Recommendations for boots to go over steel shoes (mare with past founder needs occasional sole protection and shock absorption) that aren’t a total PITA to get on and off and won’t rub?
Most boot manufacturers negate the warranty if you put the boots over shoes. If you don’t care about the warranty then you should measure your horses hooves with the shoes on and then buy whichever boots you wish. I use Old Mac’s G2’s they are easy to put on and don’t rub (I do use the gaiters) but I don’t have my horses shod. Here is a website where you can compare the different models: http://www.easycareinc.com/education/new_to_boots.aspx
Another possibility is: http://www.hoofwings.com/
Thnx for the links, have used hoofwings pre-shoes and loved them but wasn’t sure if they were ok over as well. Off to measure.
Anyone have experience with Bosana Boots?
There is a boot specifically made to go over shoes, but I can’t remember the name of it. It used the shoe to help stay on.
Another option to to put Sole Guard on after the shoe is applied. There’s a decent video showing how to apply it–can do it yourself if you buy the gun.
Bosana Boot
Here they are. I think these are the ones I’ve seen that are designed to be used with shoes:
I tried the Bosana boots, as I have a horse that needs sole protection at rocky rides or training rides done in a very rocky area.
Awful!!! Extremely heavy and clunky and absolutely the hardest things to put on or take off. I thought I was going to hurt my horse trying to get these things off. Had to use a huge scredrive like a pry bar to get them off.
I have also used Easyboot Epics over shoes. Had to go up a size, trimmed the heel strap down a little and that worked well except that the shape of the current Easyboots is too oval for this particular horse.
I strongly recommend the Hoof-it that I posted about. Easy to learn to use, foot says very healthy under it, lower cost than the Vettec stuff too.
Bonnie S.
I only ever saw one rider use Bosana boots, and I think it was at the Old Dominion 100. Those boots look like a good idea, but I guess they don’t work well in reality
I haven’t seen the Hoof It.
They aren’t for riding, just for wearing/trailering, but SoftRides offer a lot of cushion. They make several different colored inserts, with varying degrees of support. You can even get more support for the toe or heel, depending in what you want. I work for an equine hospital and we use them all the time on the opposite leg on three-legged lame horses. They stay on pretty well too.
Regular easy boots stay on pretty well over shoes- better than they stay on a bare hoof. I have done numerous 50s with easy boots over shoes.
I tried the Bosana boots for awhile. I didnt have any problems with them. They are heavy but it didnt seem to have any effect on my horse. I found them easy to put on and take off.
