Tri-Zone Impact Sports Boots

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.

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.

Flexibility 

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. We test our 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.

Weight

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. We design and test our boots to minimise water absorption, excess weight but without compromising on protection.

Testing Phase 2 – Tester Panel

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 we have not only a safe product but one that people can easily use and trust.

Testing Phase 3 – Rider Tests

Finally the boots go through the rigorous test of being used all day, every day on busy competition yards by teams of professional riders. Tri-Zone boots are worn either at home or at competitions by an array of Olympic riders, world champions and top producers.