Horses have an uncanny knack for getting bumps, bruises, and injuries on their lower legs. While you may think this mainly happens while jumping or out in the pasture, it is also a common problem for dressage horses. A dressage horse is as likely to overreach and clip the back of their front feet as any other discipline. This is what dressage horse boots were made for.
What to look for in a dressage boot?
There are many types of horse boots on the market, but dressage horses need a boot that allows for protection and the ability to remain supple and fluid while moving. Dressage horses normally wear padded closed horse boots, polo wraps, or bell boots (to protect hocks). Dressage horse boots come in various materials, such as leather, synthetic, or neoprene. Because of the classic elegance of the sport, boots are traditionally in black or white, with some riders choosing brown to match their brown/chestnut dressage partner. It is also important to note that boots and wraps are never permissible in USEF dressage competitions but are fine while warming up in the arena or while schooling or training.
6 Best Horse Boots for Dressage Schooling and Showing
Choosing the right dressage horse boot can seem daunting, but we have made shopping easier! The following six horse boots for dressage schooling and showing are sure to protect your horse’s legs so you can keep moving up the levels. Whichever boot you choose, ensure that when you fit them around your horse’s leg, you should be able to slide one finger between the protective boot and the horse's leg, and your finger should feel snug between them.
- Dura-Tech® Sport Boots
- LeMieux® Fleece Lined Brushing Boots
- DSB Dressage Sport Boot
- DSB Dressage Sport Boots 2
- Lux Ceramic Therapy Sport Boots
- Dura-Tech® Fast Wrap Polo Wraps
These sport boots are a comfortable and classy favorite for dressage riders. The soft, pliable synthetic leather outer offers superior protection, while the synthetic fleece interior cushions legs from impact and trauma. Two heavy-duty hook and loop strap closures ensure a snug fit. You can confidently ride with these boots, knowing your horse's legs are well protected.
These fleece-lined brushing boots are perfect for preventing rubbing while you ride. They have a unique diamond shape that guarantees a secure fit and soft fleece lining to keep your horse’s legs comfortable and cozy. They are easy to use, too, with quick-to-close closures. They're perfect for turnout as well as the dressage arena.
These sport boots were designed by dressage trainer Lisa Wallace to maximize comfort and protection. She designed these boots to be easy for beginners to apply properly and uses materials that are pliable and easy to work with in cold temperatures. The dense fleece lining surrounds a rugged padded vinyl exterior with a vinyl-covered Coverlight neoprene strike plate. Coverlight neoprene is extremely durable, absorbs shock, is tear, puncture, and abrasion resistant, and is waterproof and resistant to fungicidal growth. A perfectly designed dressage horse boot!
Elevate your dressage horse's leg protection with the DSB Dressage Sport Boot 2. This boot's design increases effectiveness using a denser and more shock-absorbing material in the most sensitive areas. The rugged vinyl exterior with a vinyl-covered cover like neoprene maximizes impact protection, while the dense cushioning fleece lining conforms to your horse's leg for ultimate comfort. These boots are tear, puncture, and abrasion resistant while being pliable in cold weather. Made to last, these boots will keep your dressage partner dancing for years to come.
These Ceramic Therapy Sport Boots are the perfect solution when you need dressage boots that keep your dressage partner limber while schooling. The ceramic fibers in Lux® reflect body heat as Far Infrared Rays (FIR), expanding blood vessels and increasing circulation to fuel working muscles and repair damage more efficiently. These horse sport boots help keep tendons and ligaments loose and limber, preventing injury and soreness in the schooling ring.
Perfect for use while schooling, these quick-wrap polo wraps provide moderate protection and ensure safe and proper application every time with their one-piece construction, generous padding, and suspensory support. They’re contoured to conform to the leg, protecting soft tissue, cannon bone, and sesamoids from impact. The suspensory strap wraps under the fetlock to add additional support and take the guesswork out of correct placement. A great way to protect your dressage horse’s legs in the schooling ring or during a training session.
Dressage is the art of connection while demonstrating suppleness, rhythm, contact, impulsion, straightness, and collection. These ideals cannot be achieved when your horse is constantly clipping themselves or finding their lower legs in pain from soft tissue injuries and cuts. This is why having dressage horse boots as a part of your equipment is important.
