# Boots - Tendon, Fetlock, Brushing!



## hayleymyles (17 September 2013)

This is going to sound retarded but can anyone give me a quick low down on horses boots?! Tendon? Fetlock? And brushing? Advantages and disadvantages, uses, purpose etc! 

But most of all WHY do people use them?

Do I need to? Just learning how to jump on a 15hh tb...

And overreach boots?!?!


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## Tallulabelle (17 September 2013)

I don't know a massive amount, and I could be corrected by someone with more experience, however I understand brushing boots to be just that, worn to stop a horses feet brushing and rubbing, worn when hacking etc.

Overreach boots I believe are for the hooves and sit over them, a friend rides her horse on a hack in both brushing and over reach boots, the over reach protect the hoof if a horses back legs overreach the front and cause damage by kicking the front hoof.

Not 100% on the tendon but from memory they are to protect the tendon in the horses leg, used in show jumping, xc etc.

Hope this helps!


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## hnmisty (18 September 2013)

To add to Tallulabelle's reply, no, you don't NEED to use them. I think people are slapping boots on far too readily these days. If your horse has a habit of overreaching, then overreach boots will be useful...but no point putting them on just to put them on. Overreach injuries can be nasty, so better to avoid them if it's something your horse is prone to. 

Ditto with brushing boots- as said, they protect against your horse brushing one leg with the other (can be related to conformation). However, if the horse doesn't do this, then there's no point putting them on. 

Tendon boots offer protection specifically for the tendons, and are only really used in jumping (they might offer some slight support to the tendons, I think some people think that they offer a lot of support for tendons, as they are under a lot of strain jumping, but as far as I'm aware they are mostly for protection).

Fetlock boots- again, protect the fetlock from knocks by other legs. 

If left on for a long time (eg hunting), then boots can cause overheating, as the leg can't "air" properly. Grit and dirt etc can also get in between the boot and the leg and cause rubbing. If your horse doesn't actually need them, then you are just wasting money. One argument is that by wrapping their legs up in cotton wool, the horse won't have as much self awareness of where his legs are. Hence being able to get fetlock boots- they protect the fetlock, but the horse will still learn where his foot is if he hits himself higher up the leg. 

The answer is no you don't need them- it's not a requirement. However, if your horse is prone to brushing/overreaching then yes, it's worth getting some. It's an individual choice really. I would more recommend for XC, as the fences are solid. I still remember an ex-racer at pony camp who was used to brush fences and jumped a palisade as a brush- absolutely sickening crunch of bone on solid wood, but fortunately the horse was fine and carried on...and probably learnt a lesson!


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## xgemmax (18 September 2013)

Brushing boots - used on horses who brush to stop their legs brushing together and any bumps/scrapes out hacking, usually used for hacking, lunging and xc
tendon boots - used when jumping to stop a horse striking its tendon with a back hoof
fetlock boots - used to stop fetlocks brushing together
over-reach boots - used on horses who tend to over-reach (catching their front heel with a back hoof) often to stop horses pulling a shoe. used for everything really and some people tend to put them on in the field if their horse tends to run around a lot as stops them cutting themselves/pulling a shoe

No, not all horses need boots, but a good idea to put them on horses who brush, etc. and i would always use them xc


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## hayleymyles (19 September 2013)

Ahhhhh thank you! Yes she's a very careful jumper and has great conformation, no issues with over reaching, brushing etc. not taken her xc yet due to my confidence but when I do I will be sticking a set on!! 

I just see them everywhere n look at my baby's legs and think hang on a minute, am I doing wrong or is everyone else?! Lol!

Thank you for your comments!


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