Mia models the Professional's Choice Pro Performance Schooling Boots. Photo by Josh Autry.
I think we can all agree that protective boots are one of the most important parts of your horse’s wardrobe. Whether you’re schooling on the flat at home or galloping cross country at a competition, ensuring that your horse’s legs are protected from bumps, cuts and injuries is crucial to longterm soundness.
That’s why I’m obsessed with always searching for the very best choices when it comes to protecting my event horse’s legs. I’ve tried several different types of boots for her this season, and the Professional’s Choice Pro Performance Schooling Boots are my current favorite choice for schooling and riding at home.
The thing that jumps out to you right away about these boots is the quality and craftsmanship you can both see and feel. Sometimes schooling boots seem too flimsy to offer any real protection, but the Pro Performance Schooling Boots offer an ideal balance between durability and flexibility — they protect while still allowing comfort and freedom of movement.
The outer shell of the boots is made from a honeycomb, hex-patterned TPU material that is extremely lightweight and breathable but also feels tough — like it can hold up to a lot of abuse and heavy use. The boots also feature a ballistic strike guard on the outer shell to protect against interference. The inner lining is made of soft, comfortable foam that is also eco-friendly and antibacterial.
Image courtesy of Professional’s Choice
My 16.2-hand big-boned Thoroughbred usually wears a large in hind boots, but I ended up needing to size down to a medium in the Pro Performance Schooling Boots to get the proper fit (the inner straps on the double hook-and-loop system were too long to be secured properly). The Pro Performance Schooling Boots don’t have separate front and hind sizes, but I found that the mediums fit all four of Mia’s legs well.
(Note that the large and extra large sizes in the Pro Performance Schooling Boots have three hook-and-loop straps, while the small and medium sizes have two straps. Click here to see the sizing chart, and if you have any questions on the fit, feel free to ask me in the comments below.)
Even before I swapped down to a smaller size, the larger boots didn’t slip down during rides. The foam lining really does an excellent job of keeping the boots in place, as well as preventing rubs. I really liked that I didn’t have to worry about splashing through a creek while out for a hack when Mia wore the Pro Performance Schooling Boots.
The inner lining is made of soft, comfortable foam that is also eco-friendly and antibacterial. Photo by Jenni Autry.
I know what you’re probably thinking in seeing these pictures: “My slob of a horse would turn those pretty white boots to brown in approximately five minutes.” I did worry about using white boots as an everyday schooling option, and this is actually the first time I’ve ever owned schooling boots in white.
The boots wipe down well, but since they’re machine washable, I’ve found that the easiest way to keep them clean is to toss them in the washer. I’ve had some schooling boots slowly start to fall apart after regular washing in a machine, but the Pro Performance Schooling Boots still look sparkly white and new, and I’ve even been able to buff out stains.
The Professional’s Choice Pro Performance Schooling Boots are available in black or white and are sold in pairs; you can get them in sizes small, medium, large and extra large at a retail price of $89.95 per pair. Click here to check them out on the Professional’s Choice website.
Do you own the Professional’s Choice Pro Performance Schooling Boots? Let us know your own experience with the boots in the comments below. We’ve also reviewed the other boots in the Pro Performance series, so don’t miss EN’s experience with the XC boots and jumping boots. Go Eventing.
