The Magical Disinregrating Hoof Boots

[Caol Ila]

Or, one thing becomes three things.

I was cantering along the trail yesterday, and suddenly Fin went from nice, happy canter to panicked tanking. I yelled at my mate to stop, shot past her mare, then pulled him up. Good boy. But he was dancing around like something wasn't right. I looked at all my equipment, and when I looked down, I saw the heel captivator of his Viper Renegade hanging loosely from his left pastern, and the rest of the boot was not attached. His boot spontaneously combusting was a fair enough reason to spook. I jumped off and then saw that the wire was still attached to the heel piece, but flapping in the wind. Definitely a fair reason to spook, and at least he stopped! Boot remnants were removed, as was the other boot. My mate and I continued on our ride, cantering off, barefoot, and he was fine. I took the boots home, and OH fixed the broken one.

Then today, cantering with the same friend, different track, and Fin took a couple funny strides. I looked over my shoulder and saw bits of hoof boot about 10-20m behind us. At least he had developed a sense of humour about this and wasn't at all fazed when I pulled him up, despite friend being too far ahead to percieve a problem and stop her mare quickly. I looked down at his feet, and the right heel captivator was flapping around his pastern. OH was with us on foot and picked up the bits of boot, which was far less faff than attaching them to a saddle. There's still a screw in the woods, however. He could not find it. We continued on our ride. Fin's feet are pretty solid right now so he seemed happy going barefoot. Got in a couple more successful canters.

I have thrashed these boots in the year that I have had them, so I really can't fault them. Human hiking boots would suffer under that kind of abuse. But has anyone else had a Viper Renegade spontaneously combust? Trying to figure out if I need to replace so many bits that I need new ones, or if I can get away with replacing a few components. The soles are pretty worn, the heel captivator on the one that broke today is FUBAR because the screw hole is de-threaded, and they both need new wires and new metal thingmes that go in front and hold the wires.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

In the early days DP used to flick one boot off by hitting the captivator on his fore with the toe of his hind because he has a very expressive and long striding canter. Since then I’ve always put overreach boots on the top and touch wood it’s only happened once since then and looked pretty much the same as yours. The wires were frayed and the boot was about two years old so pretty worn out and due for replacing anyway.

The only other way I can think yours have ended up in pieces is that they have twisted while your were cantering and the pressure has snapped the wires.

 

[EnduroRider]

We've had this happen a few times and beforehand there has always been the the start of the wires fraying. I now have spares and swap them out at the first signs.

Hoof Boutique do a repair service, replacing the bits you need and reusing those that are still good. I've used this a few times and would recommend.

 

[nutjob]

A heel captivator broke on one of my renegade vipers. They were only a couple of weeks old. When my partner examined it there were tiny bubbles in the plastic moulding which he said was from a cold shut, a manufacturing issue. As you say the boot is left flapping around the leg and its not safe on the road if the horse panics. Hoof boutique replaced the heel captivator with one from normal renegades which is interchangeable and which has more plastic at the point where ours broke. If yours is the plastic part which has broken not the cable you may be able to see bubbles in the thin plastic which weakens it, ours was very clear under magnification but not really with the naked eye. We never used the viper captivators again and never had another breakage despite many miles and several shells worn to holes.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

That’s just put me off a set for Faran, looks like it will be scoots with mud straps ?

 

[Caol Ila]

The wire on the one that exploded yesterday was brand new. OH put it on the night before, when we had both boots in the flat for repairs. I always keep spare wires in.

He's an engineer, and he thinks the weak point is the circular metal thing at the front of the boots. This holds the wires. He said it seemed very worn, and he struggled to put them back together. Said they use a similar mechanism in satellites (that's what he mainly works on) but it's soldiered with silver plating. If they did that to the boots, they would be five times as expensive, and you would not be able to replace cables. The cables detached from the metal thing, which caused the whole boot to fall apart. The heel captivator screw hole may also have been damaged, or the threads torn by the force of it.

The fact that a part of the boot stays attached to the horse isn't an ideal design. I'm glad he's a good horse with a good brain, because that could have been messy. Some horses would have ended up in Kilmarnock. But Scoots don't really fit him. These have been really solid and reliable up until now, so I'll probably stick with them. Flex boots were suggested by a mate, but I am not sure they would last any longer. The soles look sort of thin, and I ride over rocky terrain most days, frequently out for two or more hours.

 

[EnduroRider]

My horses that fit in Vipers also do well in Gloves so that could be worth a look.

 

[ycbm]

I have thrashed these boots in the year that I have had them, so I really can't fault them.

The message I take away from this, as a Viper lover, is not to replace a cable on a boot which is already very worn. I might have done that so thanks for the heads up that it will be a potentially hazardous waste of effort.

I agree with your OH that the engineering of the button that holds the ends together is very peculiar, very tiny, also annoyingly fiddly.
.

 

[Reacher]

I have had this with the renegade originals - once at a canter the cable snapped and boot wrapped around leg.
Once at a walk - not sure if cable snapped or came out of that button -and again wrapped around leg - I agree it is a crap design. I have 2 pairs I need to get refurbished and sold as I’m not wearing them any more

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Taken from the Renegade FB page dated yesterday. It would appear they have an issue as lots of people are complaining of boots wearing out and cables snapping.

If anyone is having abnormal issues with cables fraying more recently, please email us photos to support@renegadehoofboots.com for us to further investigate. Our cable is all American-made, certified to military specs, and if something has changed from our suppliers, it has been without our knowledge.

 

[Reacher]

Thing is, even if the cables are military grade, being secured by a screw screwed into them is a crap design (I’m assuming it’s the same design for vipers as originals?)

 

[ycbm]

Thing is, even if the cables are military grade, being secured by a screw screwed into them is a crap design (I’m assuming it’s the same design for vipers as originals?)

I don't think there's any alternative to a screw/crimp of some kind, or the boots couldn't be adjusted to fit, but the screw used is ridiculously small!

What are those really boys called, with the great big lever on the front that tensioned a wire? I had a pair back in 1986.
.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

The screw bit has to my knowledge never been a problem before except as YCBM says it is ridiculously small. I’m on my fourth set of Vipers (he wears them out) and not once has that part broken. However, if the production process in making the shells themselves is flawed then any part of the boot attached to it can and will break and needs to be taken up with the company. If they don’t know about issues that can’t address them.

 

[Reacher]

I don't think there's any alternative to a screw/crimp of some kind, or the boots couldn't be adjusted to fit, but the screw used is ridiculously small!

What are those really boys called, with the great big lever on the front that tensioned a wire? I had a pair back in 1986.
.

The old fashioned easy boots? Yes even that is a better design than screwing a screw onto a wire

https://blog.easycareinc.com/easyboot-to-retire-after-50-years/

 

[Caol Ila]

The old fashioned easy boots? Yes even that is a better design than screwing a screw onto a wire

https://blog.easycareinc.com/easyboot-to-retire-after-50-years/

I had those in the late 90s. Used to call them “hard boots” because they were a ball-ache to get off and on.

 

[ycbm]

The old fashioned easy boots? Yes even that is a better design than screwing a screw onto a wire

https://blog.easycareinc.com/easyboot-to-retire-after-50-years/

I hated them. They didn't stay on either! If anyone around Horton has the one that came off on a slow road hack in 1988 please let me know ?
.

 

[Caol Ila]

I'm home now (I was in the Lake District this weekend, so could not really deal with boot faff). Had a look at the fine print on the Renegade site. I think I'm SOL on the warranty front. They say the boots should last between 300 and 600 miles on a horse landing heel-first. He does, and he's traveled at least that distance. If he hacks about three miles per day, on average, and goes out 5-6 days per week, and I guestimate some weeks where I've been out of town and he's had extra days off, he's actually done closer to 900 miles. On lots of rocks. Almost nothing isn't rocky.

Do I (a) send them to Hoof Bootique and for £35, see what they say.

(b) Just buy new Renegades because they've done what the manufacturer said they should do. More, even. There's a single one in his size advertised for £80 in the used section of Hoof Bootique website.

(c) Try another brand. These look interesting: https://hoofbootique.co.uk/easyboot-fury-heart/. I don't know if I can be a*rsed with the fit kit faff again, though.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

If you have done over the mileage then I would just get new boots.

 

[maya2008]

I think that the way they broke wasn’t good, but that by pushing them beyond the warranty mileage, something was bound to break eventually. My yard boots broke the other day. I’ve had a year of wear, I’m just going to buy new ones. Same goes for horse boots.

That said, I had old Macs back in the day when my TB was transitioning to barefoot. They fitted via Velcro. Never had a problem with parts of boot snapping off etc (but they did wear out eventually, as everything does).

 

[Caol Ila]

Now that I know the mileage, I could probably eke more out of a new set by replacing bits we now know are likely to go at around 3-600 miles. Just need an odometer on the horse. I guess it's a bit like a timing belt.

 

[nutjob]

I would write directly to the company with your experience and send pictures if available. This at least helps them with their quality control and product development.

If the shells are OK you can replace all the other parts individually. I wouldn't throw out shells with any life left in them. I have a whole load of original renegade and renegade viper stuff including whole boots and new and used spares if you're interested. My horse was PTS and they don't fit the enormously wide feet of my other one.

 

[Caol Ila]

The sole on the shells is pretty worn to be honest.

If yours are 145x145, I would be interested. The Hoof Bootique website says they are out of that size, and it takes days to get a hold of a person there, so who knows when they will have them back. Unless I can find a used pair somewhere, I might have to use an American site and have a friend there send them here. Doesn't seem as though anyone else in the UK sells them.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I think if you've had excess miles from them, I wouldn't contact the manufacturer personally.

I'd either replace fully or send to HoofBootique to see if they can replace only the parts.

You can try Urban Horse too, they are as good as HB IME.

 

[Caol Ila]

Urban Horse doesn't stock Renegades.

 

[nutjob]

I have 5 x vipers 145 x145 and 2 x originals 3ww brown shells black captivators, which are slightly bigger than the vipers (none standard size which I don't think can be ordered now). There are loads of spares, o rings, heel captivators, straps the little button things etc.

 

[Caol Ila]

Oh, wow. That sounds amazing. Far better than asking a friend to send a pair over from the US!! If you are happy to sell them on, I would take all Viper-related gear.

I love HHO.

 

[nutjob]

I will clean them up and pm later with a list of the stuff and what condition its all in.

 

[Caol Ila]

Brilliant, thank you!