Best Bell Boots for Horses: How to Choose and Our Top Picks

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If your horse clips its front heels with a hind hoof, or keeps pulling off front shoes in the field, bell boots are the usual first answer. Picking the best bell boots for horses comes down to a few things: the material against the skin, how the boot fastens, and above all, fit.

This guide is for owners and riders choosing a pair for turnout, lunging or schooling. It compares four wrap-style bell boots and overreach boots based on the makers’ specs, explains how to size and fit them, and covers the daily checks that keep rubs away.

Quick answer

For a simple, no-frills rubber pair, the Tough 1 Heavy Duty Open Bell Boots close with double hook-and-loop straps and are sized by top circumference. If your horse gets sore from plain rubber, the Shires ARMA Soft Top adds a neoprene band along the top edge. For boots that should not spin around the pastern, the Professional’s Choice Ballistic has a no-turn knob, and the LeMieux ProShell suits riders who want one neoprene-lined pair for front or hind feet.

Quick picks

How to choose bell boots for your horse

Does your horse need them?

Bell boots, also called overreach boots, protect the heel bulbs and coronet band of the front feet from strikes by the hind feet. They can also help stop a horse from treading on and pulling off a front shoe. A horse that never overreaches and keeps its shoes may not need them at all. If overreaching is new or getting worse, ask your farrier or vet, since trimming, shoeing or soundness can play a part.

Rubber, lined or shell-style

Plain rubber boots are simple and quick to hose clean, but without a lining they can rub some horses. Boots with neoprene at the top edge or a soft lining, like the Shires, LeMieux and Professional’s Choice picks, are aimed at reducing that.

How they fasten

Pull-on bell boots have no straps and must be stretched over the hoof, which can be a struggle. All four boots here are wrap-style: they go around the pastern and close with hook-and-loop straps, so they are quicker to put on and take off.

Sizing system

Each brand sizes differently. Tough 1 goes by the measurement around the top of the boot. Shires goes by your horse’s height in hands. Professional’s Choice lists both height and pastern size, and says its chart is based on averages. LeMieux says its boots come up large, mainly in height. Measure your horse’s pastern with a soft tape and read the chart for the exact boot you are buying.

Spinning and staying put

Most bell boots are meant to turn a little around the pastern. The Professional’s Choice design is different: a soft knob inside keeps it from spinning, so it should close snugly with no overlap.

Care and washing

Rubber boots just need a hose-down. Shires says its boots hose clean too. LeMieux says its boots can go in the washing machine at a low temperature, inside a wash bag with all straps closed, and should air dry away from heat.

The picks

Tough 1 Heavy Duty Open Rubber Bell Boots

These are plain, heavy-duty rubber bell boots. Open means they wrap around the hoof and fasten, so there is no stretching them over the foot. Tough 1 uses hook-and-loop closures on both the inside and the outside, which it calls Sure Grip double locking. All three sizes are the same height, so choosing comes down to the top circumference. The listing does not mention a lining, so they suit tough-skinned horses better than ones prone to sores.

Good to know:

• Heavy-duty rubber body, sold in pairs
• Small: 10 inches around the top; Medium: 11 inches; Large: 12 inches; all 4 inches tall
• Double hook-and-loop closures, inside and outside
• Model number 66-242
• Quick to hose clean after a wet day

Best for: a basic pair for turnout, lunging or schooling on horses without sensitive skin

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Shires ARMA Soft Top Overreach Boots

The ARMA Soft Top keeps a ribbed rubber shell for knocks from the hind hooves but adds a cushioned neoprene band along the upper edge, where plain rubber boots tend to rub the pastern. Shires pitches them for both turnout and schooling. Sizing is by height, and Shires suggests going up a size for horses with heavy bone or thick feathers.

Good to know:

• Ribbed rubber shell with a neoprene top edge
• Adjustable touch-close straps, in black
• Sizes by height: Pony up to 14.1 hh, Cob 14.2 to 15.1 hh, Full 15.2 to 16.2 hh, Extra Full 16.3 hh and up
• The maker says mud and sweat simply hose off
• Size labels on the listing vary, so confirm against the height chart

Best for: horses that get sore from standard rubber bell boots

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Professional’s Choice Ballistic Overreach Bell Boots

These wrap-style boots are built to soak up the impact when a hind foot clips a front heel. What sets them apart is the soft no-turn knob inside, which keeps them from spinning around the pastern. Because of the knob, the maker says the closure edges should meet rather than overlap; if they overlap, the boot is too big. The size range is the widest of the four.

Good to know:

• Textured PVC outer layer, neoprene inside, a soft lycra lining and ballistic nylon binding
• Double hook-and-loop closures
• Sizes from Small (13 to 14 hands, 8-inch pastern) to XXXL (over 17.2 hands, 12-inch pastern)
• Sold as a pair, model BB251-BLA-P
• The brand says sizes are based on averages, so measure first

Best for: riders who want quick on-and-off boots that stay in place for schooling, competition and turnout

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LeMieux ProShell Rubber Overreach Bell Boots

LeMieux’s everyday overreach boots put a strike-resistant ProShell outer layer on the outside and a soft neoprene lining and collar against the leg. It is the only pick here the maker lists for both front and hind hooves. Before ordering, note the sizing: LeMieux says they come up large, mostly in height, and recommends going down one size.

Good to know:

• ProShell outer layer with neoprene lining and top collar
• Hook-and-loop fastening plus clip straps
• Suitable for front or hind hooves, sold as a pair
• Machine washable at a low temperature; air dry only
• Comes in colors meant to match other LeMieux gear

Best for: riders who want one pair for turnout and schooling, with coordinated colors

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How to fit and use bell boots

1. Measure first. Use a soft tape around the pastern and check your horse’s height, then compare with the chart for that exact boot.
2. Start clean and dry. Pick out the feet and brush off mud or sand from the pasterns so nothing is trapped under the boot.
3. Wrap and fasten. Close the inner strap first, then the outer one. Many riders fasten them so the strap ends point backward, which makes them less likely to be peeled open by a hind hoof.
4. Check the fit. You should be able to slide a finger under the top. The boot should cover the heel bulbs and sit just clear of the ground at the back when the horse stands square. A boot that is too long can be stepped on.
5. Introduce them calmly. Walk your horse in hand for a few minutes. Some horses step high at first.
6. Keep early sessions short. In the first week, check the heel bulbs and pasterns for rubbing after each use.
7. Check daily during turnout. Take the boots off at least once a day to look at the skin and clear out grit and mud.
8. Clean and store them. Hose or wash per the maker’s instructions, let them dry, and store them out of direct sun so rubber does not dry out and crack. Replace any boot that splits.

Safety tips

• Remove boots that are wet and packed with mud; trapped grit causes rubs.
• Replace boots with split rubber, worn straps or weak hook-and-loop.
• A boot that drags on the ground is too big and can trip a horse or get torn off.
• For a horse with an injury, ongoing overreaching or sores, ask your vet, farrier or trainer.

FAQ

What are bell boots for?

They protect the heel bulbs and coronet band of the front feet when a hind foot strikes them, and they can help a horse keep its front shoes on.

Can horses wear bell boots in turnout?

Yes, many owners use them in the field, especially for horses that pull shoes in mud. Shires says its ARMA boots are made for turnout and that the soft top is there to reduce rubbing during long wear. Still, take them off at least once a day to check the skin.

How should bell boots fit?

Snug enough not to slide up the leg, with room to slide a finger under the top. The boot should cover the heel bulbs and sit just clear of the ground at the back. Most styles turn a little, but no-turn designs like the Professional’s Choice should close with edges meeting, not overlapping.

Do bell boots go on the front or back feet?

They usually go on the front feet, since that is where hind hooves strike. Some, like the LeMieux ProShell, are listed for front or hind hooves.

How do I stop bell boots from rubbing?

Start with the right size, keep the pasterns and boots clean, and check for rubbing daily. If plain rubber rubs your horse, try a boot with a neoprene top edge or a soft lining. Persistent sores are worth a call to your vet.

The best bell boots for horses are the ones that fit well and suit your horse’s skin: plain rubber for tough-skinned horses, a soft top or lining for sensitive ones, and a no-turn design if spinning is a problem. Measure carefully, check the skin every day, and replace boots once they wear out.

Emily Carter

I’m Emily Carter, a lifelong animal lover and proud pet parent. I started this blog to share my passion for pets through helpful tips and heartwarming stories. Join me as we explore the joys of pet ownership, including the magic of pet bells!