Lets talk Hoof Boots

[SonnyandLacy]

So my farrier and vet are on board to let my mare have a go of being barefoot. Shes got navicular with very contracted heels. Shes occasionally sore, but Ive only needed to bute her 3-4x over the winter thus far. We're going to take her shoes off once its warn enough for the ground to stop being so darn hard.

I was going to try sole gaurd, in conjunction with boots. (I love vettecs other products.) She will be in the boots for about 12 hours a day, and will be out 24/7. The stalls/shelter will be soft enough for her to get some relief. She usually avoids the mud, except when shes rolling in it.

I also want to get a boot that I can put pads in, for extra relief if need be. My farrier is willing to measure my mare and help me fit her for the boots. I just need to pick what I want and order them. We're going to get some boots, before she goes barefoot and try them on when shes getting reshod early march.

I'm leaning towards easy boot. They seem like a good first choice, if she grows wider they're not like $200 a pair to have to keep replacing. I like the Rx one, they look like they'll protect from debris, but it seems like it may rub. I wont be riding for a while so I dont need to worry about going over rough terrain or galloping in the boots. Ive never put on or used boots before.

Any suggestions or advice?

[baylady7]

check the posts on this topic in the trail riding section. I use Hoofwings with lots of success.

[mjmvet]

I've heard very good things about Edge boots and Renegades. The endurance folks could probably chime in for you too. Good luck!

[SonnyandLacy]

Yup. Im reading up on the trails section, and I emailed the people who make easy boots.

[starkissed]

Hi Sonny,

I have the regular easyboots (no pasturn gaitor) and I have the epics which have the gaitor.

I feel pretty confident recommending the easyboots to you. Even the original ones might be a good choice because there is no chance of rubbing since nothing is above the hairline.

I recently transitioned my horse to barefoot and currently I use orginal easyboots with him and I have thinline pads for the bottom. I HIGHLY recommend getting pads for any boot you do purchase.

Since your horse will probably be pretty tender due to the hoof being in poor condition, it might be a good idea to get a boot that is a little bigger size and getting thick pads.
For example. My TB fits into the size #2, but they aren't big on him at all. So if I use thick pads (12mm) in the size #3, he can wear those. But I can only fit him in the #2 with thin pads.

Also, since he will be in the boots a lot, drill drain holes in the bottom of the boot. And I have heard people putting baking soda and other things in the bottom if the horse is turned out in them

I think you should hold off on resetting him in march, I think if you have him properly booted the frozen ground should not be a problem. He will be comfortable in boots with thick pads.
Good luck!!

[SonnyandLacy]

My only concern is if I pull shoes now, shell be uncomfortable for half the day. She wont be wearing the boots 24/7, but only like 8-12hrs.

Side note: I really like hoofwings. I checked out the website.

To get a good fit I need to wait for resets so I can take all the measurements w/o shoes and a fresh trim. So by next reset I wont have the boots yet, because I will only be doing measurements then.

[winkybear]

I am transitioning my horse, Ice, from shoes to barefoot using a person who does the so-called 'natural barefoot' trimming a la Pete Ramey. This is VERY different from just a 'pasture trim' that a shoer might do.

Ice is a rescued horse. He was neglected for who-knows-how-long in a pasture. When my trainer found him (July 2008) he could barely walk and had a big chunk missing from one front hoof. He was shod right away and has remained shod until January 2009.

He's been barefoot for about 4 weeks now and is doing amazingly well. Now, for the first time, I see Ice standing tied and squared up!

Always before he had at least one foot off to the side or otherwise altered. After standing for a while he would get antsy, too. Not anymore :)

My trimmer, Maureen Tierney, recommends Renegade boots. I will have him sized for them and buy a pair next month.

If I wasn't going with the Renegades I would probably start with Cavallo. I know Easy Boot is the original brand of mass-marketed hoof boots but there's just something about them I don't like.

Good luck and let us know how it works out for you. :winkgrin:

[jn4jenny]

FYI--the measurements will probably dictate which boot you'll buy. When I was shopping, there was very little overlap in sizing between boot companies. Even in the Easyboot line, there are significant fit differences.

My horse did not survive his barefoot transition and is now back in shoes :(, but he and I both loved the Thinline pads while it lasted. So much so that I'd ordered four extra sets that are now sitting in my closet going unused--that's how confident I was that we were going to be using them for a long time to come.

[superhoof]

I really like the RX boots, and they breathe better than most boots. They work well with pads (even if you need thick ones) and I have had no experience with them rubbing, unlike other boots left on for long periods of time. It would be a good idea to remove them every 12 hours to further prevent moisture buildup. Gold Bond powder is also recommended while they are on. If you bring your horse in at night, a thick bed of shavings can help dry up the hooves while the boots are off.

I've also tried the Hoofwings (this was several years ago) and I didn't think they worked well with pads, as the pads "slipped" on the sole of the boot too easily.

Sole Guard is very expensive and can be too firm for some horses. I would recommend Happy Hoof Pads (try several densities and see what your horse likes best). Your horse's preference can change frequently, especially during a transition.

Hope this helps,
Rebecca

[starkissed]

I have thinline pads too- they are great!

[matryoshka]

From the sound of it, something from the Easyboot line will work for you, especially since you are planning on removing them every day for hours at a time. I have not tried the RX boots. Easyboots styles can be modified for a better fit through use of shims, buying a different size heel strap or gaiter, and cutting them to fit. I've done this for my own horses and for a few clients as well.

I'd stay away from any boot whose closure goes over the coronet (such as Boas, Old Macs, and Cavallo Simple Boot), since these can rub. Pads do work well in those styles, but I don't like them for turnout.

I've used plain Easyboots, Epics and Bares from the Easyboot lines. Plain Easyboots are likely to become lost in the field if your horse pulls them off. Also, I don't know how well they'd stay on with a pad. I don't recommend the Bares, because the bungee closure allows the back of the boot to pull down in deep mud, and then a hind hoof can come forward and rip them off. I've had this happen, but only in mud and only in the Bares.

The Edge looks like a decent closure, but you've got to be sure not to over-tighten the band.

Renegades need to have their pads factory installed, or I guess you can glue them in. Renegade offers a gel pad, which sounds kinda cool, especially for a horse who has contracted heels.

I've had decent success getting nasty contracted heels to open up just through trimming (and treating any center sulcus infection present). However, when the horse is sore because of severe contraction, Sole Guard has been very helpful at supporting the back of the foot while the heels decontract. Boots were not needed as long as the Sole Guard stayed in (the longest I've gotten it to stay in is two weeks).

I'd recommend using a thick pad with the boots. There are pads that offer different amounts of firmness in the frog area. So he can have softer frog pressure to start out, and firm up as he gets less sensitive.

As somebody else said, Athlete's foot powder, or Anti-Monkey-Butt powder, sprinkled into the boots before applying every day can help discourage thrush.

BTW, I've ridden quite a few miles (WTCG) in Easyboots while conditioning for distance competitions. The tread on the Epics and Easyboots can be a bit slick for some horses on wet grass, but the other styles offer better traction.

p.s. A thought about boot closures: One thing that bothers me about Epics for turnout is the wire. I worry that a horse could pop the clip open and have the wire hanging out, getting caught on something (like another hoof, etc.). If I were buying a boot specifically for turnout, I'd get one that had a closure that would not cause problems if they popped open or came off in the field. Also, spraypaint is your friend if you are worried about a boot coming off in a field.

[SonnyandLacy]

^^ I worry about those wire ones as well.

I've herd some good and some bad things about each brand. Should I get from the manufacturer or buy from ebay? I know ebay will be cheeper, but I cant always return them if they dont work out.

Vettec products are actually pretty cheep. I end up using about less then half a bottle for the fronts. (the 180cc container.) What I use is more expensive then sole gaurd, and its still cheeper then putting in hoof pads each month.

[PRS]

Hoofwings....They were orginally designed as a therapy boot and are the only boot on the market that are designed to stay on 24 hrs at a time. The company will work with you on proper fit and can repair and re-sole their boots. http://www.hoofwings.com/ They are really great caring people to work with.

[matryoshka]

If you want to buy from the Easyboot line, the best thing to do is to use www.easycareinc.com to find the right model size, and then purchase them cheaper elsewhere (Valley Vet is often cheaper). The problem with Ebay is that if you get Easyboots or Epics, you could end up with an older model.

Another idea is to look for a boot dealer near you who can come out and measure, show you the different types of boots, and help figure out how best to proceed.

Hoofwings look good, especially for turnout, but don't seem to be designed to work with a pad.

[kcmel]

I like the gloves for turnout, and you can use them with a thin pad (thinline, or the 6 mm easyboot pad). But as someone mentioned, it really is going to depend on fit. I have one horse that is a "tweener" in almost every boot out there. The only one that works well on him are the Cavello simple boots. These also work well for turnout, except that they go above the hoofline and can rub. So I always use them with the gaiters, which are a bit of a PIA to use.

[S1969]

Definitely look at the "footprint" for each boot shape and see what matches your horse's foot shape. I got Boas for my mare; I wanted Old Macs but they were too round. I tried Cavallos and she looked like a clown - the length was right but the width was huge.

You may find a local dealer that carries a few types and they are pretty good with returns. Check horseshoe supply places as well; that's where I found a local dealer.

Good luck.

[RidingAllDay]

I am transitioning my horse, Ice, from shoes to barefoot using a person who does the so-called 'natural barefoot' trimming a la Pete Ramey. This is VERY different from just a 'pasture trim' that a shoer might do.



Really. Can you please explain in your own words how the "natural" "Pete Ramey" trim is different than a pasture trim.

Shoot, I'll make it even easier, can you tell me what a Pete Ramey Trim is and what a Pasture Trim is?

Thanks

[thatsnotme]

My barefoot horse wears the cavallo boots occasionally. If we are going on a rough trail or if she has gotten a bruise without the boots. She has worn them 24/7 in turnout and also for pretty heavy work. They fit her perfectly, but she has pretty round feet. They're easy to put on and easy to clean. they don't seem to bother her at all.

[Frizzle]

Really. Can you please explain in your own words how the "natural" "Pete Ramey" trim is different than a pasture trim.

Shoot, I'll make it even easier, can you tell me what a Pete Ramey Trim is and what a Pasture Trim is?

Thanks

There is a big, big difference! Ok, here we go -- in a pasture trim, the hoof is trimmed exactly like it would be trimmed for a shoe, but the shoe is left off. So, the sole is thinned, the frog is trimmed back, and the hoof is "peripherally loaded," meaning that the majority of the horse's weight is placed on the hoof walls. The hoof walls were not meant to bear most of the horses weight, so a pasture trim leads to cracking, chipping, and flaring (ask me how i Know!).

In a "natural" trim, the hoof is trimmed to resemble the way a wild horse wears his hoof (so, the way that the hoof was designed to function). In most cases, the sole is left alone and not trimmed (except for on the set-up trim and in very rare cases) and the frog is also not trimmed except for any tiny bit of extra material. These structures were meant to bear weight, so excessively trimming them makes the horse sore. The bars are slightly trimmed and the hoof is given a beval or "mustang roll" -- basically, the edges of the hoof wall are rounded to take pressure off of the hoof wall.

I highly recommend reading the articles on Pete Ramey's site -- www.hoofrehab.com. Even if you don't have a barefoot horse, the articles are very informative. Also, look up papers on Dr. Robert Bowker, who is a DVM PhD who only studies horse hooves. He is one of the "big names" in barefoot -- all of his research has shown that barefoot is better for the horse.

As far as hoof boots go, I can't make any personal recommendations because my guy is very comfortable with his natural barefoot trim and hasn't needed boots yet (although he will if I take him off-property -- there are a lot of jagged rocks).

You can actually leave the hoof boots on for up to 20-22 hours a day as long as you're careful. Take the boots off, clean them thoroughly (like with Lysol) and let the boots and hooves air out for a while. If the hooves get soggy, you can put some Gold Bond Medicated Powder in there, which will help keep things drier and more comfy.

[SonnyandLacy]

Honestly I dont see much of a difference ^^. Its more good vs bad trim.
We have a old brood living with my horses, who hasnt been trimmed in years. Her hooves self trim. Her hooves look almost identical to what the farrier trims on a barefoot horse, and hes not a natural balanced trimmer. They are actually a little concave, not completely flat.

[CowgirlUp84]

I really like the Cavallo Simple Boots. Of all the boots I've tried I find them the easiest to put on and take off and the most durable. I have used them for trail riding, arena work and jumping and I love them! If you take have your horse's measurements a fitting guide and info is available on their website www.cavallo-inc.com. I have never had a problem losing a boot or them rubbing my horse and they have sufficient padding and drainage to keep the horse comfortable.

[Cisco's_Mom]

Hi - I've used the Cavallo Simple Boot for several months with very few problems. The biggest is that this winter the mud and snow have caused the velcro to not hold so well. But my horse loves them, and he feet are actually growing!

I've seen the new "Sport Boot" and am wondering if anyone has tried them. I need to replace the Simple Boots (my boy is hard on his clothes), and am wondering how the Sport is different from the Simple. I've read about them on their webpage, but am wondering if anyone has actually used them both, and what differences they found.

Thanks!