Types of Horse Boots

There are a number of ways for horse owners to protect their animals' legs when they ride and train. Boots provide an excellent protection for the surprisingly delicate structures that make up the horse's legs. When choosing the type of boots you need for your horse, it is important to watch him move. This will help you determine which parts of the legs need the most protection.

  1. Splint Boots

    • The splint bones can be surprisingly delicate, especially on young horses. An injury to the splint bone can cause the horse to be laid up and unable to work for weeks or even months, so many horse owners place splint boots on their horse's front legs to provide an extra level of support and protection. These boots are often made of neoprene, and they generally fasten with Velcro or metal buckles.

    Bell Boots

    • Some horses have strides that are so long that they hit their front feet with their back hooves as they travel. This can result in injuries and wounds, especially if the horse is wearing back shoes. To avoid injury, horse owners place bell boots on their horse's front feet. These bell boots are generally made of rubber, and they fasten around the front hooves with Velcro or ties.

    Easy Boots

    • Many horse owners find that their horses only need shoes when they are traversing rough terrain. If that is the case, it can be a waste of time and money to put metal shoes on the horse every six to eight weeks. Easy boots provide the temporary protection horses need on rough and rocky trails, and when the ride is over, you can easily remove them before turning the horse out to pasture.