I am tired of my young horse knocking his legs/doing whatever he does.
Looking for something that will hold up to daily T/O use.
Wondering if I should get a fleece lined boot due to the fact that he is sensitive and seems like he would get rubs easily from other boots.
Any thoughts?
Chiming in because I also want to know people’s opinions. I worry the fleece lined would get wet/gross if turnout got a bit mucky. I’m also about to get turnout boots for my boy so I look forward to people’s suggestions!
I have used “Heidi” boots (that was the original name — different manufacturers who jumped on the bandwagon probably call them something else) for many years.
They are fake leather on the outside and fake fleece on the inside.
Comfortable and washable and they cost about $39
WTF!!! They are now $79!!! What a ripoff. hat’s what happens when something gets popular.
I am sure that you can find knock-offs a lot cheaper.
[B]I cannot edit my posts — sorry for so many different ones.
Stateline has a lot of boots tat are quite cheap. Anything that can be hosed off and dry overnight is fine for turning out.
Jeffers and Schneiders also have good prices
[/B]
I do worry about fake fleece getting wet and gross… That is why I was wondering what most people use and find efficient for winter and for summer (as well as affordable).
I have a pair of SmartPak’s version that I love (they are enough protection without being too stiff) and I feel like I am going to move these to his T/O boots. It would suck on sloppy winter days but summer days it wouldn’t be as bad.
I really worry about rubs. A friend of mine just noticed last night that her horses was getting rubs from her boots (they don’t have fleece). Rubs in the winter from the dirt - rubs in the summer from the sweat.
That is why I haven’t put boots on my horse until now - he keeps doing stuff to his legs and it is driving me crazy. A little extra protection from himself is worth the $30 in boots.
I will check out Jeffers and Schneiders 
thank you!
personally… and take it for what you paid for it… I would not turn out in boots at all.
Getting small scuffs and scrapes is just par for the course for a young horse – unless there is a specific medical reason (like protecting a cut / keeping a wound free of dirt, etc) I would not be trying to cover his legs.
At best, it is asking for trouble. When I was a BM I didn’t have a “no boots for T/O” policy but we did have some boarders who really wanted their horses booted 24/7… The boots caused rubs from trapped dirt, abrasions, white hairs to regrow, bumps, trapped bacteria, got lost in the paddocks daily, one horse even managed to get himself caught in the fence with the boot… and in my frank observations (which are just that, so anecdote) the horses that were booted 24/7 were more likely to develop cellulitis or extreme inflammation to tiny little cuts, always had some sort of ugly bumping/white under the boots… etc.
And that’s not including the results having constant constriction on your legs does. The other drawback is heat, and dealing with it: there have been plenty of studies on cell death in overheated tendons and plenty of studies on boots during exercise: the academic consensus is that boots can cause the tendons to overheat, causing long-lasting cell damage or death in the tendon.
If you really have to boot to protect their legs, avoid the fleece lined boots. It gets wet and cold easily and traps a lot of sand/detritus. The thinner/less bulky for the job IMHO the better, as it is usually better at dissipating heat and less constrictive. Of all the T/O boots, I think WOOF boots are some of the better ones.
Thank you for your input Beowulf - that is honestly why he doesn’t go out in boots but I am starting to feel uneasy about it because he just keeps banging his legs on stuff… we never had an issue when he was young, he is turning 6 and is now coming into “real training” time and he keeps doing something to get himself a couple extra days of rest!
I keep having split thoughts on t/o boots! I cant totally see both sides of the story but that’s why if I do end up putting him out in boots, I wanted to see people’s different sides of them. I would never have him in boots 24/7, to me that is just ridiculous.
Do you find the WOOF ones rub?
In fairness to you OP, I totally understand the reason why you want to… Heck, I even seriously considered it for one of my TBs (and started a thread on it!) that literally could not get out of his own way to save his life - it was always an unexplained, inexplicable paddock injury with him.
In the end though, if they’re doing enough damage to themselves where they are out for long periods of time, I don’t think having a boot on would have prevented it. Splints can/do happen with/without boots, as it’s more of an internal trauma than external - same with tendon injuries… Scrapes/cuts… well… if they’re superficial they may be bothering you more than the horse.
I haven’t had too many complaints with Woof boots rubbing. The best protocol I’ve seen if boots HAVE to be worn is a max of 6 hours on/off.
Wednesday I came out to give him a light hack and the same leg was swollen and it looked sort of like a splint forming. The ground has been super super hard the beginning of the week and it either was because of that or he must have kicked himself while playing (trust me, I wouldn’t put it past him). Mostly I just would like some type of protection against himself.
For turnout, I’d look at Woof boots, Boogaloo boots or All Sport Boots.
I use Boogaloo boots and have for years. I’ve also used the Woof splint boots which are fine but the Boogaloos hold up much better.
Honestly if he is getting hurt to the extent it is affecting your training/progress I would not turn this horse out. Or shorter time in a smaller individual paddock. (not sure what your current turnout situation is). Some horses just don’t do well in turn out, and I wouldn’t be comfortable leavib boots on in most situations.
[QUOTE=Training Cupid;8983991]
Honestly if he is getting hurt to the extent it is affecting your training/progress I would not turn this horse out. Or shorter time in a smaller individual paddock. (not sure what your current turnout situation is). Some horses just don’t do well in turn out, and I wouldn’t be comfortable leavib boots on in most situations.[/QUOTE]
It depends. If he’s just clumsy then maybe I’d leave him in. But he’s 6, he needs to move around, he’s still growing. If he’s not getting enough turnout then he’s probably going out and bombing around. I’d be increasing turnout.
OP, also take into consideration how mouthy/curious you’re horse is. Lots of horses can’t be turned out in front boots because they play with them, try to take them off, etc. which can lead to a far more serious injury.
I would avoid the fleece ones. Get a thin/soft pair that can be cleaned, hosed off and dried.
He gets a lot of turn out. He isn’t out there running around like crazy on most days. Maybe occasionally or if his friend leaves him and someone doesn’t know to take him in. (most people do)
He normally leaves his wraps alone so I could take a guess he won’t mess with them too much.
I’ll leave my fleece ones for riding I didn’t even think about how dirty they would get and wouldn’t be as easy to clean then others.
I use a full set of Woof boots for turnout. They have held up well, and haven’t rubbed. The only thing I worry about with those are breathability, but so far I haven’t found a better option.
I did research on these and liked the sound of them(have not used them myself!)
https://www.equifit.net/boots/product/307-multiteq-front-boot
woof double lock boots are the best I have found- agree with greywithchrome, not super breathable but clean up well and I never had a rub.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
