My current open front boots are too big for my humongous WB with delicate canon bones. My trainer recommended Veredus boots as fitting the finer boned horses, but I can’t stomach the price.
Do I really need open fronts? Do horses really hurt themselves that way, stepping on themselves? Do they need hind boots if they aren’t close behind? Wouldn’t brushing boots be okay in front?
I know several people who just use brushing/splint boots in front. If you feel like you really need the open fronts, then SURELY there is a cheaper alternative that will fit your horse just fine. Smartpak has a whole slew of open front boots that are under $100. Maybe you could try a few out and send back whatever doesn’t fit.
If your horse is shod in back, it might be good to put some on just in case they take an odd step or something and accidentally hit themselves - even I scuff myself in the leg from time to time when I run. If he’s barefoot then it’s probably less of a concern. I know some people are really against polo wraps for exercise nowadays, but those are also an option if you feel like you need some hind end protection.
A couple very affordable options that I think might work for your horse are the Roma open front boots, or these basic Horze open front boots (which I have and like): https://www.equinavia.com/horze-tendon-boots-p-19415/p . I also like their matching fetlock boots, which are very adjustable. I use these boots for schooling on a 16h TB mare I ride, and they also fit well on my fine-boned 16h Oldenburg mare. They do have more expensive options, but I’ve been using my Horze open fronts and fetlock boots at least 4 days a week for a year and a half, and they’re still in good shape.
Roma boots are the ones I have that are too big. I’m looking at brands that list a size chart so I don’t buy the wrong ones. I’ll check out Horze.
I use Eskadrons on my dainty/finely built TB. I was starting to look into cob sizes (not super easy to find), but I already had a pair of Eskadrons, tried them, and was surprised to find they fit her pretty well. If no one in you barn has a pair to try, you could probably pick up a used pair pretty cheap.
I had that idea also, and the Eskadrons were also too big. His ankle is only 11” which is cob size. He’s a huge horse so it’s hard to believe.
I found some Veredus boots at Farm House Tack that won’t break the bank. There were some LeMieux also, but they didn’t have the sizes I need for front and back in the same color, so I gave up on those.
I had to break out my Hampa boots from the '80s to outfit my current lease horse who is a mostly-TB appendix QH. The hind LeMieux boots that I have were OK, but the front ones looked like they’d be a tripping hazard. But this horse is probably more dainty that the OP’s horse. The trainers did get a good laugh out of my boots; most of the people in the barn are too young to know how old the boots are.
Have you tried the lemieux boots?
They are a little more expensive than some of the others but still way less than veredus. They come in cob size which might be what you need
You could try Shires Arma boots - looks like you can get a set of four boots for only $50 at SmartPak right now:
ARMA Open Front Boots- Value Pack (smartpakequine.com)
I have just the open front boots for my medium pony with dainty little legs.
Try cob sized. It’s what all my honies go in.
That’s a great deal, but he’s horse size in the hind.
I couldn’t figure out how to order the correct size, because the measurement on their size chart is of the boots, not the horse. These would have been a good choice, though. I like the brown.
So just for reference these fit my super dainty legged mare. It’s one of the few boots that doesn’t engulf her fetlock completely 
If you can’t find anything at all that fits height wise while not being too big around, you can get a custom pair made. There’s a leather worker, the country saddler, who will make boots to fit.
These might be worth a try. https://www.jefferspet.com/products/medium-jeffers-tendon-boots?page=2
They come in medium and large.
Having looked at the LeMieux boots in person (considered for my horse with dainty cannon bones but big ankles), I would get cob size, not horse.
I also bought some CWD velcro boots from Europe (much cheaper) in standard size 3. Maybe you could get size 2? Because of horse’s big ankles, he can’t have the bottom strap too low so the 3 strap type boots don’t work.
“This product is currently unavailable for purchase.”
So it is with a lot of things these days!
I really only use open fronts if I have a horse prone to knocking rails. And if that’s the case, I usually leave him naked so they learn not to be too casual over the fence.
What size are you jumping? Not to sound too cavalier, but I don’t usually pull out any boots at all unless they’re jumping more than 2’11, they’re wearing studs, or I’m at a show. I know it’s boarding-barn normal for people to pull out all the stops for a jumping lesson, but it’s usually unnecessary especially in the heat.
I don’t see why brushing boots wouldn’t be okay. You can pick up the fleece lined Sport Boots at Dover for like $20 when they run fall sales. They wear really well and are indestructible. If you’re not into the fleece (understandable) they do have knock-off Woof boots which are perfectly fine for schooling.
I certainly wouldn’t say horses don’t hurt themselves that way, but it is rare. Of course, it is also one of those things where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
I’m definitely a boot skeptic. However, I feel like I need to follow the trainer’s program, and that means boots.
Also, this horse had a turn out injury to his splint bone and ended up having it partially removed. I think he needs some protection considering what can happen.
My horse also needs some splint protection, and I think open fronts are a lot less hot on the legs than a lot of other options, depending some on what lining you have. The more fleece and foam, the hotter I suppose. I tend to rely more on the hard shell part for protection. Based on the scuffs I get around the fetlocks, I assume they are doing their job. I do have some sheepskin lined Eskadrons that I use sometimes just because his skin is sensitive.
Gotcha. These are definitely valid reasons to wear boots.
If you are on some tack trading pages on FB, there are a lot of second hand boots going around. I’d always make sure you get photos of the straps, but you can get a good deal on some pretty 'spency boots. I picked up a pair of open front EquiFit boots a few years ago for a steal at $60, they are around. Sadly I gave the pair away to a barn friend otherwise I’d offer them up, I ended up never using them.
Dover has a pair of open front boots – I have zero experience with this exact model, but it’s affordable and pretty highly rated. My (non-open front) Dover sport boots have been very long lived:
https://www.doversaddlery.com/open-front-boot/p/X1-04232
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