Good Open-Fronts that won't break the bank?

[pattnic]

At the show last weekend, I realized that it really is time to replace my old Weatherbeeta open-front and hind boots... the elastic is just too far gone on them. They served me well (I've had them for seven years, I think), and had a nice, basic style, but I think I would like to step up appearance-wise with new ones, without breaking the bank. Ideally, I would love to get some T-Boots, but they're just not in the budget right now.

What are some nice, durable open-fronts that won't bankrupt me? Availability of matching hinds/fetlock boots a plus. Black is good, unless leather (then I'll do brown).

What do we think of the Moxie boots?

Thanks!

ETA - No sheepskin

[Dakotawyatt]

What about the Thinline ones? They're a little cheaper than the T-boots, I think.

[spmoonie]

You have a pm. :)

[SkipChange]

There's always Eskadrons, they're popular. I've still got a pair in excellent condition--5 years old, although I did purchase T-boots this summer :)

My friend swears the Dover generic looking open fronts are great, although I have no personal experience with them. The price sure looks good.
http://www.doversaddlery.com/dover-pro-open-front-horse-boots/p/X1-04232/cn/119/

[EmJae]

Hi. I just got boots at State Line Tack that were on sale for $20 by Classic Equine. They're waxy leather (???). I've never used them before but thought I'd try them because they seem pretty cheap.

http://www.statelinetack.com/item/classic-equine-leather-tendon-boots/SLT722836/

They also have fetlock boots ($20) and brushing boots ($25) on sale as well.

It's too bad that I won't be getting these for at least a week so I could tell you whether or not I like the quality.

[Little Indian]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the Roma Competitor Packs. It's a set of open fronts and a set of open front ankles for under $50.00. Love them!

[Dakotawyatt]

My friend swears the Dover generic looking open fronts are great, although I have no personal experience with them. The price sure looks good.
http://www.doversaddlery.com/dover-pro-open-front-horse-boots/p/X1-04232/cn/119/

I have those, and they are quite good for the money, I agree! Nice and soft inside, and have molded nicely to his legs. I just want a set of T boots for the sake of having T boots! I like the idea of the molded foam.

[Seven-up]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the Roma Competitor Packs. It's a set of open fronts and a set of open front ankles for under $50.00. Love them!

Do you have a link? I have the open fronts, and I need the ankle boots. I was just going to go with the Dover ones linked above, since they look similar.



I love my Roma open fronts. Great fit, secure velcro, hard plastic outside, easy to clean, just hose them off. And I think they were 20 bucks.

[myvanya]

I have two sets of Romas one in purple and one black and I love them.
If you just need the fetlock boots you can get them pretty inexpensivly at a few places, but here is one link:

http://www.victorycanter.com/Roma-Neoprene-Lined-Fetlock-Boots-p-21857.html

They also have the open fronts:

http://www.victorycanter.com/Roma-Neoprene-Lined-Open-Front-Boots-p-21856.html

There is a gel and a fleece lined version as well as a ventilated version for a little more but still less than eskadrons. They also come in full sets from some places (fronts and ankles) for a dollar or two less than buying them seperate sometimes, but I didn't find it to be that different. I really like mine as they molded to my horse after a few rides and they clean off easily with just warm water and a little scrubbing. They were also the only open fronts I could find that came in purple other than the bar f (which are fleece lined and I wasn't totally crazy about that) which cost a bit more. ( having all my schooling things be purple is part of how people tell my things apart from everyone else's at my barn:lol:) I then use the black ones when I am feeling less obnoxious color-wise or for shows (some jumper shows I still use the purple ones....just depends).

[Phaxxton]

I have Moxie opent fronts and hind ankle boots. I like them, and they seem to be made well. I will say, though, I wasn't "wowed" by them for the price. They also seem to run on the large side.

Had I known about the Roma full set for $50, I'd probably have gone with them. :yes:

[Seven-up]

I have two sets of Romas one in purple and one black and I love them.
If you just need the fetlock boots you can get them pretty inexpensivly at a few places, but here is one link:

http://www.victorycanter.com/Roma-Neoprene-Lined-Fetlock-Boots-p-21857.html

They also have the open fronts:

http://www.victorycanter.com/Roma-Neoprene-Lined-Open-Front-Boots-p-21856.html

There is a gel and a fleece lined version as well as a ventilated version for a little more but still less than eskadrons. They also come in full sets from some places (fronts and ankles) for a dollar or two less than buying them seperate sometimes, but I didn't find it to be that different. I really like mine as they molded to my horse after a few rides and they clean off easily with just warm water and a little scrubbing. They were also the only open fronts I could find that came in purple other than the bar f (which are fleece lined and I wasn't totally crazy about that) which cost a bit more. ( having all my schooling things be purple is part of how people tell my things apart from everyone else's at my barn:lol:) I then use the black ones when I am feeling less obnoxious color-wise or for shows (some jumper shows I still use the purple ones....just depends).


Woohoo! 15 bucks!! I'm doing the happy dance now.:D

[ExJumper]

I have the generic dover open fronts and I like them a lot! I also have a pair of thinlines that I got at the 20% off VTO sale. I like them both a ton!

Although I polo wrap again now because my new guy has short fat cannon bones so all my open fronts are too tall for him! But he's about 17hh -- just a stocky-legged ISH.

I know that was off topic, but I now have about 4 pairs of nice open fronts that I can't use! Grrrrr...

[myvanya]

Woohoo! 15 bucks!! I'm doing the happy dance now.:D

:lol: I'm glad I could make someone do a happy dance just by posting a link. I was feeling pretty dumb lately so that made my day....its the little things that make me happy :winkgrin:

[Little Indian]

oddly enough i had a hard time finding them online, but here is the link,
http://www.greenwaysaddlery.com/productpage.asp?pcat=boots_bandages&ptitle=Open_Front_Boots&id=670
although at the store i work at, we get them in black and white

[Callison]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the Roma Competitor Packs. It's a set of open fronts and a set of open front ankles for under $50.00. Love them!

Also love them!

[Seven-up]

:lol: I'm glad I could make someone do a happy dance just by posting a link. I was feeling pretty dumb lately so that made my day....its the little things that make me happy :winkgrin:

Here ya go. This was me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8MDNFaGfT4 :winkgrin:

oddly enough i had a hard time finding them online, but here is the link,
http://www.greenwaysaddlery.com/productpage.asp?pcat=boots_bandages&ptitle=Open_Front_Boots&id=670
although at the store i work at, we get them in black and white

That's a good link too. Looks like those ankle boots are the higher cut model. Cool!

[superpony123]

the roma ones are pretty cheap and do a good job. i think theyre like $20 or less for each pair.

[pattnic]

Thanks for the feedback so far. However, that the Roma boots everyone is suggesting are the same as my Weatherbeeta boots I'm looking to replace (I bought my WBs pre-No-More-Millers... the Romas are the post-No-More-Millers). However, the competitor pack that was linked to might be okay... I'm still concerned about elastic though. Do the ones in the competitor pack have it?

Jen, I'm going to have to examine your Dover boots again, more closely.

*Sigh* If only I would just win the lottery already! Then I could get the T boots!

[tBHj]

I'm a die hard Eskadron fan.

Not a fan of the T boots.

[Seven-up]

Thanks for the feedback so far. However, that the Roma boots everyone is suggesting are the same as my Weatherbeeta boots I'm looking to replace (I bought my WBs pre-No-More-Millers... the Romas are the post-No-More-Millers). However, the competitor pack that was linked to might be okay... I'm still concerned about elastic though. Do the ones in the competitor pack have it?

Jen, I'm going to have to examine your Dover boots again, more closely.

*Sigh* If only I would just win the lottery already! Then I could get the T boots!

Do you want elastic or no? Mine, which appear to be the same ones in the link, do have elastic. It's nice strong elastic, not losing its stretch or fraying. I've been using them for a year and they actually sat around for a couple years before I even had a horse to put them on.


And oh, you take me back with the Miller's reference. I found some polos in the bottom of my trunk that I bought in '96, from THEEEEEE catalog ;) and they are a completely different animal than my newer polos. Soft, much better stretch, and total paradox. They are shorter, narrower and thinner than my new polos, yet the new ones are too small and the smaller ones fit perfect. How does that even happen?:lol:

I'm going to dream of that glossy Miller's catalog tonight.

[myvanya]

As far as I know all the Roma's have elastic, as do the eskadrons, the bar F and the dovers. I think you would have to go to a leather buckle on version to avoid elastic , but even most of those that I have seen have some elastic. Are you trying to avoid elastic entirely?

Davis makes an open front boot (no fetlock boots though), though I have no experience with it; I just know they make them. They go for about $33 and are the classic rubber covered neoprene like their splint boots. I have not actually seen them in real life though so I am not sure whterh the closure is elastic, but it appears to just be a straight up velcro closure. So that may work for you if your main concern is elastic avoidance, washablity, and budget. I really have no idea how good they are though. I have also jumped in the Davis splint boots quite a lot as do many of the eventers I know- they use them for pretty much everything:lol:- not sure what your feelings would be on that, and though the front is not open I have found them to be similar. Good old fashioned polo wraps can be wonderful too- I mostly use them when I do flatwork or dressage, but I have jumped in them as well.

[Dirty Little Secret]

Roma Competitor's Pack and Thinline's have been good to me.

[ExJumper]

Thanks for the feedback so far. However, that the Roma boots everyone is suggesting are the same as my Weatherbeeta boots I'm looking to replace (I bought my WBs pre-No-More-Millers... the Romas are the post-No-More-Millers). However, the competitor pack that was linked to might be okay... I'm still concerned about elastic though. Do the ones in the competitor pack have it?

Jen, I'm going to have to examine your Dover boots again, more closely.

*Sigh* If only I would just win the lottery already! Then I could get the T boots!

I didn't know you had a problem with elastic. In your first post you said the elastic was shot, but that the boots were 7 years old. I don't think you can ask much more of elastic than that.

Also, I'm not sure your going to find many (if any) boots that don't have any elastic. Even my leather open fronts have a small piece of elastic to give the leather straps some give. I can honestly say that I've never seen ANY kind of boot that didn't have SOME elastic in it.

If you pay under $50 for a new pair of boots and they last you another 7 years I think you're doing pretty well...

[wildlifer]

I have the Romas too, they appear to be indestructible AND affordable. You can't go wrong with that!

[Jersey Fresh]

I have the black Dover boots that someone posted above. I really like them. I have both the fronts and ankles and I really like that the ankles are open front as well. I use them daily and they have held up well for 1/2 the price of just Eskadron fronts. I throw them in teh washing machine to wash and they come out clean =)

[RugBug]

My friend swears the Dover generic looking open fronts are great, although I have no personal experience with them. The price sure looks good.
http://www.doversaddlery.com/dover-pro-open-front-horse-boots/p/X1-04232/cn/119/

I bought these, hoping they would be a good substitute for my Eskadrons. They made my horse trip. The fetlock cup is wider and doesn't go around the fetlock as well as the Eskadrons so it sticks out. If you have a horse that needs the boots because they interfere...be careful, they will catch the extra width and it will make them trip.

I also wasn't a fan of the velcro/straps.

Boots are somewhere in the bottom of my trunk, I think.

[janedoe726]

I know the Eskadrons are a bit more coin than some of the others mentioned, but IMO, they are totally worth it (and I'm not one to buy names). I was just looking at mine the other day and thinking about how good they've held up for the 4-5 years I've had them. Except when I thought about which horse they originally belonged to, I realized they're closer to 10-12 years old. And trust me when I say they haven't had top notch care. ;) Really a quality product!

[pattnic]

I didn't know you had a problem with elastic. In your first post you said the elastic was shot, but that the boots were 7 years old. I don't think you can ask much more of elastic than that.

Also, I'm not sure your going to find many (if any) boots that don't have any elastic. Even my leather open fronts have a small piece of elastic to give the leather straps some give. I can honestly say that I've never seen ANY kind of boot that didn't have SOME elastic in it.

If you pay under $50 for a new pair of boots and they last you another 7 years I think you're doing pretty well...

Sorry! Guess I should have been more clear on my reason for avoiding elastic. A little bit is fine, like you describe for your leather boots, but I don't want straps that are all or almost all elastic because it they end up not fitting my horse correctly (partly due to elastic, partly due to my horse's size).

You are 100% correct that them lasting 7 years for $50 is great (and I'm definitely pleased they lasted that long!), but I also haven't seen that particular type in a cob size boot. If I'm going to have to do a full size, elastic needs to be at a minimum to minimize strap overhang.

[myvanya]

I had fun finding jumping boots for my Morgan too...I should have read your signature :lol: I ended up finding a beautiful pair fo beval leather neoprene lined open fronts at a tack sale one day in brand new condition but dirty for $5 that fit him wonderfully. That was nothing short of a miracle. Since I can't help you find something like that....

I just found these. I have no personal experience with them whatsoever so I don't know if they are good, but they seem like the closest to what you are looking for as far as not costing a lot but being more likely to fit the shorter canon bones and smaller legs of the cob sized horses. Since I need an extra set for my Morgan I may give them a try too if I can make them fit in the budget :-)

http://www.horsetackco.com/So-Lite-Open-Front-Jumping-Boot.html

[mhill]

You may want to research the EquiFit T-Boots a little more, they offer an updated version of their T-Boot Original in a velcro front boot for under a hundred and the Tab closure is $134.95. This does not include the backs but I just wanted you to get the boots that you had originally mentioned.

I also know that Smartpak and Dover carry them, here is a direct link to the smartpak link
http://www.smartpakequine.com/ProductCompare.aspx?CATID=47

I always way in the considering that it may not be the best to go for a less expensive boot, as you want to protect your horse with the best possible option.

I hope you get the T-Boots, they really are the best!!!

[Renn/aissance]

I school in Roma gel open-fronts, which are an excellent, affordable alternative to Eskadron gels. I have a pair of FTE leather open-fronts that I use for horse shows; picked them up for $60 on eBay, but I don't think they retail for more than $90. For what it's worth, the leather straps on my FTEs seemed REALLY long to me; I had to trim off about half their length to get them to look neat on my Irish Sport Horse, who, though he be but small, has good bone. If your horse has a lot of bone, these may be a good option for you.

[Denzel]

Another good brand is the BR brand out of the Netherlands. They make super nice boots that are very durable (I have had mine for 5-6 years now?) and they come in tons of colors! I'm not sure where you can find them in the states, but they do have them at Victoria Saddlery in British Columbia (http://victoriasaddlery.com/catalog/product.php?productid=16259&cat=308&page=1)