Hoof boots! An idiots guide please

[almrc]

Does anyone use hoof boots on their horse? I am just looking into them at the moment for the barfoot horse who struggles ever so slightly out hacking. What are the best ones? I have heard old macs are good but how good are the? Plase give me an idiots guide! Thank you

 

[tallyho!]

Yes, lots of people use hoofboots. They are marvellous things but you need to get fit and shape right, just like your shoes. A very individual thing nowadays.

Old Macs, Boa's, G2's, Cavallos, Renegades.... errr I can't think of anymore but there is this really useful tool called google. If you put hoofboots in the search, you'll be inundated

Happy shopping!

 

[almrc]

Thank you - And I m not going this alone my lovely farrier is helping me thank you

 

[kerilli]

i had a pair of Marquis Supergrip boots for a horse who was turned out with my youngsters (so had to be barefoot) but hacked out, so needed boots or shoes.
they were very very good, no rubbing, the bit around the heels is inflated with a pump to give the security to keep them on. if i didn't do them firmly enough they'd move slightly but this never bothered the horse (who was v spooky and silly, but never worried by his boots), and i learnt to do them a bit tighter. they stayed on fine for all hacking, cantering, even an illicit jump over a spook-inducing patch of grass, and he never wore them out... but 1 good thing about that make is that you can replace different parts of the boots if they do start wearing out. hope that helps.

 

[criso]

Whichever suits your horse, some suit wider feet, some flatter etc. Before I took my tb barefoot I had Boa fboots for whenever he lost a shoe which was roughly fortnightly.
After he went barefoot, over 6 months his feet completely changed shape and they no longer suited his foot shape anymore and are sitting gathering dust.
I think it's the saddlery shop that lets you hire boots to see what sizes and shapes suit.

 

[almrc]

Thank you for the extra info, I was going to ask how do you know which boots will fit but I guess it trial and error?

 

[jackessex]

hi i am getting my chap boots,but ive read so much about boots that im dreaming about them!!!my husband may well divorce me if i mention them again,and my horse actually raised his eyes to heaven when i measured his feet for the 5th time today!!!lol
ive decided cavellos as they are cheaper and seem to be better suited with the sizes,also prequestrian are doing an offer online where you get the gel pads and pastern wraps free with the boots!!good luck!!!!

 

[tallyho!]

Thank you for the extra info, I was going to ask how do you know which boots will fit but I guess it trial and error?

Well, not quite. You need to assess your horses hoof shape. Some are naturally oblong, some round. Some are a little bit upright and some are well let down at the heel. All are natural.

Websites will tell you what foot shape their boots will fit.

Cavallos tend to be for the oval/oblong types. Easycare Inc boots cater for both types and so you can choose between the styles.

Renegades only do ones for round and well let down heels type of feet e.g. pony and arab type feet. Draught horses naturally have a slightly higher heel so probably won't suit them.