Description
High impact horse cross country boots, independently tested protection that you can trust that will also keep your horses’ legs cool, allow them to move freely and won’t weigh them down or hold water! With maximum protection, ideal for Cross Country, Polo and Racing.
Gallop out that start box without a worry for your horses’ legs with the Equilibrium Impact Sports Boots. The ultimate horse boot for high impact activities such as cross country, polo or racing but also good for everyday hacking and jumping for those accident-prone horses!
- Protects from concussion and penetration injuries. Tested to protect if the horse was to hit a solid fence or strike itself.
- Lightweight even when wet! Save your horse the effort and reduce tiredness.
- Breathable horse boots, allows heat to escape with unique multilayer mesh design. Keeping legs cool is so important for helping to prevent injury to tendons and ligaments.
- Flexible design to allow freedom of the horses’ movement. Stiff or tight boots can affect stride and joint movement.
- Trusted boots developed using latest research and independently tested. Read more about our testing.
- Moulds round the leg for a perfect fit.
- Specially designed front and hind boots.
- Supplied in pairs.
What is the inspiration behind the Impact Sports Boot?
There are so many things to consider when purchasing horse boots, that we wanted to offer a boot where you didn't have to compromise at all. Generally if you go for a hard shell/very protective boot, it can be heavy, inflexible and unbreathable. Likewise, a lightweight boot might be more breathable and flexible, but won't offer the protection that is needed. The Impact Sports Boots offers protection that is tested to withstand overreaching, hitting a cross country fence, etc, yet still retains all the other desired features to keep your horse comfortable and their legs in good shape!
Protection provided by the Impact Sports Boots for horses.
The boot design uses a five-layer system, each chosen for their unique properties
The first layer is provides a inner lining that sits against the horses' leg. Made from perforated EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate), the liner sits comfortably against the leg. The perforations allow heat to escape and aids breathability, while the flexibility of the material allows it to mould to the horses' leg.
Layer two is a strong nylon mesh. This adds another layer of protection to the sports boots, but also stops any debris making its way into the boot towards your horses' leg.
Layer three is the internal guard made from vinyl - a string, durable and moisture resistant material. This layer is placed over the vulnerable tendon area and is made with strips of material to allow it to mould around the horses leg. This allows the horse to move freely without the feeling of a ‘splint’.
The fourth layer is a EVA waffle. Commonly used in the soles of human shoes and as padding on sports equipment, this material is durable, breathable, and protective! We’ve made sure it's easy to clean and maintain too!
Finally, layer five includes strategically placed vinyl strike guards. On the front boot, these are placed down the vulnerable tendon area, as well as at the front of the boot. On the hind boot, they cover the vast majority of the inside of the horses' leg.
Who are Tri-Zone Impact Sports Boots for?
Anyone can use Tri-Zone Impact Sports Boots when they are looking for maximum protection, without having to compromise on breathability, fit and flexibility. However here are a few scenarios they are commonly used in:
- as a highly protective turnout boot
- a lightweight cross country with maximum protection
- a racing boot which doesn't weigh the leg down more than needed
- a polo/polo-cross or mounted games boot
- as a durable and long-lasting everyday boot.
Size Guide
Size Guide Front Impact Sports Boots:
Point | Taken From | XS Small Pony 12.2hh-13.3hh | S Pony 13.3hh-14.2hh | M Large Pony/Horse 14.2hh-16hh | L Horse 16hh-16.2hh |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | Canon bone width (cm) | 16-18 | 18-20 | 20-22 | 22-24 |
B | Length of boot (cm) | 18 | 20 | 21.5 | 23 |
Size Guide Hind Impact Sports Boots:
Point | Taken From | XS Small Pony 12.2hh-13.3hh | S Pony 13.3hh - 14.2hh | M Horse 14.2hh - 16hh | L Horse 16hh - 16.3hh |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | Canon bone width (cm) | 18-20 | 20-22 | 22-24 | 24-26 |
B | Length of boot (cm) | 23.5 | 28 | 29.5 | 31 |
Materials
Each individual layer in the Tri-Zone Impact Sports boot is researched and sourced for their advanced technical properties and tested in an independent laboratory before it goes anywhere near a horse’s leg.
EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) is a material which is tough and flexible even at low temperatures. It has a number of uses in various different states and forms including in ski boots, bicycle saddles, hockey pads, wakeboard boots and shock absorbers in sports shoes.
The inner layer is made from a soft impact absorbing EVA which is formed into pillows to provide maximum comfort. This inner layer is perforated to allow heat to evaporate from the horse’s skin.
The middle layer is made from an EVA mesh which helps to absorb impact but also allows heat to escape freely from inside the boot.
Strategically placed integral TPU strips form protective panels to protect the most vulnerable areas of the horse’s leg.
A robust outer layer is made of hard wearing Rotex for high abrasion resistance.
Additional outer strike pad areas are made from tough TPU to protect from penetration injuries.
Care Instructions
How do I care for the Tri-Zone Impact Sports Boot?
Machine washable at 30 degrees, so you can quickly and easily clean your boots. Our Hook Cleaner Brush can also help keep your straps debris free and prolong their life.
Or for quick day to day care, you can give them a short rinse on the yard and leave them to dry ready for the next day.
Testing & Materials
As riders, we protect our most vital areas (head and torso) with riding hats, body protectors and more recently air jackets. Rider protective equipment is subjected to extensive testing to meet standards and regulations and we believe that as a vital part of your horse, protective boots for your horse’s legs should undergo a similar testing process.
Tri-Zone Impact Sports boots go through a unique 3-phase testing process giving you confidence that you are choosing the best leg protection for your horse. Materials are carefully selected to provide maximum protection but without being bulky, heavy and not make your horses legs hot and sweaty. Each individual layer in the Tri-Zone Impact Sports boot is researched and sourced for their advanced technical properties and tested in an independent laboratory before it goes anywhere near a horse’s leg.
What is the Testing Process?
Testing Phase 1
In the same laboratory that test standards of riding hats and body protectors, Tri-Zone Impact Sports boots are safety tested to their limits for their ability to withstand concussion and penetration whilst remaining lightweight, breathable and flexible.
For concussion and penetration the testing is carried out using a custom made test rig consisting of a tower from which either a blunt hammer or a cutting blade is dropped onto the boots in a controlled fashion. The weight of the blade and hammer are fixed and different forces are applied to the boots by varying the height from which they were dropped onto the boots. Boots were hit with forces ranging from 1.25 to 20 Joules. These forces were chosen as being those likely to occur in the horse during exercise, for example when hitting obstacles or over-reaching. Equilibrium used a carrot at 5 joules to replicate the soft tissue in a horses’ leg hitting an obstacle.
Equilibrium test boots to measure how well the boots allow heat to escape in order to reduce the risk of tissue damage.
Research has shown that when tendon cells are heated to 48°C for 10 minutes approx, 80% of them die. Equilibrium use several different methods to assess heat release from boots. The heat release is estimated by fitting the boots to a metal flask containing water at 45°C in a room at 20°C with no significant radiation. The surface temperature of the boots is measured using a thermal camera. The hotter the outside surface of the boot, the more heat has been allowed to escape.
If boots are constructed of inflexible (i.e. stiff) material or if boots are applied too tightly, they have the potential to restrict joint movement and cause other problems such as tendonitis. Stride characteristics and performance could also be affected. Boots need to allow as much freedom of movement as possible without compromising on their primary function of protection. Equilibrium test boots to make sure that they do not restrict the horse’s movement whilst still exceeding protection requirements. An 8cm x 1m steel pipe is set up secured to a workbench. The boots are fixed to the pipe and a 10kg weight is attached with a clip on the boot and the downward direction measured. The degree of flexibility is measured by how much the boot bends.
Adding even small amounts of weight to the end of the leg in the form of a boot significantly increases the effort the horse must make to run and can also alter the stride characteristics. Some boots can double in weight if the horse is being exercised in the rain, on wet ground or going through water. This can seriously affect stamina and performance. Equilibrium design and test our boots to minimise water absorption, excess weight but without compromising on protection.
Testing Phase 2
The boots then undergo trials by an extensive tester panel of horse owners and riders who test them for the fit, comfort, ease of use and washing to ensure Equilibrium have not only a safe product, but one that people can easily use and trust.
Testing Phase 3
Finally the boots go through the rigorous test of being used all day, every day on busy competition yards by teams of professional riders. The Tri-Zone Impact Sports boots are worn either at home or at competitions by an array of Olympic riders, world champions and top producers.
Returns
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Standard Delivery via Parcelforce
Please allow approximately 2-3 working days for dispatch and 2 working days for delivery (total 5 working days). For full details please visit our delivery information page.
In Store Collection
Local to us? You can also arrange to collect your items. Once you've placed your order, you will be emailed when we have the item(s) ready for collection. Delivery Services are selected at the Checkout.
Product Features
- Colour: Blue
- Features: Ventilation
Video
2016-02-10
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