me, aboutshoes and boots that when you add something to a horses leg it alters the way it uses said leg and tends to cause stiffness, and different usage of things further up than the bit you boot.

ATM I have no need to boot as only schooling and light hacking - have to say I think id be in two minds about it if I was doing anything more strenuous :rolleyes:
 
Quick Q- aren't the people who boot for all work and turnout worried about overheating the legs?

I am more concerned about that and the issues it can cause than strike/brushing knocks.
 
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