# A Reminder To Wear Your Boots! ~Slightly Graphic~



## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

I don't allow anyone around my horses in sandals or barefoot. At least she got to show the doctors her pretty toenails.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I get that sick to my stomach feeling just looking at that. I've been stepped on with shoes on my feet and it hurts so bad, I can't imagine going barefoot and having a horse do that to me.


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## MicKey73 (Dec 26, 2010)

Wow. I ditto tinyliny...makes me ill to look at that. Thanks for the reminder, it's starting to get hot here and I'm sure every time I get the urge to wear flipflops, I'll think of this photo. Poor girl.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

Her horse was possibly shod? I've been stepped on by my horses barefoot before, but never got a cut. I've only had maybe a small bruise from them stepping on me. But that looks so painful :/


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## Adam (Feb 6, 2012)

Thats gonna leave a mark.....


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

that looks very painful ouch 
it just goes to show you that you have to wear proper footwear 
around horses and any large animals


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Ouch! Now thats a cut


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

An unshod horse can do that kind of damage. I was stepped on back in 2009, and yes, I was wearing boots. My mare was unshod and stepped back onto my foot. When I screamed, she sat back and pivoted and got off of me. My foot and leg swelled to HUGE proportions and my boot had to be cut off. Because of my boot, she didn't cut the skin, but because it was such a severe crush injury, I ended up with compartment syndrome in my left foot and leg and almost lost my foot. I wasn't able to bear any weight or put on a shoe for over 6 months and it was almost a year before I could stand even a lace up boot on that foot. 

I have had multiple surgeries since then, and have permanent swelling in that foot and can no longer wear certain kinds of shoes because I can't get in past the swelling in my foot. I have pretty much constant pain in my foot, I lost motion and feeling in 3 toes. I can still ride, but I can't stand or walk for long periods without my foot hurting A LOT. 

So, moral of the story, wear your boots but more important pay attention to where your feet and your horse's feet are because even with a heavy leather boot on you can still end up with severe damage.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Yikes, I bet she loosed a string of curse words when that happened.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

OUch!

I am going to second DreamCatcher...

I was leading my own horse out of a mare motel on a windy day and there were some blankets hanging on one of gates. A big gust of wind came through and my horse took a big jump(he was a big bronco anyhow) and landed right on my foot, I was wearing boots, then slid off. I turned him out, sat down on the arena drag and carefully pulled my boot and sock off....three of my toenails came with it....I am usually not squimish, but something about toenails and fingernails coming out flips me out. I passed out, what a wimp! LOL.

Just last weekend, I had a little 400lb steer stomp all over me. My foot is black and blue and swelled up. I can't get a shoe, let alone a boot on right now.

So I can't even imagine going barefoot and getting stepped on.....


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## lilkitty90 (Nov 11, 2009)

over the summer its almost impossible for me to wear shoes let alone boots. i know this is a terrible thing to do but summer no matter where we go i am barefooted. even riding. its just something i do. yes its a risk i take and yes i gladly take the risk. i have been stomped and jumped on barefooted and it barely left a mark. mainly because my horses know their cues to move off and do so when asked. and i also don't let them walk around in my space. when they are in my space they stand still. its just how it is. occasionally like when bathing horses. and one doesn't like being bathed and it rears. i've had one squash my foot with their back foot while rearing and jerking back, and i don't get even a bruise. maybe because im lucky, or maybe because i have tough feet? or maybe because all of my horses are barefoot. the world shall never know.


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## SmallTownGypsy (Dec 17, 2011)

COWCHICK77 said:


> I turned him out, sat down on the arena drag and carefully pulled my boot and sock off....three of my toenails came with it....I am usually not squimish, but something about toenails and fingernails coming out flips me out. I passed out, what a wimp! LOL.


OMG! That totally freaks me out, too. I'm sure I would have passed out, as well. Wow.


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## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

I talked to a farrier that would not allow her clients to hold their own horses with improper footwear while she worked. She wasn't so strict on the rules until one particular incident. A client was wearing flip flops while holding her horse for a trim. The farrier asked her politely to get proper footwear, the client refused and insisted that she did this all the time and was perfectly safe. -famous last words... Her horse stepped on her and off popped one of her toes -literally, so gross! So the farrier would not under any pleas/arguments/insisting from clients allow anyone to hold a horse that did not wear protective footwear. Kind of like, no shirt, no shoes, no service


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I was banding in tennis shoes and got stepped on the day before a show... My entire foot turned black and blue!

I still wear tennis shoes. I do have barn shoes but sometimes I forget... it's easy to do when the barn is right at your house... sometimes I happen to be outside in my flops and then I see my horse looking cute and wander down to say hi...then climb the fence for a hug... 

I will admit, I'm scared when my toes are bare!


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## myQHpaul (Jun 25, 2009)

My barn owner won't let anyone, including her own family, into the barn with flip flops or sandals. I wear heavy duty muck boots or cowboy boots even in the summer in 90 degree heat. I have been stepped on by many horses and have been so thankful for those type of shoes.


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## PintoTess (Aug 18, 2010)

Yuck!! Thats gross!


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## Can He Star (Mar 9, 2011)

yuck thats ouchy


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## GhostwindAppaloosa (Jun 3, 2011)

Ive been stepped on in my flippy floppies. Lost a large toenail


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## Phantomcolt18 (Sep 25, 2007)

When I first saw the picture I was like "Oh my God wow that must have hurt!!" I'm guilty of wearing flip flops to the barn but now I never will again. It's not worth it.


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Yep, my trainer posted this today. So sad.


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## Casey02 (Sep 20, 2011)

I cant get over the fact that there is no skin on half her foot and her toe is cut in half  a great reminder for everyone!!


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## Calash (Mar 21, 2012)

Yikes!!!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

The tendons sticking out on top of her foot kinda made me want to hurl.


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## SmallTownGypsy (Dec 17, 2011)

Casey02 said:


> I cant get over the fact that there is no skin on half her foot and her toe is cut in half  a great reminder for everyone!!


Yeah, I'm curious about that. Did they remove her skin because it was damaged? I wouldn't thin it came on the horse's foot.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I'm willing to bet that the hoof just de-gloved her foot. That's what it looks like to me anyway.


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

Oh wow... Owwwww!!!!!


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Ow....

Yeah I don't even know how people go bareback and barefoot. I couldn't do it because I feel exposed...


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## Samstead (Dec 13, 2011)

and THAT is why we make EVERYONE wear closed toe shoes in the barn also long pants...ugh that just looks...really really painful it's shock me if the there wasn't a scar


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

I think there will be a scar 
it may take a while to mend


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## karebear444 (Feb 3, 2012)

Ouch, bigtime ouch! No one rides my horse barefoot or flip flops. Shoes or boots required


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## Casey02 (Sep 20, 2011)

I love how the tital says 'slightly graphic' haha i sure wasnt expecting this!


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## harmony624 (Oct 29, 2011)

I wear crocs when out with my horse. The second day that I had him he stepped on my foot and broke my toe. Even after that I still wear them.


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## tlkng1 (Dec 14, 2011)

Due to a couple of similar injuries at our barn, no one, including visitors, are allowed around horses, outside their stalls in the barn, with open toed shoes. I do have to laugh at some of the teens though. They wear slippers...hey, they aren't open toe but they sure aren't going to protect.

The barn would like to, but can't enforce, open toes during shows wherepeople are just observing etc. All they can do is warn and hope people have the common sense not to get near a horse wearing sandals or flip flops.


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

I always wear proper shoes around horses
whether riding or watching shows


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

When I ride I wear well worn (very old) leather paddock boots. The leather is so soft and old I really don't believe they offer me any more protection than sneakers do. 

I am not convinced that most English riders are offered much protection with their boots.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Wow. I always wear full shoes if I am going to be anywhere near a horse. Sometimes just runners, but always a full covering. There is no reason not too. I had a OTStdbd that had a terrible paddling problem even at a walk and after one day of having her, I went out and bought steel-toed running shoes (my work boots are too big for summer wear). Sure enough, she eventually nailed my foot one day, but all I did was yell at her because I was angry, not because I was hurt. Also, steel-toes are great for reminding a horse where their feet are


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

AlexS said:


> When I ride I wear well worn (very old) leather paddock boots. The leather is so soft and old I really don't believe they offer me any more protection than sneakers do.
> 
> I am not convinced that most English riders are offered much protection with their boots.


 
I feel this way about my english boots......I feel pretty safe in my western boots though, been stepped on in those before and didn't feel much.


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## Koolio (Apr 7, 2010)

I also ride motorcycles and in that sport we have a saying: ATGATT

It means All The Gear All The Time. There are countless graphic examples of riders who didn't wear appropriate attire and things went wrong (not always a crash either). The OP's picture serves as a good reminder that when we work with horses, we also need to be properly geared up. Proper footwear is probably one of the most important things we can wear around horses both in the saddle and on the ground. Unfortunately, protecting our feet is also one of those lessons that most of us have learned the hard (painful) way.


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## Missy May (Feb 18, 2012)

Wow, yee - oooouch! Bet that was fun.

I _almost_ always wear my boots, except bareback, I just can't imagine riding bareback w shod feet. 

I think if your number is up to get stepped on - its up. I have been stepped on w "full weight bearing" hoovsies twice, both times I was in soft mud and only got a bruised tootsie. However, I had the heel of my boot took the impact of my horse as he landed from jumping a bridge he felt was not engineered properly or something; that was excruciating, but by darn I had boots on!


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## loveduffy (Dec 22, 2011)

wow I feel for her, she just had her nails done :twisted:


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## Tokoneki (Mar 28, 2011)

Before bridles, boots and saddles--people rode bareback, directing horses by the mane in nothing but cloths and furs! 

I know it's dangerous, but if I pay board and my barn owner/manager tried telling me how to dress around MY horse--I'd go someplace else. It's like my landlord telling me how to decorate my apartment. 

It's simple, mind you and your horses feet...and you don't get stepped on.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Tokoneki, it's an insurance thing, a liability thing. Because we live in such a sue happy friggin country, I have to post notices on my barn and my fencing that borders every road that says "Horses are unpredictable animals, approach at your own risk". Barns and arenas have to have dress requirements to keep someone from suing the barn owner or the horse owner for exactly what happened to the girl in the picture. Both of my pastures are bordered by a road that is popular among kids on bikes and townsfolk out for their evening walk. Sometimes they stop along the fence and pet my horses. I can't stop it, my horses are friendly and people are drawn to them. If some idiot crossed under the fence onto _my_ property and got hurt by one of _my_ horses, they could sue me (and knowing our court system, probably win) and take every penny I've got, plus every one I will earn in the next 40 years.

THAT's why people post warnings, THAT's why people have clothing requirements, to cover their own ***.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

Agreed with smrobs entirely.


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## Tokoneki (Mar 28, 2011)

That's a very good point.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

Tokoneki said:


> It's simple, mind you and your horses feet...and you don't get stepped on.


Until you do!


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## RunJumpRide (Sep 29, 2011)

Ouch.
Something like that happened to me, but it wasn't as bad. 
I needed stitches though.
I was riding my Shetland bareback, and I had no shoes on. Then I fell off. Got stepped on the outside of my foot, and needed a couple stitches! I was a dumb 7 year old though. I still sometimes ride barefoot, but way less often.


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## Brittykay (Mar 20, 2012)

OUCH it hurts when a horse steps on me with shoes on! im glade i always wear boots or shoes when around horses


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