Friday Fashion Forecast: Eskadron FlexiSoft Cross Country Boots

Eskadron FlexiSoft Cross Country Boots, front and hind. Photos courtesy of Eskadron.

How many times has your trainer told you to have soft arms? To be flexible, yet strong? “Don’t be so rigid!” she says. “Don’t brace against your horse, you want him to be soft and supple.” Why then would you use a cross-country boot that is rigid and stiff? It’s time to try Eskadron FlexiSoft Cross Country Boots!

They are everything your riding should be — strong, yet flexible, and able to follow your horse’s movement without constricting it. You are galloping through a wide variety of terrain with a huge range of motion for your horse. Jumps, drops, banks and a ground-covering gallop. To have your horse perform his best, he needs a full range of motion in every stride.

Eskadron FlexiSoft Cross Country Boots allow your horse to do just that. They also offer great protection and strength. These boots eliminate any rub spots you may have seen in the past with other designs. They stay perfectly in place through water without getting water logged. Even in muddy conditions they don’t slip down.

Eskadron FlexiSoft Cross Country Boots — Amy Nelson with her warmblood mare. Photo by JMcPherson.

I tested these boots on two of my horses over the last few weeks, including in a clinic with Dom Schramm at my farm Hummingbird Stables in Illinois. We rode inside and out, on my 16.1 hand warmblood mare and 16.3 hand OTTB gelding. These boots were very adjustable and fit both horses perfectly!  The Thoroughbred we nicknamed the “grey dinosaur,” as his jumping movements tend to be quite clunky and he does not care how many solid cross country jumps he bangs against. The mare is careful to a fault, as she tends to over-jump every question by at least two feet. The conditions outside were quite muddy in spots as we had gotten a bunch of rain leading up to the clinic. The sleek design is easy to clean up even after riding in the muddiest of conditions, so a quick wipe down and they were ready for my next ride.

Neither horse had any sore spots from the boots and they protected both horses perfectly. What I really like is the flexibility of the fit. They are much more adjustable than other cross country-type boots which is great! I compete multiple horses, but they have very different body styles and bone structures. The boots have elastic and Velcro to make each boot a custom fit, and then an extra snap closure to ensure it all stays in place. They are much more adjustable than other cross country boots I have used in the past.

In spite of being the ultimate penny-pinching Scrooge, there are a few things I will never skimp on. One thing is protecting my horses’ legs. As you know: no legs, no horse. I have had a horse stud himself from an up bank out of water, where it could have torn his tendon if not for the protection of cross country boots. You spend countless dollars on horse trials and clinics, so invest in safety and comfort of your horse!

But let’s talk about the real cost of these cross country boots. I watch those clothing makeover shows, and they talk about “cost per wear” on an item. They explain that if you invest $120 on a dress, but wear it 12 times a year, it’s really only $10 per wear! I love this logic. With some of the other cross country boots I have tried, because of the design, I need a specific set of boots for each horse. So I have to buy two or three sets of boots. But the Eskadron FlexiSoft Cross Country Boots are adjustable for the perfect fit on all of my horses. So, one set of boots will fit them all. The cost of the boots is divided by two or three (when the baby OTTB Hummingbird’s THE Meatloaf goes eventing in the future, these boots fit him too!). Therefore, “cost per horse” is actually less than other cross country boots. If you have one horse, you can be sure the fit is exact, and your horse will not have any sore spots at the end of your rounds.

Eskadron FlexiSoft Cross Country Boots — easy wipe down after a muddy ride. Photo courtesy of Amy Nelson.

Don’t forget — the reason we have cool products like those from Eskadron in North America is because of a great company called Frantisi. It’s not just Europe that gets all the amazing tack anymore! You can order Eskadron FlexiSoft Cross Country Boots at your favorite tack shop.

Check out all of Frantisi’s products on Facebook and Instagram. They have great contests on there too where you can win super eventing gear!

Amy Nelson and her OTTB gelding. Photo by Clayton & Rebecca Mason

Final Review

Cost: $$$
Excitement: *** 3 Stars
Durability: *** 3 Stars
Variety: ** 2 Stars