Hoof Boots

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WendyB

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Hi, I loan a 20 year old gent who has a couple of problems in front. He is a little arthritic in his coffin joints and also has flat feet and sensitive soles. At this time of year it is always a battle to keep him sound because of bruising or abscesses – thankfully his arthritis has been stable for a couple of years now. I have tried different methods to manage his foot problems which have been partially successful. I was now considering using Marquis Supergrip hoof boots with neoprene insoles (initially on the front) for turnout and riding as these can be left on for 12 hours at a time and I thought they may offer him greater protection. My regular farrier would still trim him and shoe him behind. However I really don’t want to make things any worse for him in terms of his arthritis or the condition of his feet. Does anyone have any experiences good or bad of removing their horses shoes and using hoof boots for similar problems?

I’d really appreciate any comments or advice.
 
Hello. There has been a similar post recently under TB feet if you do a search. I have a horse who has feet prone to bruising, but he is unable to be shod as they drop off and he overreaches and pulls them off. I have had success with barefoot and hoof boots. I use easyboot epics on this horse with great success once you get used to them and I really like boa boots which my mare has, although these are only used for roadwork as they don't really stay on in mud or sand. Epics stop on in anything. Easycare have a brill website for choosing the best hoofboots although not the marquis ones. I also use keretax hoof hardner on his feet as they crack and this also helps with bruising. However I really wouldn't recommend hoofboots for turnout on a regular basis, they are very slippery in mud and I don't think I would like to leave them on my horses unattended. But you might find he doesn't need them for turnout as my horses feet have improved considerably and he even works barefoot in summer. I have fenced off a stoney part of the field though. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks for the quick reply and for the hoof boots website, it's really good to hear your experiences with this. If you don't mind me asking how did you make the transition from shoes to boots/barefoot and did you have any issues with cracked feet, sore feet, bruising etc along the way. I'm worried that if I didn't initially use boots for turnout he'd easily bruise or get infections out in the field. One reason I was looking at the marquis because it says you can turnout. I suppose I hadn't really thought as far as us going barefoot, I was considering it more as hoof protection when he was out and boots off when he is in the stable, but it's interesting to know your horses feet have toughened up since going barefoot.
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Hi there. I removed my 35 year old cob geldings shoes last year as he was finding it difficult to stand for the farrier. He was stumbling when we hacked and slowing down so decided it was time he was retired. It took him 5 months to adjust and was very lame at first. I thought I had done the wrong thing and even contemplated having him put down. I tried him on Hilton Herbs Gold Releaf and multiflex and this made a big difference to him. I think that after 31 years of being shod, adjusting to no shoes was too big a jump. I wish I'd bought him some boots to help the transition period.

Now he is fine along concrete and tarmac and in the field but I have noticed him struggling to walk along the fine stone to the other field. So I have measured him for a pair of the rubber shoof boots with a clip just for turnout as he is not ridden anymore.
 
I've used Marquis suregrip on my 17hh eventer, only in the winter to give his feet a break from shoes (Kept him shod behind used boots on the front)
He coped really well with them did feel like we were moon walking the first time I used them, but then he was fine after that. (I think Marquis are the only boots you can screw studs into if you need to)
I can't advise on turnout as I only used them for riding but never had any problems with them coming off in the mud, they seem comforatble and never rubbed him... I liked the fact there are no straps holding them on unlike the Old macs, my horse is particularly sensitive to rubs etc. so I did use the socks yo can get. I also like the way you can get spare parts for them and so its cheap and easy to replace the soles once they are worn down.
Good luck
 
Hello I don't have any experience with the marquis boots so I guess if they say they are ok for turnout then they should be fine, but if your field isn't too stony I would still think he should be ok without. The transition period was ok (I had transitioned my mare two months previously so had a little experience) I am near to fells and beach so can aviod a lot of roadwork I just used to lead him on road/stones for short distances until he got used to it and then gradually build up. Fine in the field straight away, Ok on tarmac after about two months, happy on stones in summer only when his feet are dry, cannot cope at all in winter when they get wet ( he lives out with no hard standing just occasional stabling if weather has been horrendous). Hoof cracks are just his hoof wall splitting and have improved with barefoot as he has no nail holes to split, bruising was a problem on stones at first so avoided them as much as poss, but his soles did bruise with shoes on as well. He did have an abcess about six months after his shoes were removed but again I don't know if this would have happened if shod. He did need more time than my mare transitioning and his feet will never cope as hers do in the winter, but all in all its been ok. With using hoof boots there is no reason why he should suffer at all, apart form a little tenderness on hard surfaces at first. I wouldn't expect to much though if his feet are wet with all this rain, but by summer they should be doing ok. They should have hardned up by then to cope with dry ground. Hope this helps. There is loads of info on the internet about barefoot and transitioning, hope this helps.
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Hi, I think that's lovely that you were still enjoying hacking out together when he was 34 and I'm so pleased for you that his feet are now ok. I'd be interested to know how you get on turning him out in boots.
 
Hi, thanks for you reply. The marquis looks really good in the glossy brochure they sent me and seems to do the job I'm looking for. It's really great to hear from someone who is actually using them though as of course the manufacturers are going to say they're great! I'm especially interested as you are also using them with shoes on the back which is how I envisaged doing it. I like the idea of the replacement soles etc too as after the initial cost this will probably work out cheaper than the special shoes I have put on the fronts anyway.

I hope you don't mind a couple of questions? As I would turn him out in them, how do you find they cope with wet? The literature mentions a slotted sole plate, does this mean if moisture can get in it can also drain away and not get trapped in the boot? Also how easy are they to get the correct fit with the air chamber and also to take on and off?

Really appreciate any info you can give me on these. Thanks again.
 
Hi, thanks so much for your posts, they have been really helpful and I appreciate you taking the time to chat to me about this. I hadn't thought beyond boots off in the stable, but from the posts on this subject (I found the others you mentioned) it has given me food for thought that perhaps he eventually might be able to turn out without them.
 
hiya, i have problems with my horse's feet too and old macs are fab! he goes out in them, but i should be able to gradually reduce this as he gets used to not having shoes on. they're relatively waterproof, but not 100%. for fully waterproof ones, try 'hoof-eeze' boots, they have a sturdy rubber sole and have neoprene and velcro attachments round the ankle, so they don't rub at all. you could leave them on all the time (old macs are prone to rubbing if used oto much in my experience). you could ride in them easily, though might wear them down. they're not as expensive as the others, around £40 each. try emailing jsutine on: equinepodiatrysupplies@yahoo.co.uk
her website is: www.equinepodiatrysupplies.co.uk, has laods of options and she's really helpful, i cna;t recommend the website/her customer service enough! she'll post for next day delivery too if you want. good luck!
 
It's interesting that some people say you can turn out in hoof boots, as my EP maintains that there are no hoof boots suitable for turnout, at least in the sort of muddy conditions we are having to cope with at the moment.

Coming on to the market right now is some sort of wrap, I get the impression it's a bit like a cast, and it is designed to get horses past the initial problematic phase when the shoes first come off. My EP has only just got this new stuff so I am interested to find out how it performs as I have one horse who is shod and her hooves are like a Swiss cheese right now. She needs a period without shoes in an ideal world.
 
It may have been my TB post. I use Old Macs and would warn you to keep feet washed witg hibiscrub every day to avoid thrush. I would avoid removing shoes but we are still struggling with the problem. The best advice I can give is to not try to resolev the problem yourself and get a vet in. My boy is going to have x rays and we are going to cure the problem rather than resolve the symptoms.
 
Hi, cheers for you reply - good recommendation
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I already have the hoofeeze as I finally invested in one last year after seeing it in the Your Horse review a few years ago. I think it's a really great poultice boot - it offers good protection and makes the job so much easier! It has been totally secure in his box and keeps things nice and clean. I do like to give him 'supervised' turnout in it in one of our small paddocks, but if he decides to go for a tank round and kick his heels up it has been known to fly off!! He fell a little between sizes so I do have to pad it out a bit, so personally I don't think I would trust riding in it.
 
Hi,
I'm in a similar situation with my 5yo percheron. Flat thin soles, cant keep shoes on, had laminitis last yr due to combination of bad feet & bad farriery. Desperate to find some hoof boots that stay on & go big enough for his 7" wide hooves.
Any ideas please let me know!
 
Hi,
I've been desperatley trying to find somebody who uses epic's and can recomend them. I hope to start hacking my 5yo percheron gelding again as a break from dressage 4 him, but he has had to have his shoes removed & is footsore unless in the school.
I can not remount away from home without my special ladder due to a minor disability so it is vital that boots stay on. Can you give me any advice? I find the basic easyboot useless. Is their size guide accurate or do you need to go down a size for them to stay on? Hope you dont mind all the questions!
 
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