Do hoof boots help?

ktj1891

ktj1891

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I always believed them did and encouraged horses to land correctly. However someone very experienced with barefoot hoofcare has said they don't find they help much and do not give stimulus which is counter productive.

I made a post earlier about my horse not being quite sound and debating x rays etc. I have now just ordered hind boots so he is booted all round so I can lead him out and hopefully improve his feet and get him sound.

Now I'm not so sure as to wha I should be doing or the best course of action?

Any help?
 
Hi, I am quite new to barefoot but I have now bought boots all round for my horse too and when I see how forward going and fresh he is with the boots on compared to without I can only conclude that they help him. I also have therapeutic pads at the front and just normal pads at the back as he needs a bit less support there. Maybe this is not as good as walking without boots but then it is only for riding which only take an hour or so a day, the rest of the time the foot can be stimulated in the field. The best course of action is what works for you, this is a lot trial and error to start with. There are so many divergent opinions out there it is just confusing. So give it a go and see for yourself whether that works or not. Good luck.
 
He is better in boots but I don't want it to be counter productive. I do want his feet to be stimulated so they grow. I was thinking of doing 10/15 walk in hand where I can with no boots and ride another and lead him out daily with boots on for 40 minutes. I am going to video him tomorrow and see how he is landing without boots and go from there.
 
Boots are not going to do any harm and it would be far better to use them on a tender horse to keep him in work, than go without and prolong his discomfort.
The only way they would be counter productive would be if you were rely on them completely all the time, instead of getting to the root of the problem.
 
Yes hoof boots can help. I use them now and again for my TB and they are not counter productive. I use pads in mine and there is a very clear frog imprint on them which shows that the frog is being stimulated. They are a useful tool when going barefoot and a very good back up if the horse ever shows any footiness on any surfaces.
 
I use them to transition my horse whilst he's growing new hooves as we've just started the transition to barefoot. I use therapeutic pads in mine and I do 10-15 in hand on the lanes without them now; but always make sure that I use them to ride in (obviously in the school I take them off). However, I do know a professional barefoot outfit who hasn't found a boot that provides the required flexibility required to support the flexion the hoof goes into upon landing and therefore, that's why they don't use them. However, they have the set up to support barefoot growth - ie tracks, different surfaces etc. There is a new boot out now called Equine Fusion Ultimate that looks like they provide the flexibility required. I'm just about to try them so can't comment just yet. Hope that helps!
 
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