Open Fronts really only belong in the Stadium Ring.
These boots were designed for Stadium only, for horses who are just starting to jump to teach them to respect the fences. When the horse hits the pole, it hurts...it seriously does hurt them, so they learn to tuck their legs up more, so that the next time, they wont hit the fence.
That is where the design of the open front comes from. So that the rider can protect the rest of the horses leg from being knocked or bumped or striked, while the open front allows the green horse to hit the fence, and learn to respect it.
So please tell me - how these boots are functional for the CC Course? These boots were never designed with CC in mind, they just are not capeable to protect the horses legs over solid obsticles that don't budge if your horse hits them. These boots are not capeable to do the job needed.
Besides, what is the point of open fronts - other than they being a fad?????
My question to those who like using these boots is - If your horse respects the fence as it is, then why need them? AND - if your horse does not respect the fences, then what business does your horse have, being out on the CC course in the first place??????
So - if your horse respects fences, then why need these useless boots aside from being a sheep, following the rest of the flock due to fad?
If your horse doesn't respect the fence, then fine - use these boots, they are valuable to your horses training.......but do so over stadum fences in the sand box, and do not step foot out on the cc course, until your horse learns to tuck accordingly.