Hoof boots - what do you recommend?

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HashRouge

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Looking for recommendations please. I really like the look of Easyboot Gloves, but am open to other suggestions. Also, would love to know where you bought the boots and how easy did you find the fitting process? As soon as my farrier has been (due next week) and tidied her up a bit I would like to order a pair so getting my research in quick. Thanks!
 
I have Gloves, they have to be REALLY tight in order to stay on at speed, through mud etc. if you are new to boots - they are not the easiest to fit as your measurements have to be accurate and if the hoof is borderline I would recommend getting the smaller size.
you can get fit packs so you can try different sizes

Old macs are easy to fit but look a bit clumpy
 
I have cavallo simples. They are super easy to fit and use, stay on well and give decent grip. They aren't pretty but do the job. I have had no problems even for fast work.
 
I've got the Easyboot Epics on mine. I find them a bit more forgiving in fit than the Gloves and more secure, though I may try Gloves again at some point now that his feet are not changing in size any more.
 
I use Boa Boots - bit fiddly to get on sometimes when getting close to a farrier visit, but seem to stay put OK. The dial on the front is easy to tighten and release and haven't had any rubbing. I use a slightly larger size on the back as his feet are the right length for them but as they are bit narrow for the width I use the gaiters to stop any twisting. Haven't used them for anything really strenuous, just to prevent bruising on the stony lane to and from my yard.
 
HashRouge said:
Looking for recommendations please. I really like the look of Easyboot Gloves, but am open to other suggestions. Also, would love to know where you bought the boots and how easy did you find the fitting process? As soon as my farrier has been (due next week) and tidied her up a bit I would like to order a pair so getting my research in quick. Thanks!
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Hi, Hoof Boots really are horses for courses and it is trial and error. Once your trimmer has been you need to measure your horses feet. Once you have established the size it is about trying on different makes, you may try on 3 or 4 different types of boot before you settle on the one that suits your horse best. I would not rush into buying any boots and I would definitely try before you buy. I have added some links that I hope will help you. http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/HoofBootsHiring.aspx
http://www.hoofbootique.co.uk/hire
One of my customers had recently tried three different types of boot on her horse and the fourth pair the easyboot epic fitted perfectly.
 
It depends a lot on the hoof shape and what you want to do with them.

I had Boa boots when I first took my horses shoes off. They are great for hooves that are changing shape and need pads, especially if you aren't doing too much fast work or going on slippery surfaces (long grass, mud etc) - they work well on the roads. They go on really easily which was important for me at the time as I was pregnant and leaning over was an issue. I got them via the Saddlery Shop (http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/D/Hoof_Boots-(Hoof_Boots).aspx) advice service and hired them first, which was great because he isn't easy to fit and I tried a few others before settling on the Boas. I was able to sell them for a decent amount once he'd transitioned.

I now have Swiss Horse Boots because my horses feet changed shape so that normal sizes don't work, plus I needed something that was good on different surfaces, speed etc. I only use them on the fronts occasionally (maybe once a month). The Swiss boots are heat fitted so you have to have someone come out and fit them, I had Maria out to fit them - http://www.swisshorseboots.co.uk/contact.html - and she was lovely and very helpful. They stay on brilliantly and are great on all surfaces, but you need to maintain your horses hooves between trims (whether by rasping or riding on hard surfaces) or they'll only fit for a week or so post-trim. They were a life saver after my horse went footy last year (after over a year of being completely sound), I contacted manufacturers, tried EVERY boot that might possibly fit and was close to re-shoeing.
 
I had boa boots on mine at first as they were easy to fit on an oval hoof. However I had a lot of problems with them. If too tight they rubbed the front of the pastern and if too loose they came off all the time. The gaiters twisted round if I tried to use them. The worst thing though was how slippery they were on grass. My pony ended up falling a couple of times despite only walking when on anything that might be slippery, once putting me out of action for several weeks after wrenching my hip when he landed on me.
 
Lara Sportelli said:
Hi, Hoof Boots really are horses for courses and it is trial and error. Once your trimmer has been you need to measure your horses feet. Once you have established the size it is about trying on different makes, you may try on 3 or 4 different types of boot before you settle on the one that suits your horse best. I would not rush into buying any boots and I would definitely try before you buy. I have added some links that I hope will help you. http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/HoofBootsHiring.aspx
http://www.hoofbootique.co.uk/hire
One of my customers had recently tried three different types of boot on her horse and the fourth pair the easyboot epic fitted perfectly.
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Thanks for the links! It's definitely helpful to know you can try them out before buying. I do wish there was some sort of hoof boot fitter you could get though, like you can with saddles :p

I think I will start by trying the Easyboot Gloves, assuming that they are a possibility once her hooves have been tidied up and measured! I've liked the look of them for ages, and really like the fact they aren't clunky. If they don't work for her I will give something else ago. Due to various health issues (her's not mine!) there is zero chance that she will ever be doing any fast work or jumping, with or without boots. In fact I'll be lucky if I ever ride her again. I do walk her out a lot though, sometimes for several hours, so I think the boots will come in handy now the grass is coming through!
 
Lara Sportelli said:
Hi, Hoof Boots really are horses for courses and it is trial and error. Once your trimmer has been you need to measure your horses feet. Once you have established the size it is about trying on different makes, you may try on 3 or 4 different types of boot before you settle on the one that suits your horse best. I would not rush into buying any boots and I would definitely try before you buy. I have added some links that I hope will help you. http://www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk/HoofBootsHiring.aspx
http://www.hoofbootique.co.uk/hire
One of my customers had recently tried three different types of boot on her horse and the fourth pair the easyboot epic fitted perfectly.
Click to expand...

Are The Saddlery Shop and Hoof Boutique the same people? I was just wondering, in the past I have been a huge fan of The Saddlery Shop but found their hoof boot advice centre really bad was going to try the Hoof Boutique, but won't if they are the same people!
 
canteron said:
Are The Saddlery Shop and Hoof Boutique the same people? I was just wondering, in the past I have been a huge fan of The Saddlery Shop but found their hoof boot advice centre really bad was going to try the Hoof Boutique, but won't if they are the same people!
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No do believe two diffent ones. I used te hoof bootique and was super hapy with their service!
I LOVE my renegates. At all speeds, all surfaces no slipping, no coming off, ever and no rubbing. Expensive but so worth it!
 
Okay so it looks like I'm actually going to have very little choice as to what boots we get, as the farrier has now been and I've just measured her up, and it turns out that she has (of course!!) got oddly shaped hooves. They are considerably wider than they are long (one by over a centimetre) and that basically rules out everything apart from a pair of cut back Renegades and Old Mac G1s (which, typically, have been discontinued!). So it looks like I will spend part of my day off tomorrow re-measuring (just to double check I've done it right), photographing and doing a template of her hooves, as I want to get some help from the people at the Hoof Boutique. Why can't my horse be simple???? On the plus side, she is actually looking less footy than she did last week (our yard is extremely stony, she is fine on most other surfaces and had been fine on the yard throughout the winter) so hopefully that means my spring grass management is working! I still want a pair of boots though, I think it is just too tricky coping with a cushings pony in spring without any!
 
I wouldnt rule out other boots, I measured my friends horse for the easy glove boot, he measured perfectly for size1, i also measured my horse, but his feet were not the right shape. When the boots came they were to small, but they fitted my horse perfectly ???
 
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