Weekend Wrap Up: XC Schooling and Bell Boots

I did a thing last week and entered my first recognized HT of the year. Naturally I proceeded to fall off during a jump school the next day(why can I not SIT BACK!!!) and then had a huge pit in my stomach for cross country schooling on Saturday. I had a fall a few years back where Houston literally slid out from under me due toย a sloppy arena. I was fine butย since then I have a mild panic attack any time I ride on slick footing. It stormed all night on Friday so the footing at our schooling venue was less than ideal. The bright side was that the water complex was nice and full, the weather was unbeatable, and the company was perfect!

Thankfully minus being exceptionally full of herself Annie was a trooper and we had a good outing. She was able to literally pull through my nervous moments. We schooled most of the fences that were Novice height and due to the terrain it felt like way more than that! I want to get back out next weekend so that we can have one last confidence boosting school before we head to the KHP in April.

The only casualty of the day was one of Annie’s four bell boots. Yes you read that right – she gets to wear double bell boots due to her ninja shoe pulling abilities. I had never heard of this plan before my current farrier but it works for us. For now I just plan to buy stock in bell boots because while we shoot less shoes off it still stinks when she pulls a whole boot off while schooling. She wears a Weaver Rubber Bell Boot on the bottom and then I layer a Ribbed Bell Boot on the top. Pulling them on and off is kind of a pain but it keeps my farrier from making what I call “bonus” trips down here (he doesn’t live in TN). No hoof no horse and no farrier no hoof! Did any of you have fun adventures this weekend? Or on the bell boot front anyone have a brand of Velcro bell boots that are super durable? I would love to be able to have one pull on and one Velcro instead of double pull ons.

 

13 comments

  1. avery says:

    I have never had luck with any Velcro bells. I know some people that do double and they basically do what you are doing. 2 sets of rubber pull ons. Although, might make the Velcros last longer if you only use them under say a rubber set.

    • Equestrian At Hart says:

      I really wanted those to work long term but unfortunately she pulls most of her shoes in turnout and in her stall and those are the bells she was wearing last week when she annihilated her shoe ๐Ÿ˜ญ

    • Equestrian At Hart says:

      I actually bought a set of these from Mary’s last year! but haven’t actually used them yet. I assumed I couldn’t use them 24/7 so they haven’t gotten used yet. I need to try the out under saddle but 95% of our pulled shoes are in turnout this far ๐Ÿคž

      Thanks for sharing those though ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. emma says:

    honestly the velcro-on bells i’m using have outlasted their velcro. it’s not as sticky, and actually the stitching is coming loose. they were kinda cheap tho so maybe something with better quality velcro would last longer, but my bet would be you’ll have better luck sticking to the pull-ons esp for boots that stay on 24/7… good luck tho!

  3. Tracy says:

    Miles has to have velcro bell boots because he can’t wear them 24/7, and he staff HATES pull-ons (I don’t blame them!). So I just buy in quantity and call it a day!

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