Renegade hoof boots?

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0310Star

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My mare is currently in Cavallo's, they are a nice boot but as I am using them every ride (hacking) virtually now I want to invest in something that would be ideal for charity rides, longer and faster work and a bit less clumpy than the cavallo's!

She is a TB (not the fine type, has a bit of bone) with ringbone and sidebones and only wears the boots on the front feet. I am looking at Renegades as they have great reviews for the kind of boot I am looking for and I like the idea of them being a bit more open at the back of the boot unlike the cavallo's but I am worried about the fitting. She is the perfect fit for the cavallo sport boot so has more narrow than wide feet and she gets trimmed every 6 weeks.

I would be fitting them myself so my question is are they fairly easy to fit? Are there any guidelines I should follow with fitting with regards to her hoof changing between trims so needing to allow for that and also how tight they should be?

Also any reviews from people on this boot would be great or any other suggestions on boots which may be better suited to us? I want to buy the best boot for her shape feet and also for the kind of work we will be doing in them!
 
renegades would be my first choice for what you want to do. They would be my first choice anyway. I love mine
http://www.hoofbootique.co.uk/boots/manufacturer/renegade.html

if you go to the above link you will find that you can hire shells for fitting so you get the correct size.
You may want to get measurements and then consider the renegade classic or the newer renegade viper. Personally I would choose the viper as I think they are supposed to have better grip and wear better.
Once you have measurements you could contact Liz at the site (sometimes takes a couple of days for her to come back but it is worth it) and try and get a selection of classic and viper shells so that you could see which are the best fit.

I just round my feet with a rasp and I don't have any problems with them fitting between trims. They are quite forgiving.

http://www.renegadehoofboots.com/
if you go onto the above site and look at sizing, fitting and installing you will find lots of info and also videos on fitting etc which should answer most of your questions
 
Brilliant, thank you! I may email the hoof boutique for some advice on what would be best to buy for my horse. Other than the cavallo's, I am pretty new to hoof boots so it is a bit confusing in places!!
 
Interesting - I always thought the renegades are more clumpy than the old macs, which is what mine has, and the cavallos - which she wouldn't walk in.

Gloves would be my ideal as they're so sleek and slimline but I need a top loader to pad as she has pedal osteitis.
 
TigerTail said:
Interesting - I always thought the renegades are more clumpy than the old macs, which is what mine has, and the cavallos - which she wouldn't walk in.

Gloves would be my ideal as they're so sleek and slimline but I need a top loader to pad as she has pedal osteitis.
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Can I ask what you think of the old macs for faster work and in general really? I am completely open to suggestions as I want the right boot!
 
Mine is wearing them in the field all day, taking them off at night, and when she's ridden. We haven't don't much fast work yet, only a few canters but no problems so far there. Had one twist this morning but that was cos she put her foot down a deep furrow in a field and nearly pulled it off getting her out!

They're much simpler to put on than I originally thought and are holding up well to her careening around the field.

The fit is THE thing, don't try and get boots to fit cos u like the look of them sort of thing!
 
Well I have been looking on all sorts of reviews and I also like the look of the gloves. They are very simple and light looking, no bulkiness about them at all! And they also have great


So I am thinking either the gloves or the Renegades. I will have to do some measuring and see how each one matches her feet!!
 
Having just bought a pair of Renegades to replace our nearly worn out Easyboot Gloves, I can maybe offer some insider info :D

Our history is: started off with Old Mac G2s - back 8 years ago, they were the only boots that were available that fitted my lad. They were clumpy and a real fiddle to get on and off if the straps got wet. They had the advantage of taking a large squishy pad, so ideal for a horse just out of shoes with less than perfect feet.

After a few years of them (they wear well ;) ), there was cause for celebration in our house when Easyboot brought out size 4 Gloves :D We duly bought these, and they are lovely. They are a neat fit, very unobtrusive, stay on great, but can be difficult to get on and off as they need to be a very good fit and sort of suck on to the hoof. I still love them. My lad has 4s for his fronts and 3.5s for his hinds and they now come in a wide fitting. He does wear through the toes on the hinds but I really really love them. I might just add a photo...

At some point during our Glove use, we tried some Cavallos. Clumpy and odd. Horse didn't like them, they were like wellies. Stuck to the Gloves.

Gloves now nearing the end of their lives (although I have plans to buy new shells and keep them going). I did a quick measurement, and found we might just fit the largest size of Renegades. Lots of folk who do EGB rides with us use Renegades, and they look so good - they seem to stick 'em on and whip 'em off really easily while I faff around with a rubber mallet tapping the Gloves to seat them. So I thought, hey, let's give them a try (the snazzy colours available may also have had something to do with my boot envy ;) ).

I got the fitting shells from Liz at Hoofbootique, and we decided we needed the biggest, the 4WWs. I ordered a pair in red :D

We are now using them. They are not the wonder boots I had hoped for, but I suspect this is because horse just fits them when newly trimmed but quickly grows out, so they are always a bit tight. They are apparently a better fit if slightly loose... We have lost them a few times - thank goodness they're red! They are also very weirdly like horseshoes... I am used to stealth hacking with no boots at all, but the Gloves are also quiet. The Renegades *clop* loudly, and they squeak and rattle... They do look as if they will be very durable... but I've actually had to revert to using our very very old Old Macs a couple of times recently when he's needed boots but was due a trim.

So there are pros and cons on all the boots :) Join the Phoenixhorse forum and check the pinned Hoof Boots thread for more info on all the types. In the meantime, here's how neat the Gloves were the first week we had them... They have never rubbed or twisted, they literally fit like a glove :D

DSC00414.jpg
 
Brightbay, thank you so much for that reply! That was exactly the sort of answer I was hoping for :)
I am totally torn between the 2, I guess I am leaning towards the gloves but worried about not being able to fit them correctly and how difficult they will be to put on and take off... if you have any words of wisdom there? I love the idea of them being like she isn't wearing boots which is the impression I am getting with the gloves, I would need some pads inside as I mainly use boots for help with taking a little of the impact for her legs with her problems, I have read that you can easily get some thin pads to put inside of these boots.

Did you order the fit kit for the gloves before buying or just go by your hoof measurements?
 
I use gloves with powerstraps.

The power straps mostly because he wears unevenly - more laterally and they improve the fit for doing speed when his feet aren't quite even though I am now rasping a bit myself. The v doesn't gape as much on him as on brightbay's but he can't take a smaller size so they just keep that tighter.

I would order the fit kit so you can be sure on sizing, my trimmer had one so we went with that.

spookypony on here had gloves before I think and now has renegades so is worth asking about them too. I do think the renegades possibly have more bits to go wrong in, Frank did manage to pull the screw through the gaiter hole at the back once but both boot and gaiter stayed put. I do tend to use a mallet to help get his toe right in these days but didn't need one before having the power straps and they are easy enough to take off. I've been very happy with them although we only use them for hacking with others/forest tracks these days and am still on our first pair with one replaced gaiter. No rubs although he can be quite prone.

Gloves will take a thin pad but only a thin one. Don't know about renegades.
 
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ester said:
I use gloves with powerstraps.

The power straps mostly because he wears unevenly - more laterally and they improve the fit for doing speed when his feet aren't quite even though I am now rasping a bit myself. The v doesn't gape as much on him as on brightbay's but he can't take a smaller size so they just keep that tighter.

I would order the fit kit so you can be sure on sizing, my trimmer had one so we went with that.

spookypony on here had gloves before I think and now has renegades so is worth asking about them too. I do think the renegades possibly have more bits to go wrong in, Frank did manage to pull the screw through the gaiter hole at the back once but both boot and gaiter stayed put. I do tend to use a mallet to help get his toe right in these days but didn't need one before having the power straps and they are easy enough to take off. I've been very happy with them although we only use them for hacking with others/forest tracks these days and am still on our first pair with one replaced gaiter. No rubs although he can be quite prone.

Gloves will take a thin pad but only a thin one. Don't know about renegades.
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I have heard you can get custom pads in the Renegades as sent out from factory.

I didn't use the Glove fit kit because they didn't have one back when we got them :D My then hoof trimmer brought a couple of pairs of her own horse's and we worked out that we could wedge his hoof into the 3.5s she had, so a 4 would be perfect, which is what happened :) They have also been good in terms of replacement parts - I have replaced a torn gaiter, and a couple of lost screws, and now I have two boots with toes worn through but gaiters fine, so will just order the shells and attach to gaiters.

My friends with Renegades have replaced cables, I think? They come with a spare part kit! They are much easier to put on, although I am still using my rubber mallet to make sure the toe is right in, and they are sooo much easier to get off. Doing them up is easier too, although for some reason I have a mental block and get the left one on the right hoof and vice versa all the time (and then ride out that way because I can't be bothered taking them off and starting again!). This is OK as the shells are identical, it's just the velcro tabs are on the inside rather than the outside. I will figure it out!

I did struggle a bit initially because I misunderstood a friend's instructions and never opened the lower velcro to get them on. I now have both straps open, and the boots go on easily and do up easily. I do like them, but the feel is quite different from the Gloves which are easy to forget about once they're on!

The other ones that are getting great reviews at the moment are the Floating Boots - sizes still too small for my fellow but everybody says easy to get on and off but very secure.
 
Ester: So are the power straps to help with the fit? The fit kit is actually quite good value so I think I may have to go down this route with whichever I decide!

Brightbay: All Pro's and con's together... which would you suggest out of the Renegades or the gloves? I hope I haven't put you too much on the spot there :)
 
0310Star said:
Brightbay: All Pro's and con's together... which would you suggest out of the Renegades or the gloves? I hope I haven't put you too much on the spot there :)
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:D To be honest, if the Renegades were a perfect fit, I think I would choose them. If they were a less than perfect fit, I'd go for the Gloves. Given the shape of my own horse's feet, I suspect we'll be toggling between the two for ever. (And by Renegades in your case I really mean Vipers, I think, because you can order them custom for hooves that are longer than wide).
The other pro of Renegades I didn't mention because every summer I forget ;) is that they are so much easier to clean. I have just been hosing them off, they are dry next day. The Gloves, if they get muddy (which they do around here) have to be hosed, scrubbed and then the neoprene takes ages to dry out in winter!
 
Brightbay said:
:D To be honest, if the Renegades were a perfect fit, I think I would choose them. If they were a less than perfect fit, I'd go for the Gloves. Given the shape of my own horse's feet, I suspect we'll be toggling between the two for ever. (And by Renegades in your case I really mean Vipers, I think, because you can order them custom for hooves that are longer than wide).
The other pro of Renegades I didn't mention because every summer I forget ;) is that they are so much easier to clean. I have just been hosing them off, they are dry next day. The Gloves, if they get muddy (which they do around here) have to be hosed, scrubbed and then the neoprene takes ages to dry out in winter!
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Well, I think you may have answered it for me!! I can order a fit kit for Renegade Vipers so I will do that if it is cost effective :)
I guess also a lot of it for me also is confidence of fitting them. I can be quite unsure when it comes to doing things myself at times, and not confident that I have done it correctly! The Renegades look a little easier in that respect I think? I hope.... :)
 
0310Star said:
Well, I think you may have answered it for me!! I can order a fit kit for Renegade Vipers so I will do that if it is cost effective :)
I guess also a lot of it for me also is confidence of fitting them. I can be quite unsure when it comes to doing things myself at times, and not confident that I have done it correctly! The Renegades look a little easier in that respect I think? I hope.... :)
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Confidence comes from experience and success! You could immerse yourself in YouTube eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skoU7DwMmG0 and by the time you've watched the video a few times you'll be ready for your new boots. Good luck!
 
I'll put them on and take a picture for you later with power straps ;) they just keep them slightly tighter at the top

this is a very very old photo! he stayed in the same size but they started to gap a little around the top edge, and the power straps just pull that together tighter.

374171_10151520218760438_79192071_n.jpg
 
I think you will need a fit kit for either renegades or gloves. I wouldn't like to fit them without and I have fitted loads of boots.
Is there anyone, a trimmer, around your way that could fit boots for you? Whilst you would have to pay however if they have the shells etc and a lot of experience that may work out cheaper in the long run as they would be able to adjust boots for you, determine if you need a power strap etc etc.
 
0310Star said:
Well, I think you may have answered it for me!! I can order a fit kit for Renegade Vipers so I will do that if it is cost effective :)
I guess also a lot of it for me also is confidence of fitting them. I can be quite unsure when it comes to doing things myself at times, and not confident that I have done it correctly! The Renegades look a little easier in that respect I think? I hope.... :)
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The viper will be perfect and they are sooooooo easy to fit. I use the original renegades but with the size needed for you mare a viper would be the btter sollution.
As said before look a the hoofbootique you can get the fit kit or speak to Liz she is ever so helpfull. When mine are due for renewal I will be getting the vipers as the have even more traction and hopefully last even longer although I have had mine for over 2 years now.

I will never fit anything else then the renegades on my mare. My barefoot podiatrist always recomends them and he does not know anyone who needs the pads.
My mare goes in all paces on all terain and have never had a boot come off of slipped on any surface.

What you said about the boot being open, it mimics the movement of the hoof and no other boot really does that (or atleast as well ) IMO
 
I like the idea of the renegades, I do wonder about the velcro strap on the front - we ride through some heavy bramble and heavy mud neither of which velcro usually likes - the latter particularly, do you not get issues with it coming undone/lasting very long?

OP I forgot to take a pic, but it looks similar to this!

7_Easyboot%20Gloves%20Powerstraps.JPG
 
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Thanks so much everyone for the replies, and ester thanks for the photos! I think I am going to look into the renegades and from all of the info I think they would be best suited to us.
Fingers crossed they fit!! :)
 
ester said:
I like the idea of the renegades, I do wonder about the velcro strap on the front - we ride through some heavy bramble and heavy mud neither of which velcro usually likes - the latter particularly, do you not get issues with it coming undone/lasting very long?

OP I forgot to take a pic, but it looks similar to this!

7_Easyboot%20Gloves%20Powerstraps.JPG
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ester, you are wright I thought the velcro would wear especially in the mud however had them for over two years and honestly it has not worn at all. strong stuff.
 
I love my renegades, think I've had them for 4 years now although they don't do all that many miles. I haven't tried any others but I'd say pros:
Super easy to put on/take off.
Mine have never shifted, come off or rubbed, we have done plenty of fast work and on varied ground (as varied as wast Anglian gets anyway!)
Only time they have ever slipped was cantering a tight turn on slippy grass, his bare feet would have slipped too.
Easy enough to clean and dry
Cons:
The cables eventually fray into sharp metal spikes and need replacing which is fiddly.
They do clip clop a bit noise wise!
They slightly change his action (he lifts his feet a bit higher) and they hold more than bare feet in the mud so make it harder work.
My Velcro is a bit worn but the keepers mean it never just comes unstuck.

I would definitely get another pair, although I'm tempted to try the gloves too.
 
All of these reviews are great and so helpful! I will let you all know how I get one once I have ordered some and tried them :)
 
ester said:
I like the idea of the renegades, I do wonder about the velcro strap on the front - we ride through some heavy bramble and heavy mud neither of which velcro usually likes - the latter particularly, do you not get issues with it coming undone/lasting very long?

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the mud doesn't seem to cause a problem with the velcro. One of the downsides of renny's for me is the gorse. I ride on common land with a lot of gorse, bracken and heather. I put double loops on the straps. (double loops come as standard nowadays on these boots) The gorse can still have a tearing effect in trying to seperate the velcro. So far with double loops it has been OK.
When I first got renny's I didn't realise the gorse problem and was riding happily at a walk for miles along the common with both bottom straps undone and flapping out at the side of the horse. THe boots, bless them, still stayed on.

I did consider replacing the bottom straps with a leather strap and if I was riding fast through gorse with no chance to stop and check them (such as on an endurance ride) I may consider it. I haven't as I suspect the velcro and it's rubber keepers have a lesser breaking point in an accident.

Another of the downsides for me with renny's is that they ship sand/silt in sandy streams. (the back is open) Not a problem if you have no sandy streams but could be worth considering if you do.

OP if you do consider renegades go for orange or red. Black (which hoof boutique supply by default) is impossible if you lose one. Orange stands out. They can easily order different colours.

I find renegades take longer to put on than gloves but my reason for chosing them is the tread. My lad feels far more secure on slippery wet downhill grass in renny's than in gloves. For me the tread is the most important part of any boot and I willl put up with an inconvenience for me to keep him secure on mud. I think the vipers would be the best for this.
 
Have just measured her feet and although she doesn't have big feet it says her feet are too big for vipers? Which is really disappointing. It looks like the original renegades will fit at their second biggest size though so I will have to give those a go by the looks of it!
 
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