Here is another horse boot review. They seem to have more boots than I have. Not just that, their shoes are more expensive and they need new ones every 6 weeks. This review is about Westropp Dual Density Knee Boots.

What are Knee Boots?
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Knee boots are used to protect the horses knee. There are several types available, the pads are quite hard on some and a bit softer on others. They are basically a large pad designed to cover the knee. it is attached with one stap above and one strap underneath.

When are Knee Boots used?
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Knee boots are not widely used. They are not really an essential everyday item. Some people use them for road work to protect the horse knees if they do happen to have a fall. They tend to be used more for young horses. When horses are young, they are still finding their balance and becoming acustomed to carrying a rider. You don`t want a young horse to fall on their knees and scar them. When a horse has scarred knees, it is termed broken knees. The knees are not broken but the skin is. It is undesirable as it is considered a blemish so would go against you in the show ring. Also, if the horse has broken knees, it indicates that it has fallen on its knees in the past, meaning that perhaps the horse may be prone to doing it again.

People may also use them for valuable showjumpers or dressage horses. A lot of these horses do not do very much road work so they would be used for road work for the horses protection.

How to Fit Knee Boots.
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Knee boots are fitted so that the top strap is fairly tight so that the knee boot does not slip down. The strap must not be so tight that it causes restriction. It must be just above the knee so that the knee is still able to bend. The bottom strap remains loose. It sometimes seems a bit pointless having a bottom strap, but it prevents the knee boot from flipping up and turning inside out so it must not be too loose. If the bottom strap were tight also, it would pull the actual boot tightly accross the knee, making it difficult for the horse to bend its knee.

When not to use Knee Boots.
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Knee boots are best used for roadword. They are only to be used for work and trot. They must not be used for canter or gallop and certainly not for jumping. They are not necessary for schooling as this is perfomed on a soft surface.

Westropp Dual Density Knee Boots.
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The Westropp Dual Density Knee Boots are available in black in pony, cob or full size. They are priced at around £19.99. They are constructed from dual density neoprene bound with PVC padding. The strike pad on the knee boot is quite robust, offering great protection. The knee boot fastens with velcro and buckles for extra security.

My Verdict.
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I find the Westropp Dual Density Knee Boots to be quality and hardwearing. Compared to some, the strike pad offers great protection. I always think with softer strike pads, they will still offer protection but, if half a tonne of horse suddenly falls on their knees, a harder strike pad will offer more protection.

I find the buckles as well as the velcro a bit fiddly to put on. I have Westropp Competition boots which operate on the same principle. However, double fastenings on Competition boots are more important than on knee boots. Competition is in a fast pace and when jumping and running through water, you want a really secure boot. When just walking and trotting in knee boots, they are far less likely to come undone. It is better to be secure but knee boots with just velcro take seconds to put on. These can take a few minutes which, to me, could be the decider of whether to put them on or not.

Do I use them now?
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I don`t use them at the moment. I have in the past for young horses though, but, I haven`t really needed them, it was just the fact that the horse was young, I felt I ought to use them. They are the kind of boot that you could use every day and the day you forget would be the day you would need them.

I am just backing a 3 year old at the moment. He is lovely and he is quite well balanced. I don`t use the knee boots because I am riding him gently in the school (he doesn`t have shoes on yet) and the ground is soft. I have taken him out a few times and he is well balanced.

My four year old mare (who is now five), was nice and balanced and had lovely paces. I didn`t use knee boots because I did not consider her to be unbalanced. Ironically, one day when we were cantering on the moor, she fell on uneven ground and fractured her pelvis. She has been on 3 month box rest and I am just having to sedate her and lead her out for 15 minutes a day to strenghen her muscles. Today she must have bucked 20 times. It is so not easy to keep hold of them (this was in the safety of the field), good sedation hey? The knee boots would not have helped in this instance as she didn`t land on her knees. Also, I was cantering so they would not have been appropriate anyway.

Has a horse ever fallen on its knees?
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Funnily enough, the same horse has gone down twice on his knees when I have been riding him. Did I have knee boots on? No. The first time I was riding and leading and he spooked at something, leapt back and them slipped onto his knees. It also frighthened the lead horse, not the same thing that frightened him, just the fact that he was frightened. I had to make sure I sat up and kept hold of the lead horse. He didn`t damage his knees that time. Another time we were riding down a steep hill. All of a sudden, without warning, he went down on his knees. It doesn`t half make you thigh muscles come into play I can tell you. He grazed his knee this time, I was quite upset and guilty. I was just doing walking and trotting on the roads so I could have had the knee boots on. The horse had a slighlty broken knee when I bought him, so he has done it before. He is not unsteady and he can jump like a stag but can be a bit lazy at times. This is what I put it down to.

Should you use knee boots?
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It is personal choice whether to use knee boots or not. If using them, I would recommend the Westropp ones as they are good quality offering good protection. It is possible to buy cheaper but protection is compromised in my opinion. Some are more expensive so they are not a bad price. Whether to wear knee boots or not should be dependant on whether you consider your horse needs them or whether you want to protect them against possible injury. As long as they are fitted correctly and only used appropriately, they can be very useful. It is not often that a horse will fall on to their knees, if ever, so most of the time it is like putting them on for the sake of it. You just never know when you may need them though.