Should you consider Iconoclast boots for your horse?

(or, ‘Why I love Iconoclast boots and recommend them to my clients’)

If your horse has longer pasterns, fetlock arthritis or ringbone, under-run heels, or existing suspensory problems that cause overloading on the rear aspect of the limb, I recommend taking a look at these excellent support boots.

Likewise, if your horse has straight limb conformation, as is often found in the western breeds, or sickle hocks, or is ‘camped out behind’, please do take a look.

These orthopaedic sports boots offer superb fetlock support, due to a patented double strap design that provides equal support on both sides of the joint. Combined with a well-shaped double gusset behind the fetlock, they provide unparalleled medio-lateral stablization and rear-of-leg support.

Does your horse have any upper limb joint issues?

Check to see whether your horse has any effusion around the hocks that indicates some synovitis or early stage arthritis. If so, these boots are valuable in counteracting the associated higher levels of concussion due to inappropriate loading that can lead to knock-on problems lower in the limb.

Reduced hock flexion always means reduced stifle flexion, due to the reciprocal apparatus of the hind limb. This in turn causes a greater impact on the hind fetlocks, which descend to a higher degree, with the dorsiflexion leading to increased stress on the suspensory ligaments.

I recommend these boots for a multitude of problems, when combined with a professional assessment – veterinary diagnosis when required – and an integrated therapeutic approach.

Do you and your horse enjoy jumping, dressage, reining, campdrafting, polocrosse, or other sporting disciplines?

Iconoclast boots provide a degree of insurance against suspensory issues in any sporting activity that places high and repeated demands on the equine fore and hind limbs.

Every horse that works intensively close its physical limits can benefit from wearing the ‘everyday’ Iconoclast sports boots as a preventative measure against sports injuries, not to mention the ‘wear and tear’ effects that escape your eye on a day-to-day basis.

If your horse has raced in the past – and this is particularly true for Standardbred trotters and pacers – low grade suspensory damage may already be present, ready to worsen when additional stresses occur. Even minor hind-limb splint damage is enough to accelerate the suspensory issue.

If you’re rehabbing your horse from leg injury

If you’re bringing your horse back from a suspensory injury, the Iconoclast Rehabilitation boots provide unparalleled support. They provide direct mechanical support, an essential aspect of any in-hand rehabilitation approach that includes appropriate hoofcare, nutrition, and (where required) feed supplementation.

The patented Orthopedic Wedge ® design feature works with the patented Double Sling Strap to provides 360 degree support of the fetlock and pastern, but without causing restriction.

How much are Iconoclast boots?

Prices range from $145 to $180 per pair. They are available in S, M, L, XL and XXL, in pairs for Fronts or Hinds, Black and White.