You’ll want to keep your horse’s legs well protected when he’s travelling, and a good set of travel boots can help you do just that.
But which ones are best for the job? Our testers have been putting six sets of travel boots through their paces and each set of boots is marked out of five for fit, performance and value for money to give an overall rating out of 15.
Our winner is…
LeMieux Carbon Travel Boots
1. LEMIEUX CARBON TRAVEL BOOTS
RRP £79.96. Buy at lemieuxproducts.com
Colours: black, navy
Sizes: medium, large
Fit: A great fitting set of boots that are a good shape and stay securely in place thanks to the three wide straps. The sizing is good — they fit both of my horses, who are quite different. 5 stars
Performance: These boots cover the legs really well and the padding adds another layer of protection. The lining is a little different to others I tested — it’s a wicking material that helps to keep your horse at a comfortable temperature. The tough outer material is certainly robust despite a lot of use. 5 stars
Value for money: Very good value boots that work really well. 4.5 stars
Total score: 14.5
Other products in test…
Mark Todd Travel Boots
2. MARK TODD TRAVEL BOOTS
RRP: £69.98. Buy at marktoddcollection.co.uk
Colours: black, burgundy, navy, navy plaid
Sizes: pony, cob, full
Fit: This set of boots fits really nicely. They are long enough to cover the coronet band and the hock and knee. The three big hook and loop straps make using these boots quick and easy — especially useful if your horse gets excited and fidgety when he knows he’s going out. They stay in place without you having to over-tighten them. 5 stars
Performance: The cut of these boots means they offer a good level of protection to the vulnerable areas of the legs. The tough outer fabric is standing up well to regular use and the scuff plates at the bottom offer further protection. 4.5 stars
Value for money: Very good value and highly recommended. 4.5 stars
Total score: 14
HY Signature Travel Boots
3. HY SIGNATURE TRAVEL BOOTS
RRP: £44.99. For stockists: hy-equestrian.com
Colour: navy
Sizes: pony, cob, full
Fit: These fit well — they are not quite as well shaped as some of the other travel boots tested, but they stay securely in place and cover the areas you want protecting. 4.5 stars
Performance: The material is tough, and they hold their shape nicely. There’s also a good level of padding that offers good protection to the legs. They are long enough to cover all those vulnerable parts of the leg. 4.5 stars
Value for money: Very good price for a practical set of boots. 4.5 stars
Total score: 13.5
Woof Wear Travel Boots
4. WOOF WEAR TRAVEL BOOTS
RRP: £66. Buy at woofwear.com
Colour: black/ silver
Sizes: pony, cob, full size, heavy hunter
Fit: The material is quite stiff which initially made fitting these boot fiddly — this has improved the more the boots have been used. The shape is good and the hind boots fit perfectly, but the fronts are generous in size for my horse. 4 stars
Performance: These boots offer good coverage and stay in place even on a horse that doesn’t travel that well and is a little fidgety. The material is robust and the scuff plates only have a few marks on them. 4.5 stars
Value for money: A practical set of boots that are proving to be good value for money. 4.5 stars
Total score: 13
Rambo Travel Boots
5. RAMBO TRAVEL BOOTS
RRP: £99.95. For stockists: horseware.com
Colours: black/ silver, navy/ cream, black/ diamante
Sizes: pony, cob, horse
Fit: These boots are smart and fit well. They are a little more generous in size than others I’ve used but they are well shaped and cover the lower leg well. The straps are secure and quick to fasten. 4.5 stars
Performance: Being more generous in size means that they wrap around the leg more to offer
very good protection. They are also long enough to cover the hock and knee. The material is a little stiff but is tough and durable. 4.5 stars
Value for money: These boots do a very good job, but they are expensive compared to others tested. 4 stars
Total score: 13
Weatherbeeta Wide Tab Long Travel Boots
6. WEATHERBEETA WIDE TAB LONG TRAVEL BOOTS
RRP: from £49.99. For stockists: weatherbeeta.co.uk
Colours: black/ silver, navy/ silver, navy/ red/ white
Sizes: pony, cob, full
Fit: A well-shaped set of boots that I didn’t find generous in size. The wide hook and loop straps makes putting them on and off easy. My horse does have quite a bit of bone and the length is good, it’s the width that isn’t so generous. 4 stars
Performance: They have stayed securely in place and the outer fabric feels really tough and is showing no signs of wear. The boots cover all the vulnerable areas you want protecting well, and the soft fleece lining ensures that there is no rubbing. 4.5 stars
Value for money: Good value, but check the sizing before buying. 4.5 stars
Total score: 13
