How to Fit Sports Medicine Boots

Sports medicine boots, sometimes called support boots, protect a horse’s legs against impact from its other legs or objects like jumps. They are also used to help prevent the over-stretching of the tendon on the back of the horse’s leg. Sports medicine boots, usually made of neoprene lined with soft padding, wrap around the horse’s lower leg and are equipped with a support strap under the fetlock. Some boots are even available with an attached bell boot for complete leg protection.

The purpose of sports medicine boots is to absorb the impact as the horse’s hoof hits the ground. This minimizes the risk of injury to the tendon and ligament. Support boots, however, do not provide the same type of impact protection as splint boots or open-front boots; these particular boots are made with extra layers that cover the more vulnerable areas of the legs.

More and more veterinarians are prescribing sports medicine boots for horses that have experienced a bowed tendon or ligament injury as well as for horses with arthritis. According to a recent study by the Equine Sports Medicine Laboratory at Oklahoma State University, sports medicine boots absorb an average of 26% of energy and up to as much as 45% of energy from hoof impact, while also preventing hyperextension of the fetlock.

Another reason why riders and horse owners love sports medicine boots is because they are relatively easy to apply, provided you know how to do so. The experts at Professional’s Choice® put together this step-by-step guide on the correct method for applying a sports medicine boot to a horse.

Step 1

Once you have your new pair of Sports Medicine Boots place the open boot around the horse’s leg with the logo on the front of the leg and the hook and loop fasteners facing the outside of the horse’s leg as shown. For the easiest application make sure the fasteners are doubled backward and sticking to the fabric.

Step 2

Holding the bottom suspensory strap, attach the first hook fastener just above the suspensory strap. This helps hold the boot in place while you tighten the other straps.

Step 3

Working up to the top, tighten each strap. Make sure the top of the boot is even and the straps are parallel to each other. Re-tighten each strap working back down the boot.

Step 4

Unhook the bottom suspensory strap and pull it firmly to secure the middle hook closure under the sesamoid (point of the fetlock). Apply the remainder of the suspensory strap at a 45 degree angle from the leg and fasten it to the front of the boot. Finally smooth down all straps.