With the world of horse racing becoming as competitive and challenging as ever, ensuring the safety of your horse is perhaps the most important thing that needs to be taken care of. Stallions, just as human athletes, are excessively prone to injuries, even during training and exercises. An ideal pair of durable horse brushing boots should not only help keep injuries at bay, but should also be lightweight and easy to wear.

Choosing the right set of horse brushing boots for your horse happens to be quite a task. With a wide array of brushing boots available, choosing the ideal set becomes a real task. With researchers, ranch owners, and horse-racing enthusiasts across the globe asking for acceptable industry standards to be laid out in order to ensure the safety of your stallion, the importance of having the right set of horse brushing boots has become as significant as never before.

Here are a few things one can keep in mind while planning to buy a set of brushing boots for your equine fellow:

• Having the right fit and size

This goes without saying, doesn’t it? Getting the set of boots with the right size and fitting isn’t as difficult as it might appear to some. Breeders suggest that there needs to be enough room for the breeder to press his finger between the boot and the horse’s leg. If the boot’s too tight, it’d result in restricted flow of blood. If it’s too loose, then pebbles and dirt and can make their way inside the boot, causing discomfort.

• LIghtweight boots are the best

Having a heavy boot would mean more stress on the horse’s leg. It’d also mean that the horse would have to expend a greater amount of energy while walking than usual.  Choosing a heavy shoe can directly impact your stallion’s ability to run. Furthermore, heat and sweat and also add significantly to the overall weight of the shoe.

• Choosing the right protection is a must

The kind of protection you’d be choosing would be dependent on the purpose you want your stallion to serve. Also, the kind of boots you choose would depend on your budget. For those running on a limited budget, it is advisable to buy brushing/galloping boots as they are inexpensive.

• Cleanliness matters

This one’s important. An ideal horse brushing shoe should be easily washable. Spending a couple of hours to wash the horseshoe is the last thing you want. An easy-to-clean brushing boot would make your life easier. Neoprene is used to make horse boots as it is both lightweight and easy to clean.

The material put to use:

Traditionally, leather was used to manufacture a horse’s leg protection boots, but a high price coupled with a lack of resistance against water triggered the need to find a durable material. Today Neoprene is the most widely used material used to manufacture horse boots. It’s cheap, it’s durable, and it doesn’t soak water and feels comfortable.

Other tips to keep in mind

• Boots and bandages need to be replaced regularly or else they will become soggy and uncomfortable
• Boots and bandages should be worn properly. Wearing the boots incorrectly can lead to restricted air circulation
• Make sure the velcro straps are being checked regularly. These would ensure if the fit is right or not.

To draw the curtains

As you can see, finding the right fit is the most important thing that needs to be taken care of. Having the right set of shoes not only helps avoid injuries but also lets the horse feel comfortable. You don’t want yourself to be investing heavily on horseshoes every six months. It is advisable to choose wisely as horseshoes happen to be a long-term investment.