leg protection for the trails

[Crazy4aOTTB]

My horse and I do mostly Hunters but I am looking to start doing some trail riding to mix things up. I don’t use boots, and occasionally use polos when riding in the ring and jumping. But I thought I should maybe use some sort of leg protection for when out on the trails to protect against briars and other things. But I am so confused about what to get, or if we need anything. I wouldn’t thing polos would be good becasue they might pick up the stickers or briars and get wet which I wouldn’t think would be good.

What if any type of leg protection do you use? Do you use both front and back leg protection?

[KIloBright]

I never use any leg protection on traiLs, and I ride in pretty rough country.
Leg protection on trails just allow stuff to get hung up in them, JMO
Unless a horse interfers, I would not use them

[beau159]

Ditto. ^^

While trail riding, the only thing I put on my one horse is bell boots because he is slightly pigeon-toed and wears shoes. My other horse has nothing while trail riding.

Also keep in mind that any sport boots build up heat and they should never be left on the legs more than 2 hours.

[One_Two_Three]

raises hand I’m guilty.

I put my pony’s woof wear brush boots on her fronts when we do the more extreme trail rides through narrow trails. She’s body clipped ear to hoof and my nervous nelly self feels like she is more exposed to getting cut up in her tendon areas. I treat her as if we’re out cross country schooling, because we do a lot of opening up, jumping logs, ditches, etc. Of course the trail rides are never more than an hour and a half or two hours, mostly because my butt can’t handle my jump saddle that long.

Good for you getting your horse out of the ring. It did wonders for my current mount. She is so much more confident, and also it gives them a break from repetitive ring work. She comes back calm collected and ready to learn. And doesn’t realize how much trail rides teach her in the process!

[Simbalism]

I use bell boots on the front feet as my mare started stepping on her front shoes and pulling them off when riding in trappy terrain. I usually use front and rear splint type boots when I know we are riding in rougher conditions to prevent her interfering She is built quite narrow. Maybe I am being a nervous Nelly, but my TB mare has such petite legs, it makes me feel better to protect them. My younger Tb mare is not built as narrow and I don’t use any thing on her.

[beowulf]

I personally think it is very important to dress appropriate to what you are doing… Leisurely stroll down a fairly straight forward trial? No boots.

However, if you are going to be slugging through bogs, walking on shoal, walking through underbrush, you do need to think about protecting your horse’s legs. Bellboots always for these endeavors if your horse has shoes. If you are doing a lot of brush with some uncertain footing, I prefer SMBs. As long as you are not galloping, there should be no ‘heat build-up’ that some people on this board complain about. I use SMBs for this type of terrain, and it does save my horse’s legs from knicks or burrs.

If you are going through thick, sloppy footing with water, ditch the SMBs for something more streamlined - I like regular Woof boots for that.

[Appsolute]

I do a lot of trail riding. From dirt roads to narrow trails, to scrambles through rocky terrain.

I prefer to NOT use boots. Just about any boot will make the horse’s leg hotter, and studies have shown hot legs are more prone to injury.

Usually (for me at least) when out trail riding, I am riding for a longer amount of time - means more time and terrain to cause boots to slip, rub or bind - and again cause heat (and in my experience, just about any boot causes heat - my horse’s legs will sweat after a short school in the arena if she has boots on).

I would ESPECIALLY avoid boots if you are going to be going through mud, wet, or soggy areas - stuff to get under the boots are cause them to slip.

In all of my years of riding, I have never had lower leg injuries from sticks or brambles - and I have done a lot of off trail “trail blazing”.

Take a look at fox hunters - they walk, trot and gallop through all kinds of conditions and generally do not use boots.

Same with endurance - most do not use boots.

Now BELL BOOTS - yes, I will use those on shod horses or one’s prone to over reaching.

[PeanutButterPony]

[QUOTE=One Two Three;7913543]
raises hand I’m guilty.

I put my pony’s woof wear brush boots on her fronts when we do the more extreme trail rides through narrow trails. She’s body clipped ear to hoof and my nervous nelly self feels like she is more exposed to getting cut up in her tendon areas. I treat her as if we’re out cross country schooling, because we do a lot of opening up, jumping logs, ditches, etc. Of course the trail rides are never more than an hour and a half or two hours, mostly because my butt can’t handle my jump saddle that long.

Good for you getting your horse out of the ring. It did wonders for my current mount. She is so much more confident, and also it gives them a break from repetitive ring work. She comes back calm collected and ready to learn. And doesn’t realize how much trail rides teach her in the process![/QUOTE]

You’re in Florida what’s extreme about Florida

I was at a trail-riding camp in South Alabama when some Floridians joined me at the table for dinner after the ride. I asked how they liked the (gentle, rolling, sandy) trails. They were very concerned about the very steep hills and difficult descents. In South (peanut country. Plantation country) Alabama. Oh I chuckled.

[Christa_P]

None for me over all kinds of trails with a variety of horses. They can get hot, slip, and get stuff caught under them causing rubs.

[gypsymare]

@Appsolute;7913854

Take a look at fox hunters - they walk, trot and gallop through all kinds of conditions and generally do not use boots.

Yep. You do NOT want boots on when going through mud bogs. Very few hunters wear boots and usually just those with known interference issues. And most of us even have studs in! GASP!! We go through everything… at speed.

[ehwaz]

I’m not a fan of boots for a horse that doesn’t interfere. Any boot will bind/rub/increase heat/slip, etc. If your horse does interfere, the smallest boot that covers the area they interfere in is the best bet, at least for endurance use.
I ride in very rough country at times, often breaking in new trail.
That said, I never clip her legs and she is a very surefooted,experienced trail horse who is careful about her feet/legs.

[ChocoMare]

Nothing, nada, nekkid legs - every ride, every time.

Been thru thick brush, scrub pine, what-a-minute-vines, pricker bushes, etc. etc. etc. She’s fine.

[One_Two_Three]

[QUOTE=PeanutButterPony;7913897]
You’re in Florida what’s extreme about Florida

I was at a trail-riding camp in South Alabama when some Floridians joined me at the table for dinner after the ride. I asked how they liked the (gentle, rolling, sandy) trails. They were very concerned about the very steep hills and difficult descents. In South (peanut country. Plantation country) Alabama. Oh I chuckled.[/QUOTE]

Going through uncut trails with thick underbrush, sharp thorns, etc. We do have woods here.

[Crazy4aOTTB]

Thanks guys!! But I was hoping to Have to go shopping for something Horse related lol

[poltroon]

I am using boots less and less as I get older. If your horse normally goes without them, going without them is fine.

When I trail ride, I often plan to be galloping, in which case boots are a little more urgent. If you decide to use some, I would look at boots that people use for eventing cross country, since those are the best able to deal with stickers and wet and the like.

[tabula_rashah]

I use woof brushing boots up front. Those things have gone through rivers, crazy mud bogs, sand, up and down mountains- and they’ve never budged. They have saved my horses’ legs from being torn up though.

[Beverley]

My first trail ride was in the 50s, first foxhunt in 1971. I have never used boots for either activity. I ‘have’ used boots short term for young horses- splint boots- and for one horse that had a short term interference problem behind, but the risks outweigh the benefits for trails and hunting IMO. I have seen far, far more horses’ legs rubbed raw or otherwise hogged up by boots (including a freak puncture wound by a twig under a boot), than I have seen horses’ legs hogged up by lack of boots.

[JLR1]

I live in the desert hence lots of cactus, prickly bushes, and rattle snakes. I have seen the damage an unplanned for run in with a cactus can do to a horses tendons. Therefore, I use a hard shell jumping type boot on trails.

[Beverley]

So far mine have survived the cactus foxhunting nekkid just fine.

[kasjordan]

My horses have been through some pretty rough stuff and I normally don’t wear anything on their legs. I do, however, sometimes put SMBs or the like on when I know we’re going in rattlesnake territory although with my luck, the strike would be below or above…