Horse Boots - recommendations?

Akarno

Akarno

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I'd be grateful for any recommendations on horse boots. My horse is shod but I recently moved back to an island where farrier average once every 4 weeks so looking for plan b for when shoe gets thrown, ie today!

I used to have an equi boot many many years ago but it always flung off.

There seems to be few options on the market now, the Cavallo looks good?

If anyone has good / not so good experiences to share would be great to hear them - thanks in advance!
 
One had a period in old mac they were good stayed on no matter what and good for all activities. My other had a period in cavallos which are not as adjustable as old mac, rattled around a bit on the hoof sounding like a loose shoe even though size measurement was perfect and are a heavier boot too but she likes to wave her legs around so I chose them because I can put them on one handed and hold her leg firmly up in the air with the other. Old mac you teach them to stand once its on so you can fasten it. Mine learned quick.
 
Firefly9410 said:
One had a period in old mac they were good stayed on no matter what and good for all activities. My other had a period in cavallos which are not as adjustable as old mac, rattled around a bit on the hoof sounding like a loose shoe even though size measurement was perfect and are a heavier boot too but she likes to wave her legs around so I chose them because I can put them on one handed and hold her leg firmly up in the air with the other. Old mac you teach them to stand once its on so you can fasten it. Mine learned quick.
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Thanks v much Firefly, old mac sounded a little pricey but worth it if they don't rattle about. I see they do a 'new mac' now too that they say is easier to get on. Will read up on it more today then check my bank balance(!)
 
I tried my barefoot highland in Old Macs but he hated them. Also, they don't make them anymore I understand. So, i've recently had him fitted with a set of Equine Fusion All Terrain boots. They are incredibly light, stay on well and easy to use. In contrast to the Old Macs, which made him root to the spot and refuse to move!! ... he happily walks, trots and canters in the Equine Fusions and his action is much more free on hard surfaces, which makes me think he's much more comfortable now than without them.

Having said that, my fitter recommended the Cavallo Trek for his hinds as his back feet are a different shape.

I'd strongly recommend getting the fit kits before actually buying the boots. Some places hire them out, which is a help as you're in a place which would maybe not be easy to get a fitter out.
 
I bought the Cavallo Simple Boot for my Fell, when the ground was rock hard and the bridleway from the field to the road had been surfaced with new scalpings, which were too much even for his 'Fell feet'! My farrier recommended them and I have a lot of faith in him. I found them fine, they were easy to fit and didn't rub or come off. Having said that, my rides are quite sedate!
 
For athletic work I prefer the better designs of renegates, easyboot gloves, possibly scoot boots. All have minimal detrimental effects on break over but do rely on a good fit and sometimes fairly well transitioned (and potentially trimmed) feet though I used gloves from day one.

I have cavallos too, they were for field use when poulticing, they are good when you need a slightly more flexible fit with possible padding than the ones I mentioned but they are heavy coompared to others and delay breakover far too much for my likeing. I would never expect a horse to travel the sort of mileage I have done in my gloves in them, or travel at speed as would worry that over time they will start to have a detrimental effect. The cavallos also did rub his heels without socks/gaiters in them whereas because the only hard bits of the gloves etc stay below the heel bulb that isn't an issue.

Re price, my gloves, bought 4 years ago are still going strong albeit with new gaiters and have been gifted to my trimmer to pass on to another beast in need as I don't need them anymore, only one of them was full price the other was off ebay about half price as a tried on return so they cost me about £80 for the pair, which seems a veritable bargain compared to shoes really :D.

For a plan be when you lose a shoe boot though, so you don't necessarily have to go charging about etc you probably will need something like a cavallo that will fit at any time throughout the shoe cycle and won't expect a 'barefoot' trim hoof. The cavallo treks might work quite well and are sold individually and come in both cavallo sole types. Fusions also might work and a few of the others.

For boots to work well they have to fit well so the best thing to do would be next time the farrier comes take photos of the feet unshod with a tape measure against the width and length. We then have lots of lovely boot shops these days that will advise what will work best.
Hoof bootique, urban horse, cannock chase, the saddlery shop, equine podiatry supplies will all advise :).
 
Really appreciate everyone's time in replying to this. It's inspired me to look into barefoot in more detail. I'm not sure it would be right for my warmblood though never say never and its encouraging to hear others experience. Am defo intrigued for my native Eriskay who my younger relatives ride and hopefully another yet to join the herd, perhaps highland someday soon.

Really useful tips and experience from everyone, and thanks Ester for all the supplier names! For now 1 to be flexible on either fronts or backs is what I had been thinking though as some come in pairs I need to read up on them all now. I school on the sandy flats and hack on a mix of beach, machair and road. Maybe I'll strip with flourescent tape just in case I do have a stray one at any time so I can find it again though it sounds like loosing them is less of an issue with the latest boots.

I've been working today but will explore all the really useful info in more detail tonight and tomorrow.

Thanks again am very grateful! :)
 
Has anyone heard of http://horserunners.com/

They've just won a round of funding on kickstarter. I'm early days to understanding alternatives to traditional shoes but these guys and their product look an interesting one to watch for the future.

Thanks again to everyone - I think in first instance I'll be going for a single Cavallo to get me started on an emergency plan b though I'm keen to understand better and consider other options for the future too. Maybe warmblood doesn't have to = traditional shoes these days!
 
Most horses have different sized front and hind hooves (and often also a different shape, more oval on the hinds, rounder on the fronts), so you'll be unlikely to find one size that will be a decent fit on either front or hind hooves. Most horses are ok to cope without a hind shoe though, so I would probably focus on finding a boot that will fit the fronts ok.
Have a look at the facebook group "Hoof boots for sale or exchange UK" for bargains on used boots. Cavallos come up pretty regularly.
 
supsup said:
Most horses have different sized front and hind hooves (and often also a different shape, more oval on the hinds, rounder on the fronts), so you'll be unlikely to find one size that will be a decent fit on either front or hind hooves. Most horses are ok to cope without a hind shoe though, so I would probably focus on finding a boot that will fit the fronts ok.
Have a look at the facebook group "Hoof boots for sale or exchange UK" for bargains on used boots. Cavallos come up pretty regularly.
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Thanks supsup - I've been looking at second hand on ebay, great tip for the facebook group will look there too! She is v round on front and oval hinds. The hinds I can get away with short term on a lost shoe as I'm close to the machair / beach but the fronts are more of an issue (she's evidently footy) so looking at front single / pair in first instance. Just a bit cautious to get the sizing right, will be measuring (again) with chart this eve before bidding.
 
My advice would be to try a few off ebay second hand after you have done some very specific measurements and once you find some you like second hand, invest in some new ones. I have tried equine fusion which did not last long but were good fit, cavallo which are my favourite (sports version - although I am keeping an eye on ebay to try some Simples) and Renegade Vipers which I love the look off, but managed to buy one boot slightly too small so now need to buy another and having just spent 200 quid on them, I am going to wait a while. I should actually ebay the one that is slightly too small :) Sizing can be the most tricky bit ! I shall be trying some HorseRunners as soon as they are fully available to buy and on the market.
 
Thanks Ponypatters and Ester. The cost / challenge of getting right fit is daunting - I think she seems fairly straightforward in that she is = length / width on the front. Fingers x'd!

Horserunners are available to pre purchase with a discount before the estimated release in July next yr I think.

Interesting to hear the Simple is heavy compared to sports. As my initial aim is to use as spare tyre when I loose a shoe it's food for thought that any one sided weight will likely feel strange to her, guess will just have to give it a go!
 
The more I read on the newer boots available these days and the benefits of barefoot and given my access to a farrier is now only once every 4 weeks at best I think I'll see how single boot works and all being well consider a transition to boots maybe even barefoot one day.

I think I've been hard wired to believe only natives can potentially work without shoes, it's really interesting to be reading on h&h and other forums of other types / warmbloods going barefoot.

Thanks again to all the replies:)
 
Liz Hapgood at the Hoofbootique is great for helping you assess what the best type for your horse and for what you need the boot to do might be, and they have a hire scheme to let you try a boot before buying, which I've found really helpful.

For my Endurance pony (laminitic, no less), I swear by Renegade Classics and Vipers (he fortunately wears the same size all round, in Dragonfire Red; Renegades have awesome colour names), and my mare wears Cavallo Simples on her fronts when hacking, simply because she came with them for her hinds (was shod in front when I got her), and I tried them on her fronts and they didn't come off. Not much thought behind that, but that's for casual hacking rather than performance! :D
 
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