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  Discussion on Protective boot primer
Author Message
Member:
maggienm

Posted on Monday, Jul 9, 2007 - 11:27 am:

I have some questions about protective/supportive boots; what I have always wanted to ask but never have....

If you are riding outside on trails or in brushy areas do you still use boots? Is there any liklyhood of sticks or twigs being caught in the boots?

Why do some boots cover the fetlock and some only the cannon?
Why do rear leg boots generally only cover the fetlock and not the canon?
Why are smb put on sooo tightly?
Why do smb cover the entire leg and so many other boots don't?

I know so many questions but if I feel like if I don't understand how to use boots correctly I can't recommend how to use them to students.

Thank you in advance.
Member:
canter

Posted on Monday, Jul 9, 2007 - 1:20 pm:

Hi Lori,
I think the use of boots and what they look like depends on what you are doing. For example, someone jumping would want boots to cover over the front cannon bones to protect them from banging into the jump; at the same time, shorter boots on the back end are all that is neccessary as the horse is more likely to bang a fetlock over the jump vs the rear cannons.

I use polo wraps to protect my mare, but not because she needs support of any kind but because as I fumble her through lateral work, I want to protect her from clipping herself (she wears shoes) - I am more likely to throw her off balance than a better rider.

I don't think any type of boots are neccessary for light trail work unless you are galloping across country and jumping downed trees. When I take my mare out in the open, the polos come off. She doesn't need the protection for walking through a field or on a wooded path and indeed I would be concerned that one could get stuck on something and cause a problem.

Hopefully that helps a little?
Member:
erika

Posted on Monday, Jul 9, 2007 - 1:49 pm:

I once used SMB's on a hunt and gathered up more burrs than I thought were in the entire county! Never understood that fleecy stuff on the outside...
Member:
kathleen

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 10, 2007 - 9:24 am:

I can't say that every horse needs protection while riding on the trail but I have had at least one incident where if not for the SMB, my mare would have suffered a severe injury. A deer jumped out of the trees and Mona whirled 90 degrees and landed front feet into a ditch. We were right over a culvert (sharp metal) and it scraped the backside of the boot. You can imagine the damage that could have caused. Again I am not saying that every horse needs these boots, but this is just my experience and if they save the horse from an injury just once, they are necessary for my horses.
Kathleen
Member:
maggienm

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 10, 2007 - 2:53 pm:

Wow Kathleen, sounds like a close call.

The jump boots I have seen are open in front, when I asked a jumper about this I was told it is because if bumping a jump doesn't bother the horse they don't pick up their front legs as well.

Erika, I didn't get burrs but I did get little seeds, just covered the boots, had to use a stiff brush to get them off.
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