I started jumping in November 2018 and am currently jumping 2’6-3ft (self taught) Do I need to be investing in a set of boots or polo wraps for the horse I have been working with?

Maybe.

Boots are favored over polos for jumping. Both only provide protection, not support. Boots give more protection than polos and can't come undone as easy. You also can't use polos if you are riding anywhere wet. Polos are harder to put on correctly. If you dont know how to wrap a leg, don't use polos.

You dont need anything in their legs to jump, especially lower heights. I generally don't jump mine in boots. I've used leg protection more when teaching laterals or changes than over fences.

They can provide protection against an overstep on landing or a knocked pole from hitting the leg. When the horse is landing and their front fetlocks are fully extended, a small amount of trauma to the back of the tendon can cause significant damage. Those kinds of accidents aren't terribly common tho.

Boots can hold heat on the legs, but for the span of a normal schooling session it shouldn't be a concern if the boots come off right afterwards.

Neither...

If the horse is moving clean and clear, not hitting himself then why are you band-aiding his body when he isn't needing it.

Boots and bandages trick the body into not conditioning itself because you applied a external something the body then learns to compensate for and rely on.
The problem comes when for some reason you don't boot or bandage and work the horse...oops.
Just pulled or strained a area where that "appliance" the horse has become accustomed to wearing...isn't.

If your horse has a issue, then treat it and work to protect the horse.
If the horse doesn't have a issue, don't give him one...
...
jmo...

If you really want to use some form of leg gear then buy some boots.
They’re way easier to put on and easier to put on correctly.
Polo wraps that aren’t put on correctly can cause damage to the leg if too tight or run the risk of unraveling and becoming a danger if they’re on too loose

I'm with @horselovinguy on this. 100%

Saying the legs depends on the structure of the boots implies that the leg is receiving support from the boots, which it doesn't. What can happen is if the legs chronically overheats then tendons are damaged enough to be susceptible to injury.

I like the fleece lined open front boots with real fleece. I've noticed that my horse's legs aren't as sweaty with those as with the neoprene lined ones. I used to use SMBs all the time as well with good luck, but I like the open fronts the best. I don't use polos very often, and like others have said, it's very important that they're wrapped correctly.

Can you show me the research that shows that boots or wraps provide SIGNIFICANT "support"?

Because I've never seen it. So this notion that wearing boots/wraps will "weaken" or cause a horse not to be "conditioned" is false. For the miniscule amount (in single digit percentages) that a boot/wrap reduces the forces of landing/loading on the fetlock joint, well, it doesn't amount to much.


Where you end up straining things is if you (for example) work a horse hard in deep footing that isn't used to deep footing. That will cause a strain.



It is up to you, but I personally like to have my horses booted up when I'm doing various things with them including jumping work, reining work, and barrel racing work for the simple purpose of physical protection (not support). While it's rare for them to step on themselves or knock a jump, I would much rather them have the physical protection on, rather than get a flesh wound or a bone bruise because they accidentatly caught themselves one time.

For the rest of my "regular" riding (which is most of the time) out on the trail, I do not boot up.

For my barrel horses I typically put them in SMB or polo wraps, but I've had a lot of experience with polo wraps. If you don't then stick with easier to install boots. For jumping I've always used something with an open front that allows the horse to feel if they do rap a pole. I also use overreach boots on my starting barrel horses until they get their footing. And the guys I know always use overreach on their ropers. I think like with all equipment that doing your research and figuring out what works for you and your horse is best. (that should just be at the standard disclaimer when anyone asks an equipment question :)