Equine hoof boots / transition to barefoot

stacie21

stacie21

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Any info and advice very welcome his shoes came off today and farrier suggested old mac boots for hacking. I have read a fair bit over the last week but any good tips for success very much appreciated
 
I used Cavallo simple boots for my horse when she first had her shoes off. They're great, although the gaiters that come with them are crap. I bought some easycare gaiters to use with them and it worked perfectly. I didn't use boots on the hinds, just on the fronts though.
 
I took advice from the Saddlery Shop and they recommended Old Macs G2s as being the best shape for my horse's feet - they got me to take a load of measurements to make sure. The boots are a menace to get on if you use the gaiters but perfectly fine if you don't. I find I don't need the gaiters - they don't rub and my mare is a senitive little flower who is very prne to rubbing.
 
Oberon said:
Boa boots can be lethal on grass and mud.
Click to expand...

I had some I used to turn out with over shoes and a smaller pair for when we lost shoes. They were great on stony tracks and dry ground but so slippery on wet mud so I only used them for turnout in the summer.

At the time they were what fitted his foot shape but now I would need a different design as when he went barefoot his feet changed so much.
 
I really like Boa boots but I would say that I wouldnt ride or turn out on ground that has any slippy slick type mud as thats the one surface where they gave me less traction than no boots.

Due to arthitis in fingers I needed something even easier to put on so am now using Easyboot Trails. They didnt stay on well with the pads in them but are OK without the pads. And they just do up with velcro (a triple fastening of it) which is heavenly.

This is for a 14.2 pony with flat round shallow feet.

For more off piste action I will need to either use the Boas or something more tho, as Trails are more for hacking (up to 20k type distances).
 
I would be looking for the boots with better grip as I like my horse to stay upright (and he certainly didn't in boas).
I would also be looking for he ones with the best breakover which wouldn't be the cavallos.
Your choice will also depend on if you are going to put pads in and what thickness pad your horse needs.
 
I used Cavallos on my old girl, they were fab, she went wonderfully in them, she was shod on the fronts, had rotation in one of the fronts. I bought the Boa gaiters separately as they seemed better
 
At the moment, due to the hard ground, my old TB wears Boas in the field in the daytime, together with home made pads and heavy duty walking socks. He cuts quite a dashing figure!
 
I've had old macs for years. They last forever. I've used them for all 4 hoofs on grass, ploughed fields, flint based woodland tracks, tarmac, a gravel bottomed river, and slate covered with a layer of mud. I've jumped in them too. They give as much grip as unshod hoofs, are quick and easy to put on (I don't use the gaitors), and easy to clean. I've never used anything else so I can't compare them.
 
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