Tack Tip Tuesday

Exercise Boot Fit

Having the right fitting boot is important to your horse’s comfort! Sometimes it is hard to tell what size your horse is as there is never a standard in brand sizes. Some boots will go Small, Medium, Large, XLarge compared to other brands going Pony, Cob, Horse, Warmblood. Besides a guess and check, the best way to find out is measuring your horse.   How to measure your horse Find a soft measuring tape, and as always first make sure your horse is okay with it. It does look a bit like electric fence.  You are going to want to take the circumference of your horse’s cannon bone. Typically, you want to take this measurement in the middle of your horse’s cannon bone. The second measurement you will be looking for is the length of the cannon bone. We want to take it from below the knee down to the fetlock. Some brands will say their sizing is by horse height but remember this is all by average and not a strict rule only an estimate. By knowing your horse’s measurements, it will give you the best fit without trying the boots on. The straps on the boots should be snug but not too tight. You don’t want extra overhang on any Velcro attachments that might catch while the horse is moving. A boot that is too large will slide down your horse’s leg, and/or interfere with the joint action in the knee and fetlock. A boot too small will not fit well, be too tight and squeeze your horse’s tendons.