Hoof boots for TBs

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Sprig

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I am about to bring my TB back in to work after 6 months off. He has been shod in front only while out in the field. I used to do endurance with him but have had issues with bruising as he has very thin soles. I am hoping that going bare will help him. I am anticipating needing to use hoof boots to start with, and maybe in the long term in front. He has very diamond shape feet in front. Here is a pic of his near fore today. He is just over 4 weeks in to a 5 week shoeing cycle and pulled the shoe off in week one by putting his leg through a fence! You can see he normally has quarter clips in front and he has taken a couple of chunks of hoof with the shoe. I only brushed his hoof and not washed so looks muddy but gives an accurate representation of hoof/frog shape.
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I have been reading up and Renegade or EasyBoot Gloves sound good as we are looking to try getting bacl to endurance. I am concerned about sizing and fit though. When I measured that foot today it was 6in wide and only just over 5 1/2 long. I am not sure that we are going to lose much of that width when he is trimmed next week as the farrier does not normal take much hoof off him at all. Should I be asking my farrier to do/not do anything specific when we take the shoes off next thurs? Any recommendations for boots for this shape/size hoof? I have ordered him so pro-hoof and will be starting on that as soon as it arrives.
Thanks
 
Those feet are going to change a lot over the next while. You need a boot that's a bit forgiving of that, and Gloves definitely aren't :) I don't think Renegades are either, and they're a big investment for a foot that's going to look totally different!

You are wanting those heels to start doing some work - they are very very underrun, and the foot is very flat. You will find that the foot becomes less flat, more upright, and so, most likely, a lot smaller (dependent on diet and how much work you can do with the horse booted).

I would suggest either Cavallo Simples or Old Macs. Both of these look a bit clumpy, but are forgiving of changing angles. Plus they have room for pads, which will help with those flat soles :)
 
Thanks for your suggestions. I will look in to them. I think I will re-measure once the farrier has been on thursday and he is bare all round and trimmmed up.
 
Would you recommend some pads in his boots to help stimulate his hooves or do these not really help as claimed?
 
I ve just taken my tb boys fronts off and cavallo simples have helped me no end. I've got 12mm pads in as he has very thin soles he's been really comfy in them
 
I went for cavallo simples, my mares feet are going to be a size smaller and were flared when I started so I knew I was wasting my time and money trying to get easy boots or renegades to fit. I intend to get one of them, once her feet are in their new shape, if of course she needs them. She hopefully may not. I don't think renegades or ebgs are a good first boot from what I have read. Simples have their issues but they are forgiving on fit and easy to get on as well.
 
I use Cavallo Simple boots for my TB with round hooves but got her some of the easycare 12mm pads for them. As someone has already said, they are forgiving boots. My horse has navicular and one upright hoof and they fit both front hooves fine.
 
Great. it sounds like the Simples are the place to start. Is there any particular brand of pad to go for? Can I ask how your TBs have got on with the transition and what work you are doing with them.
 
Well done on going barefoot...it will be the best thing you ever do for your horse. I'm presuming you have your horses diet altered accordingly for his new lifestyle...this has a massive impact on going barefoot. Also get a well recommended barefoot trimmer...another thing that has a big impact! These come highly recommended in the barefoot community for transitioning horses http://www.bitlessandbarefoot.com/hoof-boot-info.php
 
Sprig said:
Great. it sounds like the Simples are the place to start. Is there any particular brand of pad to go for? Can I ask how your TBs have got on with the transition and what work you are doing with them.
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The best pads I found are the Easycare ones - and they come in 6mm or 12mm and you cut them to size - they also come in soft, medium or hard - I just picked the medium ones.

My TB came out of shoes in November 2011 when she was diagnosed with navicular, spavin and PSLD. She was off work for a few months and then I started long-reining her out on the roads, I think it was in April 2012 - wearing front boots. I never used boots on the hind feet and she's never needed them. I did six weeks long-reining out on the road in boots, then 6 weeks riding in boots on hacks, then took the boots off and did a few weeks long-reining again totally bare before getting on her totally bare. It all went wonderfully until she got a stone in her white line, in August, I think. I thought I had got it out, and she was fine for quite a while, then started going on and off lame which resulted in her being off work since about October last year. After a few vets scratching their heads, and abscess finally burst out a few weeks ago. So we're one week into fittening work again and back to square on and in the boots! I'll get on her in about another five weeks as I like to do about 6 weeks without rider weight first.
 
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