Awesome Product of the Day: #2

 Bell Boots

If your horse is anything like mine, he has no control over his feet. I just don't understand it. When riding, Johnny knows where every hoof is, every step, and is so careful. When I hop off...not so much. Being turned out is even worse. He oversteps so much that he has literally trotted into an over fences class with me, stepped on himself, and preceded to be three-legged lame for the next few steps. Super classy thing to do right in front of the judge. There are times when I think he is being suicidal when he is turned out. He enjoys slicing his legs open in turnout. The inside of his legs look rather gruesome (although all healed now - he is turned out in at least ankle boots at all times).

Legs, legs everywhere!

This also means that I run through bell boots like crazy. I have enough bell boots for probably 5 horses. Johnny has to live in his...which means rubbing is NOT acceptable. So for the first couple years I had him, he wore the fancy Italian rubber bell boots. Well those suckers are about $30 a pop, and for a while he was going through pairs weekly. Still less than new shoes, but after 4 pairs in 4 weeks, not so much!


I stumbled upon these a couple years ago:

They are even thicker at the bottom than Italian bell boots, stretch just as much, are just as soft at the top, and are 1/3 the price at around $10!

I would highly suggest buying the gum colored ones (aka natural, or brown, or whatever) because they stretch the best and don't crack as easily as the dyed ones.

Here is a place you can buy them:
http://www.doversaddlery.com/easy-stretch-bell-boots/p/X1-0410/cn/120/

Now for sizing:
Johnny wears an XL, but only because he has a clubbed foot and it is taller than the other, and it needs to be long enough. If you know Italian bell boot sizing here you go:
IV - XL
III - L
II - M

I usually buy about 2-4 pair at a time, because you never know when they will come in handy. They last Johnny a whole lot longer than the Italians, and I don't cry a little inside every time he looses one or one gets stepped on and breaks.