Im scared of ...hoof boots

shannonandtay

shannonandtay

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 November 2012
Messages
723
Location
London
Visit site
So those who read my last post with concerns about the shoeing of my pony, I've decided yesterday to just go for it and pony is now barefoot (he was only in fronts anyway). We have been barefoot previously and the transition was so easy initially, no foot soreness and pony was doing everything he always has but after a sponsored ride he became sore and I was told to put fronts back on.

Anyway we are trying again, I was wondering if I should invest in some boots this time, but having looked I'm completely lost. They look really cumbersome and I do not trust myself in getting the fit right at all. I've watched a coup,e of vids of fitting which is fine when they know what they are doing but my pony doesn't even like travel boots so no idea how he will be. I'm concerned they could rub or come flying off (which would be a disaster) so tell me your experiences of boots and what ones. Thanks
 
Cavallo are straightforward, I prefer the Simples as I find the Sport fastening rubbish.They have a very straightforward diagram on their website how to measure length and width. You can't really go wrong. If you need pastern protection, thick mens socks make good wraps. Put them on for 20 or 30 mins a day over a few days before riding in them and build up slowly so they dont rub.
Never lost a boot, and I ride through streams, mud, etc.
 
I have cavallo simples. My girl was rubbish at picking her feet up and the type that doesn't like boots but was fine with hoof boots after about 10 mins of walking like a fool. I have never lost one riding, whether in deep mud or at speed. I once had one come off during turnout but she was hooning about bucking and the husband had put her boots on unsupervised. Mine have had several years use now.
 
If the he got footsore after a long ride it suggests he is not able to take a sudden increase in work on tracks, so boots are one answer and more regular work is another.
Either way, check the diet, high fibre, lo sugar, balanced minerals every day, micronised linseed.
I let my boy select his own pathway, not sure if this is a cop out, but he got a lot tougher after a couple of years, I think it was no access to sweet sugary grass/haylage rather than anything else.
I had an idea that the Cavallos have two shapes, on round and one more oval. I would think that it is better to have a good tight fit, so measure after trimming.
 
Last edited:
I thought the cavallos looked the easiest and his just been trimmed so will measure now, just saw that the saddlery shop hires some boots so might be worth a try before buying in case we don't get on with them.

Bonkers 2 - he had been barefoot nine months before the ride and daughter had been increasing rides out over the summer before he went, so was a shame as I though we were doing well but obviously it was too much for him. I've recently put him on pro balance so will see if this helps.
 
I love my renegate, my mare wears them on long hacks and takes me 30 second to put the pair on. When I started it may have taken me 45 sec but that is it. They have never come off, rubbed, moved or any thing like that.

Have a word with you trimmer if you have a good one he/she should be able to show and tell you what to do.

Also try Liz at the hoof bootique. She is very helpfull and has loads of knowledge.

Don't be scared, they are not the enemy:D
 
My mare wears cavello simple boots for turn out. After initial problems with fit (farrier and I measured the hooves, went with what it said on the website but they were much too big, so bought the size down).
She had fronts off in June 2014 and is turned out in her boots each day. I'm on my second pair - but they've about had it, so will need to buy a third.
They have been fab. They've got sucked off a few time in thick clay mud, after she's been running around, but it's never been a 'disaster'! She's fine wearing them. It doesn't take long to put them on and is easy but it is a faff, especially taking them off when they're really muddy. Hoping by summer she can go without.
Don't think I would want to ride in them though, as I'd worry about the grip.
 
I think if you get the diet minerals etc right you'll find you won't need them as it sounds like you've built up your exercise sensible. I'd rather spend the money on minerals than faff about with hoof boots although they've probably improved since I last tried them.
 
Thanks for all your advice I will look into your suggestions :)

Amicus- that's what I'm hoping especially with the pro balance as he seems to make a good transition it's just our hard tracks in the summer seem to take their toll on his hooves. Hes only had shoes on since September so hopefully we can make another good transition but continue it this time.
 
I've had pretty much every boot going over the years and had no ends of difficulties because my horses have always had wider than long, large feet.

Cavallos are very simple and easy to use (plus cheap) BUT they don't work on hooves with prominent heel bulbs as they rub and bruise badly. If you do go for them, buy second hand! They last really well and it'll be much cheaper (try facebook for hoofboots for sale UK)

From experience of pansy sensitive soft skinned twits, if you're using them for more than a short hack, anything 'trainer like' that sits about the hairline will rub.

By far the best I've used are the Easy boot gloves but they MUST fit perfectly and they're not cheap. They also don't do large wide sizes and if the foot is wider than long they pinch the heels at the side.

The gloves can be ordered as a fit kit, where you get one of every size to try for less than £20.

I've recently bought Renegade (they're one of the few who are suitable for wider than long feet) but found that at speed he overreaches onto the heel captivater and rips them off :( They're great for walk and trot though.
 
My girl gets rubbed by everything, reins, numnah seams, rubber over reach boots, my leg, rugs etc etc but has never been rubbed by her cavallo simples. Even when she has been through deep mud or worn them on sand.
 
It depends a bit on what you want to do with them and on which fit best! First off, I'd suggest calling up Liz at the Hoofbootique (hoofbootique.co.uk); she's very experienced and helpful, and is happy to look at pics.

Another kind of the chunkier boot is the Equine Fusion. Those, I've mostly seen used for normal hacking.

If you want performance at speed (such as Endurance riding), then the most commonly used boots are the Easyboot Glove, the Renegade, or the Renegade Viper.

The Easyboot Glove has to fit very well to stay on, and takes some whacking to get on properly. Some horses get rubs on the pastern or the heel from the gaiter, but this can be helped by making a little fleece wrap-around.

The Renegade is a bit less finicky to fit and is extremely quick and easy to put on. Fixing it when the cables break is a bit fiddly, bit not difficult per se. Some people find they get pulled off by overreaching. I've never heard of one rubbing.

The Viper is like the Renegade, but leaner and meaner.

I'm a Renegade fan myself; that seems to be what suits my pony best.
 
I've got one who wears Cavello Simples, and one in Sports. The Sport is slightly narrower lengthwise in fit, suits a foot which is longer than it is wide, the Simples suit a rounder foot. They're wearing them less and less though, as the feet toughen up.
 
thank you for all your replies, I would say he has a round hoof so maybe the cavallo simples are the ones to try. I will definitely call Liz at hoof boutique, thank you for that.
 
We have got on really well with easyboot gloves with power straps. Not used anything else though rarely need them now. Fwiw he hunted last weds, was footy on thurs (rest day) hacked in boots on friday, schooled on saturday and was back to normal when hacked yesterday ;). He is less careful about his feet when hunting than in normal life ;) cantering up stony tracks becomes doable ;).
 
Another vote for Cavallos. One of my old boys wears them for hacking all the time and also for turnout when the ground is hard. He has simples in front and sports behind. Never, ever lost one. They give amazing grip on the roads - he is definitely more sure footed in them. His fronts have lasted a good 4 years and I'm just about to order a new pair. The hinds are still going strong. Agree re the pastern wraps though - couldn't get on with those at all, but the boots have never rubbed him at all so not been a problem.
 
don't forget that the single most important fact with boots to ride in is grip. It is essential that your horse stays upright especially on grass/mud. Most boots are fine on the road but grass and mud can be a different matter. The top boots for grip are vipers/renegades and gloves or epics. I simply wouldn't trust anything else.

Anything like the cavallo is far too clumpy for me. I would be looking for simple, stream lined boots with good grip and vipers would be high on that list.

I would very much doubt that minerals will provide your answer. I would guess you will need a pair of boots to extend your mileage for a year or 18 months as you build up the work your feet can do bare.
 
I'm a renegade fan, have had mine for nearly 6 years of occasional use (long road rides or trec comps when I don't know if it will be flinty) each boot had it's cable replaced once, one just going this last month. Grip is good unless wet grass on a tight turn. They have never slipped or rubbed. My pony took to them brilliantly (and at the time I started using them he would freak out about almost everything!) the only time one came off was a few weeks ago when the cable snapped, pony did do a big leap when it flapped about but if I had replaced the cable when it started fraying instead of keeping using them it would never have happened. Easy to put on/take off. Pony has round feet.

I did try the equine fusions this week, they are a little lighter with a more flexible sole. I had to really push his toe into them as they are so soft I didn't notice that he was stood on the heel of the boot to start with.

I do find that all boots affect his action slightly so I wouldn't do any fast work in mud as I think the extra knee action and fact that the boots hold more than his own feet would put extra strain on him.
 
I do prefer bare over my gloves for grip but tbh there probably isn't much difference, if it is slippy bare it will be in the boots and vice versa and not everyone needs them to go off road. I mostly use them when I know we will be sticking to the stoney forest tracks and when transitioning for road work - not many chances to get off road at our old place, so something else would have been ok then.
 
Not a fan of hoof boots. Bought a pair of Old Mac G2s for my boy and he quite literally would not move in them!! Finally got him to walk, but there was no way he would ever be happy in them. Never again... (Currently on eBay of anyone's interested...!)
 
Greylegs said:
Not a fan of hoof boots. Bought a pair of Old Mac G2s for my boy and he quite literally would not move in them!! Finally got him to walk, but there was no way he would ever be happy in them. Never again... (Currently on eBay of anyone's interested...!)
Click to expand...

There are lots of very different types of hoofboots. Judging them all based on one (and the oldest, clumpiest model available at that!) is silly. It's like saying you don't like Wintec saddles therefore all saddles are horrible.
 
Kallibear said:
There are lots of very different types of hoofboots. Judging them all based on one (and the oldest, clumpiest model available at that!) is silly. It's like saying you don't like Wintec saddles therefore all saddles are horrible.
Click to expand...

Not sure I agree with this entirely. I agree that there are lots of different kinds of boots, but after a lot of research and taking recommendations from other users, vet, farrier etc I bought the Old Macs. Not a bit surprised the horse hated them, they're not great whichever way you look at them. However, I bought them to help my boy through a period when his feet were very sore having been over trimmed by the yard farrier (not my regular guy) when he got a bit of thrush. Result was him being foot sore for several weeks. If I needed to use boots on a regular basis for hacking etc I'd probably buy one of the brands folks on here have mentioned. Also, my boy has pretty big feet and the Old Macs did a least have a size to fit him, which was a major consideration. Clearly boots work for a lot of people and their horses, but from this one experience, it's not something I'd do again in a hurry.

Happily, my boy's feet are now great and the boots are surplus to requirements, so they're going! If I ever need to get another pair, I'll go for a different brand and hopefully have a better experience. (...Ps ... I've owned Wintecs and love them .... !!)
 
I'm a total hoof boot newbie. I am too tight to put hind shoes on my section D project so last summer I decided to investigate boots instead. I've got Easyboot glove back country boots, found them on ebay second hand. They were really the only ones that came in the right size, when I was looking.
I've done everything in them, hacked through bottomless mud, cantered on the tracks, she wears them in the school as we have to hack there and back & I CBA to take them off ;) I'm a convert. If she was comfortable on the gravel on the yard at home I'd take her front shoes off and boot all round, think that will take a while though.
 
I got my hands on some floating boots this weekend when my trimmer brought them up to show a friend. Really impressed!! Have been looking at the photos and videos but they are so so much better in reality that they look, and the massive plus for me is that each boot is heated and then moulded to each individual foot, getting as close to perfect fit as possible. They are ridiculously easy to put on and take off, and while they look a bit complex in photo they really aren't, I was really impressed with the design and details of it. 2 different typres of soles and studs can be fitted too when needed.
Worth a look if you have an awkward-to-fit horse as they are so adaptable, and getting really good reports from various competitive riders including eventing. I know they will be my first choice if and when I need some.
 
milliepops said:
I'm a total hoof boot newbie. I am too tight to put hind shoes on my section D project so last summer I decided to investigate boots instead. I've got Easyboot glove back country boots, found them on ebay second hand. They were really the only ones that came in the right size, when I was looking.
I've done everything in them, hacked through bottomless mud, cantered on the tracks, she wears them in the school as we have to hack there and back & I CBA to take them off ;) I'm a convert. If she was comfortable on the gravel on the yard at home I'd take her front shoes off and boot all round, think that will take a while though.
Click to expand...
Have you tried adjusting the diet to make feet tougher, lo sugar hi fibre, added minerals 364 days per year, and some micronised linseed? Most section Ds have good hooves, concavity and sole thickness should improve with regular work as long as they get the right diet and exercise regime.
 
Last edited:
dollyanna said:
I got my hands on some floating boots this weekend when my trimmer brought them up to show a friend. Really impressed!! Have been looking at the photos and videos but they are so so much better in reality that they look, and the massive plus for me is that each boot is heated and then moulded to each individual foot, getting as close to perfect fit as possible. They are ridiculously easy to put on and take off, and while they look a bit complex in photo they really aren't, I was really impressed with the design and details of it. 2 different typres of soles and studs can be fitted too when needed.
Worth a look if you have an awkward-to-fit horse as they are so adaptable, and getting really good reports from various competitive riders including eventing. I know they will be my first choice if and when I need some.
Click to expand...

I really wanted to try these boots! But, as per usual, they don't go big enough :( My ISH's feet aren't flared and I also think he's got quite small feet for his 16'3 body but at 140mm long by 148mm wide, fresh out a trim, there's very little that fits :( The only performance boots available at that size is the Renegade 4WW and he over reaches them off at speed :( Hurry up and make size 3.5 and 4 in Gloves Wide please Easyboot!!
 
They are interesting, similar to the gloves in fit but with the option to get a closer fit presumably? Be interesting to see how they stand up to wear in comparison, given the thinner/flexible frog section - which also seems to sort of mean that the frog isn't then in contact with the 'ground'?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top