Turnout/overreach boots & poxy mud!!!

[WildRider]

Firstly, I would just like to point out that following a wonderful ride this morning where my boy absolutely excelled himself, I am now alternating between pounding my head repeatedly against the wall and rocking back and forth producing a high pitched keening noise. Well, perhaps and exaggeration, but you get my point.

For the third time in approx. 8 weeks, he's lost a shoe in the field. Nearside fore, each time a clean pull indicating it was pulled off by the hind. He only got a new set of shoes put on Tuesday (with extra nails because he'd pulled it off twice already!!!), this is getting ridiculous! I've used my farrier for years, I've got complete faith in him so I know it's not the shoeing. In addition, Rocky has very good, strong hooves.

This is my first winter with my boy, and this only started once the field got really muddy, we had no problems all through summer and autumn. At a bit of a loss!!

I've held off from putting overreach boots on in the field because so far we've had no mudfever, and I'm concerned that copious amounts of mud will be caught under the boots, making his heels extra damp and bringing on mudfever. So I'm hoping that perhaps someone on here can tell me that I'm mistaken, and can in fact get away with putting the boots on???

I thought about turnout boots, but from looking at photos of the various ones on offer, it looks like none of them go down far enough to prevent him catching and pulling off his shoes. Again, can anyone confirm this, or know of any turnout boots that DO provide enough cover?

Congrats to any that made it this far, sorry for the waffle but I'm at a total loss. Vodka and chocolates for all.

 

[Irishdan]

I feel your pain!! My TB has to wear OR boots when turned out. This is the second Winter I have owned her and she has never had any bother with her heels despite having boots on all day and knee deep in mud at times. She is stabled overnight however and I think this helps give her heels a break and let them dry out. I have a real problem though finding the quick release type boots rather than velcro fastenings, as they really dont fare too well in mud!

 

[tracyandtokyo]

hello my TB gelding has to wear over reach boots now both in the field and when i ride him i dont want to risk anything I take them off at night and his feet are always hosed off, well picked out and brushed off and we have no problems.
We use woofwear over reach boots and they are really good, they are slightly longer than other boots therefore giving more protection to the heel!
http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/280723855503?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar
Many people on my yard use them and highly reccomend them too

 

[WildRider]

Thanks both.

Irishdan, my boy is stabled overnight as well, and I also leave the mud to dry before brushing off. Touch wood it seems to have worked so far. What kind of fastening do you mean by quick release, all the ones I've ever seen have been Velcro closure?

Tracyandtokyo, I always boot up when riding, but I haven't during turn out for the reasons explained. I can't hose off as we have no hose on the yard and the tap isn't continuous flow for me to bring one up myself. I tried sponging the mud off when it first got muddy but it didn't work. Do those Kevlar ones have an anti-spin thing? I have the WW Club ones for riding but I don't want a nodule thingy in his heels all day. I'd also heard on here that the Kevlar boots are dangerous for turnout and have caused a few accidents in the field?

 

[Irishdan]

The problem I have with velcro is that I have a stream in my field (as well as mud) and the velcro doesnt do to well with getting wet constantly - I lose loads of boots that way! I try to always get ones like these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Over-Reac...Horse_Wear_Equipment&var=&hash=item76c10de3d4

I personally dont hose everynight as Im sure I read somewhere it can open the pores and allow bacteria in (I could be totally wrong ofcourse) Also isnt mud fever caused by bacteria rather than mud itself?? Perhaps I have just been lucky with my mare but it certainly works for us and reduces the frustration of lost shoes!

 

[JennBags]

Have you thought about sausage boots instead of OR? Or do they not work as well?

 

[rowy]

I have turnout boots and can confirm they probably wouldnt stop shoes coming off as they just cover the heel.
I use over reach boots on my other mare and yes, she does get mud underneath them but it never goes further than her heel, mud fever is further up isnt it.
Also, I think its more the hosing and getting the legs wet, rather than the mud that causes mud fever. There are 2 yards where I work, the competition yard where the horses are washed and washed and washed- everyday they are soaped and washed after ridden (supposedly to make the sweat go away?) and pretty much most of them have mud fever even though they arent in the mud- they are in 24/7.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

My big fuzzy did this last winter soon after arrival at end of October 2010
Shed 3 off-fore fronts in as many weeks had also been told by previous owner that it might happen in winter

After long chats with farrier on the 3rd visit, we changed over to natural balance shoes in front (and then 3 months later added them behind too as was unshod at rear) and can honestly say one has not been shifted since. We do have road studs in & road nails too.
Big fuzzy does occasionally loon about in the field - you should see last weeks 4 line skid marks stretching about 30 yards to the gate and the handbrake turns & ballet spin marks are also worth seeing!

Worth a thought if shod with std hunter shoes?

 

[Nickles1973]

I have to use overreach bootsfor my tb or else face the "I told you so" look from my farrier every time my lad pulls a front shoe off :-$ I have found the rubber pull on ones (Pariani) to be the most reliable. I have found the best thing to do of a night is to turn them up (kind of inside out) and leave the mud underneath to dry off. Obviously I scrape off what I can and pick feet out. So far touch wood I have not found any signs of mud fever. Other than that I did research something called shoe secure. They fit over the heel by fixing to stud holes in the shoe. They look very good but I was a little dubious about fiddling about in the semi dark (yard lights are c**p) with the screw fittings.

 

[Nickles1973]

After long chats with farrier on the 3rd visit, we changed over to natural balance shoes in front (and then 3 months later added them behind too as was unshod at rear) and can honestly say one has not been shifted since. We do have road studs in & road nails too.
Big fuzzy does occasionally loon about in the field - you should see last weeks 4 line skid marks stretching about 30 yards to the gate and the handbrake turns & ballet spin marks are also worth seeing!

Worth a thought if shod with std hunter shoes?[/QUOTE]

^^^ This too!
My lad doesn't shed shoes as often since changing him to Natural Balance shoes front and hind. (Crosses fingers, toes and touches wood so as not to jinx myself)

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

^^^ This too!
My lad doesn't shed shoes as often since changing him to Natural Balance shoes front and hind. (Crosses fingers, toes and touches wood so as not to jinx myself)

I will say that I was not a fan of those shoes in any way, but had got to desperation point & was willing to try anything. They work for us tho & the winter paddock I tend to use is very boggy if it wet

 

[PingPongPony]

Have you thought about the westropp over reach boots? They won't gather as much mud, i use these for xc, they're great! I would use these for turn out too if i had to but fortunately i don't. But they're really good when i go hacking out and theres mud, or snow, it doesn't collect either. But, they are pricey for over reach boots.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260878004...eName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[WildRider]

@Irishdan, thanks, I've not seen them before, definitely worth looking at.

@Jennbags, I thought sausage boots were to prevent capping when laying down?

@Rowy, that doesn't surprise me, the horses I've seen that have their legs washed all the time seem to get mudfever the worst which is why I've been leaving it to dry and brushing off. Only downside to that is I've had to leave his legs on the hairy side as extra protection from the mud! And just out of curiosity, does your horse ever get mud up under the turnout boots? I'm curious how successful they are at keeping mud out, as I've never needed to use them.

@Xmas Furry & Nickles1973, what exactly are natural balance shoes, heard of but never seen. What's the difference between them and standard shoes?

 

[WildRider]

@Shiny-ISH, it's a thought, I can see how the Westropps might work. And they might not be the cheapest, but long term I guess they'd be cheaper than repeated farrier call outs!

 

[JennBags]

I believe sausage boots can also work to prevent overreach injuries, but could be wrong. Never used them myself.

 

[POLLDARK]

I use over reach boots in the field but buy ones a size too big so they drop well over the shoe at the back & also allow plenty of air movement.. I use the cheap Shires ones as they will tear if need be & not cause a problem, they velcro closed. They come off at night when the young lad is stabled. It works very well & he doesn't trash them the way he used to so must be growing out of the problem.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

@Xmas Furry & Nickles1973, what exactly are natural balance shoes, heard of but never seen. What's the difference between them and standard shoes?

Firstly, they have 2 toe clips on the front - like your current rear shoes.
However, they cover a broader area (wider & flatter base) with a more square profile.

Hang on, will try & find a link for you...

http://stockmanssupplies.com/productimages/utnbs00.jpg

http://www.ecis.com/~hplove/pic/nbs03.jpg

Link here showing attached to foot (not my fuzzy!) http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9kp1Q1IdHTo/TDTRCYac9mI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/6XiLMtSABN4/s1600/DSC02255.JPG

Mine have holes drilled in them to take road studs towards the rear of each on the outside.
As I said tho, they might not stop the problem, but they DO work for big fuzzy

 

[MrsMozart]

Used cheap overreach boots and not had any problems

Out of interest I did buy the turnout boots, forgotten the make. Completely useless. The mud gets up inside and is trapped, so any nasty mud fever bugs have enough time to root round and find any breaks in the skin

 

[RobinHood]

I believe sausage boots can also work to prevent overreach injuries, but could be wrong. Never used them myself.

Sausage boots are used in the stable to prevent the shoe injuring the elbow when the horse lies down. I think you are probably referring to a ring boot but I don't see how one of those would prevent an over-reach.

 

[WildRider]

@XmasFurry, thanks those shoes are quite interesting to see. They actually remind me of the kind of horse shoes that you see dug up on programs like Time Team etc! I might have a word with my farrier about them, see what he thinks.

@MrsMozart, I did wonder if that would be the case, I found it hard to see how the boots could be completely sealed at the bottom to prevent mud/debris entering, no matter how good the fit SOMETHING surely must be able to get in, and then you're a gonner.

@RobinHood, I think you're right, the fetlock rings are meant to prevent brushing for those that brush too far down for brushing boots to be effective. So I believe, anyway.