On first look at the LeMieux Carbon Air XC boots, I found them to already be soft and supple, which meant I was less worried about the likelihood of them rubbing my sensitive horse’s legs.
They are very lightweight and I found them easy to put on, and the middle strap is elasticated to help with this. The strike pad sits neatly against the leg and the boot offers full tendon protection. I liked their simple design – the discreet black, grey and red detailing is smart and clean looking. I also liked the design of the vent panel. The Velcro straps are single layer, which made me think they might not be as strong as others that had leather uppers, such as the Mark Todd cross-country boots. However, they were really easy to do up/undo as they weren’t too sticky, which is great for taking them off quickly at the end of a round. I didn’t feel the need to tape the boots either, which I would normally do.
After completing a cross-country round, the boots had remained in place – not slipping or twisting at all – and were still protecting all the key areas. They hadn’t retained much water and weren’t too dirty, either. I was worried that sand or dirt would stick to the vented areas or go into the gaps, but this didn’t seem to happen too much, which was good.
They washed very well at 30° and have come out looking really smart. They also store extremely neatly in pairs. The boots are only available in black, however this wouldn’t bother me as they look really smart. The total price for a set was around £105, which is mid-market and for the quality, protection and feel of the boots I think is a very reasonable price point.
I used a medium front and back on a 16.3hh Irish Sport Horse – they were the perfect length to protect his legs correctly and the Velcro did up neatly around the leg with no gaps.
Verdict
I felt these boots were great value for money. I would love it if they were slightly more breathable all round rather than only where the vented detail is, but I expect this would compromise their level of protection. I would recommend these boots for people wanting a smart set of XC boots, with a good level of protection and a sensible budget.
Who tested these boots?
Sophie Cheeseman is Horse & Hound’s deputy art editor. She has a four-year-old Connemara mare with Glencarrig and Coosheen lines, imported from Ireland, who she bought to produce for dressage. Together they also hunt regularly with The South Downs Bloodhounds alongside doing low level dressage. Sophie also rides for other people, producing young horses and gaining further experience on a variety of rides.
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