Tendon Boots

What is the purpose of boots for horses?

Boots for horses protect the horse's sensitive leg during training or competition from injuries caused by the legs hitting against each other. Especially when training young horses and poorly balanced horses, well-padded boots serve as wound prevention as well as impact and scratch protection. In the past, it was assumed that boots supported the leg to make it more resistant. But this assumption has since been disproved.
Especially in cross-country, boots are a good way of protecting the horse's leg from branches lying around, or in show jumping, when the horse bumps into the poles. Some horses also have the habit of kicking themselves through their gait. Boots in combination with bell boots thus prevent bones, joints and tendons, which are located on the legs directly under the thin skin, from being injured.
Tendon boots offer the highest protection. But boots with soft padding, such as teddy fleece or real sheepskin, can also protect the leg sufficiently. As the cannon bones of the front legs, on which the boots sit, are usually shorter than those of the hind legs, there are boots for both front and hind legs. For the hind legs, there are also fetlock boots.
At Kramer Equestrian you can buy different types of boots, which offer a wide range of colours, materials and fastening mechanisms. In addition to the classic tendon boots with double Velcro fastening, you can also buy boots with an anatomical shape, soft chloroprene rubber and a quick-release fastening mechanism. You can also choose between functional boots for horses made of breathable mesh fabric and padded dressage boots made of synthetic leather.

Which boots are suitable for which discipline?

• Show jumping: Tendon boots, brushing boots, fetlock boots
• Dressage: Dressage boots
• Eventing: Tendon boots, brushing boots, fetlock boots, functional boots

In show jumping and eventing it is important that the horse can bend its legs without any problems and without the boots pressing into the crook of the fetlock or the bend at the knee. Therefore, the boots must leave enough space and only shield the most necessary areas. In addition, it can happen that the horse bumps his leg over the jump. Therefore, the boots should have a hard outer shell to prevent injuries.
On long distance rides or hacks, comfort for the horse is particularly important. Especially because too much heat makes the horse's leg and the structures inside it more sensitive to damage. Therefore, boots with high breathability that allow air circulation are important. For example, through special ventilation systems or through air-permeable mesh fabric.
In dressage, special dressage boots are often used that are very flexible and padded. They not only protect the horse's leg from kicking and injuring itself. Dressage boots also complete the look of the horse's outfit. If the horse tends to strike itself often, fetlock boots are recommended, which protect the leg beyond the fetlock joint.
Unlike tendon boots, brushing boots only offer increased protection at the fetlock. They are popular with many riders in different riding styles due to their lightweight construction.

Which boots should I choose for my horse?

Which boots are right for your horse depends on various factors. However, it is up to you whether you choose tendon boots, brushing boots, fetlock boots or boots with teddy fleece. They all fulfil the same purpose: to protect the horse's leg from external influences and thus prevent injuries.
If you hack a lot or practise eventing or showjumping, then air-permeable boots with a hard outer shell are recommended. To prevent the horse from sweating underneath and the tendons from becoming over-sensitive to the heat, it is important to have good air circulation, which can be achieved, for example, through spacer fabric or air slits.
If you want to complete your horse's outfit for a dressage competition, dressage boots with teddy fleece are the better choice, as you can also match them to the colour of the saddle pad and fly veil.
In Western sport, boots are often used to protect the leg from injury during hard stops with their shock-absorbing materials.

Which boots are suitable for eventing?

In contrast to dressage riding, where the look is far more important, the choice of boots for hacking or eventing is mainly about function and optimal protection. Branches, tree trunks or undergrowth lying around increase the risk of injury. Therefore, you should choose closed horse boots that also offer protection towards the front. The material should also be tear-resistant. In our shop you will find boots for cross-country use with integrated impact protection reinforcement to optimally protect the tendon system.

How are the boots put on the horse correctly?

To prevent the protective boots from slipping, pressing, chafing or causing unpleasant friction, they must be put on correctly. To put them on, put the boots on the horse's leg from behind, level with the knee (this does not apply to travel boots). Then slide the boot down the horse's leg from top to bottom until the lower end of the boot is flush with the fetlock joint. This way all the hair is smoothed out and does not stand crosswise under the boot, which could be uncomfortable for the horse. Then close the boot. This is how you can tell if you have put the boots on correctly:

• Reinforcement on the inside, fastener on the outside.
• Velcro fasteners or buckles point to the back.
• The possible protective flap covering the Velcro fasteners points downwards.
• The boot does not slip and cannot be moved easily.
• No skin is pinched, the boot does not sit so tightly that it inhibits blood and lymph flow.

Leave the boots on the horse's leg only as long as you need them. They should be taken off immediately after riding so that the lymph flow is not impeded.

How can I clean the boots for horses?

Boots have to withstand a lot, which is why they are made of hard-wearing materials. However, most styles are very easy to clean after riding:

• With a brush under a jet of water.
• Especially clean the inside of fine dust and dirt.
• For intensive cleaning, you can also put the boots in the washing machine.

You can find out how to clean dressage boots with teddy fleece or therapy boots with ceramic fibres without damaging them in our guide on leg and hoof protection care.