Horses are put through tremendous stress, even under the best of care. The soft tissues in their lower legs can experience high pressure from riding day in and day out. While there are many schools of thought on how best to address this issue, the best ice boots for horses are one of the best ways and are recommended by many equestrian veterinarians. This guide will discuss the importance of using ice boots on your horses. We will also review the top six brands and talk about their differences so you are equipped to make the right choice for your horse.
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Tough 1 Ice Boot
- Lightweight and comfortable material
- Each boot offers four straps
- Available in three colors
- Stays soft, even when frozen
Why Do You Need Ice Boots for Horses?
As mentioned in our opening remarks, performance horses take on a lot of stress as beasts of burden. For this reason, many horse owners choose to ice their horses’ legs down to prevent swelling and discomfort after a workout.
In the past, it was somewhat tricky to ice a horse’s legs because of its size. Today, horse experts have created the best-rated ice boots for horses, allowing horse owners to ensure their horses receive the care they need, resulting in less pain and discomfort.
There are many benefits to horse ice boots, including the following:
- Ice boots help to reduce swelling, which can make a horse’s gait off balance.
- These boots help with discomfort after exercise.
- They help to protect integral tendons and ligaments.
- Ice boots help to increase the healing of soft tissues.
Types of Horse Ice Boots
There are a handful of different types of ice boots available. Ice boots are mainly used to cool your horse’s legs down as quickly as possible. Although many horse owners will stand their horses in a vat of ice water, ice boots are a much safer and easier method of relieving your horse’s tired legs. Ice boots are more convenient and should primarily be used if you have more than one horse.
There are many brands on the market, but all feature one of two likely types. The gel-filled models require you to freeze the entire wrap before application. Although these are convenient, they may not work for horse owners who do not have access to a large freezer.
The other primary type of best horse ice boots is the type where the owner uses the boot to place ice packs inside. This is one of the most commonly used types of horse boots. The type you choose will depend on the convenience you desire and your access to freezer capabilities.
Ice Boots For Horses Comparing
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Our Top Pick
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Tough 1 Ice Boot |
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Professional’s Choice Ice Boot Large |
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Professionals Choice Equine Nine Pocket Ice Boot |
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Dura-Tech Neoprene Ice Boot |
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Intrepid International Horse Ice Boot |
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Rural365 Cooling Gel Ice Boot for Horses |
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Top 6 Ice Boots for Horses – Reviews for 2022
When we conducted our horse ice boots reviews, we wanted to ensure we tried them all. We went through dozens of models and have decided on our top six picks, which was not an easy task to complete.
#1. Tough 1 Cooling Ice Boot
The Tough 1 Cooling Ice Boot is made of a gel-like material ideal for cooling and storing. This brilliant design maintains the softness of the wraps no matter how long they are in the freezer, allowing them to quickly and perfectly wrap around your horse’s legs for optimum comfort.
For extended usage, these ice boots are made of a comfortable and durable nylon shell material. These boots include four straps that quickly attach and grip, allowing you to modify the compression you desire on the leg for the ideal user experience, making it a fantastic alternative for ice therapy. Thanks to its ease of use and administration, you can quickly treat your horse’s arthritic joints, tendons, soft tissues, and ligaments.
With dimensions of 18 x 8 x 6 inches and a weight of 2.35 lbs, these ice boots are a fantastic lightweight choice for your horse instead of becoming a troublesome and painful weight on their legs. You can find these boots in black, crimson, and navy blue colors.
Highlighted Features:
- Comfortable and lightweight design
- Four adjustable quick-gripping straps
- Maintains softness even when frozen
- Several color options to choose from
#2. Professional’s Choice Horse Ice Boot
This horse ice boot is also a gel-type boot, and it comes with two in the pack. These ice boots are durable neoprene material that resists tears and dirt buildup. These boots also promise to be safer for horse ice therapy because they protect them from direct contact with the gel ice packs, which can cause discomfort and soft tissue damage.
These ice boots are available in two sizes: large and standard. They are available in black and crimson. The four extended hook and loop straps allow you to fully customize the fit and ensure the correct compression level is administered at all times.
The neoprene outer material is impressive, allowing for tough performance that can withstand a lot of abuse. These ice boots are lined with protective nylon material, ensuring your horse’s legs do not become uncomfortable while exposed to the ice therapy.
The dimensions of each ice boot are 13 x 9 x 4 inches, weighing around 2.1 pounds, making them lightweight enough to provide therapeutic benefits for your horses without weighing down their legs and causing discomfort.
If you have access to a freezer, gel-type ice boots are best because they are so convenient. These offered a high level of comfort and cooled our horses’ legs down quickly and easily.
Highlighted Features:
- Four comfort straps
- Made of durable neoprene fabric
- Easy to use
- Adjustable
- Offers two boots
#3. Professional’s Choice Nine Pocket Ice Boot
Professional’s choice offers pocket-style ice boots with a cooling system that requires gel packs, ice packs, or bags. This kind is ideal for people who don’t have enough freezer space for an ice boot.
With nine inside elastic pockets, you can uniformly distribute the cooling agent in the boot, as recommended by veterinarians for ice therapy. This design helps you treat your horse’s problems by targeting the specific areas, from above the knee to the pastern. In addition, with its neoprene outer material, you can quickly fill each pocket with ice and keep it cool.
It also features six hook and loop fasteners that ensure a secure grip on the boot, preventing slippage with or without movement and an adjustable fit for your horse. Aside from that, this boot is 23 inches tall and weighs 2.41 pounds, making it highly flexible and user-friendly.
Highlighted Features:
- Designed for a universal fit
- Includes six adjustable straps for varied pressure
- Self-added cooling agents (i.e., ice packs)
- Allows you to focus on target areas of your horse’s foot
#4. Dura-Tech Full Leg Neoprene Ice Boot for Horses
Very few horse ice boots cover the entire leg, but these do, which is why we wanted to include these in our list of reviews. These boots are made of a durable neoprene material that will stand up to the abuse your horse gives it.
These ice boots contain six pockets, and you can use cubed ice or gel packs — whichever you prefer. These ice boots each feature seven 2-inch hook straps that allow for the perfect compression level for a horse’s painful legs.
Each of these ice boots measures 23 inches tall and provides the perfect coverage for standard-sized horses. They are fully guaranteed for six months, offering the ideal level of ice therapy comfort.
We were impressed with how well these ice boots stay in place, even above the knee. If you are looking for a pocket ice boot for horses that remain durable and supportive, these Dura-Tech Full Leg Neoprene boots are right for you. If you have never worked with neoprene, you are in for a treat. This durable material is super tough and helps hold in the cold, so the boots remain nice and cold for hours.
These boots cool the entire leg quickly. They are ideal after exercising or for therapy after an injury. Our horses seemed comfortable with these boots and did not seem to mind the slight bulk with the added ice packs. If you want less bulk, purchasing the flat gel packs would be wise.
Highlighted Features:
- Six straps for a customized fit
- Neoprene exterior
- Durable design
- It comes with two boots
#5. Intrepid International Horse Ice Boot
This is another horse ice boot that offers pockets, allowing you to use gel ice packs or cubed ice bags. It is made with durable and robust Neoprene material, ideal for icing your horse’s legs without causing tissue damage due to harsh ice exposure.
These ice boots offer nine separate pockets for the perfect level of ice exposure. They bring down the temperature of your horse’s legs in a short amount of time. These ice boots can be used on the front or hind legs.
Despite the added ice bags, we were impressed that these ice boots stayed in place.
They offer six 7-inch tabs that help them to remain in place. These come in one color, which is navy blue. They are only available in one size; the dimensions are 22 inches tall and 15 inches wide when open.
If you plan on using gel ice packs with this ice boot, you will need to purchase the 4 X 6-inch ones because they will fit precisely inside the pockets. We liked that these boots fit from the fetlock to the hock and were even surprised that they remained cold after an hour.
Highlighted Features:
- It offers nine ice pockets
- Six adjustable straps
- 22 inches tall
- Only offers one boot
#6. Rural365 Cooling Gel Ice Pack for Horses
These ice boots are constructed of 210 denier polyester, which offers a durable and protective material. This type of ice boot is gel-type, and it stays in place without causing any discomfort. You can use this wrap for preventive measures or as a treatment for injuries.
The directions for these wraps suggest they only be used for 30 minutes at a time to prevent any soft tissue damage due to too much cold exposure. If you have access to a freezer, these ice boots will be ideal for your horses and keeping their legs comfortable after racing.
This wrap freezes in a short amount of time, and it stays frozen for hours. We froze them and then kept them in a cooler in the barn until the exercise period was over. They stayed nice and cold and entirely brought down the temperature of our horse’s legs.
These boots offer four straps that help to keep it in place and provide the perfect level of compression at every point of the leg. They seemed to offer our horses a high level of comfort for thirty minutes of therapy. Now, our horses do not get upset when we put them on. They seem to want them on.
Featured Highlights:
- Four elastic fasteners hold it securely in place
- Made of durable polyester
- Provides a high level of comfort
- Reusable
Things to Consider Before You Buy an Ice Boot for Horses in 2022
When purchasing the best ice boots for your horse, remember a few things. Knowing what to search for will help you identify the best brands to make the right purchase. Consider the following before purchasing any ice boots for horses.
Straps
You must consider the straps before purchasing an ice boot. The ice boot should have multiple straps that help hold it securely. It is wise to buy an ice boot with no fewer than four straps because this will help to ensure it does not slip around on the leg. The more straps, the better you will be able to customize the fit and level of compression.
Materials
Knowing the material the ice boot is constructed from is also essential. Many of the best brands have crafted their ice boots from Neoprene material because it is sturdy and durable and helps protect a horse’s legs from the onslaught of bitter cold, which can sometimes cause discomfort and soft tissue damage.
Fit
The right fit is critical when treating a horse with ice therapy. If the ice boot does not fit precisely, it is going to slide around and end up causing the horse to trip. A precise fit will allow for compression and ice therapy at the same time. Carefully measure your horse’s legs to ensure the right fit.
FAQs About Horse Ice Boots
We get many questions regarding horses’ products and have received quite a lot about ice boots for horses. Because we have received so many questions, we decided to share our top three.
1. Are ice boots safe?
Ice is entirely safe for horses, but ice boots should never be used for more than thirty minutes at a time. Using them too long could cause soft tissue injury.
2. How often should I use ice boots?
You can safely use ice daily. Ice boots are most effective when used after exercise.
3. Can ice boots be used on injuries?
Ice boots can be used for preventative care and after injuries occur. They help with swelling and pain.
Final Words
We have supplied you with all the information you need to find the best ice boots for horses. With ice boots, you can rest assured your horses’ legs will feel comfortable after exercise. Ice boots stop swelling and can help with painful injuries.
Make sure to click through the links and learn as much as possible about each of the best ice boots for horses. If you are a horse owner, protect your horses with ice boots after each exercise. They’d do it for you if they could, after all.
