Skid boots are a specialist item of leg protection designed for horses competing in Western disciplines that involve fast stops, sharp turns, and explosive acceleration. Most closely associated with reining and barrel racing, they protect a specific and vulnerable area — the back of the fetlock joint and the ergot — from contact with the arena surface during the dramatic sliding manoeuvres that define these events. For horses competing in these disciplines seriously, skid boots are not optional equipment.
What Are Skid Boots?
Skid boots are protective boots worn on the hind legs, covering the back of the fetlock and the heel area. They are designed to shield the fetlock from ground contact and abrasion during the sliding stop — the signature reining manoeuvre where the horse plants its hind feet and slides forward across the arena surface for several metres. Without protection, the repeated contact between the back of the fetlock and the sand or dirt footing would quickly cause abrasions, bruising, and eventual lameness.
Most skid boots feature a hard or semi-rigid external shell made from moulded plastic or reinforced neoprene, with a fleece, sheepskin, or neoprene lining against the horse’s skin. The external shell takes the brunt of the surface contact and distributes it across a wider area rather than concentrating it on the soft tissue of the fetlock. The lining minimises rubbing and irritation during extended work sessions.
They fasten with Velcro, buckles, or a combination of both. A secure, snug fit is essential — a boot that slips during a sliding stop could shift onto the wrong part of the leg and cause more harm than no boot at all. See our entry on overreach boots for comparative leg protection used on the front feet in other disciplines.
When Are Skid Boots Used?
The primary application is reining competition and training. Every reining horse working toward sliding stops should be fitted with skid boots from the early stages of stop training — the manoeuvre is high-impact enough that protection should be in place before the horse begins practising in earnest. Barrel racing horses also benefit from skid boots on the hind legs, particularly horses with long pasterns or those that make very tight turns around the barrels where the fetlock approaches the ground.
Team roping horses, particularly heelers who stop hard after catching the steer’s hind legs, are another common application. Any discipline that involves hard stops, rapid deceleration, or work on arena footing that creates significant surface friction warrants consideration of skid boot use. Trail horses working on natural surfaces with loose gravel or uneven terrain are generally not fitted with skid boots, as the specific hazard they address — sliding on a prepared arena surface — is not present.
Fitting Skid Boots
Correct fit is straightforward but important. The boot should sit snugly around the fetlock and pastern without cutting into the skin at the top edge or creating pressure over the sesamoid bones at the back of the fetlock. The protective shell should be centred over the back of the fetlock and ergot, with the lining flat against the skin. Check that the fastenings are tight enough that the boot cannot rotate around the leg but not so tight that they restrict circulation.
After each session, remove the boots, rinse away sand and debris, and check the inside surface and lining for any grit that might have worked its way in. Skid boots that hold sand against the skin for extended periods will cause rubbing regardless of how well they fit. Most manufacturers recommend allowing the boots to dry fully between uses to prevent the lining from compressing and losing its protective properties. Related equipment worth understanding includes splint boots, which protect a different part of the leg and serve a different function.
Skid Boots in Competition
Skid boots are permitted and standard in NRHA reining competition and most Western event classes. The NRHA rulebook specifies requirements for legal boots and prohibits equipment with protrusions or materials that could injure the horse. FEI reining rules similarly permit appropriate leg protection. Riders should always check current rules for the specific class and governing body before competing, as regulations are updated periodically.
In the warm-up pen before competition, skid boots are visible on virtually every reining horse — they are as standard to the discipline as splint boots are to showjumping or overreach boots are to eventing. Their presence is a mark of appropriate horse welfare management, not a sign that anything is wrong with the horse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do skid boots go on front or back legs?
Skid boots are worn on the hind legs. The injury they prevent — fetlock contact with the ground during sliding stops — occurs at the back of the hind fetlock. Front legs are not involved in sliding stop mechanics in the same way. Some reining horses also wear sport boots or brushing boots on their front legs as general protection, but skid boots specifically are a hind-leg item.
Can any horse wear skid boots, or only Western horses?
Skid boots are designed for the specific demands of Western sliding stop disciplines. Horses in English disciplines, hacking, or non-sliding Western events do not typically need them. If you are unsure whether your horse’s discipline and training activities warrant skid boot use, a conversation with your trainer or a Western saddlery specialist will quickly establish whether they are appropriate for your situation.
How do I know if skid boots are fitted correctly?
A correctly fitted skid boot sits with the protective shell centred over the back of the fetlock, the top edge sitting below the lower border of the fetlock joint without creating a pressure ridge, and the fastenings snug but not tight. You should be able to slip one finger under the strap but not two. After fitting, run the horse briefly and check that the boot has not shifted position. If it rotates to the side or slides down, it needs adjustment or a different size.