What is the purpose of riding boots?

Answer 1

Depends on what kind of boots your talking about...

Competition Boots such as splint boots are used to support and prevent injury to tendons during strenuous activities such as gaming or just galloping in general. They also help prevent a horse from clipping itself on an obstacle when jumping or overreaching w/ its hind legs and also prevent injuries from impact upon landing. Helpful to use on horses that crossfire or brush their legs together occasionally.

Bell boots (or overreach boots) are to help prevent the horse from stepping on the back of their front feet and possibly tearing out an important tendon. Although it is recommended to by a no turn version that won't spin and become (1) useless and (2) uncomfortable for the horse.

Skid boots are similar to bell boots but are usually higher and used frequently in activities where the horse is required to stop quickly (such as roping) as opposed to gaming or jumping.

Not every horse needs to wear boots if they seem able to avoid clipping themselves during what ever competitive riding you do. Although some horses can even manage to do this simply having a little fun in the pasture, so I've always felt somewhat nervous about leaving them off my horse. Boots are also helpful on trails that might be a little rough and do a decent job keeping the legs clean when you are wading through a foot of mud. Just make sure you invest in a pair that is comfortable for the horse, does what it is required of what your using it for and doesn't keep your horse too warm (which isn't a problem where I live but has been for many of my friends).

Good luck :)

I have a 16hh Irish thoroughbred and he is recovering from a fetlock strain i use fetlock boot on him when jumping or doing pole work in case he hit his leg of the poles :D

Answer 2

The purpose of riding boots is to make the horseback riding safer and easier. The riding boots can have spurs that are used to control a horse while riding.