Careful readers of Source will note that we are on a modest equine roll.

Last week, we told you about horse bonnets. (No joke. These are stylish, tasseled caps that keep the flies away.) But did you know that some horses also wear boots?

These are not merely a Maine fashion accoutrement – akin to Bean boots for broncos. Actually, these bell boots, which can be made of rubber, neoprene, leather or other materials, have a practical purpose: They protect the back of a horse’s heels. A horse can injure its heel if it overreaches with its hind feet and strikes the back of its front heels, or if it accidentally pulls off its shoes (not lace-ups or pumps, but the steel shoes that farriers put on horses).

If a horse is prone to such problems, he can wear his boots all the time – whether he is turned out in a paddock or performing in a show ring.