The Importance of Sport Medicine Boots

By: Allyse S.

People that aren't familiar with the horse industry may be wondering what is wrapped around all of those horses legs. The answer is simple! A sports medicine boot!

What is a sports medicine boot?

Basically, it is a neoprene wrap with supports inside that are used to protect and support the horses legs. Mainly used on performance horses, they are designed to absorb some of the energy from the impact of the hoof hitting the ground. The more of the impact that is absorbed, the less energy that is able to injure or affect the tissue in the horses legs. A performance horse can be described as any horse who competes in events like barrel racing, polo, reining, jumping, endurance riding, or cow working. The main areas that a sports medicine boot supports are the suspensory and sesamoidial parts of the leg.

The suspensory ligament is crucial to a horses movement because it prevents excessive extension of the fetlock joint. Typically the damage to this area occurs over a period of time when the load placed on it is more than the collective strength of the entire ligament, causing tearing or rupture.

The sesamoidal area is comprised of two little bones at the back of the fetlock, the sesamoids. These bones, only about the size of a walnut, anchor the suspensory ligament. Their location makes them susceptible to injury that can be extremely hard to repair if not impossible. High speeds can lead to fractures and tissue damage. The two proximal sesamoid bones, along with the canon bone and long pastern, make up the fetlock joint. A humans patella is comparable to a sesamoid bone.

Bell boots are commonly used along side of equine sports medicine boots. They can also be called over reach boots. They are worn to protect the back of the horses hoof while performing or working. If a horse is running at high speeds, a back hoof can easily come all the way forward and injure the front hoof.

Equine sports medicine boots are very important to use if you are working in any active discipline with your horse. They are there solely for the purpose of protecting your horse and preventing any severe injury to the most vulnerable parts of the legs. Without the use of boots, you run a higher risk of causing severe damage to your horses legs that could be potentially fatal.

Guastella, Elizabeth. "New Hope For Suspensory Injuries." The Chronicle of the Horse. N.p., 30 Sept. 2010. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.
"Iconoclast." Ropes For Less. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.
Gantz, Tracy. "Sesamoid Injuries: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention." TheHorse.com. N.p., 6 Jan. 2016. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.