Riders: Protective Equipment: Good and bad boots

Here are some examples of brushing boots improperly applied.

There are a couple of sets of boots in the dressage tackroom that really challenge your previous conceptions of proper boot application. In particular, be mindful of the shape of the boot, rather than the direction of the fastener straps! The boots below have double straps, but it's the *inner* straps that should point toward the back, not the outer.

I'm just not a fan of this type of splint boot. They're heavily padded, ostensibly to give more protection to the inside of the horse's leg. But the padding sticks out so far that a horse is likely to strike the boot, even if he doesn't normally interfere. If he turns the boot when striking it, it could cause problems.

This pair of Woof brand boots have obviously served their purpose, but it's time for them to retire. This particular pair of boots is at least 12 years old and was used almost daily, so I'm feeling like I got my money out of them!

Back to the main protective equipment page.