How to Prevent & Treat Boot Rubs on Horses

Boot rubs on horses are a common problem for equine athletes, prevention is key to keeping these amazing animals happy, healthy and comfortable. If you show horses, it’s likely you use horse boots. Sports medicine boots, bell boots, splint boots, polo wraps, skid boots, shipping boots, you name it, most equestrians have used it. A lot of horses have no problem with wearing these, it's as simple as putting them on, riding and giving them a quick brush off when finished. Other horses, however, don’t have it that easy, as their owners will tell you. No, these other horses, the poor souls, are prone to painful boot rubs simply due to their sensitive skin. Boot rubs on horses are typically derived from two causes. Just as halter rubs, blanket rubs, or girth rubs can be from an ill fitting piece of equipment, boots that aren’t the correct size can irritate skin and cause chaffing. Unfortunately, for many equestrians, they will find a pair of boots that fit their horse like a glove, but to their frustration, pull them off to reveal pink or red splotches where the hair has worn off and the skin has swelled. It’s a double edge sword, you need to protect your horse’s legs, but while doing so, are causing them discomfort. Horse boots are key to protecting the legs, pasterns, heel bulbs and hooves during times of intense movement and work. People have tried a few methods to preventing boot rub, the common go-to being baby powder, but a recent debate has made many people question if they should be using baby powder AT ALL. A common ingredient in most of these products is talcum powder, which acts to absorb moisture and reduce friction. However, recent lawsuits have cropped up connecting using talcum powder products, to cancer. It’s a scary thought, that a product we have used for so long, might be causing a potentially fatal disease. Where is this correlation coming from? According to the American Cancer Society, “When talking about whether or not talcum powder is linked to cancer, it is important to distinguish between talc that contains asbestos and talc that is asbestos-free. Talc that has asbestos is generally accepted as being able to cause cancer if it is inhaled. This type of talc is not used in modern consumer products. The evidence about asbestos-free talc, which is still widely used, is less clear.” Research is still ongoing, but people have been shook up by this recent discovery. It’s not worth the risk to many, for good reason. This brings us back to boot rubs on horses, is it worth the risk to put a potentially harmful substance on our horse? Or should we risk handling it day after day? The jury is still out, but for now, why not play it safe? At COAT DEFENSE®, we’re aware of these potentially harmful products, and it’s why we would neveruse talcum powder in our products. Instead, we have a safe, proven alternative... cornstarch! Mixed with our other all-natural, non-toxic and organic ingredients, we have created a solution for boot rubs on horses. It’s our COAT DEFENSE® daily PREVENTATIVE POWDER, a safe, effective solution to a multitude of horse skin problems. Want to see for yourself how it works? Watch below to see how Victoria prevents boot rubs away with COAT DEFENSE® daily PREVENTATIVE POWDER... It’s that simple. Sprinkle them on your boots, wrap ‘em up and ride. The same goes for halter rubs, blanket rubs, wither sores or any other irritated area. We all seem to spend more time taking care of our horses than riding, and it’s not that we mind, but any little time saver helps. Rather than constantly battling, cleaning and trying to heal rubs, prevent them. Save the precious time you’d spend treating the problem, take a few seconds before each ride to prevent boot rubs on your horse and use those saved minutes for a longer ride. Go grab your COAT DEFENSE® daily PREVENTATIVE POWDER, get out and ride!

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