I rode in the Easy Boot Epics for the first time today. It appeared that I had them on correctly - wow, they are hard to pull on. Anyway, try as I might, I could not get that ribbed heel strap pulled up, I could barely move it even when his hoof wasn’t in the boot. I rode anyway, thinking I had done everything right. He wouldn’t gait or canter, just walk. When I took the boots off, there was the three ridge impression toward the rear of his frog… obviously I didn’t get that heel strap up and he was walking on it. OUch. How do you pull that thing up? Do I have to loosen the screws on the side or something?
It’s not suppose to come up; its suppose to stay at the bottem back of the boot. You can cut out the strap if it is rubbing; with the epics you don’t really need it. Just leave the thicker plastic part that holds the screws.
Gosh - sounds to me like the boots might be too small. I use the old Easy Boots and am not sure how the Epics compare, but I have never had to fool around with the heel strap - it has always been in the right place . . . hopefully, someone who uses the Epics will respond. Good luck - hope you get it sorted out soon.
Do you have the little strip that you feed through the strap and tug on to get it out from under the hoof?
Or is that just a plain Easyboot thing? I don’t know, I don’t have the Epics, just the plain Easyboots. And I have a little strip that you feed through the heel strap, then you tug on it once the horse has their weight in the boot to kinda shimmy the strap out from under them.
I use Easyboot Bares on my guy, and I never pull the straps up.
Have you tried calling customer service at Easycare? I’ve done so a few times and they’ve always been helpful. 
Something else you can try to make the boots slip on more easily is The Stocking Trick. Works great, but obviously it won’t be much help if the boots are too small.
I have the EB Epics and have never touched or messed with the strap, except for the first few times I put them on, I did use the removable black strap to help pull them on. If you haven’t done so already, go on the EB site and find the directions for stretching the boots out. You will wet the boots, and turn the back portion under while they dry. I did this 2 or 3 times and it really helped make putting them on easier. I don’t need the “help strap” anymore.
I’m not sure why the heel strap would be making marks. Call Easyboots and ask?
The marks were across the frog, so that would mean that he’s standing on the heel strap… I tried with all my might to pull it up… but it won’t budge. I dont have it in front of me, so let me take another look tomorrow… KCMEL, why don’t you need the heel strap? I’d be happy to cut it out if it won’t ruin the boot…
Stretching your boot
I searched the Epic site on how to stretch your boot… and can’t seem to find any info. Does anyone know how to stretch the boot? I measured it twice and he should be in this size… I’ll double check that heel strap as well. It was cold today so the boots weren’t very pliable… Uuugh.
Try this link - the “training” is actually a little photo tutorial I found on the site - my trainer told me about it. Just click next to see each photo.
http://easycareinc.typepad.com/photos/gaiters/p1010156.html
Once I had the gaiters bent back, I clipped them with something so they really stayed/stretched…maybe a hair clip or bag clip - I can’t remember. I did it in the summer.
So by the heel strap, you mean that rubber strap in the back?
My boots are at the barn and not with me here, otherwise I’d look/check mine. Gosh maybe I’ve been using mine wrong. I usually don’t pull that strap up! :eek:
Maybe others will chime in.
Hay
Maybe your boots are defective. I have the EB Epics and that ribbed horizontal heel strap lays on the back of his heel from right to left below the bulb but not so he is walking on it. Either they are defective or too small. Mine are pretty easy to pull on and I don’t use that removeable strap to put them on.
Love that idea! I’m going to put a link to it on my blog!
I need to go home and look at them again. I’ll take pictures, but if I remember right, that ribbed heels strap was on the bottom (hence why he was walking on it) I tried to pull it up even before he had his foot in it… I’ll double check. Thanks everyone…oh, one more question… Does everyone wear easy boots on all four feet? We go across alot of rocky terrain. I only got him two for the front, but was wondering to myself, why I shouldn’t use them on the back as well.
[QUOTE=GallopingGrape;3614107]
I need to go home and look at them again. I’ll take pictures, but if I remember right, that ribbed heels strap was on the bottom (hence why he was walking on it) I tried to pull it up even before he had his foot in it… I’ll double check. Thanks everyone…oh, one more question… Does everyone wear easy boots on all four feet? We go across alot of rocky terrain. I only got him two for the front, but was wondering to myself, why I shouldn’t use them on the back as well.[/QUOTE]
I only used them on the front - the horse has more weight there, and has therefore more impact on the front feet. But we aren’t on rocky terrain, either.
I only had trouble with that back heel strap when I had boots that were too small. I used to curse like a sailor trying to get the strap up. Then I discovered a larger size made all the difference.
Gosh I need to make sure my strap is up too. I haven’t paid attention to that at all which may explain why some days he seems to go great in them, but today we rode in our pretty hard ring and he was so “un-forward” I was concerned.
I use them on only the fronts. We ride trails that can be hard/rocky but my big concern is all the tree roots in the ground. We also have an asphalt road to ride on to get to our trails. I have actually thought of putting them on the back - reason being, when he has the chance to, he’ll still veer off of hard footing to grass or softer areas even with the front boots on. I think he’d be super comfy in all 4.
I am going to email my farrier about that strap. He just helped me put them on to make sure they were sized right and he too just put the on - did nothing with the strap. He uses Easyboots alot. I want to see what he says.
No, you don’t need the straps on the epics, especially if they fit snug. You can even buy the “tapers” to replace the straps, but they aren’t necessary. You can just cut off the strap with a hoof knife or other sharp implement.
I’ve never had trouble with the heel strap placement–my horse had low heels and needed the strap. Horses with more fleshy heel bulbs might do better without the straps. You can cut them out or order tapers. The heel strap are bolted in three places on each side, so they aren’t really designed to move up much. The lower edge should just rest on the sole of the boot, not lay flat. I’ve seen people tug them too high, and then they cause rubs.
Yes, I used Epics on all four feet of my OTTB. His back feet were sensitive on rocks. I switched to Bares because I like the tread better, and I replaced the bungee with Up Buckles.
Farrier had a good point. He had noticed in my boots, that he could see a clear “footprint” on the bottom of my horse’s boot - we had gone through a bit of mud and there is a very, very think layer of mud color on bottom of the boot. He did not notice a strap mark across the frog area so he didn’t think the straps were a problem in my case. In your case you saw the mark on the frog but for others, it would be easy to see a mark or “stripe” if the horse is literally stepping on the strap.
[QUOTE=kcmel;3614265]
No, you don’t need the straps on the epics, especially if they fit snug. You can even buy the “tapers” to replace the straps, but they aren’t necessary. You can just cut off the strap with a hoof knife or other sharp implement.[/QUOTE]
Too true. I felt the heel straps were too restrictive of my mare’s hooves in my Epics. I got the tapers to replace them and viola! The boots fit better and I don’t have to mess around with strappage. 
I use Epics all the way around with the 12mm comfort pads and studs for added traction when hunting my barefoot mare.
Most horses do NOT need these straps. In fact, almost every client of mine that is in boots has either replaced the strap with Tapers, or I cut the straps out with my hoof nippers for them. None of my personal boots have heel straps anymore. I cut them out.
You DO need the straps to take up a little extra space, if the boots are too big, however. But even so, you do NOT have to do anything to them, including pull them up. Just put on the boot like normal. If your straps are making indentations in the horse’s frog, then I would definitely remove them as the boots are probably right on the borderline of being too small as it is. The backstrap will only make it worse.
It depends on your horse and your riding terrain, duration, and frequency as to whether you need to boot all 4 or only the fronts. This should be between you, your horse, and your hoof care provider.
But DEFINITELY use the 12mm pads inside your boots. Or you can do the 6mm pads, if the boots are already too tight. You should never use boots without pads, in my opinion.
As for stretching boots - why would you? Just put the boots on and let the horse break them in naturally. I’ve never found a reason to stretch boots out for anyone, or for myself. If they need stretching beyond the normal breaking in, I would bet they’re too small.
If you absolutely cannot get the boot on, hold the foot up and put one of the horse’s quarters down into the boot, hold the boot in place enough that it doesn’t fall off, and have the horse put the foot down and weight it. You will hear/see the other quarter POP into the boot. Pick the foot up again, wiggle the boot back and forth, or whack the toe with a mallet or even a big dandy brush. Using this method, I can get boots on in about 15 seconds per foot.
Ah ha! I cut the heel strap out and - voila - they went on much easier and no strap mark on the frog, no stretching needed. We went well in them, will gait and canter. Thanks everyone! He still searches for the soft side of the rode, so I will get rear boots as well. Auventera Two why do you believe in the 6mm cusion? Just curious, I want my horse as comfortable as possible.
