Sport boots for a horse???

ok This may seem like a silly question to some but can anyone explain to me the meaning of horse boots?? I have a front pair of proffessional choice sports med boots for my horse that I rarley use......I have gotten comments from people of why i have them on her at times?? Do horses need boots on when you are just lunging them? I do walk trot canter with my horse in the arena should i have some sort of protective wear on her legs? thanks in advance for any advice .......I know people put all the fancy stuff on their horses just becasue and i would like to know if I need anything for just plain simple pleasure riding

Sport boots for a horse???
for plain and simple riding - hacking doing walk and trot, i tend not to use boots. when i pick things up and bit and either canter or gallop, i like to use brushing boots. just standard cheap ones. if i am jumping, i use brushing boots and overreach boots.





Its best to provide some sort of protection for your horses legs when you begin to do faster and more challenging things as your horses legs are your horse - without them, you have no horse to ride.





while jumping, the horse can knock the jumps with the legs, catch the front with the rear etc so it is advisable to protect, but dont over do it.





While hacking, if canter and gallop work is planned, just fronts should be fine.





Sell your Sports med boots - too expensive and too much protection for what you need. get a pair of Woof Wear or Shires brushing boots. (back pair as well if you are jumping).





You may see people on tv with their horses booted up to the nines - this is because of what they use the horse for. my sister does showing so refuses to go anywhere without all four legs booted and protected - this is to make sure his legs dont get knocked or bashed that might out him down in the show ring.
Reply:We only use the skid boots or splint boots when the horses will be ridden hard, like at a team roping event or trail riding, depending on the terrain. We do not put them on when we are just riding in the arena to exercise them.


If I am working a horse for someone ( I green break a few now %26amp; then to keep me out of trouble)then I will place the whole she-bang on them just to get them use to having stuff like that one in case the owner decides to use them if they are needed.


I would say that general, riding in an arena or lunging I wouldn't think they would be needed...
Reply:many horses need boots to protect their legs when they're running because they rub together. But many others just use it for extra leg support and protection, this goes too for polo raps. Bell boots are for hoof protection and regular boots are for the legs and tendons.





i recommend neoprene sport boots and the neoprene regular splint boots
Reply:They wear Neighike or Reehhheheheheheebok.
Reply:It really depends on what you're doing with your horse and how "safe" you really want to be. I may get thumbs down for this, but I have to admit I don't own a pair of boots for my horses. I don't show, rodeo, jump, or compete at all, and I've never had a horse injure a leg while riding. I know accidents can always happen, but I grew up on a cattle ranch riding and training colts, and we just didn't use them. My sister had splint boots for her barrel racing horse, and that's it.





If you are roping, barrel racing, jumping, or reining--anything that requires speed, turns, etc....I would suggest using boots. Even when practicing, a horse can over-reach with it's hind legs and hit the back of the front hooves. Especially if your horses wear shoes (mine don't)...you just have to determine if the situation requires your horse to wear protective boots. A lot of people put them on their horse just for a trailer trip. I'm in no way saying you don't need them. I don't use them, but they're a good thing to use....just like riders wearing helmets. It's the safe thing to do. You decide how safe you wanna be.
Reply:No, for simple, non-strenuous pleasure riding, you don't normally need boots.





Many people put these sports boots on their horses for added leg support for strenuous activity, for instance, jumping large jumps, running cross country, endurance riding, etc.





The boots can also protect the horse's legs from hitting things they are jumping over, or from hitting one leg with another leg while they are moving. In general, the boots are for protection and support.





I would say that if you are a casual pleasure rider, not doing strenuous activities, jumping large jumps, or galloping around and doing sport activities (barrel racing, etc), and your horse hasn't had any leg injuries in the past, you probably don't need the boots.
Reply:I always put all 4 of my leg wraps on my horse because they protect her legs....horses can get badly cut if their back legs hit their front or my like sticks and other stuff. I also heard that leg wraps help from horses going lame. We also barrel race and it is highly recommended to have something there protecting their legs.
Reply:I don't use boots of any description, never have..I once used a wrap on a friends horse that I was riding because for some strange reason, it clipped itself too often when just out on the trail, so there was a distinct reason for this particular wrap. Other wise, this boot and wrapping thing is another marketing gimick that the newcomers or kids think that in order to look cool they must have them on their horse.


I can see wearing them when gaming or jumping, again...there is a reason for the protective gear, other wise forget the garb.


I haul horses regularly many times who have shoes on for many miles and many hours...never wrap and do not have a problem with the horses. I guess you might say it is a personal thing if you feel the need to use them...use them,
Reply:it all depends on the horse and what u are doing. theres different kinds too...





-bell boots cover the horse's hoof


-regular boots can be used to protect the horse's legs from hitting stuff like jumps


-polo wraps [not technically boots, but...] are for support


-shipping boots are used in the trailer for protection


...theres other kinds but those are the main ones. i use normal boots [ http://www.doversaddlery.com/woof-all-pu... ] usually, and for longing i use polos





horses dont really need any boots, but it may help them. for w/t/c all-purpose boots are fine. pleasure riding isnt as strenuous as other types, so the horse should be fine without anything.


hope that helped!
Reply:well, i use medicine boots on my horses front legs, mostly for protection and because hes heavy in front, and i use splint boots in the back because he hits his legs togther, but i think that if you horse doesnt have a problem and you're just doing WTC its not worth the risk, if you put a boot on just a little too tight your horse can bow his tendon and be out of work for months, so ... them WHEN NEEDED
Reply:I think boots are somewhat unnecessary. I have never used them on my horse. When you're competing it might be a little safer, or a vet might tell you how and when to use them for medical reasons, but other than that I wouldn't use them.
Reply:I put boots on my horses at all times. Even when turned out. They are such fragile animals you should always have boots on except in the show ring (when they're not allowed). even in trail you should wear them. What boots do is protect their legs. There are HUGE tendons on the end of their legs that can get hurt very badly. When lunging, you should always have boots on! They are quite sloppy when going in a circle. lol even a top grand prix horse needs boots when lunging. But since you do such little work, what would be suitable are some polo raps or simple front splint boots.



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