Bell boots on back feet - is this really a thing?

[ybiaw]

So yesterday I went riding (!!) and there was a gal riding with me who put bell boots all around on her youngish horse.

Is this a thing? I always thought bells went on front only?

She also put the horse away for the night with bells all around - which I can almost understand if the horse is a shoe-puller. I know that some horses ship with bell boots on all 4 so they don’t rip their shoes off on the trailer. Still weird to me, but I guess I get that a little more than riding and doing gridwork with them on all 4.

I mean, I know its NOMB and of course I didn’t say anything, but is this weird to anyone else, or is it something totally normal that I’ve just never seen or noticed before??

[bambam]

I used them all around on my mare. She would interfere behind and knock herself on the inside of her hind pasterns just above the coronet band and she would not tolerate pastern boots 24/7. The bell boots provided enough protection that she stopped having constant cuts on her from where she hit and then hit it again before it could heal. It was an easy solution that worked. shrug- why don’t you just assume she has a reason?

[ybiaw]

I’d just never seen it before, bambam, so I figured I’d ask the question.

[ElisLove]

I’ve seen it, not often but I’ve seen it. I assume that it’s for shoe pullers or, as the above poster experienced, to prevent interference and injury from brushing one leg with the other.

[Kimchi]

I have considered putting 4 bell boots on my mare who moves a bit narrow and steps on her self from time to time.

[Manahmanah]

When mine had shoes he wore on all 4 24/7. He had a tendency to get riled up and cross over with his opposite hind, slicing through his coronet band. A couple times it was really bad. Once he started wearing them 24/7 the injuries stopped… sometimes he’d slice right through the rubber but no cutS.

[vxf111]

I’ve seen it done on horses who are super hyper magical shoe pullers. Sometimes it does seem to help.

[ybiaw]

Hmm. Interesting.

The more you know…

[danceronice]

I was at the Spiral Stakes in March and I noticed when they walked Conquest Typhoon over he had bells on all four under his wraps. I didn’t notice if they were off or not later (I assume so) but I figured he must like to catch himself.

[TheJenners]

[QUOTE=vxf111;8102989]
I’ve seen it done on horses who are super hyper magical shoe pullers. Sometimes it does seem to help.[/QUOTE]

I am not doing this I am not doing this I am not doing this I am not doing this I am not doing this I am not doing this

Well…Maybe I should. For the horse who I swear looks down, carefully places one foot on the side of the other and then scraaaaapes down and snags the side of the shoe, stands firmly, then liiiiifts the other foot to remove the shoe. He also takes off bell boots (non-velcro) and even took off an Easy Boot from under a bell boot. He has skillz. Wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t also dead lame without shoes all the way around. I show up the barn and he holds up a naked foot and waves it at me and makes pitiful Puss-n-Boots eyes at me. I actually wish I was a crazy anthropomorphizing horse owner, but I’m not. Photographic evidence of the pitiful.

[ryansgirl]

[QUOTE=bambam;8102774]
I used them all around on my mare. She would interfere behind and knock herself on the inside of her hind pasterns just above the coronet band and she would not tolerate pastern boots 24/7. The bell boots provided enough protection that she stopped having constant cuts on her from where she hit and then hit it again before it could heal. It was an easy solution that worked. shrug- why don’t you just assume she has a reason?[/QUOTE]

Exactly why my old TB wore bell boots on his hind feet - he’d interfere and cut himself constantly. I pulled his shoes when he retired and became a pasture pet but kept him in the bell boots. It stopped the cuts from happening.

[Big_Tag]

Somewhat commonly used to widen a horse out behind in the Standardbred racing world, particularly overseas. Sometimes one is used, sometimes two:

https://www.facebook.com/161722720547299/photos/pb.161722720547299.-2207520000.1428975859./926268484092715/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/161722720547299/photos/a.926263834093180.1073742747.161722720547299/926263864093177/?type=3&theater

[sk_pacer]

I have seen them used behind as well. Oddest thing I saw was a trotter wearing two pairs behind - the top pair were upside down. Apparently he could shred a scalper by the quarter pole so they tried the double bell boots and it worked.

[ElisLove]

I used a donut on my horse behind for a while while I was bringing him back into work so was doing a lot of walking. For some reason as he was coming back into work he was interfering behind where regular boots couldn’t help. I only needed it for a short bit, but it did it’s job.

[Forktomouth]

My friend had a horse who liked to get really close to his pasture mate and would yank his back shoes off. The horses got along really well, so the other owner just put bell boots on her horse behind (just in back!)

I doubt that’s the case here, I was just reminded of it

[big_red_ottb]

A woman I know puts bell boots on just the hinds of her mare who is quite narrow. Apparently it helps keep her from slicing herself up. She doesn’t use front bell boots, either!

[beowulf]

[QUOTE=Big_Tag;8103542]
Somewhat commonly used to widen a horse out behind in the Standardbred racing world, particularly overseas. Sometimes one is used, sometimes two:

https://www.facebook.com/161722720547299/photos/pb.161722720547299.-2207520000.1428975859./926268484092715/?type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/161722720547299/photos/a.926263834093180.1073742747.161722720547299/926263864093177/?type=3&theater[/QUOTE]

more importantly, are those knee strike plates? first one looks bizarre, second doesn’t look so crazy… what are they called?

[jen-s]

I can remember seeing someone with petal bells on all 4. Alternating colors. Not sure what was louder–the colors or the clacking! (showing my age)

[ybiaw]

[QUOTE=jen-s;8104285]
I can remember seeing someone with petal bells on all 4. Alternating colors. Not sure what was louder–the colors or the clacking! (showing my age)[/QUOTE]

OMG this is my nightmare. LOL

[sk_pacer]

[QUOTE=beowulf;8104038]
more importantly, are those knee strike plates? first one looks bizarre, second doesn’t look so crazy… what are they called?[/QUOTE]

They are called kneeboots. The first pair look like Italian brand, the second may be Protecto Skin-Tights. What is missing on the first pair are the suspenders.