Instructions
Check that the support boots are clean and dry before you put them on your horse, as dirty boots can abrade your horse's legs. Pick or brush out any debris. Muddy boots should be washed and dried.
Determine which boot goes on which leg. Some manufacturers mark their boots "right" or "left." In addition, some boots have a slightly different design for front and hind legs. If no such markings are available, then fasten the Velcro on the boots and examine the shape. The side of the boots opposite where the Velcro fastens should go on the inside of your horse's legs.
Unfasten the Velcro and cup the boot around the horse's appropriate leg. Some boots have more shape to the design than others. For example, the boot might have an area that widens out for the fetlock joint (similar to your ankle), so be certain this area goes around the fetlock joint.
Pull the Velcro around the front of the horse's leg and not the back. Fasten it, starting with the top band of Velcro. Move down to the next band, but make sure you're not tightening one band more than the other.
Tighten the bottom band of Velcro last. This bottom band is often placed on the boot to provide support for the fetlock joint, which is why it is angled. Wrap the bottom band under the fetlock and back up at an angle so that it follows the line of the fetlock.
Check the tightness of the boot by sliding one finger into the top and bottom of the boot. Your finger should fit all of the way around the leg.
Repeat these steps to put a support boot on each of your horse's legs.
How to Put Support Boots on a Horse
Support boots, also referred to as "sport's medicine boots," protect a horse's legs against impact from its other legs and objects, such as jumps during riding. These boots also help prevent the tendon on the back of the leg from stretching too much. Support boots do not offer as much protection from impact as other types of boots, such as splint boots or open-front boots, which have extra layers in parts of the boots that cover more vulnerable areas of the legs. Many brands of these support boots are available now, and they are often preferred over polo wraps, as they are easier for riders to apply.