Favorite type of leg protection?

Do you prefer splint boots,polo wraps,support boots or open front boots and why? Just wondering :slight_smile: wanna see everyone’s opinion

I only use leg protection when I’m jumping. And then I’m pretty religious about it with my green horses, but often jump my older horses with no boots. My preference is open front. I have no interest in support boots and don’t have the patience to put polo wraps on everyone. I’m a sucker for Eskadrons because they’re just so easy to use. I have a million other boots, but those are the ones that I always come back to.

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I use brushing boots and open fronts, not a fan of polos. If I could go without boots I would, but my horse definitely interferes on the back, and I feel better about protecting the back of his front legs in case he over reaches. The only reason I don’t always use open fronts is because I have nice leather ones and I don’t ruin them, so I save that set for lessons and shows. The rest of the time I use Majyk sport boots, which work pretty well to not retain heat.

I usually will flat in a set of Professional’s Choice brushing boots all around, just to protect him from hitting himself. They’re well ventilated and seem to hold less heat than some that I have, so they’re my favorite ones for summer. If we are hacking out I’ll slap some Woof boots on him. I don’t use polos…I’m too lazy to roll them and keep them laundered. Sometimes I’ll use open fronts for a jump school but he’s so green and jumping so tiny that I usually won’t bother.

I use polos. I use them on all four when I jump and usually just the front when I’m flatting. At shows I’ll use boots.

I don’t use boots on my horse 95% of the time. She doesn’t interfere, we don’t jump bigger than 2’6" at the moment, and even then, rarely jump. I live in Texas and with 100 degree temperatures for several months, I want to avoid making her legs any hotter. The 5% of the time that I do put boots on, it’s either Heidis or Eskadrons. I am aware I’m in the minority :smiley:

If I’m putting something on, it’s usually polos. I had a very bad experience with open front boots where I fell off and my horse’s reins got caught in the velcro of the boot and he kept pulling against it. The rein didnt break, and he almost sliced his tongue in half in a waterford. And i typically just put them on hinds unless there’s something going on up front that requires them. My current horse will have polos on all 4 when Im able to start riding him again b/c he’s got a huge reach and has been known to hit his front pasterns when hes really going, both flat and jumping.

I boot everything every ride. For flatting I use Heidis or Woofs. When I jump I use velcro open fronts like Eskadrons or Thinlines up front, and woofs behind. It takes under a minute to boot up and 30 secs to take them off.

my currently going horse thwacked himself so hard when he was a few weeks off the track he got a splint that took 8 weeks to resolve. I knew the moment it happened. He had Heidis on actually so I use thicker boots with him. And he is pinfired for splints from his track days. Protection just makes sense.

he is very good with his feet over fences but when he is “exuberant” he is less careful.

i don’t do polos unless I am at a clinic or something…they offer very little protection and the only benefit is that they look pretty for flatwork. I do like white boots on a horse with snappy knees over fences…looks sharp.

my workday boots are at least 10 years old. It is not a significant expense.

I generally don’t boot/wrap for flatwork, except for my TB who is a tad base narrow and tends to interfere. My mare wears bells on front 24/7 because she has front shoes (the others are bare). I have a pair of Equifit Multi-Tech splint boots that I jump/trail ride them in (and flat my TB). At shows I jump in Equifit open front boots and traditional ankle hind boots.

I’m not a big fan of polos as I tend to find them more trouble than they’re worth. Instead of standing wraps I’ll use the BOT quick wraps as my horses are older and seem to do well with the BOT products.

No boots on the flat (she doesn’t interfere), open fronts and hind ankle boots for show jumping to encourage carefulness but add a little protection, and bell boots plus Majyk Equipe Elite X Country boots for cross country as she has a huge stride and easily overreaches when galloping and I want protection all around over solid obstacles (plus boots that don’t hold water or heat).

I don’t think polos do anything except look nice, so don’t use them.

After showing, clinics, or cross country schooling, I use BOT standing wraps if she is going to be stabled.