Brushing Boots: A Complete Guide

Brushing Boots: A Complete Guide

Brushing boots for horses are a staple accessory. The equestrian world is constantly developing new products, replacing old and out-of-date equipment with new, multifunctional accessories. But why have brushing boots remained a staple in our horse’s wardrobe, should your horse be wearing them, and if they are, do they fit correctly? We’ve run down a quick guide on everything you need to know about the staple accessory.

*UPDATED: 28/06/21

Equilbrium Trizone Allsport Boots

SHOP NOW >> £45.62 from www.amazon.co.uk

Woof Wear Club Brushing Boots

SHOP NOW >> £21.79 from www.amazon.co.uk

Weatherbeeta Single Lock Boots

SHOP NOW >> £30.69 from www.amazon.co.uk

As one of the most basic forms of lower leg protection, most ridden horses will benefit from wearing a pair of brushing boots, even if they are just used during more intense work or when lunging!

If you notice injury to the lower leg, such as loss of hair or minor cuts and scrapes, during normal ridden work, this is definitely a sign you should invest in some of these boots. Another tell-tale sign is, when you ride, noticing the sound of your horse’s legs ‘brushing’ together between strides. ‘Brushing’ may be more prevalent when bringing your horse back into work, as their proprioception has not been put into practice over their rest period.

Wearing boots may reduce the chances of having to pull out the first aid kit after riding. However, horse boots are not allowed to be worn when competing in dressage. They can be worn during both unaffiliated and affiliated showjumping and eventing competitions though.

Sizing can differ from brand to brand and getting the wrong size can have a detrimental effect on your horse’s way of going! So, what key features should you keep in mind when buying and fitting horse’s boots?

Measurements

Most boots offer standard sizes such as ‘pony’, ‘cob’, and ‘full’. Taking a rough measurement of the length and circumference of your horses leg, will help you estimate which sizing bracket your horse falls into.

Remember, the hind legs may need a larger size than fore legs.

Strike Pad

The strike pad sits on the inside of the leg, and usually made of more hardwearing material than the rest of the boot.

Make sure to take into account the size, shape, and material of the brushing boots strike pad before purchasing your next boot! Boots with a wide and heavy strike pad may not be suitable for horse’s with finer limbs; this causing the boots to slip down and twist during exercise.

Straps

If your horse is not the best behaved to tack up, then you want some boots which are quick and easy to take on and off. Horse boots come with a variety of strap types so make sure you find some which are suitable for your own and your horse’s safety, not just one’s which look pretty or which will complete a matching set!

Some of the items featured in this article, we may earn a commission on should you choose to buy.  If though, for whatever reason, you choose to return the item we will not. With this in mind, we aim to only give relevant recommendations and information that may help you in the decision process when choosing whether or not to buy.

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