# Travelling horses with no boots or bandages.



## kerilli (3 June 2009)

I used to be fantatical about booting or bandaging, but a few weeks ago i took Katy's travel boots off and her whole legs were white with sweat, so since then i've travelled her with naked legs, as i'm more worried about 'cooking' her tendons! afaik the racing fraternity don't usually boot or bandage, and i never have done with youngstock. i drive carefully and don't chuck her around, and she arrives with nice cool legs. (i was told the exertion of travelling is about the same as trotting... is that wrong?)
anyway, am i mad to travel her with naked legs? i really can't decide what to do in future...


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## connie1288 (3 June 2009)

An old boss never travelled with boots, also depends on your partition arrangements, she now uses front boots.
I travelled mine home on sunday without boots on as it was so hot.
In a perfect world i travel mine with back boots and bandages in front, boots to protect hocks and they have white hocks!!


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## Dopeonarope (3 June 2009)

Mine always go 'naked'. I think bandages &amp; boots bear a higher injury risk - twisting, sweat, blood circulation ...


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## Scarlett (3 June 2009)

Nope, not mad at all.

Our three all travel with naked legs, or at the very most their brushing boots on as one is particularily hard to boot up when out at parties. Decided to do this after speaking to the trainer they came from - all exracers - who doesnt boot anything up for anything. Funnily enough my mare cut herself twice when in travel boots but hasn't had any problems when travelling without. think they cause more hassle than thay are worth.


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## kirstyhen (3 June 2009)

I'm sure I readand LG article stating that she doesn't travel with boots or bandages, although I could have made that up!

I often think about travelling Hen with leg protection, as I too am paranoid about cooking legs, but his have never been hot when I've taken them off and he often stumbles round left turns. 
If he was to travel with no leg protection I would probably put over reach boots all round, as the majority of the damage to his travel boots is around the coronet band area.


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## Cliqmo (3 June 2009)

I don't travel my youngster with them as he isn't accustomed to them and I figured it would make him fret more? 
	
	
		
		
	


	




Likewise Mum never travels her hunter with them on, but this is because he wouldn't stand still to have them removed at the meet and wouldn't stand still to have them put on afterwards either 
	
	
		
		
	


	




I would probably use boots/bandages if I was travelling with another horse as our IW510 has a rubber flap at the bottom half of the partition so the horses *could* inadvertantly stand on eachother but otherwise I don't


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## Kayfm (3 June 2009)

I just travel my sports horse in what he is competing in, overreachers, tendon boots and feltlock boots.  saves time once in there too !!!!


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## 1928sky (3 June 2009)

I like to put on overreach boots on all 4 feet as I see coronet treads as being the most likely (and instantly laming!) injury to occur, I hate travel boots they just cause accidents and injury when the horse feels restricted in them, and find you are more likely to get a sweaty and bloody mess with them than without!


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## moogrrr (3 June 2009)

Not mad at all! We used to Travel Molly in massive travel boots but when Tia was younger we never travelled her in them so eventually just stopped travelling M in them too and never started with Tia. they just get hot and sweaty legs with them on (esp Tia who is a sweaty betty at the best of times!)! Neither of them move an inch in the lorry and actually travel better without them as they get less sweaty etc.

We do generally travel there with brushing boots and over reaches on front and back but thats more so it is easier when we get there than anything else!


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## BBs (3 June 2009)

My only worry with travelling without boots is if they stand on themselves. Its rare a horse goes down on their knees/hocks its the pastern coronary band arena thats most venerable - which is why when I see people putting on boots they pull them up over their knees and hocks leaving the pastern/coronet area exposed *confused*

If its really hot I will leave legs naked but put on overreach boots instead.


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## kit279 (3 June 2009)

I don't boot or bandage - they wear over-reach boots to stop them pulling their shoes off by accident but that's it. They both travel well though.


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## silverbreeze (3 June 2009)

I just put my boots on to unload as I have had a horse lacerate her tendon sheeth on the bottom of the ramp as she stepped off very close and itad got sharp from stell shoes on it all of the time.  I also load one of mine in them as she is such a div and choses to load up the side of the ramp rather than from the bottom and sometimes catches her legs!


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## SillySausage (3 June 2009)

The lady I ride for takes her horses everywhere with nothing.

Most of them rub their tails if they're wearing bandages, so they're best without.


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## MegaBeast (3 June 2009)

I have heard that a lot of the shipping companies won't put boots on for long journeys.  Friend of mine brought her horse over from Hong Kong and he was shipped without boots.  And someone else I know in Canada nevers boots up for 12hour journeys!

Guess it depends how your horse travels.  I do use travel boots, although for short distances will just put "work" boots and overreach on to save time at the other end!


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## Hattikins (3 June 2009)

Hattie never wears boots to travel - mainly because you take your life into your own hands trying to put them on and take them off!!


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## birchave0 (3 June 2009)

my three year old travels without boots or bandages, just a tail guard.  Works fine for us


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## DW Team (3 June 2009)

On the advice of the shipping company I have just travelled my new horse all the way from Holland without any traveling kit on and he does not have a mark on him.  Few scuffed hairs on his tail.  Do not think I will use travelling kit again


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## jules89 (3 June 2009)

I don't put on boots to travel. Had a horse had a horrific accident as a boot slipped down and it sliced it's leg open as a result of trying to get it off...never again.


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## prudunce (3 June 2009)

Never used travel boots since last mare kicked side out trailer after panicking when travel boot fell down.(hole in trailer). SO i only use brushing boots and o.reach boots! wub be worried if i didnt use anything TBH. A prev mare came out of a lorry with badly cut legs yrs ago when i didnt put boots on,was out of action for wks and very sore!!!!  So brushing boots are just my preff!


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## K27 (3 June 2009)

No you're not wrong, you have to go with what suits the horse the best, one of my horses hates travel boots, he used to panic in them and sweat whilst he was travelling, without boots he's fine and travels normally as he's calmer.  occasionally I may travel him in bandages as he doesn't mind bandages but more often than not I travel him without.  My other horse on the otherhand would probably cause himself damage if I travelled him without boots! they are all different.


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## Mickeymoo (3 June 2009)

I dont use boots or bandage his tail, but recently ive had problems travelling him..  so now i've bought an equitrek and been playing with it all week.

last night i put a tail bandage on him and took him for a drive.  when i got home i put him in the stable while i parked the trailer - literally 10 minutes.. when i got to the stable he was soaked with sweat and it was really touch and go whether i had to cut the bandage off.  poor lad.  will never boot or bandage either of them again.

ps.  he travelled beautifully in the equitrek.. thank god.


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## MegaBeast (3 June 2009)

The other point re boots - I had an incident a couple of months back when my mares boot must have slipped but the trailer started snaking (whilst travelling at 55mph on dual carriageway, eek) and when I pulled over to check one of  her front boots was on the floor with all the tabs ripped off. can only assume she lost her balance whilst trying to kick it off and nearly sent us into a spin.  Scary wasn't the word for it


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## Firewell (3 June 2009)

I dont bother with travelling boots, reason for this is I get paranoid that they're going to slip down and cause trouble. I think if your horse travels well they aren't really needed.
I do put on overeach though just in case my girl tries to stand on her own foot or her foot goes under the middle partition.


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## Sarah_Jane (3 June 2009)

I guess I wouldn't risk it although there is certainly a gap in the market for breathable travel boots! I forgot to put overreach boots on Poppy in the lorry the other day (she gets bandaged to travel as can remove boots!) she then trod on herself and I had quite a nasty cut. So really wouldn't risk it. 

Also however carefully you drive there are other idiots on the road that may mean you have to break suddenly.


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## Chico Mio (3 June 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
On the advice of the shipping company I have just travelled my new horse all the way from Holland without any traveling kit on and he does not have a mark on him.  Few scuffed hairs on his tail.  Do not think I will use travelling kit again 

[/ QUOTE ]

I, too, was told not to boot or bandage by the professional guy who moved my horses.  He told me it was more trouble as horses get hot and agitated, moving around and stamping.  ALso trip was three days and it would have meant taking them on and off every time they were unloaded for the night.  They were fine when they arrived after 1400km and getting on and off the lorry three times.  I think if I was to move them myself FB would have over reach boots all round as he is a bit of a klutz.


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## SteveGG (3 June 2009)

One of ours travels with boots on.  The other one was so bad with the back boots and would stamp around in the lorry so we just took them off.  This was not an easy decision as this is a horse that broke a splint bone competing XC.  Since we have taken the boots off she travels so much better.


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## ridewell (3 June 2009)

a horse i ride looks so like your big grey on the right!


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## Bossanova (3 June 2009)

Moon goes everywhere bare-legged, she travels much better that way


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## OneInAMillion (3 June 2009)

Well I would personally recommend boots.
One of my friends was loading her horse and it is the easiest thing to load. 16.2hh fully fit eventer and her 3 year old sister could load it. She was going out and as usual it was plodding up the ramp slipped slightly and sliced its tendon in half on the side of the ramp :O.
So this is why I  won't travel without them


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## Stateside (3 June 2009)

I used to work for BBA for short time and if the horse had boots or tail bandage on when we pick it up they were taken off. every horse went naked,Never had a problem while I worked there.My horses just travel in a tail bandage and any boots they compeat in.


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## henryhorn (3 June 2009)

We often just use front boots because they are more likely to tread on their front legs with their back.
In really hot weather bandages seem better or none at all.


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## Eventerlad15 (3 June 2009)

I normally do, I would be worried something would happen if I didn't!

But in the hot weather, for shoet journeys then I wouldn't use big boots and get the horses legs hot no.


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## ridewell (3 June 2009)

Mostly one owner I ride for doesnt use boots, and for 6 years we have been fine. However, we have had two instances of minor injury. One time her gelding skinned all his leg when he wasnt wearing them, but having said that, another time he was wearing boots, he ripped them off and still scraped himself.

I agree with various previous comments regarding brushing boots and overreach boots are a good idea, if travel boots upsetting for horse. 

I think driving well. and with a good traveller the risk is low, and no boots is fine, however, a horse thats easily upset should have some very sturdy boots if possible.


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## wizoz (3 June 2009)

Gosh, it's interesting to see how many people don't put anything on! I do boot up, always have. All of my horses have travelled well in them, none have ever sweated up. The only time anything untoward happened was when we got our lorry, my boy at the time didn't like the way I travelled him in it, so started kicking like a mule, by the time i'd got to the event, his boot was half off and he was stood on it, not that it bothered him, he was more pissed off about his travel arrangements. Once I'd sussed what was wrong, he liked a lot of space, he was fine.

I have done a very short journey with just brushing boots on though.


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## millitiger (3 June 2009)

i bandage instead of boot as i don't like the idea of them slipping down.
can be a little hairy at the other end with an excitable youngster but i would rather that than boots slip


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## spookypony (3 June 2009)

Mine travels naked. He seems quite content. I've seen quite a few horses standing on boots that have slipped; can't be good for helping them keep their balance!


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## icestationzebra (3 June 2009)

I have only travelled my mare once without travel boots and that was for a 5 minute journey to a hunt meet.  She struck into herself and although it was very minor I vowed that I would never leave them off again.  It doesn't matter how carefully you drive it is other drivers that might cause you to swerve or brake sharply which might unbalance the horse.  I also very rarely take travel boots off on the lorry in case of a stumble on the ramp......


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## CaleruxShearer (3 June 2009)

I travel him in front boots but not back, I find with back boots on he sits down! Literally like a dog. The very first time he did it was the first time I travelled him and we were on our way to Keysoe (when he arrived he was sans boots ) and we got from Welwyn all the way up the A1 to about Baldock and there was an almighty thump in the trailer and the whole thing rocked. Now dad always drives the trailer really carefully but I was sat in the front terrified that my horse had dropped dead... However pulled over in a layby, opened the jockey door and he was sat looking at me like a dog. On the way home from Keysoe he did exactly the same.Didn't twig it was the back boots until about three journeys later when I had torn the strao off one so wasn't using them that it was the boots. Anyway he now travels with front boots only and is much happier


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## rara007 (3 June 2009)

We don't tend to use boots, and when travelling internationally we are alway recomended to have no boots, by all the top people (Eventing team crew 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 people, as well as driving ). I do put them on Pips back legs for jorneys up to an hour, or wiggley ones as he is so dim he cuts himself, but for long journeys I leave them off. Dads little ones never have boots as they hate them, and traveled extensively without them before we had them with no problems.


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## Bubblegum (3 June 2009)

Both of our have travelling 'issues'...after much 'trying this and that' we realised..they both hate boots!
Now we travel them in polo bandages. Their legs never feel warm when we unload. I really think that loading &amp; unloading cause the most injuries... and our horses just couldn't walk normally in travel boots..and stumbled terribly when going on and off the lorry.
We use polo bandages a lot for general riding...so they are very used to the feel of them.
Our chestnut horse also objects to tail bandages..and we have to make sure it is not too tight...as he really objects, but he does lean on his tail so we do use one still.


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## wench (3 June 2009)

no boots on my horsie... they slip down and you cant get them on the back!


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## Nando (3 June 2009)

Very much personal (and horse) preference I think, don't think there is a right or wrong way to travel them.

My mark todd travel boots have a light breathable mesh in them, as opposed to the silk type lining...never have hot legs - however this lining seems to be few and far between which is odd as they are so good


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## MandyMoo (3 June 2009)

i don't use travel boots 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 i think travel boots can cause more damage because of if they slip/restrict movement/cause sweating/''cook'' tendons, and my horses hate wearing them anyways, lol

iv never bothered and never had a problem 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 xx


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## MillbrookSong (3 June 2009)

Song always has NEW front and back boots (front bandages on the way back when he has clay on). Gogs had front bandages on and Buster up until he had back shoes on only had front Bandages. I travelled him once when he had his shoes on without backs and he sliced his leg open so now hes in boots behind.

TBH its all personal preference and what ever your happy with. I work for a well known racehorse trainer and i was slightly horrified when i started 5 years ago that everything only had front bandages on and a tail bandage but ive got used to it now and just adapted it for my boys at home.


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## amandaco2 (3 June 2009)

i travel mine in boots
the youngster cut her leg on delivery as the partition spooked her and she had no protection on. plus she has white legs and does poop in the box!
my older mare always travelled with them on.
the baby went naked as a foal as her legs were far too spindly to safely wrap anyway.she will be acustomed to the boots and the feeling of them well before she wears them out.


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## Jane_Lou (3 June 2009)

B &amp; J always travel in boots all round (Mark Todd) I have never had any problems with hot/sweaty legs. Leaps hated boots so always travelled in bandages.
If they have to stand on the lorry when we arrive on hot days we always remove the boots all round.


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## ecrozier (3 June 2009)

Interesting post! When I used to travel J on his own on a trailer with no partition, I didn't boot apart from brushing boots. With another horse, and now we have a lorry, I use mark todd travel boots all round.  He never really moves, none of his boots have ever slipped at all, and he has never ever sweated underneath them, but then being arab, he rarely sweats at the best of times!!
Collecting youngster in 2 weeks, think will pop overreach boots on all 4 legs and leave it at that as he has never worn any boots at all and is unshod!


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## kerilli (3 June 2009)

thanks for replies everyone, i'll put overreach boots on all round from now on, and maybe boots for loading and unloading.
interesting about the Mark Todd travel boots with mesh lining - mine have the silky lining and that's what made her sweat up so badly...


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## Azabache (3 June 2009)

My boy travelled 5 days from Spain with nothing on. Shipping company said that boots have a habit of slipping and cause more problems. He was on a massive truck though that carried 16 horses, so I figured he wouldn't get chucked round v much. I travel him in a trailer so put on over reach boots and medicine boots, although lately after a hard comp , I've swapped the boots for his thermatex wraps on the way home. If i'm doing a v long journey (2 hours +) then I tend to bandage for extra support. Travel boots never look to me like they give much support, just protection. Have to say I'm not a fan of them.


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## LEC (3 June 2009)

I will not travel without boots have seen some horrifically unlucky accidents. In Mark Todds autobiog he mentions how a horse was written off having an accident coming off the lorry. It seems to be the actual unloading that all the accidents happen. 

What about air cooled brushing boots?


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## wizzi901 (3 June 2009)

slate me if you like but travel none of mine other than miniatures who have weeny legs and weeny boots, nothing on at all.  

Some insurers especially those of horse transporters will not allow transporters to use boots or bandages as they have caused so many accidents.

Sounds bad I know but first hand, mine travel better without them.   I think if i had a trailer I would be tempted to boot and thats really odd as i cant give an explanation as to why but with a lorry at least your horse is higher off the ground shoudl something happen to the floor etc.

I am sure some fluffies wont like to hear and say that my horses could injure themselves and as one who had accident with a lorry last year on M23 ponies at the time WERE booted!!

Boots would not have made much difference at all, replacement transport would not allow them on his box due to insurance and the accidents he has seen with boots etc.

From that day, never used them.  (Oldie never had them he kicked hell out of lorries and trailers with them on).


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## Ferdinase514 (3 June 2009)

Finn wont wear travel boots. Mostly I bandage and put OR boots on, but quite frequently he goes naked, esp if hot.


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## monkeymad (3 June 2009)

I would be too worried to travel without boots on to be honest.  I am awaiting for some eqi-n-ice cool travel boots to arrive, will let u know what they're like!


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## dieseldog (3 June 2009)

I always travel in boots as I didn't use to until some idiot pulled out in front of us and we had to slam the brakes on and the horse cut his leg on the partition.

It's alright you driving carefully, it is the other people you have to worry about


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## Laafet (3 June 2009)

I have read all these comments with great interest. I have always been a travel boots and tail bag person from having Murphy my grey, who was very easy going if terrible loader to begin with. Tarquin is whole different kettle of fish, he sweats a lot, is sometimes a terrible loader and traveller. I gave up trying to load him in travel boots as he sweated loads and was kicking out at the sweat. I initially travelled him in his boots that I was going to work him in as he is also such a fidget to tack up so was travelling tacked up too. He is better now and on the whole travels to the venue in his boots and usually over reaches but comes home naked. I studied Equine Science so am very aware of over heating tendons and also have worked professionally with horses for 7 years or so and rarely rugged or booted horses for travel. In fact when Murphy came back from Ireland when we went over for training he was the only horse with travel boots on (but he was the only horse not sweating!).
However, what I was getting at is that I am frowned upon at the livery yard for not putting proper travel boots on my horse for travelling. Glad there are more out there like me.


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## punk (3 June 2009)

PLEASE see my post on the 'travelling problems suddenly' (or something like that) post on this site.  There is so much danger of them slipping, and the horse putting another foot on, thus rendering them unable to lift that foot on the next corner - understandably causes panic!!!!!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	





I only use travel boots that can be secured really well, particularly around the fetlock!!!!


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## Baggybreeches (3 June 2009)

I travel mine with naked legs, always have done, the only exception being ancient old jumping pony who was bandaged.
And *touch wood* have never had any problems. If your transport is safe and the horses travel well I can't really see the point in bandaging and don't get me started on travel boots.
The most dangerous part is loading and unloading and in my experience bandages have done little to protect the horrid things that can occur at that time if the worst happpens.


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## scally (4 June 2009)

The most dangerous part of tranporting a horse is loading and unloading so boots are wise for this, apart from this it has actually been proven that boots and bandages cause more problems, and do not save legs from injury it is just a fad that became popular.  It was in a 1996 copy of H&amp;H.

I never travel with boots or bandages, it heats the tendons, the added thickness the horses arent aware where there legs are and the additional movement problems they all show, in an emergency situation, there legs wont work properly.

The marketing companies wont like it, but boots are a gimick that everyone jumped on and they make a lot of money out of them.


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## Starbucks (4 June 2009)

Haven't read the whole thread, but we've (me and parents) haven't used boots or bandages for over 30 years and never had any injuries - although the odd shoes off.

Dad builds our boxes though and they are very nice for the horses.


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## UncleJr (4 June 2009)

I use bandages. After a bad experience last year that put me three months off, now I always use over reach boots as well.


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## Ranyhyn (4 June 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
The other point re boots - I had an incident a couple of months back when my mares boot must have slipped but the trailer started snaking (whilst travelling at 55mph on dual carriageway, eek) and when I pulled over to check one of  her front boots was on the floor with all the tabs ripped off. can only assume she lost her balance whilst trying to kick it off and nearly sent us into a spin.  Scary wasn't the word for it 

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly the same thing happened on our way to our last comp, I had booted Ed up and was travelling behind the trailer when it started snaking, when we got to the event he had one of his boots on the floor-needless to say he'd snaked the trailer in his efforts to get it off.

I am seriously considering using o/r and brushing boots all round after reading this thread.


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## Safina (4 June 2009)

Mine travels with boots - they've never caused a problem and she's got a histpry of treading on herself so that works for her.

I know plenty that travel naked and I've done this in the past. I think its just one of those decisions where you have to judge each situation on its own and take the best action for each horse.


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## fruity (4 June 2009)

I used to be a travel boot fan until my mare freaked when hers slipped down. She caused herself an injury trying to get them off so i put brushing boots and over reach boots allround now and she seems so much happier. I think whatever suits your horse really.


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## MagicMo (4 June 2009)

After 12 years of travelling quite happily in boots my horse managed to get himself tangled up in his back boots recently. He is normally a very calm horse but he was absolutely frantic and had cut his legs scrabbling for balance. 

It has now taken a while to get him happy to travel again  
	
	
		
		
	


	





I won't ever be using travelling boots again.


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