More hoof boot questions!

[asmp]

Had shoes off 5 weeks ago, measured hooves and sent the measurements off to Urbanhorse, who recommedged slim Equine Fusions. I have always struggled to get one boot on (see my other post) but today I gave up and couldn’t ride. On measuring his hoof, it has grown over 1cm in width so it’s not surprising I can’t get it on. Don’t want to damage the boot as they’re not cheap.

So the questions are - how often do you get your horse trimmed? Do you do it yourself in between seeing your farrier? I really don’t want to get the farrier out every 4 weeks! If you do it yourself did you ask your farrier to show you how? Or should I buy a wider pair of boots so I have two sets? Really frustrated as horse goes so much better in the boots.

 

[BBP]

Trim every 5 weeks and yes I tidy myself in between. My farrier showed me what to do. My renegades and cavallos are also pretty forgiving of where in the trim cycle I am.

 

[JulesRules]

Mine has Scoot Boots. They can be harder to get on when his hooves are a bit longer but I've still always got them on.

I'm guessing hoof growth will slow over winter so you might get away with trimming less often and then maybe get a 2nd bigger pair in spring?

 

[mavandkaz]

If horse had shoes off, you may find that in those first few weeks they wore down themselves and so were smaller then they will be once they have fully transitioned.
I took my mares shoes off in march at the start of lockdown. The farrier tidied them up in June - just ran a rasp around to neaten them up. He then came again just over a week ago, and first comment was 'theres not really anything I can take off'. So again just ran the rasp around to tidy them up.
I have photos from her feet in about may time, and compared to now, they look completely different (really pleased with them now)
Long term plan his farrier will show me how to rasp and I will tidy them up as needed. I can't see him coming out any more often then every 10-12 weeks. (Horse is in work and hacked regularly on all surfaces so will be doing a lot of self trimming)
I would imagine these boots are ultimately too small as the hoof will change as your horse transitions.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I have the farrier out every 4 weeks in the spring/summer/autumn when they are growing a lot of foot.

They can go up a size in boots even at the end of the 4 weeks, but I’ve invested in different sizes of boots so I have them to hand. I’ve got all the kit to trim my own neds, but prefer to use the farrier, not least to save my knackered back.

I’ve found decent boots second hand on FB.

 

[Gloi]

I tend to trim them myself on a weekly basis so they never really change in size.

 

[Brownmare]

I trim mine myself every 3 weeks and the one who wears boots gets a weekly touch up. Ask your farrier to give you a blunt rasp and teach you how to do a small maintenance trim half way between visits

 

[Polos Mum]

Buying new boots when first shoes off was brave. They tend to change a lot in the first few months of transition and there are lots of examples of horses going up several sizes.

I would invest in a second hand pair of the next size up so you can manage between trims.

Speak to your farrier and see if he will give you pointers on mid month trims. BUT it might be that they have expanded out of shoes to a better natural shape (that's bigger) not necessarily that they are too long after 4 weeks.

 

[paddy555]

if your shoes came off 5 weeks ago they could well have changed size by a fair amount (some do, some don't) They may carry on changing shape and width until they reach their optimum size. For very contracted feet that can be a while, for good feet there may only be a slight change.

I like boots to be tight and trim weekly in summer. This last week feet have suddenly slowed growth so we can move onto 2 weeks for the winter..
I don't think you can expect what I would call performance boots, ie renegades, scoots, gloves, to still fit 6 weeks after a trim.
I saw a series of posts on the Renegade FB page when people were amazed that after 3 weeks their boots didn't fit and they would need to trim themselves.
I think that realistically to be successful with BF horses and especially with booted ones you have to be able to tidy up yourself between farrier trims. As you get better at it the farrier trims can be further apart.

 

[asmp]

Buying new boots when first shoes off was brave. They tend to change a lot in the first few months of transition and there are lots of examples of horses going up several sizes.

I would invest in a second hand pair of the next size up so you can manage between trims.

Speak to your farrier and see if he will give you pointers on mid month trims. BUT it might be that they have expanded out of shoes to a better natural shape (that's bigger) not necessarily that they are too long after 4 weeks.

The horse has to wear boots as he has large calcified side bones and needs the suspension that the boots give him. I wasn’t expecting the hooves to grow so much! It‘s going to be expensive if I can’t use the boots again ?. Glad I didn’t buy back ones straight away (Although his hinds have worn down with the road work so look totally different)

 

[Polos Mum]

Oh you almost certainly need boots, they are an amazing tool.

Just for people first transitioning it's worth using second hand ones and brands / makes that are forgiving on size - they may look shabby and be clumpy but until the hooves settle down it's a good compromise.

You (and others reading this thread) can get cavallo (clumpy but forgiving on size) second hand for £20-40 a pair in reasonable condition.
I have some I bought for £15 that are on their 3rd horse since I had them as I lend them to people temporarily

I have known several horses go up 2 full sizes in the first 3-4 months after shoes came off.

 

[Gloi]

The horse has to wear boots as he has large calcified side bones and needs the suspension that the boots give him. I wasn’t expecting the hooves to grow so much! It‘s going to be expensive if I can’t use the boots again ?. Glad I didn’t buy back ones straight away (Although his hinds have worn down with the road work so look totally different)

You can get most of the cost back when you sell them so it didn't work out too expensive. Often best to buy second hand until the hooves have found their final size