Brushing, tendon, fetlock and bell boots: what does each one do?

Each boot guards a different spot: brushing boots the cannon bone, tendon boots the tendons, fetlock boots the joint, and bell boots the heels. The table pulls together how Horse & Hound and Equinavia's leg protection guide describe them. A boot protects against knocks and strikes. It is not treatment, and a leg that is hot, swollen or sore is a call to your vet, not a shopping trip.

You can see all of these in our horse boots category, plus shipping boots for the trailer.

Brushing boots protect the inside of the lower legs when one hoof knocks the opposite leg. That knock is called brushing. Brushing boots guard the cannon bone and the splint bone from bruises. Equinavia calls them versatile and used across disciplines.

If your horse brushes at the hind, ask your trainer which boot and which level of work. A boot is a cushion, not a fix. Your vet can check if there's a soundness or shoeing reason behind it.

Tendon boots protect the front tendons from the hind hooves when jumping, and fetlock boots protect the joint, usually behind. A jumping horse can catch the back of a front leg with a hind hoof on takeoff or landing. Tendon boots are built to take that strike. Many are open at the front, which Equinavia says lets horses feel the fence and jump more carefully.

Fetlock boots, also called ankle boots, are smaller. They cup the fetlock joint and are most often used on hind legs, where interference is common. Riders often pair them with a set of front tendon boots. Neither type does anything for a leg that isn't working properly, so ask your vet if you are using them to cover a problem.

Bell boots cover the heel bulbs and coronary band, mainly so a hind hoof can't clip the front heels. They're also used to help keep shoes on. Our horse boots page says bell boots offer protection for horses that chip and can help prevent lost shoes. Horse & Hound's overreach boot guide says some horses need them more, including those with a long stride or corrective shoeing.

A boot that stays on starts with fit. The guide says overreach boots sit around the pastern, where too tight is uncomfortable and too loose risks rubbing. They should cover the heel at the back and sit above the ground, with the anti-spin bump or nodule between the heel bulbs. Anti-spin nodules and heel buttons keep a boot in place, and no-twist designs and soft roll collars let it move around the pastern without rubbing.

Fastenings must be secure but easy to take on and off. For turnout, pick a material that won't absorb water and is easy to clean, since boots that hold water can cause harm. The guide advises against keeping turnout boots on for more than 12 hours at a time. If you have a horse that shreds boots or pulls shoes, ask your farrier about the shoeing as well.

Check the maker's size chart, because boots are usually small, medium and large, with some pony and extra-large sizes, and brands vary. Horse & Hound says many horses need a smaller size on the front legs and a larger size on the hind legs. We haven't found a rule that tells you a type of boot runs big or small, so we won't give you one, and you should read the chart.

Fit check: you should be able to slide one finger between the boot and the leg, and it should feel snug. The boot should cover most of the cannon bone and the inside of the fetlock, without rising to the back of the knee. A loose boot lets dirt in and can slip and disrupt his movement. A boot that is too tight can damage the tendons, so fasten the straps with even pressure and don't over-tighten.

Equinavia puts it as snug but not restrictive. Take them off soon after work so heat escapes and skin and hair can dry, and keep them clean, because grime and sweat can irritate sensitive skin.

Boots are quicker and more forgiving, while wraps offer a custom fit if you wrap well. Neither is right for every horse or job. Equinavia says wraps offer compression and a fit tailored to the leg, and boots are generally simpler to use. Wraps take skill, and if you are unsure, boots are the more forgiving choice. Horse & Hound says some riders prefer polo wraps for everyday training, but boots are a time-saver.

The Horse adds the protection side. Boots, especially rigid ones, can protect against impacts and punctures, but a steel plate may transmit force to the tendon, while soft rubber absorbs impact better but may not stop cuts. Polo wraps are too soft to diffuse strong forces, but can prevent scratches on trails. The article also says standard product testing doesn't exist yet, so riders often rely on manufacturer claims.

If you do wrap, The Horse's experts say to use polo wraps that are moderately stretchy and snug, without constricting the leg, and never apply a wet wrap. Check for swelling, which may mean a wrap is too tight. You'll find wraps and bandages in our bandages and wraps category.

They make the leg warmer, and researchers don't yet know how much that matters. That's a question for your vet. In a small study from Middle Tennessee State University, presented in 2021, six horses wore different protection on one foreleg with the other as a bare control. The bare leg stayed coolest throughout, every protected leg was warmer, the fleece polo wrap was numerically the hottest, and no protected leg returned to baseline within the 180-minute recovery. The researchers described all the protected limbs as reaching temperatures that affect tendon cells. The sample was small, and the differences among boots weren't significant.

A 2013 paper in Comparative Exercise Physiology looked at 130 horses after cross-country events and found tendon surface temperature lowest with perforated boots (28.0 °C), higher with open-fronted boots (31.1 °C) and highest with traditional boots (32.3 °C). It was a field study, so speed and fitness may have played a part. The authors suggest boots should limit tendon exposure to high temperatures and say the link between heat and injury needs more research.

The Horse's 2026 review is careful on this point: tendons normally run hotter than surrounding tissue, but whether boots raise tendon temperatures enough to cause harm remains unknown. The practical advice from the researcher and from the review's experts is the same. Put boots on just before exercise, take them off soon after, then cool the legs with cold hosing. Weigh the job, the weather and the horse. A dressage horse might not need front boots, and a low-risk horse may need none.

No in both. USEF hunter and dressage rules prohibit boots on the horse in the ring, with narrow exceptions. The 2026 USEF Hunter chapter (HU106) prohibits all artificial appliances, including nasal strips, nose nets, belly bands, boots, wraps and bandages. In inclement weather, competition management may permit bell boots.

The 2026 USEF Dressage rule DR121 says boots and bandages without magnets are permitted in the warm-up and other training areas. In competition, any boots or bandages that contact the horse's legs on or above the hairline at the coronet are prohibited, under penalty of elimination, with an exception for leg bandages in Pas de Deux and Quadrille classes. At prize-giving, dark or white leg bandages or boots are allowed and bell boots are permitted.

Other divisions have their own rules, such as jumpers, eventing and breed shows. Read the chapter for the division you're entering, and check your prize list.