bell boots for horses?

Question

i dont know why horses where bell boots. what are they for? and does a horse that jumps need them?

Answer 1

My cousin told my that they are so that the horse doesn't hurt itself when it kicks it's own feet.
She says they are pointless, but that some owners insist that their horse wear them.
She (and her mentor) have lots of experience training horses to jump and giving lessons to little kids.
Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Only some horses wear them. They wear them because they "over reach". They can take chunks out of there front feet because there back feet reach too far. Some people put them on the horses that bang there feet together. But you really shouldn't use them like that. There are special boot for horses that do that. They also can pull there shoes off so they put on bell boots. Some jumpers wear them just for looks. It's kind of a style right now.

Answer 3

When a horse gaits faster than a walk, it's hind feet meet it's front feet. Sometimes a horse can over-reach with it's hind feet and hit thier front feet.

Bell boots portect a horses hind pasterns from getting damaged when they over-reach.

If your horse has never over-reached before (some do and some don't) then I wouldn't worry about it. However if you compete at high speeds, there is a greater chance that your horse could over reach and as a safety percatuion, you should use them.

Bell boots are only worn on the front to protect the hind pasterns of the front legs. There is no use for them on the hind legs.

Answer 4

Bell boots also known as "over reach boots" are mainly for horses that hit there hoofs together alot. Like working horses. Cow horses, raining horses, roping horses. Most high jumping horses where pads. They extend all the way to the knee and some go to the chest. Just depending on the jump size.

check out: http://www.sdphotography.com/horses.htm

the photo that says smith Brothers Roping is using them

check out: http://www.horses.co.uk/horses/bertiengeorge/badminton.html
these pictures show jumping wraps

Answer 5

If your horse jumps low jumps then will not need bell boots. If your horse jumps x country then he will. Bell boots protect the horses' legs when they jump so they don't bruise them.

Answer 6

Bell boots are used on the the horses front feet. Its used for horses who nick the back of their hooves from over-reaching with their hind hooves, usually in the trot. Its called clipping. You probably will not need them, a good way to check is to see if your horse has any nick on the back part of the hooves, inbetween the back of the pasteren and frog (above the back of the cornett line).

Answer 7

Bell boots are to stop the horses hooves from hitting each other. If your horses' back hooves hit his front ones when jumping, then yes, use them. My friends use bell boots whenever they jump.

Answer 8

The reasons for wearing the bell boots have already been given, but i used them on my gaming horse. He would sometimes step on his pasterns while running. I could hear his hooves hit during a run. The bells at least seemed to protect him.

Answer 9

Not sure what really bell boots are. But i would say thing to protect the horses ankle or foot. My horses wears winter boots when the ice is rough and hard on the ground. His feet are very soft and the frog gets bruised easily. Also he wears short soak er boots when I need to soak his feet. all said he is worth every bit of time i spend with him

Answer 10

bell boots or overreach boots are to protect the horses front heels from him stepping on himself and to stop them from pulling a shoe if they step on thier own heels.
No you would not use bell boots to jump in.
Maybe splint boots or sports medicine boots to protect the tendons or skuff boots to protect the legs from injury on the jump bars.