# Splint boots?



## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

Heya I can't really give you an answer as am a new owner myself but wanted to chip and say I found your post really thought inducing and subbing to see responses. I was under the impression that, as with any animal (humans for my example) that unless there has been an injury already, to avoid using things like splints unless for a specific reason? As using them can end up creating a dependency, resulting in the weakness one was hoping to prevent. Will look forward to seeing what others say!

Side question: you gonna be riding him as well? He's broke?  enjoy!


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## Layneywashere (Apr 6, 2018)

Kalraii said:


> Heya I can't really give you an answer as am a new owner myself but wanted to chip and say I found your post really thought inducing and subbing to see responses. I was under the impression that, as with any animal (humans for my example) that unless there has been an injury already, to avoid using things like splints unless for a specific reason? As using them can end up creating a dependency, resulting in the weakness one was hoping to prevent. Will look forward to seeing what others say!
> 
> Side question: you gonna be riding him as well? He's broke? 🙂 enjoy!


He’s two right now, I personally like a horse to be three before being started under saddle. I will be starting him under saddle next spring, I’m hoping he will be my reining horse. He has grown up in a pasture and will continue to be in a pasture until we start showing when he’s 4-5. I’m wanting to use boots to add some support in the beginning While he’s figuring out ground work.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Splint boots do not function to support anything. They simply provide physical protection from one leg hitting the other in the splint area; hence the name. 

Sport boots and polo wraps (when applied correctly) do provide a very small amount of support. However, the true effect really is minimal. 

When working with a young horse to start under saddle, I do NOT use anything on their legs. They aren’t going to be worked that hard that anything is necessary.

Plus, you want their legs and tendons and muscles to develop strength while growing and conditioning. 

I only use sport boots on my horses when we are schooling/competing for barrel racing or reining. Otherwise, they just have on bell boots and that’s it. 

So I don’t think you need to look for anything for your horse yet.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

One of our horses goes in splint boots because he will interfere in his excitement at looking around on trail (he doesn't need them for ring work). As @beau159 said, those boots offer no support only a small layer of protection from physical blows. 

Like any tack, fit is very important if you do choose to use boots. They need to be snug enough not to slip but not so tight as to cause rubs or issues with soft tissue. While the basic idea is the same between brands, there are different shapes and closure types and what works best will depend on the size and shape of your horse's leg. My gelding is between sizes in most brands, so finding the right boot was time consuming and frustrating (in the end, professional's choice brand work best for him).


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

beau159 said:


> Splint boots do not function to support anything. They simply provide physical protection from one leg hitting the other in the splint area; hence the name.
> 
> Sport boots and polo wraps (when applied correctly) do provide a very small amount of support. However, the true effect really is minimal.
> 
> ...


This is exactly what I was going to say. Splint boots don't support anything-- they just prevent a bruise if the horse hits himself. SMB boots provide a bit of support, but those are for use during competition. I rarely use them for training or round pen work unless the footing is slippery, then I might put them on for one session, but you don't want the horse to become dependent on them. They also cause a lot of heat in the leg, which can actually increase inflammation, so they're best used for short periods such as competition for roping, barrel racing, etc.

I put bell boots on quite a bit on my Paso as he has a tendency to step on himself, but other than that, most boots stay in the tack room a lot more than they are used.


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## Layneywashere (Apr 6, 2018)

Thank you guys for your input! This really helps, knowing splint boots won’t serve the purpose I thought.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

No boot or polo wrap offers the kind of support most think it does.
Conditioning and training are what really offer the best preventative.
You condition the entire animal, that means legs uncovered so the body uses all parts with no "crutches"...working, strengthening and conditioning all the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and bones to work together harmoniously.

Most people don't wear band-aids just to wear them...same idea.
Don't set-up the horse for a weakened area of the anatomy by applying boots...
If you have a issue, that's different... then work on resolving it from many avenues because there is a cause for it underlying.

Good luck with your youngster.
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


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## RGSportHorses (Jun 16, 2018)

Correctly wrapped polos will offer you the most support (though minimal). Beware of putting on heavy polos/boots when it's hot because heat is one of the biggest contributors to injury. If you do invest in boots, get ones that have some kind of ventilation system, steer clear of neoprene since it doesn't breathe, and take them off as soon as you can. Most boots are just designed to stop the horse from injuring itself ie. stepping on heels, brushing legs, etc.


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

I think you'll find, especially on a reining prospect, that you want his legs bare. In addition to the previous comments, it's important he learn where his legs are. Say you're teaching shoulder yielding from the ground. As one front correctly crosses over the other, he will be clumsy at first. He needs to bump himself a few times as he learns to get out of his own way. I have found in training stages that protective boots hinder more than help. 

I do use them on my older gelding when we are working on spins or turn arounds, but he's charging harder and faster than your guy will be doing for a few years. Let him bang and clomp around without boots, it's part of learning.


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## horsegirl9 (Jul 3, 2018)

Classic equine splint boots are the best. I feel like if your going to be doing turns and things of that sort then you need splint boots! But if your just riding casually or just trail riding then you don’t really need them. Most people who use splint boots usually do speed events. The bell boots are used so that the horses back hooves can’t hit the back of their front hooves and hurt them.


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## secondsummer (Oct 27, 2018)

I'm a Dressage rider, so I may not understand western much, or the practices, but I personally would always ride with boots or polos, even if they're very minimal. Horses can go without them, but it's really just a safety thing. I'd rather pay the 40 bucks for a pair of boots then a 400 plus vet bill because he hit his leg a bit too hard. Classic Equine is a more western geared brand that makes some good splint boots. On the lighter, less interfering side, I would say the All Sport Boots or Woof Wear ones would be good.


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## Jolly101 (Jul 2, 2018)

Just wanted to add that there is also research out there that suggests that certain boots that hold heat in the leg (Neoprene for example) can pose an increased risk of overuse tendon/ligament injuries due to preventing sufficient oxygen from reaching tendon cells. This isn't much of a problem if you were only using them for light work and in colder weather, but can cause micro tears with harder work or in hot weather where the leg gets over heated.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I am of the camp that says don’t use boots for regular work. That said, my main horse interferes, so I use a cross country eventing boot from Woof Wear every ride, and I love them and haven’t had any issue from using them in the heat or hard days.

If I have my choice on a horse they are bare until they are pretty advanced. Then I pull out the boots for serious practice or competition. I am not going to be stopping hard every ride, or even asking for all that much intensity in anything else...


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## QueenofFrance08 (May 16, 2017)

Agree with everyone above. I use splint boots on my mare because when she's either chasing other horses down the trail or once she gets tired near the end (from the afore mentioned activity at the beginning of the ride) she doesn't pay attention to her back feet and interferes. I didn't use them at all until she took a chunk out of one leg during a ride. She only interferes in the back so she only gets boots in the back. DH's gelding doesn't have any issues so he doesn't wear anything except his hoof boots.

I own a few pairs of SMB boots but I only use them when DH takes the horses to cattle sorting or we go to an obstacle course and that's once again just to protect them from banging themselves on something. I never put anything on my young horses because they don't need it for the light work they're doing, if they start interfering or go to sorting/obstacles/etc I would boot them.


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