Can overreach boots make feet sore?

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WestCoast

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My mare had an overreach injury in the autumn when she bought herself home after we parted company. Shes never overreached otherwise in the 4 years I’ve had her.

Shes been wearing overreach boots in the field since - the are rubber ones with soft neoprene tops, I have two pairs and keep them clean, she’s not in deep mud and there’s no sign of any rubbing (she’s got quite hairy feet for a warmblood) and she doesn’t fuss when I put them on. She was fine with the farrier a week or so back.

However she has been observed to be very slightly unlevel at the front a couple of times, and frustratingly it was in one front one time and the other when I had the physio out. But only the first trot up so very minor. She’s going to have a proper assessment done at the vets next week as we don’t have a proper area to trot her up or do circles here.

But I’ve suddenly had this paranoid thought that perhaps it’s wearing overreach boots 8 hours a day? Anyone have any problems like this?
 
If there’s no sign of rubbing I’d say no, it’s not the boots.
I’m just going to say this and not sugar coat it.
If she is overreaching, then her feet are not balanced, that is more likely to be the cause of unlevelness.
 
You didn’t read my post. She overreached once in four years because she was cantering cross country bringing herself home and stumbled when she slammed the brakes to turn sharp right through plough.
 
View said:
What’s the reasoning behind turning her out in overreach boots? Have you only started doing this since the overreach incident? If so, is this still necessary?
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That’s a very good question which I am asking myself. I was initially to allow the overreach to heal - she had to have a couple of weeks in bandaged with it and we had to be careful when she first went out, but now it’s just paranoia as it’s healed beautifully.
 
I had a really good poke around tonight and I don’t think she’s sore. She can be a proper princess if she’s hurting, I’ve seen her hop around on 3 legs because she kicked a pole and then go “oh actually it’s ok”.
 
WestCoast said:
That’s a very good question which I am asking myself. I was initially to allow the overreach to heal - she had to have a couple of weeks in bandaged with it and we had to be careful when she first went out, but now it’s just paranoia as it’s healed beautifully.
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While it’s unlikely to be related, I wouldn’t be turning out in overreach boots. If only because of the risk of rubs and the extra work for you.
 
WestCoast said:
But I’ve suddenly had this paranoid thought that perhaps it’s wearing overreach boots 8 hours a day? Anyone have any problems like this?
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I doubt it, the last yard I was on my horse was next door to a TB mare who wore overreach boots 24/7. She had terrible feet and quite thin skin, but the boots never seemed to bother her (she WAS lame but that was a combination of various other factors!) so I really doubt that's your problem here. Hopefully the minor unlevel-ness is a foot balance issue as @nettle says, and can be fairly easily rectified. Good luck and don't beat yourself up, protecting the wound while it healed sounds sensible.
 
View said:
While it’s unlikely to be related, I wouldn’t be turning out in overreach boots. If only because of the risk of rubs and the extra work for you.
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Quite a lot of shod horses are turned out in over reach boots, to lessen chances of removing front shoes playing in the field / when it is muddy and front feet might not get out of the way fast enough.
 
Fieldlife said:
Quite a lot of shod horses are turned out in over reach boots, to lessen chances of removing front shoes playing in the field / when it is muddy and front feet might not get out of the way fast enough.
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I was commenting about this particular horse where losing shoes has not been mentioned.

Like everything to do with horses, it’s about the individual horse and circumstances - what’s right in one scenario is wrong in another.
 
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