To wear leg protection/boots or no?

[Auventera_Two]

Well, I had to literally slam on the breaks once while trailering when a cow (yes, a cow) bolted out of the ditch and in front of my truck. Nobody wants to hit an 800 pound cow, so I had to lock it down. I didn’t see the cow, as she was obscured by heavy shrubs and weeds. The next thing I knew, this black and white beast was in my lane in front of my truck. Judging by the rip and the hoof marks all over my horse’s boots, her legs would have sustained some serious injuries if she weren’t wrapped. It appeared that she stepped all over herself when she was thrown forward.

Horses might be fine for 100 trailer rides, but then it’s that ONE time when you are darned glad you had the boots on.

[Gatorsgirl]

AT - Yeah… that’s why I was nervous! I am Miss-Worry-About-Everything-That-Could-Feasibly-Happen too. So… yeah.

Yeeesh… a cow in the road. Glad you had her booted and even more glad you got stopped!

[AHorseoffCourse]

I’m coming in a bit late, but here’s my experience:

I don’t ride with boots (leg boots) unless a horse demonstrates a need. On her first multi day, my arab started taking chunks out of the inside of her fetlocks, so I now ride her with back ankle boots. I was watching for it becuse she does travel a bit narrow behind.

I probably got pulled from Tevis this year because I wasn’t wearing front boots. She had a little bruise and blood on the inside of one of her fronts and was off and on lame…a rock? who knows but if I had been wearing front boots, it wouldn’t have happened. so now I’ll ride in fronts IF it’s a very rocky ride, like the Tevis.

I like Griffin’s boots - impossible to get too tight, does a good job of breathing and not geting too hot, and minimal rubs (keep them clean!).

BUT I would not put boots on a horse that did not demonstrate a need.

My 2 cents