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Hoof boots

i need some.... tell me your opinions on them! Help me find some! I already have 2, I need 2 more. Mine look kind of like this: http://www.myhorse.com/assets/Gear/Tack/asset_upload_file517_2523.jpg they were my mom's, lol! There's a trail ride I want to go on. It's super rocky, they won't let you bring your horse without shoes. However, Nike can't wear shoes. They tear his feet up, and even if I just put them on for a while, his feet grow so slow that it still tear him up.

critterkeeper Sat, 02/28/2009 - 19:49

Have you tried the "glued" hard rubber shoes? A friend of mine uses them on her horse that can't wear reg. shoes.

Edited to add: after her rides, she soaks the feet in a solution to disolve the glue and off them come until next time they are needed.

Monsterpony Sat, 02/28/2009 - 20:02

I used the Old Mac boots all the time. I had a set of the second gen. version for Tony and my boss had 6 sets for various horses around the barn. I used them for jumping (they come with the ability to screw in studs if required) and rode on overnight trips in the mountains and through snowy passes. I have also used the easyboots with gators on trail rides as well.

Morgan Sun, 03/01/2009 - 10:43

Those would be the original easyboots. They're ok for occasional use and as temp lost shoe replacement. They rely on metal clamps to stay on that can damage the wall and they don't stay on so well without the gaiter that the others have, there's just no point in buying a set when they have much better versions. I would try one of the easy boots that you like on him, see if they fit. Are you going to boot him on all four? Horses rarely need anything in the hind.
As for brand there's a ton of options but the main key is just like a saddle: fit the HORSE, not just pick a style that you like. There's differences between them that make each more sutable for different hoof shapes and riding conditions.
The fit test: once you've put the boot on hold it between both hands and twist it on the leg, the hoof should not twist around inside the boot, the hoof and boot should move together (like helmet fit). But also make sure the surface of the hoof is fully seated inside the boot. Too loose=rubbing+instability+may loose boot. Too tight=bruising+may loose the boot.

http://www.easycareinc.com/education/ne… for info on choosing an easy care boot:
I would recommend the bare, epic, glove, or glue on. The Old Macs only if the fit absolutly needs it (GII is the narrow version, original is very wide). They aren't as durable for rough trail riding. Don't get the Boa for very long rides.

The renegades are fairly new, but the look cool if the hooves are fairly natural shaped, they make a glue on too:
http://www.renegadehoofboots.com/

Those are pretty much the best ones out of a box.
hoofwings are neat in that the bottom mimics a hoof sole: http://www.horsneaker.com/hoofwings.htm
but they cost as much as a custom set of swiss boots (and in the larger sizes even more)
Swiss boots are what I fit, I love them for being modifiable, tight fit around the hoof and very minimal on hardware (a few rivets and some straps, easily repairable). http://www.swissboots.net best for when the horse is impossible to fit in the other boots. I like the bottom too, very basic wide bar shoe with pad shape. Try the easy care boots first, if that fails I can try and get you a pair of these, I know you have video capability so I'm willing to try a distance fitting for you. :)

also: allways fit after a fresh trim, getting the boot just tight enough not to twist but that there's a little room for growth.

Krickette Sun, 03/01/2009 - 20:41

jeeezie peezie these are looking expensive. Bleh. I mean, I want some, but...I just got $100 in overdraft charges this morning...yeah.... that's all the extra cash i was going to put into this, lol.

Thank you so much for all the info. And maybe after I start making some money this summer I'll look at them some more, in which case this will be super helpful again, lol!

So it looks like me and Mist are going on a trail ride!
I mean, a lot of this ride is on a road. Do you think it'll hurt her if I just get her front shod and still ride her on it?

Morgan Mon, 03/02/2009 - 10:22

I know the feeling. I have one horse of my own I want to boot but haven't been able to yet (he had some old macs but I got most of the flare to grow out and they dont fit any more, anyone need size 7? :shock: he's swimming in them, any time I want to remind myself of his progress I try to put his boots on lol)

As far as shoeing Mist, personally I don't like riding metal shod horses on roads at all. I've actually not had a horse myself I couldn't ride on pavement barefoot, gravel is the sticking point. See if you can get a farrier that does plastic of some sort. Although if you go that route there are several plastic shoes that are also glue ons, in which case you can put them on Nike. I would take a look at the renegade glue on or the epona: http://www.eponashoe.com/products/Epona…. I'm sure there are more, but I'm more familiar with regular boots.
glue on is cheaper than boots for a one time deal, but then again if you CAN scrape up enough for the boots, they will last you years and you don't have to get anyone to do anything other than trim.

Krickette Mon, 03/02/2009 - 11:13

See I always heard that you had to have shoes to ride on roads. And nobody around here does that kind of thing, I'd have to get someone in from Texas or something, and then we're talking big money. I have a hard enough time with my farriers. I wish I could combine them.
One of them worked on the race track doing TBs there, so he's quick and he knows what he's doing. Quick is good for Mist. She tolerates farriers, but if you dilly dally she will start acting up and leaning on you and being a turd. However, he's too quick. He doesn't do anything to finish up. I like when they take care of the sole and do a final rasp over everything, and he doesn't.
The other one is nicer. He's just a little more expensive, I think he's $30 for trim as apposed to $25. Anyways, he's really good, gives a wonderful shape, but Mist doesn't do well with him. Last time he was out we ended up tying her leg she was so bad. I was furious with her, to say the least. :BH
But I can never get in touch with either of them.
I mean, Nike's a bit long in the toe atm because he's overdue for a trim, but do you think I could ride barefoot on the roads?? Mist did this ride last year with a friend of mine, it's not a huge ride or anything, it's our St Jude ride...i'm guessing no more than 3 hours, i'll ask katie later.
Anyway, when Mist did it she had 4 shoes, now I plan to do just fronts. My friend's peruvians did it barefoot last year, but i think this year they are getting them shod for it.

Sara Mon, 03/02/2009 - 11:18

I've ridden barefoot on roads before but I keep to a walk or slow trot only. I don't see why it would be a problem.

Krickette Mon, 03/02/2009 - 11:45

I talked to katie and her best guess is that it was 15 miles or so.
*sigh*
i'm going to get them both ready, if my mom thinks nike can be ridden on the roads, then i'll offer him or mist to someone who needs a ride. I think katie's mom was wanting to go, but they only have the one horse.

Morgan Mon, 03/02/2009 - 12:40

just take them on a nearby road and do a test ride :)
I ride on hard packed and paved roads barefoot all the time, granted the horse is conditioned for it but I'll gallop her on it without a second thought (except to not falling off myself lol). Bare hooves have very good traction, flex and stability. You just have to make sure the walls are strong enough to handle the beating if you're going to go fast, but nearly any sound horse can walk and jog on a road. The overgrowth may be a good thing, give him plenty of room to wear them down if they are not too strong. Don't run though, can hurt his legs.

Monsterpony Mon, 03/02/2009 - 16:04

I would ride a barefoot horse on a road over a shod one. Metal plus pavement is not good for traction. I've seen a horse slide right off his foot and onto his rider from just a walk.

Krickette Mon, 03/02/2009 - 21:47

Here's some of the few photos Katie took last year when she rode Mist and her mom rode [url=http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/P…] (Katie's horse...the one that was all skinny and living with her evil ex stapdad):

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[img]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/P…]
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[img]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/P…]
(my friend and her sister, but you can't really see them. The one with the blaze is a heinz 57 she picked up at an auction super cheap and has turned into a really great horse. In this pic he'd been out to pasture for a while, but man, he's a good looking horse when she's got him all conditioned. The other is a Paso ex-stud named Caliente Rojo (sp?) )
[img]http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y291/P…]
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so yeah, it doesn't look like it's all road.
But from what you can see of the terrain, would you think either would be ok?

Morgan Tue, 03/03/2009 - 00:44

If they call that "rough" they haven't been out much............
You'll be fine.

Monsterpony Tue, 03/03/2009 - 01:37

I agree with Morgan. If there are clean cut trails, then you aren't roughing it. Try fording a river, crossing snowcaps, navigating rock slides and jumping/crawling under fallen trees (depending on the horse :D) in the space of a couple hours and you can say you are out in the rough.

Krickette Tue, 03/03/2009 - 04:06

I dunno, that's just what they told me.
The longest trail ride I've ever been on was 13 miles, and that was a long time ago. Well, that's the longest one that I knew the distance. We don't have any places to go here without clear trails, lol.