Travelling Boots and Bandages

[Alice25]

Ok, as some of you may know, I'm taking Alfie for our first lesson tomorrow BUT this involves a little journey in a horsebox, and I have now discovered we have lost our travelling boots Very annoying, as they were nice new red and black ones to match his new headcollor.

So, I've been reading about travelling bandages in my horse care book, which seems a good alternative. They use gamgee and stable bandages. We have gamgee, but of course, we don't have stable bandage. We do, however, have cohesive bandages, so I was wondering if we could sort of, um, improvise?? The journey is only short, and he's only be in there about 10 minutes either way. So what do you think? Would that be ok??

Of course, the travelling boots will turn up the minute we get home

 

[eventerbabe]

ideally for bandaging you should have the proper shaped travelling pads. but they are alkward to fit, particularly to cobby legs, and are a lot more time consuming than boots. with my old jumping pony i used apply ordinary stable bandages over gamgee and then use hock and knee boots to provide complete protection. i've recently bought toby a set of travel boots and they are so much easier to use than bandages, they were also cheaper. mine are the rambo travellers and i got them on sale for £19. combine the cost of pads and good quality bandages, its over £20.

 

[Funky MeerKAT]

If he travels well and the journey is only short I would just travel him in his work boots and some bell boots to protect his coronets. I do it all the time and it saves time when you get there too.

 

[Eli_Jay]

I wouldn't bother with sticky bandages personally. I agree with Funky MeerKAT, work boots would be fine, but i definitely advise you use something for protection.
When having kirsty floated, the man we had do it said float boots did mare harm than good, so i stupidly listened and when i unloaded her at the other end one leg was covered with blood poor baby!

 

[Alice25]

I'd do that if I could, but the only boots I have are knee boots. I didn't think I'd need brushing boots, etc, yet, stupid me, because right now he doesn't do any fast work, just steady hacking and road work. And the lesson is this morning so I don't have time to go and get anything!

 

[eventerbabe]

if its only a short journey than he may be ok without, as long as he's a good traveller when we moved yards not long after i got toby he had no travel boots so we just travelled without and he was fine. have a great lesson! i'm sooo envious, you get to ride and i'm stuck in work

 

[kayjayhorses]

If you decide to go without boots its not just the journey you need to think about its getting off the ramp as well, the times my mare gets to close to the edge of the ramp and one of her legs slips, usually happens when she's being too nosey and not thinking about whats she doing, without boots she would end up with a nasty cut down the back of her heel.

 

[Alice25]

We're back!! In the end we just went with knee boots and he was fine Although he did manage to poo in the trailer, step in it then drag it all the way out The lesson went well - I'll describe it in more detail in my other thread