Leg wraps and boots are used for the protection of the lower legs of horses during training, shipping, and exercise, as well as for therapeutic and medical purposes to provide support for injuries or coverage of wounds. Boots are manufactured as a single unit to be applied to the leg with straps, and wraps are long elastic bandage material wrapped around and around the legs.
Boots
Modern boots are either made of synthetic materials such as neoprene and rubber with nylon straps and hook-and-loop closures, but may also be made from leather with buckled straps. Boots should be correctly fitted to each horse—if they are too tight they can cause discomfort and pressure injuries, and if too loose they may become dislodged or come off. Incorrectly fitted boots will be uncomfortable, can cause rubbing and soreness, and can impede the horse's movement. Boots should not be applied when wet or dirty because they can cause irritation and create sores. Boots intended to be used during exercise should be removed after work, and not worn for long periods.
Bell boots Bell boots or overreach boots are bell-shaped boots which encircle the horse's pastern and drape over the hoof. They help protect the back of the pastern and the heel bulbs from being injured from strikes by the toe of the hind hoof (overreaching), striking the rear of the hoof bottom (forging), and stepping on the edge of the shoe with the adjacent hoof potentially pulling it loose. Bell boots are usually made of rubber. They may be of closed design which need to be stretched and slipped over the hoof, or an open design with hook-and-loop or buckled straps. Open bell boots are easier to apply, but closed bell boots are more secure as they have no chance of slipping off. When applying closed bell boots, it is easiest to turn them inside out then slip them over the toe of the hoof. It may also help to place them in warm water so they will expand before trying to put them on. A correctly sized bell boot should just touch the ground behind the bulbs of the heel while the horse is standing. The top of the bell boot should be just loose enough to fit a finger or two between the boot and the horse's pastern. Most horses do not mind wearing bell boots and suffer no adverse effects when they are used properly. However, even a correctly fitted bell boot may chafe and cause discomfort to a horse if the material very stiff or if the horse has especially sensitive skin.
Brushing boots Brushing boots are used to protect the horses lower limbs from striking one another (known as brushing) during exercise. Brushing boots are commonly made of neoprene or breathable mesh with multiple straps (usually hook-and-loop fastening) to secure the boot around the leg. Brushing boots usually feature a reinforced strike pad on the inside of the leg. This is made of a tougher material, often a flexible plastic, compared to the rest of the boot.
Tendon/Fetlock boots Tendon boots are used to support a horse's front legs from tendon injuries. They provide support to the tendons in the rear of the horses leg, usually being made of a rigid plastic or reinforced leather. Tendon boots are commonly open-fronted, to allow the horse to feel any poles knocked down when Show jumping as well as to allow airflow to reach the legs, preventing overheating. Tendon boots fasten on the outside of the leg with multiple straps, and either hook-and-loop or pin fastenings. Pin fastenings use elastic straps with built-in metal or plastic pins that hook into reinforced eyelet holes. Closed-fronted tendon boots are often used for cross-country riding to protect the front of the leg from knocks against solid fences. Fetlock boots are a shorter version of a tendon boot, used on hind legs to protect the fetlocks from knocking into each other. Fetlock boots are usually open on the outside of the leg, fastening towards the rear of the leg. These can have either hook-and-loop or pin fastenings, and usually have one or two straps. For some show jumping classes, the rules on fetlock boot length and fastenings are very specific to ensure horse welfare so it is important for competitors to check the rules for their class.
Skid boots Skid boots are used to protect a horse's hind legs during exercise and competition, protecting the fetlocks, pasterns, and other parts of the lower leg from injury that may occur from a sliding stop. They are commonly seen on horses in western riding sports such as cutting, reining and similar events where quick stops and fast turns on the hindquarters may be required. Skid boots may be made of neoprene or leather and attached with straps.
Knee boots Knee boots, also known as knee caps and knee pads, cover the front of the knees to protect from bangs and from falls which land on the knees such as slipping on pavement. They are strapped above the knee, drape across the front of the knee, and are loosely strapped below the knee to allow for the knee to bend while still being held in position. They may be made of felt, neoprene, or leather.
Other boots There are a variety of other boot options, including brushing and tendon hybrid boots, "sports medicine" boots, and wraps designed to act similarly to a flatwork bandage.
Images of boots
Leg wraps
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