I was raised in the hunter jumper world to always use leg protection on our horses. Whether it was hacking or jumping, it was always part of my routine.
My leg protection of choice was polo wraps or hard shell open-front boots for jumping
So what does the research actually say about horse leg protection? Well, this was a complicated answer. More research needs to be done in the horse-boot field and there aren't any standard procedures to test boots. This leaves the claims made by companies to be up for debate and down to the consumer to decide whether they want to believe these claims. Overall, there was not one "perfect boot" at this time.
Here's one study's take:
"In tests designed to replicate the blows caused by hitting a fence, overreaching or encountering a sharp object, Marlin said many boots and bandages provided inadequate protection at best or increased the damage at worst." Hmm, that's not a very encouraging finding.
However, there are personal accounts of boots saving horse's tendons that sliced the boot, but the leg remained intact. The research says that if one does decide on boots, that they should be very breathable and lightweight--two very difficult tasks. Boots are suggested for horses that are more likely to "interfere"--hitting themselves with their shoes or hind legs with jumping. They are also more likely to hit themselves on the fences--see below:
Been there, done that!
Boots do have pitfalls however, despite protecting against brushing and interference. First, they add weight to the leg which can impede how the horse moves and add to fatigue. Even the smallest amount of weight added makes the horse have to work that much harder to make the same movements. Couple that with being bogged down by water and sweat means an even heavier boot that the horse has to compensate for. Also, boots do increase heat to the leg which I will discuss in the polo wrap section.
So what about polo wraps, a favorite among english disciplines for flatwork, and similarly SMB style boots popular in Western disciplines?
Many of the arguments say that polo wraps support the tendons and ligaments which is absolutely false and has been disproven. The only thing polo wraps can help with is providing minor cushioning for interference and brushing. Yet polo wraps can make brushing and interference worse by widening the leg and actually causing the horse to interfere. Polo wraps and boots also heat up the legs so much that what little benefit they provide is outweighed by the negative effects of overheating the legs. An interesting find since polo's are so popular amongst top riders even for flatwork.
No boots, no interference, no problem
Personally, I don't use boots anymore, whether on trail or in the arena. Calvin doesn't interfere or overreach (back legs hitting the front legs) and therefore he does not have a physical need for boots. Science does not support the use of boots for dressage and flatwork (on the normal moving horse), so I won't continue to use them. I will admit it was a strange transition and I was paranoid about him hitting himself for a while, but all that worry was for naught. With boots, his legs would get so sweaty and without, no issues whatsoever. Also, having him barefoot helps because if he does clip himself he is hitting himself with his natural hoof and not steel. That being said, I haven't seen any damage due to riding without boots under saddle. That being said, if I were to jump him I would put some boots on to protect his legs, but I don't plan on jumping for a long time.
If you'd like to read an interesting article about the subject and decide for yourself based on science, take a look at this. I'm interested to see what boot manufacturers continue to come out with and see if there any any improvements for the high impact sports in the future.
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