Bella Equestrian - How to choose Event Boots

Are your cross country boots putting your horse at risk?

Buying new cross country boots can be a bit daunting- there are so many different styles, materials and everyone recommends a different brand. To help you get off to a great start this season, here are some tips to choosing your new boots.

1. Fit is all important. If your boots rub or allow grit to get up inside, your horse might need some time off to allow the skin to heal. If your boots slip down around the joints during a round, they can alter your horse's stride, cause him to trip or be disctracted and is dangerous to both horse and rider. Try your boots on your horse at home when you buy them, making sure they are snug, secure, and don't move around when manipulated by hand.

2. Weight. Even the smallest addition of weight to the lower limbs of the horse makes it harder for the horse, so the lighter the boot the better your horse will travel. They also need to come home dry and not waterlogged, as some boots can retain more than 3 times their weight in water, making for a very heavy boot!

3. Non- heating. Recent research is suggesting that many horse boots retain heat around the lower limb, which is thought to be a factor in tendon injuries. Boots with Neoprene and Plastic shields are one style that is very heat retentive. Ensure your choice of boot features a breathable lining to allow heat to escape and on return from cross country ensure the boots are removed promptly and the legs cooled with water or a specific cold therapy product to help reduce the possibility of tendon damage.

4. Don't restrict the joints. As with adding weight to the lower leg, restricting the joints by having a boot that is too long, has slipped or simply fits badly alters your horse's stride and affects his way of going. This can have dire consequences when travelling at speed across country. Ensure you have a good finger width between the knee and the top of the boot when the leg is bent, and that the style of the boot allows the fetlock and hock joints to move freely.

5. Protect the lower leg from impact. Unlike showjumping where the poles come down, when hitting a cross country fence the legs take all the force of the impact. A good impact absorbing foam is needed to disperse that force and to prevent disctracting the horse mid round, as well as preventing soreness and swelling after the event. Tendon guards are also built into event boots, and the materials for these vary greatly. Ensure any boots with solid, hard sheilds fit exceptionally well, as there have been cases where the sheilds themselves have caused penetrative injuries. Look for flexible guards that will mold to the leg shape.

Remember, as Lucinda Green has said: no boot will stop 600kgs of horse- she famously rode 3* and 4* courses with no boots at all! They are a preventative measure and as such it is important to choose the right boot to keep you and your horse safe while riding across country giving you the ultimate benefit of offering you both the best possible support for your best performance!

For more information, you can watch Dr David Marlin's presentation at the 2009 US Eventing Association Annual Conference, click here.

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