TO BOOT OR NOT?

The use of boots is becoming an increasingly controversial choice in our sport. Many of us will have heard about the latest research but have chosen to ‘stick with what we know’ or follow the fashions in our barn.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at the pros and cons of using boots for our horses. We’ll look at the positives and the negatives in the hope we can all make more educated decisions about when and how to use boots for our horses.

The benefits of boots

There is no doubt that boots have a place in our sport.

The primary function of any type of boot is to provide protection from trauma. Some horses that are very narrow chested, or don’t have the straightest legs, will interfere or strike the inside of one leg with the foot of the opposite leg. Others may overreach, striking the heel of a front foot with a hind foot when they take a step. This kind of trauma is more common when a horse is young, green or performing lateral movements – especially when they are first learning. There’s no doubt that, in these instances, boots provide valuable protection.

Boots will also protect your horse’s legs from external sources of trauma – such as knocking a pole when jumping or from bushes and rocks when out in the country. They may even serve to prevent ticks from attaching to your horse’s lower legs.

Finally, some evidence supports the theory that boots can provide proprioceptive feedback to your horse – meaning they can help him develop better coordination by stimulating messages to his brain about where his feet and legs are in space. A recent study showed that musculoskeletal asymmetry was improved by using a single bell boot on the weakest leg, suggesting that boots might become important tools in rehabilitation.

The downsides of boots

One of the major issues with boots is their fit. If poorly fitted, boots can easily cause trauma to the skin because of rubbing or pressure damage. At best, skin injuries of this nature are painful and irritating for the horse. At worst, these types of injuries can lead to more serious problems, such as cellulitis, if bacteria enter the underlying tissues. Sweating under boots can also lead to skin irritation or skin infections – especially if the boots are not kept clean, and the legs are not cleaned after work.

The current main concern, however, comes from recent research highlighting the potential negative effects of boots on tendons and ligaments. The increase in leg temperature that boots cause is suspected to be a risk for cell damage in the leg, particularly with regard to ligaments and tendons in the area. In the laboratory, temperatures of approximately 47 degrees Celsius can induce cell death of tendon cells.

Considering that even in horses without boots, tendons can easily reach temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius during heavy work, especially during hot conditions, it is clear why boots are a concern.

Your horse depends on airflow across the skin for temperature regulation, and boots or bandages that insulate the legs can result in a temperature increase of as much as 30%, taking the leg temperature over the deadly 47 degrees.

In the studies conducted to date, boots with heavy fleece linings and polo bandages were the type of leg protection that led to the greatest increases in temperature. Boots with openings that allow for better airflow, such as those constructed from mesh-like materials, will help keep potentially damaging temperature increases to a minimum.

If your horse really does need boots to protect his legs from trauma, the good news is that there are steps you can take to minimise the risk of permanent damage. Firstly, you can remove the horse’s boots from his legs once you no longer need them in the session, giving his legs a chance to cool down while you walk him out. Secondly, studies do indicate that damage to tendon cells can be reversed if tissues are cooled down immediately by icing or cold hosing the legs after the bandages or boots are removed.

So what should you do?

So how do you protect your horse’s legs from trauma without putting his tendons and ligaments at risk of heat injury?

The following four factors will help you decide when and how it’s best to boot.

1. Trauma risk

• Is your horse base narrow or very toed out, putting him at high risk for an interference injury?
• Is he a very young horse just starting training or just learning lateral movements?
• Does he have a very long stride and a tendency to overreach?
• Is he jumping over obstacles in this particular session?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, your horse’s legs may be at risk of traumatic injury, and protection in the form of boots should be considered.

If you answered no to all of the above, leg protection may not be necessary at all, or at least not for the session you are about to ride.

In essence, it’s not an all-or-none decision. Sometimes boots will be the right answer, and sometimes they won’t!

2. Ambient temperature

If your horse would benefit from boots on a particular day, note the ambient temperature. On very hot days, skip boots if you can get away with it and opt for a less intense training session that would reduce the risk of trauma. If you must work hard when it’s hot outside, select a pair of well-ventilated boots that allow good airflow. It is also wise to ice or cold-hose the legs after work.

3. Boot selection

The first priority when selecting boots is to ensure that they fit well and won’t rub. Check your horse’s legs carefully after every ride to make sure there are no injuries or irritations. If you notice any evidence of a rub, such as hair loss or irritated skin, give your horse a break from the boots, ensure the boots are clean and maybe even consider getting a new pair. You must also monitor these injuries closely to ensure they do not become infected.

NOTE: Some horses are sensitive to certain materials, such as neoprene. If you notice that your horse’s skin looks uniformly irritated under the boots, consider finding a pair made from different material.

Boots must also be selected based on the type of environment and footing where you will be working. If the area is wet, heavy fleece-lined boots or polo bandages are a very bad idea. If you are working in hot conditions, choose well-ventilated boots and skip the sheepskin varieties.

Selecting the optimal boots for the job can also help. For example, if your horse overreaches but doesn’t tend to interfere, consider bell boots to protect his heels instead of a full set of boots. Similarly, open-fronted boots are important for jumping as they provide heavy protection for tendons and ligaments but allow the horse awareness of the poles.

4. Boot maintenance

If your horse needs boots and you’ve selected the best ones for the job, the final step is to keep them clean! A build-up of dirt on the boot’s inside surface can increase the risk of rubs, and micro-organisms in the soil or footing where you work can increase the chances your horse will develop infections in his skin. If your boots are secured with hook-and-loop closures or buckles, ensure these attachments are still functional to reduce the risk of boots slipping or rotating on the leg and causing injury. Finally, when boots wear out – replace them!

The bottom line

The booting situation is not simply black or white. If your horse is at risk for trauma to his lower legs, whether due to the way he moves, the environment where he works, or the discipline he competes in, there is no doubt that boots are important.

However, boots can also do more harm than good, so on days when you don’t need them or when you can use them for less time, it’s advised that you take advantage of this.

Finally, cold hosing or icing the legs after a heavy work session, whether using boots or not, is an important part of the cool-down process.