Barefoot? Hoof boots?

[paulaedwina]

Fella, my 15 year old Percheron/Standardbred gelding and I enjoy technical trails when trail riding. Where we are the ground is rocky and muddy and boggy and often some combination thereof. He has feet like stones and has never been shod. The trails are chewing up his hooves -not his frogs, not his soles, just the walls. Sort of like broken nails if he were a person. He gets his feet trimmed every 6 weeks. He is not footsore or limping. He will walk on any surface -just today he scrambled over a rock pile easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Maybe I’m just being OCD about the chewed up edges and should leave well enough alone. I hesitate to shoe because we will sometimes go on the road. I hesitate to use borium since too much traction can result in torquing injuries. Also, shoeing requires a financial commitment I may not be able to meet so if I don’t have to I would rather not.

I was thinking about hoof boots (if I could even find the size), but what about sand, grit, water, pebbles, etc getting caught in them?

I might be thinking too much. I will ask my farrier, but I need to know that if the answer is “leave well enough alone” that’s what he will say, and not just say “shoe”.

We’ll go out maybe 3 times a week. The longest we’ve gone so far is 6.3 miles in 2 hours. Probably more regularly we’re looking at 3 or 4 miles.

Thanks,
Paula

[piedmontfields]

Hoof boots are a reasonable option. So is tightening up your trimming schedule. You can find used hoof boots online (some FB group).

[cutter99]

I would try a closer trimming schedule, especially during the summer months when feet grow faster.

My horses have been barefoot for over ten years. I use boots when I am riding a lot or on rocky ground. I have exclusively use Cavallo boots, in all types of terrain and conditions, and have yet to lose a boot. I have the same concerns about shoeing that you do- issues from either borium or Dri-Tec on the joints, horses kicking other horses, as well as pulling shoes due to muddy conditions.

I actually was just debating going back to shoeing one horse I have who is extremely flat footed with no concavity to his foot. I decided against it because I like the versatility of boots, and not having to be dependent on having someone come out to replace a shoe if it is pulled. I keep multiple pairs of boots, and replacing them is easy than replacing a shoe in my situation.

I have been out on rides 6-8 hours long, and had no issues due to the boots. I do cross a lot of deep water ad mud, but the boots drain well. I am religious about cleaning them well after every ride and letting them dry before I use them again. I also use a gaiter in mine to prevent rubbing. These are the gaiters that have worked best for me.

http://www.ridingwarehouse.com/EasyCare_Gaiters_for_Easyboot_Trail_Hoof_Boots_Pair/descpage-EEGTBO.html

[Larbear]

Pics would help but it sounds like 6 weeks might be too long. If you’d be comfortable with it, you could ask your farrier to show you how to rasp the feet in between farrier appointments if you can’t shorten up your trim cycle. I suspect your horse has too much hoof wall if his feet are chipping.

[Kyrabee]

Around here, this time of year, even hard rock crushers can look like crap. It is hot, dry and rocky. They chip. Even with a more extreme roll, they chip. With my horse it is only cosmetic. I had my trimmer give me some old rasps and I do some cosmetic rasping in between trims (every 5-6 weeks). That is just out in her pen. I do boot to ride for protection for her. She has a small foot (not Fella’s problem;)) and thin-ish sole so I want that protected.

If all that is happening is some cosmetic chipping and he is handling the footing fine, get a rasp and do some beauty sessions in between trims.

Susan

[Scribbler]

If he is sound I would let his feet find their natural shape. Have a look at photos f mustang feet for how they can wear away to nubbins! If he is chipping because his walls are too long, giving him a bevel or mustang roll with a rasp between trims. You can also get boots. I use Renegades. But if you have boots on then the feet don’t self trim at all. And you may loose toughness over time.

I find the harshest footing is extended rides on gravel or crusher dust roads. Rocks in forest trails don’t seem to be ouchy in the same way.

[paulaedwina]

You guys are awesome. Thank you! The take home seems to be that as long as he isn’t showing any soreness or lameness this is just cosmetic. I will talk to my farrier about whether he thinks we should go to a shorter cycle. I will also talk to him about a rasp.

[RedmondDressage]

I hope it’s ok to glom onto this thread because I’m on a similar search. My guys are turned out as a herd so I do not want to put on hind shoes… However, the trails around me are quite rocky and I had an issue with a sharp rock puncturing one of my horse’s sole. No fun!

Now I’ve tried boots - I have a pair of Cavallo’s and a pair of Easy Boot Trail. I sent back several pairs until I got the right fit… Yet I STILL get rubs on their heels. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? Another product I can try? I’m very frustrated!

[cutter99]

@RedmondDressage

I hope it’s ok to glom onto this thread because I’m on a similar search. My guys are turned out as a herd so I do not want to put on hind shoes… However, the trails around me are quite rocky and I had an issue with a sharp rock puncturing one of my horse’s sole. No fun!

Now I’ve tried boots - I have a pair of Cavallo’s and a pair of Easy Boot Trail. I sent back several pairs until I got the right fit… Yet I STILL get rubs on their heels. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? Another product I can try? I’m very frustrated!

Gaiters make a HUGE difference concerning rubbing. I posted a link above for the ones that work best for me.

[silverdog]

My horse has those lovely big ROUND feet that do not work with hoof boots at all. Has had shoes in the past but has no been 1 yr barefoot - had injured himself and was turned out for 10 months after we pulled his shoes. Was gimpy on and off for a bit but now is very comfortable on even pretty hard footing. Just does not like gravelly roads. His feet are in awesome shape and he moves much more efficiently bare. He is not exactly endurance material (16.3 TB/WB cross) but he is enthusiastic about trail riding and is just about as good an equine partner as you could find. He does not mentally or physically enjoy dressage or being ridden on contact for anything but is perfectly happy to go along on a long contact. So I’m going to give endurance a try and look for barefoot friendly rides. If he gets to the point where a 50 miler is realistic and I want to go to something not barefoot friendly, I’ll cross that road with my farrier when the time comes.
I do cosmetic rasping as needed and am never concerned about a crack or chip here or there as long as he is comfortable.

[ChocoMare]

Start trimming every 4 weeks on the dot. This way you stay on top of growth and any issues that may crop up.

[dacasodivine]

@silverdog

My horse has those lovely big ROUND feet that do not work with hoof boots at all. Has had shoes in the past but has no been 1 yr barefoot - had injured himself and was turned out for 10 months after we pulled his shoes. Was gimpy on and off for a bit but now is very comfortable on even pretty hard footing. Just does not like gravelly roads. His feet are in awesome shape and he moves much more efficiently bare. He is not exactly endurance material (16.3 TB/WB cross) but he is enthusiastic about trail riding and is just about as good an equine partner as you could find. He does not mentally or physically enjoy dressage or being ridden on contact for anything but is perfectly happy to go along on a long contact. So I’m going to give endurance a try and look for barefoot friendly rides. If he gets to the point where a 50 miler is realistic and I want to go to something not barefoot friendly, I’ll cross that road with my farrier when the time comes.
I do cosmetic rasping as needed and am never concerned about a crack or chip here or there as long as he is comfortable.

Renegade works well for round feet. My gaited boy has round fronts. I think the vipers are the ones designed for horses with round feet but the originals are easy to cut back. Used might be an option to see if they work. You might be able to find used originals already cut back. It was/is an option when ordering and what people would do before the vipers came out.

I think you and I chatted yesterday on Facebook. On the Texas Endurance group.

[silverdog]

Dacasodivine - I had Renegades on another horse and they were awesome. This horse does not land level in the way he choses to travel and flares on the insides of his feet no matter how you rasp his feet. The inside flares are what cause the fit problem I think. I am having a boot specialist look at him in the next week or so for her opinion before I just get him shod. He walks and trots just fine in the renegades, but I am unable to get them to stay on securely enough for him to canter comfortably. I most certainly do not want to be struggling with boots mid ride!!

[Pocket_Pony]

My mustang has amazing feet and in the summer when we hit the trails a lot they’ll get jagged around the edges and sometimes a quarter will chip out entirely. I have trimming tools at home and just smooth them out (though on such tough feet I let the pro do the actual work in the summer time), it is easy to do. Somebody makes a small hand rasp with two edges that come together for easy smoothing-out, but I’ve never tried that - always used a regular rasp.

Here’s the Rider’s Rasp: https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=1fc14d06-d229-4855-bdf5-1c282484b3e9

[AshleyandAnnabel]

I use Renegades in between rides for conditioning on both my TWH and my TB. I chose Renegades because my farrier is a Renegade dealer and I wanted them to fit right. It could take some time to get used to them (have some patience) while you make adjustments and get used to fitting them correctly. I will lose one every now and then on my TB while conditioning but on my TWH they rarely come off.

You mentioned you’d be riding them in boggy conditions though, I’ve heard Renegades will pop off easily in mud and water so I’d wait to here someone that can agree or disagree with that.

[katyb]

I rode my guy into the lake yesterday - some pawing, lots of sinking, and we still have all the boots we went in with. I’ve ridden him through some deep, sucking mud. I’ve had a boot come off once…but I had them on the wrong feet that day. Oops. So far, I’m quite happy with my Renegades.

[Mukluk]

I have used renegade mostly as spare tire thus far but very impressed with how well they stayed on at gallop in arena. I am planning to pull shoes in October and just use boots for my less frequent riding in the winter. Re shoe in Spring.