I wrote a while back about how I got an awesome surprise when I opened the box from Majyk Equipe that should have just contained leftover gen 1 small Dressage boots:
All the Reasons Majyk Equipe Rocks.
I have always coveted a pair of strappy leather open fronts. To me, there's just something so classy and adult about them. Unfortunately, I have never been able to pull the trigger on a pair, which is why some of my best jumping pictures of Connor have, yes, neoprene WoofWear front boots front and center. Sigh.
So I was just absolutely beyond thrilled two times: The first, when ME decided to make the open fronts in small/pony size, and the second, when they decided to send me a pair. Of course, before I reviewed them, I cheerfully wandered over to Riding Warehouse and bought a pair of the small/pony hind boots to match. Can't do a proper review without the full set!
When I first opened the box, the most wonderful leather smell hit me. Genuine Argentinian leather, they say. I generally don't have the budget for nice leather, but these are NICE - and in my budget. We'll get to that later.
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| Yes, they are tiny. My trainer saw them laying around and giggled at how tiny they are. |
Besides the classic Majyk Equipe amazing-value-for-the-price, the best thing about these boots is the removable, washable liner.
In true Majyk Equipe style, it's not neoprene, but a much more breathable interior lining, which really sets it apart from other open fronts. The interior is a soft, brushed fabric. Honestly, if I could take a nap in these boots, I would....
...and I'm not the only one to draw that conclusion. I really shouldn't have had a reason to wash them yet, but a mouse took up residence in my tack locker while I was on a business trip and napped in one of the open fronts (but luckily didn't chew them or nest in them). I'm happy to report they hold up great for washing, and the Velcro/positioning was easy to work with.
If you have read my other Majyk Equipe product reviews, you know one of my biggest complaints about the Dressage boots is that you can't take them off when wearing gloves due to the fact that there are no tabes on the Velcro. That's a big deal in the frigid wasteland of Indiana in winter! Not so with these: you can tell a lot of thought went into the clasps. I wouldn't have any trouble putting these on with gloved hands!
They are a rubberized material, with a nice big tab at the end that has ridges on top and underneath for grip. You pull it over, put the metal part into the larger hole, then push it back until it "clicks" into the smaller side of the opening. It's easy to accidentally just get it into the larger hole and leave it there, so make sure you check and push it firmly into the small side.
As far as fit goes, the hinds could not be more perfect.
They have the same construction as the fronts, but just a single strap.
Unlike the fronts, the strap on the hinds really doesn't come into contact with the horse's skin at all, but floats above it.
The fit on the fronts is aaaaaaaaaaaaalmost perfect. It will be perfect once the elastic stretches a little bit.
The height on the fronts is perfect for Connor, who is 14.0hh with short cannon bones. I imagine this size would work for ponies up to 14.1 with short cannon bones, or ponies down to maybe 13hh with longer cannon bones.
The diameter is on the tight side of "fits", and I have been waffling on this. The elastic is just a little tighter than I'm comfortable with across the front of the cannon bone, but because these boots have so much structure, there's really not a lot of pressure on the tendon itself if you stick your finger down the back of the boot.
Once the elastic stretches even just a little bit, it'll be perfect. Not that I'm optimistic that the elastic will stretch easily: like everything else ME, it seems to be well-constructed. In the meantime, I'm trying to work out a ghetto extender for it using elastic bands. And these will be off-the-shelf perfect for most ponies that are not actually tiny draft horses like Connor is, which I imagine is the target market anyway.
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| Tiny draft horse |
In conclusion, if you value style, protection, and heat dissipation, these are the boots for you. Also if you value value - the full set of these will set you back $275 at Riding Warehouse (and that's before any discount you'd get from buying during their awesome sales), whereas the comparable set of Equifits are over $420 from SmartPak. Almost half the price, and I don't feel like I'm compromising on any of the features of the EquiFits.
Colors: Black with white piping
Sizes: Pony, Horse
