Calling all bare footers, andy spooner etc. Please help

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thatsmygirl

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I would really like to keep my cob bare footed but his feet are worn right down and now can't cope with road work but happy to walk to the field etc. So it's either shoes or boots so please advise which boots are best from your experience? Boa or old macs or any other you use? I really don't want to shoe him. Please help
 
I use boa's up front on my boy because they are the only boots that fit his big feet :rolleyes: I find them easy to put on and take off and like the mechanism - i've had them 3 years and only had to replace the cables once. They are great for roadwork but not so good in mud or on slippery surfaces. I have lost one a few times in deep mud and during faster work.

I also have G2's for his hinds which i've lost occasionally too and are a bit battered but have much better grip than the boas. They are fiddly to put on though.
 
Ok thank you, I tried boas on my old horse but wouldn't do up tight enough and kept twisting round but the nxt size down was to small. Anybody used old macs?
 
I have gone barefoot now with my mare been like it now for coming up to 5 months only been back in work a month however i dont want shoes back on so have gone with cavallo hoof boots as they are easy to fit and add onto my mare for road work.
 
Sounds really unhelpful (sorry!) but the best boot will be the one that fits your horses hoof size and shape the best. I find thesaddleryshop website really helpful for boots http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/hoofsizecharts.aspx You can hire them from here too so you can check the fit before spending out a fortune! If you aren't sure after checking the size charts then give them a call as they are v knowledgeable.

We will be getting some from here for oh mare, as she is a fatty her work needs to continue, but her feet are as yet just a smidge soft to hold up to the amount of road work we are doing. She is sound as a pound, but her feet aren't yet growing enough (or are hard enough) to keep up with her work. These should help as a stop gap I think while her feet develop.

As an aside though, I have found that my idea of 'too worn' is not the same as our mares (both barefoot). Hooves on my mare that initially I would have thought of as too worn actually seem to be her comfy length. If he is sound then I wouldn't worry as much about the length of his feet, it is quite a different looking healthy hoof to a shod one and it has/is taking me a while to get my eye in!

Good luck with your boy!
 
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