What About Travel?
Has your horse ever cut his leg when loading in a trailer? If so, you’re not alone. Trailering is a common time for horses to be injured. In fact, many seasoned horse owners are adamant that shipping boots are essential any time a horse is loaded in a trailer. Yet most experienced commercial long-haulers refuse to allow shipping boots on the horses they haul. Why? Because just like exercise boots, shipping boots don’t come without risk. So how do you decide? It all depends on your horse and the nature of the trip you’re taking.
Protection Options
Option 1: Commercial shipping boots. Perhaps the most convenient and protective option are commercial shipping boots that extend up and over your horse’s knees and hocks, and are held in place with heavy duty hook-and-loop closures. While these boots are quick and easy to put on, they can also easily slip or fall off during travel, making them a popular choice for short trips on a well-behaved horse, and almost never allowed by commercial shippers for long-haul trips. If your horse paws, kicks, or otherwise carries on while trailering, commercial shipping boots are a poor choice. If he’s a quiet hauler, they may be a great option. If you do plan to try commercial shipping boots, make sure to acclimate your horse to them before you load up in the trailer.
Option 2: Bandages. Full leg bandages extending from the coronary bands to the knees or hocks also provide good protection if applied appropriately. When applied along with bell boots, this can be one of the safest options for your horse. For long hauls, however, bandages are also at risk for slipping or coming loose and may not be allowed by commercial shippers. They are also time consuming and require skill to apply. If proper bandaging is not solidly in your skill set, you can definitely do more harm than good with full leg bandages. Only use them if you know what you are doing.
Option 3: Exercise boots and bell boots. A full set of exercise boots with bell boots are a compromise that offers some protection to the most vulnerable parts of your horse’s legs, and are quick and easy to apply. They are more likely to stay in place than commercial shipping boots and can be useful for a horse that paws or kicks in the trailer. This is a useful option to consider for many hauling scenarios.