Different Types of Horse Boots

If you search for horse boots online, you will be provided with a large variety of boots for so many different applications. You need to know the purpose of purchasing a boot and the budget range that you are comfortable with when you are looking for horse boots.

The main objective of horse boots is the protection of horses’ legs from injury. You can find horse boots in pairs for the hind legs and forelegs. Foreleg boots are shorter compared to hind boots. Hind boots should be shaped to the leg. There are also certain occasions where a single boot is used. You can find horse boots that are made from different materials such as leather, sheepskin, neoprene etc. and there are different fastenings for these as well. The fastenings are what is keeping the boot in place. A type of everyday boot you will come across is brushing boots. These are used to protect the lower parts of the horse’s legs from being brushed by the opposite hoof. This also protects the legs from knocking into each other and the split bone will get a bit more protection. You can use brushing boots in any sort of setting whether they are training or doing flatwork. You can use brushing boots on all four legs. These come in soft fabric so that it contours to the leg of the horse easily with a bit of PVC reinforcement on the inside.

Bell boots are also called overreach boots and they surround the heels and the hoof of the horse. The shape of the boot resembles a bell which gives its name and it is great at protecting the hooves from strikes and overreaches. You can use these boots for training, competition, hacking, turnout etc. These are not used for dressage however. You can find these made from rubber or neoprene. Travelling boots are used for travelling as the name describes. These cover the knee all the way down to the hoof when it comes to the foreleg boots. The hind leg boots are shaped over the hock and will come down to the hoof. While lightweight materials are used for these boots, these tend to be shockproof and designed in a wraparound style.

Cross country boots have a similarity to brushing boots but they focus more on protecting the horse jumping across the country. These boots will not interfere with the movement of the horse. These are lightweight boots with high strength. These have strike guards to serve as additional protection. Cross-country boots are resistant to water so they will not absorb water even when your horse jumps into a waterway. These come with different technical specifications.Tendon boots are worn on the forelegs and the fetlock or ankle boots are worn on the hind legs. Tendon boots are also similar to brushing boots but they come with an open front. They have more reinforcement as well because they are designed to be worn when jumping. Fetlock boots are made of flexible material and they protect the fetlock joint from getting injured by brushing against the opposite hoof.