Untacked

24 w i n t e r 2 014 U n tac k e d Editor's PicKs Cross-country boots that don't slip are my holy grail of equine equipment. if i had a dollar for every time i've jumped off my horse after the finish only to see her boots— which i knew were secured tightly before the start— slouched and water-logged around her ankles, i'd have at least several more dollars than i do now. (maybe enough to buy some decent boots.) so the Boyd martin majyk equipe Cross-Country Boots intrigued me, especially after i saw Boyd himself was brave enough to take the boots around advanced tracks without taping them. if they could stay put for him, surely i could expect the same level of performance at a few training level events. And lo and behold, i could! anks to the interior mate- rial—which majyk equipe calls hyperflex foam—the boots don't move a millimeter. e material is so tacky that you can't even slide the boots down the leg if you place them too high at first; they won't budge. i took this as a good omen that they wouldn't be doing any sliding during events either. ey also don't hold water at all, so they don't get heavy on the legs, another contributor to that loathed downward drop. But one of the coolest features is the strike guard that runs along the back of the tendons on the boots. When the boot is flattened in your hand, everything about it feels soft. But when you curve it around the leg, it becomes a tough and seemingly impenetrable protective barrier. "e flexible shape of the strike guard creates a reverse response feature, whereby impact from outside is met with a rigid protective wall, but the accordion-like construction is soft enough to flex with the horse's movement during its natural stride," says the company about their proprietary technology. e boots are easy to wash; i usually just hose them off in the wash rack at the same time i bathe my horse, but you can throw them in the washing machine too. eir light- weight and breathable material means they dry quickly, an asset if you need them for a muddy trot set one day and a cross-country school the next, or if you use one pair on mul- tiple horses. e velcro holds up too, never coming loose or getting worn during testing. it's going to take me a while to feel comfortable enough to stop wasting duct tape on my boots, but i'm confident i'll get there with the help of the majyk equipes. my only qualm would be that these boots come in just two sizes—medium and large—and one color currently. e medium front boots were borderline too large for my 15.1- hand mare, so they likely wouldn't fit anything smaller. if eventing isn't your discipline, the company also makes boot options for other sports. i'm currently eyeing the sleek dressage ones for my next purchase. e cross-country boots retail for $89.99 for fronts and $99.99 for hinds. visit majykequipe.com for a complete list of in-person and online retailers. —Lisa Slade, Editorial Staff Majyk Equipe Boyd Martin Cross-Country Boots

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