Hoof boot grip - galloping on wet grass

[flying_high]

Interested to know what if any hoof boots people have found to have good grip galloping on wet grass?

Particularly interested in Equine Fusion All Terrain / Evo boots / Flex boots?

Has anyone tried adding studs for grip in wet weather on grass?

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I use Renegade Vipers and have only ever slipped once on wet grass and that was because we were on a camber. The Flex Boots look lovely and grippy but I’ve never used them.

 

[paddy555]

the only boots I would use for that purpose would be the vipers (or renegade classics) . Looking at the soles on the fusions they would be a non starter for me,
When I had to buy new boots specifically for the winter for the purpose of not slipping on wet grass I considered both the flex and vipers. I choose vipers as I knew the grip was good from previous experience. The flex may be and I was tempted but in the end I went with what I knew would grip well.

ETA about studs. If you are only using boots to ride on grass I am not sure you need boots at all. If you are using boots and riding on varied surfaces (as most of us are) then some of that surface will be tarmac. I wouldn't put road nails in a shod horse as I think it would stop the "slip" on the roads as the horse lands. For that reason I would be reticent about grip nails/studs in boots.

 

[Brownmare]

The best boots I found for grip on wet going were Easyboot Grips which are sadly now discontinued but do occasionally appear for sale secondhand. I have Flex boots now which I love but I haven't done any fast work on wet going in them. Explora Magics are also very good for staying on and not twisting but again I haven't done enough fast work in the wet to give an accurate opinion.

 

[Sanversera]

I find scoots have good grip on grass but havent tried them galloping i must admit. they cope very well with steep hills both up and down.

 

[OldNag]

Not had any issue with Scoots.

 

[bouncing_ball]

the only boots I would use for that purpose would be the vipers (or renegade classics) . Looking at the soles on the fusions they would be a non starter for me,
When I had to buy new boots specifically for the winter for the purpose of not slipping on wet grass I considered both the flex and vipers. I choose vipers as I knew the grip was good from previous experience. The flex may be and I was tempted but in the end I went with what I knew would grip well.

ETA about studs. If you are only using boots to ride on grass I am not sure you need boots at all. If you are using boots and riding on varied surfaces (as most of us are) then some of that surface will be tarmac. I wouldn't put road nails in a shod horse as I think it would stop the "slip" on the roads as the horse lands. For that reason I would be reticent about grip nails/studs in boots.

Curious what makes viper treads better than all terrain fusions?

Vipers are orange in photo. All terrain ultras are the two black photos.

 

[bouncing_ball]

ETA about studs. If you are only using boots to ride on grass I am not sure you need boots at all. If you are using boots and riding on varied surfaces (as most of us are) then some of that surface will be tarmac. I wouldn't put road nails in a shod horse as I think it would stop the "slip" on the roads as the horse lands. For that reason I would be reticent about grip nails/studs in boots.

My hacking is a mix of gravel, tarmac, grit and good turf. At the moment he’s not comfortable on the gravel without boots.

 

[Fransurrey]

The grip on both All Terrain and Flex are pretty good as is (I have both). I used to add ice spikes to Easyboot Backcountry a few years ago, to enable good grip in winter (slippy tracks and icy bridleway) which made them amazing. I have very little road work, but ice spikes come in different grades. Mine were short cleats and didn't affect road or hard track work at all. So much so I have them in my own trail shoes and I have to run on pavement to get to the trail.

 

[Brownmare]

Curious what makes viper treads better than all terrain fusions?

Vipers are orange in photo. All terrain ultras are the two black photos.

Viper treads are a lot deeper than fusions which isn't really clear from those photos but I too would definitely go for vipers over the fusions for this type of going.

 

[flat3]

The grip on both All Terrain and Flex are pretty good as is (I have both). I used to add ice spikes to Easyboot Backcountry a few years ago, to enable good grip in winter (slippy tracks and icy bridleway) which made them amazing. I have very little road work, but ice spikes come in different grades. Mine were short cleats and didn't affect road or hard track work at all. So much so I have them in my own trail shoes and I have to run on pavement to get to the trail.

Out of interest, how do you add the spikes?

 

[Fransurrey]

Out of interest, how do you add the spikes?

Ice spikes are screw in cleats. When you first buy them, they come with a screwdriver that has a hex socket head. They're marketed for human trail shoes, but spaced out evenly on hoof boots they were invaluable to winter riding! It may have changed, but I always found it cheaper to buy direct from the US.

https://www.icespike.com/

 

[bouncing_ball]

Ice spikes are screw in cleats. When you first buy them, they come with a screwdriver that has a hex socket head. They're marketed for human trail shoes, but spaced out evenly on hoof boots they were invaluable to winter riding! It may have changed, but I always found it cheaper to buy direct from the US.

https://www.icespike.com/

Thanks you are the second person to recommend these. Are on my Christmas list! There is a U.K. site here -https://icegripper.co.uk/products/icespike

 

[bouncing_ball]

Viper treads are a lot deeper than fusions which isn't really clear from those photos but I too would definitely go for vipers over the fusions for this type of going.

I’m struggling to see decent sole depth in any photo of the vipers?

The non all terrain equine fusion slip horribly.

But I thought all terrain equine fusion sole was both deeply grooved and grippy.

 

[bouncing_ball]

The grip on both All Terrain and Flex are pretty good as is (I have both). I used to add ice spikes to Easyboot Backcountry a few years ago, to enable good grip in winter (slippy tracks and icy bridleway) which made them amazing. I have very little road work, but ice spikes come in different grades. Mine were short cleats and didn't affect road or hard track work at all. So much so I have them in my own trail shoes and I have to run on pavement to get to the trail.

Do you think ice spikes would work in all terrain fusions or flex boots? I’m assuming you can add and remove them without long term damage to boots.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I’m struggling to see decent sole depth in any photo of the vipers?

The non all terrain equine fusion slip horribly.

But I thought all terrain equine fusion sole was both deeply grooved and grippy.

New Vipers have a really deep tread but I did wonder whether it’s the shape of the tread which makes them so secure. They are more like the natural shape of the foot with a frog.

 

[paddy555]

Curious what makes viper treads better than all terrain fusions?

Vipers are orange in photo. All terrain ultras are the two black photos.

I’m struggling to see decent sole depth in any photo of the vipers?

The non all terrain equine fusion slip horribly.

But I thought all terrain equine fusion sole was both deeply grooved and grippy.

what makes them better is simply fact, experience or whatever you want to call it, you should be able to get a better idea of the depth of the cleats on here.
https://hoofbootique.co.uk/renegade-viper/

the scoots would also be excellent boots from a grip POV however for me they have too many problems so I chose the vipers.

 

[I'm Dun]

Do you think ice spikes would work in all terrain fusions or flex boots? I’m assuming you can add and remove them without long term damage to boots.

I wouldnt want to add them to Flex boots. The whole point of them is they are flexible and give. Mine can definitely still feel big stones through them, so I'd worry that they'd feel the spikes, and/or the reduction in the movement would damage the boots.

Mine had flex boots on for walk/trot/canter on grass and had no issues, but it was summer time and I am struggling to remember if we did any work on wet grass or not.

 

[flying_high]

what makes them better is simply fact, experience or whatever you want to call it, you should be able to get a better idea of the depth of the cleats on here.
https://hoofbootique.co.uk/renegade-viper/

the scoots would also be excellent boots from a grip POV however for me they have too many problems so I chose the vipers.

Interesting – yes the viper in the side photo looks to have a deep tread.

I found the equine fusions without the deep grip all terrain tread VERY slippery.

I found scoots had little grip in wet mud / wet grass on past horse (shape doesn’t suit current horse), but shows we have different experiences of grip.

So far I have found the Equine Fusion All Terrain the best grip of the boots I’ve used so far (Evo, Equine Fusion, Equine Fusion All terrain, Cavallo, Explorer, Scoot), but I have not tried viper / renegade.

In terms of studding the flex boots (they sell flex studs, so they must think can be done safely), but I would agree can feel all stones through the boots, do not sure how would work.

I am quite tempted by the ice spikes in one pair of boots (I have Evos, Equine Fusion All terrain and flex). Probably make sense to ice spike the Equine Fusion All terrain as has thickest sole, and is most slow to put on, I think. But yes the icespikes would need to be safe to use on the road for short stretches.

 

[Gloi]

The best boots I found for grip on wet going were Easyboot Grips which are sadly now discontinued but do occasionally appear for sale secondhand. I have Flex boots now which I love but I haven't done any fast work on wet going in them. Explora Magics are also very good for staying on and not twisting but again I haven't done enough fast work in the wet to give an accurate opinion.

Easyboot Grips were fab. I have had a couple of painful falls in other boots on wet grass and am now really quite paranoid about riding on it. I have scoots and actually haven't had a problem with them but only ride cautiously on any grass which may be slippery.

 

[GinaGeo]

Mine have more grip in their Renegade Vipers than they do in anything else. And I have cantered on pretty tough terrain on a variety of horses without any slippage issues.

I wouldn’t do what I do in those in any other make of boot ?

 

[Fransurrey]

I am quite tempted by the ice spikes in one pair of boots (I have Evos, Equine Fusion All terrain and flex). Probably make sense to ice spike the Equine Fusion All terrain as has thickest sole, and is most slow to put on, I think. But yes the icespikes would need to be safe to use on the road for short stretches.

I have the All Terrain and Flex and actually think the Flex is more suited to spikes than the AT (which seems more flexible to me!), but the AT also seems more grippy, so I don't think I'd bother adding studs or spikes (although I don't use them a lot, so haven't used them on frosty mornings, yet!) In terms of riding on the road, the spike brand I linked to are really grippy the first ride, but after that they're more like road nails on the road, so safe but with slight give, as the edges of the cleats round ever so slightly.

 

[flying_high]

I have the All Terrain and Flex and actually think the Flex is more suited to spikes than the AT (which seems more flexible to me!), but the AT also seems more grippy, so I don't think I'd bother adding studs or spikes (although I don't use them a lot, so haven't used them on frosty mornings, yet!) In terms of riding on the road, the spike brand I linked to are really grippy the first ride, but after that they're more like road nails on the road, so safe but with slight give, as the edges of the cleats round ever so slightly.

That's interesting. To me the soles of my flex boots, literally flex in my hands, they are described as like barefoot shoes for people, can still feel stones through them. The soles of my Equine Fusion. All Terrain Ultras are soft but like thick trainers, my horse doesnt feel stones wearing them. I'd agree that AT are more grippy than flex (or Scoot) in my experience.

Thanks, that's really helpful re the ice spikes.

 

[I'm Dun]

That's interesting. To me the soles of my flex boots, literally flex in my hands, they are described as like barefoot shoes for people, can still feel stones through them. The soles of my Equine Fusion. All Terrain Ultras are soft but like thick trainers, my horse doesnt feel stones wearing them. I'd agree that AT are more grippy than flex (or Scoot) in my experience.

Thanks, that's really helpful re the ice spikes.

Yup mine are the same. I absolutely love them, but they werent suitable for early days, and I still have pads in mine as hes an ex racer rehabbing at 6 so a slow process.