Hey guys. I have been looking on getting some new leg protection for my ottb gelding and I am unsure what route to go. Polo wraps are just too hot. He is ridden in a pasture where sticks might get his legs so I think it’s necessary. It gets up to 100 degrees with 100% humidity so I need to be sure his legs don’t get too hot. So no fleece or sheepskin. He doesn’t interfere at all. I looked at Tekna boots, equilibrium wraps, woof boots, and centaur boots. Any suggestions?? At least under $100 for fronts please. (;
Thanks!
I’m on the Gulf Coast, and I love the Equilibrium Stretch&Flex Flatwork wraps. (The training wraps cover more of the leg & ankle, like Professional’s Choice boots)
Thank you! There were mixed reviews on Dover so that’s good to hear. They look nice.
I have them in black for every day, and white for clinics/show warmup.
Sheepskin is going to breath way better then any man-made material. Most of the boots you listed as an option use neoprene and that stuff gets SUPER hot.
I also like the Equilibrium Wraps. It’s the only thing I put on my horses legs during the hot and humid summer months here in the south. They are made of neoprene but have air holes throughout.
[QUOTE=Justmyluck;7552990]
Sheepskin is going to breath way better then any man-made material. Most of the boots you listed as an option use neoprene and that stuff gets SUPER hot.[/QUOTE]
Yep. Sheepskin and 100% wool fleece are designed to breathe and cool the legs. Neoprene creats heat.
I use the Toklat wool-fleece lined Valena dressage boots…however, I live in the great white north so 100 degree heat and 100% humidity has us both in the shade complaining about the weather and sipping on cool drinks. Nevertheless, neoprene does not touch my horse’s body…
I love the eskadron training bandages over climatex pads. The pads wick moisture away and the elastic wraps give good support. My boy’s legs are much cooler in these than in regular polo wraps.
[QUOTE=Justmyluck;7552990]
Sheepskin is going to breath way better then any man-made material. Most of the boots you listed as an option use neoprene and that stuff gets SUPER hot.[/QUOTE]
Good to know! Thanks! What if the horse is prone to rain rot though on the legs? I keep up with it but sometimes it pops up. Would the sheepskin hold the fungus? Just wondering because I have no idea. Thanks!
And regular fleece is not as breathable as wool fleece and sheepskin? Just making sure since there is a significant price difference. The Valena dressage boots are nice also!
Sheepskin or wool is going to be better for funky legs than neoprene. I don’t use neoprene partly because of that. And, really, I don’t find even synthetic fleece boots that hot. I feel they breathe better than neoprene and other smooth lining boots.
T-foam boots may be another option. They are also good for funky skin.
All that being said, nothing is going to be all that cool in weather like that.
I live in Florida and I love those : http://www.equilibriumproducts.com/leg_protection/tri_zonereg_all_sports_boot/
They are super cool for the legs, I use mine everyday and offer good protection. I have had mine for 3 years.
I’ve been using Equilibrium boots for 10 years, and my original set is still going. They wash well, dry amazingly, and don’t heat legs.
Real sheepskin is wool, which is ‘nature’s dryfit’. 
The valena boots are made of wool and keep legs cooler than most other fake fleece or neoprene boots. You might also want to look into the people on horses boots which are real sheepskin.
I have the Valena sheepskin boots in the cream color and LOVE them. To me, they seem to wash up better than the fleece ones do and seem to stay flufflier longer, even with using a pet brush to “re-fluff.”
[QUOTE=WannabeDQ;7553073]
I also like the Equilibrium Wraps. It’s the only thing I put on my horses legs during the hot and humid summer months here in the south. They are made of neoprene but have air holes throughout.[/QUOTE]
Do you find they sweat? Or do the holes make a good difference, and help that?
My horse’s legs sweat the least in these boots compared to all my other boots and wraps.
It was 90 degrees, full sun and humid here today and my horse had a some sweat patches on his fronts, hinds were dry. He was soaked with sweat under his saddle and had some sweat patches on his neck. I have other boots that are neoprene and they sweat/heat horribly, so I assume it is the air holes that make the difference? Anyway to answer the question, yes you will find some sweat under the boot but significantly less than normal boots. At least, that is my experience with them.
FYI - they run a little big.
The equilibrium have been my choice for several years - I really think they breathe the best but I have not tried sheepskin boots. I don’t like fleecy boots as I feel like they get sand stuck in them and that can irritate the leg. I never have sand inside my equilibriums and they wear like iron.
I use the equilibrium stretch and flex bandages and eskadron climatex bandages.
They are breathable and do not cause my horse’s legs to over heat. the eskadrons come in lots of nice colours too!
If you are worried about sticks getting his legs, then I would be even more worried about sticks and debris getting in/under the boots, especially anything fleecy. Since he doesn’t interfer, I would seriously consider going without boots. Your chances of problems is probably a whole lot less.
