Leg Protection?

I am of the opinion that whenever and where ever you are riding, your horse should have wraps on. (Open front boots or polo wraps, and sometimes bell boots). Obviously in hunter classes this isn't practical or possible, but that is the only time I ever ride without protectioinon my horse. The horses that I ride are all hunter/eq/jumper horses, and they all wear boots whenever they are ridden. What are you alls opinions on this?

Leg Protection?
I went in order:





Polos: The only time when you need to actually use these is when your horse is doing something that requires full lower leg and tendon protection. Having them on your horse keeps them protected because they absorb the energy of the horse landing or doing flatwork which inturn reduces shock to the joints, tendons, and overall bones. There are people on here that say they do NOTHING for jumping, but this is not true, these were the only things that kept my old gelding sound over fences. They are good for extra protection doing anytype of activity however, even trail riding. If you are dedicated to protecting your horses lower legs, I would stick with these.





Open Fronts: These are only effective for jumpers when you want them to feel with their legs when they hit a jump, but still have shock absorbtion when they land. I do not use these unless I am jumping a real big jumper, I do not feel hunters need open fronts because they normally pull their legs high enough anyway to avoid hitting the fence





Bell Boots: Are good when you have a horse who likes to pull their shoes off with their back hoof, or hit the insides or outsides of their front hoof with their back feet. I never use bell boots unless my horse really reaches with his back feet and sometimes pulls his front shoe off, or he keeps hitting his front hooves with his back hoves. I also like to use them if the horse has a quarter crack or softer hooves because it just gives overall protection of the hoof.





In conclusion, for everyday, all types of riding, I would say that you just have to use a polo wrap. These would be your best bet because they give full protection to the leg. Only use the open fronts with a jumper or a horse that likes to hit the rails with his legs to teach him, and use the bell boots if your horse has shoe pulling, hoof hitting, or hoof problems.





I hope that this helps you!
Reply:Actually, there are numerous scientific studies that say polos do not reduce concussion at all. Your best bet to do that would be a sports/medicine boot, which are proven to reduce concussion. Report It

Reply:A good boot to use is brushing boots!


If you ARE jumping you should ALWAYS use either polo wraps of some kind of boot!
Reply:I use polowraps. and im ordering professional choice front boots on the 17th. I also use bell boots, although i dont ride hunter. I think every horse should use protection.





oh i know!Its awful when you see barrel racers that use nothing. ive seen terrible accidents with tendons etc.
Reply:yes, i think that horses ridden in strenuous sports need them. a also think that everyone should use bell boots even if their horse doesn't overreach, just so that you can be assured that you won't have any once in a while accidents. i always make sure my horse is wearing overreach boots when ridden, and always wearing leg boots (smb II) while being worked hard. i don't want to risk anything.
Reply:It depends on what the horse is doing. If it's hacking around the roads, then unless it has an issue like brushing, I wouldn't bother. We never used to wrap steeple chasers legs in Europe because it's so dangerous if one comes loose but they would wear front boots for schooling over fences and that was just to protect the leg from brush and not to support them. Obviously it never hurt them as some were still racing at 12 and 13 years old and then would retire and go hunting.





A lot of the old guys claim too that it makes the legs weaker by always wearing support and the leg should be sufficiently strong enough on it's own to stand up to hard work. We used to wrap only the front legs of polo ponies for schooling, all 4 for games and nothing for exercise. A lot of the problem these days too is the way people have their horses shod which makes them more likely to overreach as the toes as so long behind. I'm from the pre - Professional Choice days and I'm not convinced that boots are that essential especially for every day riding and schooling.
Reply:I can tell you shoes are a necessity for some horses in a lot of places. We live in a place where there are more rocks than dirt. There is no way a horses hoof will stand up to rocks.


Bell boots are sometimes very necessary for horses that over reach, that's when a horses back hooves come down on heel of the front hooves, this can do real damage to a horses heel. A lot of this can be corrected by proper shoeing but this is not something to take a chance on.


Also, any of this stuff can interfere with trail riding when crossing a lot of water.
Reply:i ride everyday with sportmed. boots on her front and back legs.. why risk it.





unless of course im showing, where they arent allowed.
Reply:Well, in the winter when the ground is frozen I use polo wraps because it supports the tendon more...I forget I saw it in someones answer:P Once it gets warmer out, I usually use my open front boots with polos on the back and someitmes bell boots, or if Im working on the flat or on a trail someitmes I will just use polos, but once it is warmer out I only use the boots so she doesn't get too hot.
Reply:So don't nail heavy metal shoes to their feet. That's the sole reason boots and bandages are used - other than in polo where they may whack the legs with the ball and stick.





They don't support the limb and may in fact damage the very structures they're supposed to 'protect'.





Many different cultures depended on horses totally for thousands of year - riding them for vast distances in migration, war, trade - without leg wraps, boots and bandages - or shoes.





The reason that leg wraps are banned in dressage competitions is that it's considered the horse should have correct movement and be balanced - and therefore, even if shod, it won't whack itself or over-reach.





Much horse paraphenalia is a way of parting you from your money.





Go on be brave - go barefoot - in fact - go the whole way and become a metal free zone. Then you can find other uses for all that stuff you think is so vital - my dogs love sleeping on the horse rugs. :)
Reply:I always wear my professional choice boots (front and back) with bell boots. I dint care what I'm doing, horses are very unpredictable and always seem to get hurt doing the safest things.lol. Not only that but my horse always seems that's my horses are more clumsy then everyone Else's and seem to clip and trip on everything possible even if its just air.Not only that but you just never know what someones Else's horse is going to do or spook at and step on your leg. The only complain I have about boots are is hearing my dad complain when I take them out the washing machine but I would much rather that then caring for a hurt leg or having to stop riding because of a sprain ankle. Well yea that's what I think about boots they are total life savers!!!
Reply:I have a barrel horse, and used to use Professional's Choice splint boots, but he has just recovored (back to normal workouts for about three months) from a bad tendon injury. He was running poles at a show and hit his leg with his hind leg. He was wearing PC splint boots and the vet said they didn't help him at all.





I have still been using them (because bad boots are better then none) until I could afford new, better ones.


I recently ordered Classic Equine's Legacy boots (What my vet reccomended) and they are so much better! You can tell by looking at them.


Now I won't ride without them. I even bought my Western Pleasure horse a pair, I didn't usually use boots on him because they aren't allowed in a show, but I do know.


=]
Reply:i usaly ride with open front boots on my horses front legs and polos on her back legs and i use my bell boots when i jump. Sometimes when im only doing flat work or going on a trail i would use polos. And if you ride in the winter in the snow u should use polos to their legs more stablization.I usally use my boots becasue my horse hits on her front legs. It rele Depends what the horse is doing Hope it helps


Sarahh♥



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