Bandages, boots, and excercise!

Hi guys, I was just wondering what you work your ponios in??
Bandages, boots or naked legs!!

My trainer says she prefers horses, whilst working on the flat, to wear no boots, as they're not allowed in dressage comps anyway, and it makes the horse use its leg, so to speak, rather than relying on the support of the boot. I have been using either boots or bandages on Duffy's front legs whilst we were building up.

Now, tonight, I decided only bell boots (She's shod on the front and really over steps so don't want her to kick her own shoes off!) and she seemed to work well enough.

Ideas and thoughts?? Thanks :)

I think you'll get the best advice from your farrier. He/she can tell--tell me about my horse better than me, anyway--if your horse is interfering or not. I do not wrap or use boots, though I have a set of bell boots. I'm more concerned about good footing. I guess. I'm going to be following this thread bc I'm planning on showing my 5 yo QH in Dressage in the future.
**Corporal munches popcorn in anticipation of good advice**

**sneaks handful of popcorn**

Well my farrier said its personal choice, really! He said despite pigeon toes, and slight dishing, she has a really clean movement, as I'm still building her up, her back and hind muscles aren't greatly developed, but she strides.. oh boy does she stride! So bell boots are staying on at the moment!! She has white fur on one of her ginger legs, where she's had boots on previously from too tight boots... NOT ME D:.. but I like the idea of strengthening her legs up on her own, but then when I start doing more medium work.. what then :O I dunno!

I AM interested in folks who show Dressage 'cause I'm not the expert here! I own several books by some pretty well know authors--some use wraps, some swear NOT to. Just watched "Dressage Symposium"
www.rfdtv.com/shows/equine/us_dressage_symposium/
And I saw mostly wrapped legs, but, as you see on the web page, THAT horse's legs are **gasp** naked.
SO...I really don't know.

**Corporal share extra bags of popcorn with Duffy**

You actually have to wrap tight enough to cut off circulation in the leg to provide any type of support with a bandage or boot. I wrap and bell boot all 4 legs for protection with the cool max no bows under all my wraps to keep the legs cooler. I'm not a huge boot fan but I like them for jumping and trails.
With a good farrier and well balanced feet the horse should not interfere, however some horses will forge due to poor balance as young horses and with correct training will grow out of it. Until then boots are a good idea.
Good luck!
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I always booted up for any jump or hack work, I was just wondering what people used...
I didn't know understand fully what my instructor told me... language barrier, so thought I'd ask on here ^^
I thought, due to there being muscle but not a WHOLE lot of muscle in the lower legs, that boots or bandages wouldn't make much difference apart from saving from knocks and bumps?
I don't put bellboots on the hind feet, she's not shod, and as far as I'm aware there is no contact? Should I be? She's six, but she's like a 3/4 year old because of her lack of training :)

Thanks anabel!!

I ride with boots on the front, but the mare I lease interferes...I'm nervous for when we actually show and I can't have her boots on.

I prefer to bandage rather than boot, just because I know how much pressure I am applying when I bandage and I know it is evenly around the leg. However booting is much quicker so if I'm in a hurry, I will boot all round with sling boots that go under the fetlock.
I like to ride with bell boots on the front legs on all horses, though my big grey TB used to be a bugger with treading on his hind feet and nicking his pasterns so he would wear bell boots all round.

As for support from boots/bandages, as Anebel said, you won't get any support of the leg in the form of support tendons or joints. They are suited to protecting against knocks.

Oh and as for competing - I always warm up with boots/bandages, and will have them taken off about 10 minutes before my test, Particularly in a competition environment, I like to have the legs protected as a horse is more likely to be a little angsty and knock himself in a warmup.

I always put splint boots on front when I ride on flat (all 4 if I do rails or small jumps). I want the bone to be protected if they hit it on yield or something.

P.S. I never put bell boots on my paint (unless trailering), however my qh has them on 24/7, so obviously I ride in them too. :)