Easyboot Glove Updates?

[saratoga]

Epics work fine for my horse but I’d like to try the Glove to not have to deal with the buckles and cables. I picked up a fit kit but none of the shells fit really well, like the brochure says they should. Like, has some small gaps between the hoof and the boot and/or the front 'V" isnt stretched at all. For those of you using GLoves, is the fit as perfect as it says it should be? I wonder if I should buy some and give it a try?

Also, those new Edges, has anyone used those? I never tried Bares because I know some people who do and had a horrific time trying to get them on. The Edge looks easier.

[SlobberHound]

Ok,
I rode 20+ miles(7 hours) yesterday doing a search and rescue for a missing person. (didn’t end up finding him). I did some major hill climbing, and had a good gallop, and they didn’t budge. They held up great! I love them!

Maria

[gothedistance]

Not good update

I got in 10 miles today for a proposed 25 mile set (part of 50 miles I did today), and as I got off to read my map and give my guy carrots, I discovered, to my absolute horror, that the gaiter tops were rubbing a line of bloody raw skin at my endurance horse’s ankles!! D@mn!! :mad: No wonder my guy wasn’t moving out to the extent he usually flies down the road. Not sure if it happened because the hair around the ankle was wet, or whatever, but up until now I hadn’t had a lick of problem with rubbing. This was not just rubbed – it was bloody! Had to do some emergency padding with some of the flocked wool I keep for padding in my half chaps until I could get to a place where I could find some duct tape for wrapping my guy’s ankles.

There is now a nice landowner who will be getting flowers from me tomorrow, plus a replacement box of x-tra large bandages and electrical tape (the darling man looked and looked but couldn’t find his duct tape).

Once the ankles were wrapped and protected from any more rubbing the difference in my guy’s attitude was like a light switch flipping on. He took off flying along at a 14.5 mph trot!! Yowza!!! I’m sure he was crowing “Yeeeeh - no more pain!!” The boots stayed on like they were glued, even at that rocket propelled speed. Then …only 1/4 mile from home, at a normal trot, he stepped out of the left boot…again. He didn’t even pause this time – just acted like it was nothing, and I only noticed because of the “flap-flap-flap” sound I suddenly heard and looked down to see the boot “riding” on top of the hoof.

<major sigh!>

I’m going to go back to using the standard Easyboots on him. I’ve got the system down pat for putting them on and taking them off easily-- doesn’t take any more time than putting on/taking off the Gloves – so the time/effort element is a wash. Nothing to rub, and they stay on tight. Either way, I’ll be putting his back shoes on this Wednesday.

FWIW - the Gloves are working fabulous for the other two that are wearing them. No rubs, no issues. They aren’t doing near the work as the endurance pony, but they are still putting the miles on those boots, and I’ve been delightfully pleased.

[kcmel]

@saratoga;3951402

I picked up a fit kit but none of the shells fit really well, like the brochure says they should. Like, has some small gaps between the hoof and the boot and/or the front 'V" isnt stretched at all. For those of you using GLoves, is the fit as perfect as it says it should be? I wonder if I should buy some and give it a try?

Mine fit like this as well. My trimmer thinks his foot shape is not quite right for the boot. But they have worked ok for the light riding that we do. Although they probably get more dirt in them than they should. So they might be ok depending on what you do.

[chicamuxen1]

If you are having fit problems with the Easyboot Gloves and/or gaiters then take a look at the Easy Care web site:

http://easycareinc.typepad.com/from_the_horses_mouth/

for info about new easyboot items that are being tested and in the works. Scroll down to a Feb 23, 2009 post, Feb 06, 2009 and Jan 30, 2009 (next page). EasyCare is testing new gaiters, adjustable in height, narrower, etc. Also, they have a thing called the Easyboot Power Strap which attaches to the front of the Glove and adjusts the fit of the glove by closing the V at the front. Anyway, they are working on fixing issues that come up with all their boots, some interesting stuff being done with the glueons too.

For those of you that have barefoot horses and do compete you might want to apply to be on the Easyboot Team, GTD??? You’d be a good team member, you get to test the experimental stuff and add to their blogs about the results you get and your ideas. One team member has made socks of neopreme to go under the gaiters. She had rub issues too but her socks fixed the problem for her horse.

Bonnie S.

[winona]

Do you guys use the pads in the gloves?? I am about to order a pair. I am a little nervous since my last ride in boots (bares) ended up with me with a broken wrist, etc. Horse spooked after the bares were sucked off in mud. This is a different horse. Any ways to desensitize them to boots hanging from the ankles?? Bell boots maybe?

[chicamuxen1]

Do it on purpose, put horse in rope halter or something that is “firm” on the face and a longish rope. Go into a round pen or corral and hang a boot by the gaiter around and ankle and move the horse around. Do all legs. Help you horse learn that standing still makes the thing quit flopping. If necessary you could start with something smaller/lighter. Some old splint boot hung by a single strap around the ankle?

Bonnie S.

[BarbeyGirl]

@gothedistance;3953659

I got in 10 miles today for a proposed 25 mile set (part of 50 miles I did today), and as I got off to read my map and give my guy carrots, I discovered, to my absolute horror, that the gaiter tops were rubbing a line of bloody raw skin at my endurance horse’s ankles!!

Have you tried the stocking trick? I’ve used it under Bares and it works beautifully to prevent gaiter rubs. Don’t know if it would work with Gloves, but I’d love to hear about it, if you give it a try.

[gothedistance]

I do have a worn out pair of nice thick (hiking) smartwool socks I have cut and designed to use as a slip-on ankle wrap, and did use them once or twice with the Gloves on the driving pony who was also starting to show signs of hair loss and rubbing…but if I have to go to this much trouble, especially when the standard easyboots stay on tight no matter how awful the terrain, I’d just rather not deal with all the extra fuss… if you can understand. :no:

Unfortunately if it takes too much time trying to make something work that is supposed to be easy, then it clearly is neither easy nor a time saver. I can get the standard ski-clip/cabled easyboots on and off far more quickly than if I had to sock and wrap the ankle before putting on the Glove. The Glove was coming off more often than the standard easyboot – and while it “stayed” with the horse rather than getting lost in the shrubbery, it was still annoying. There is no way to tighten it; worse when it has stretched out from use. I’m going to experiment with tying the slit closed, or installing a rubber tab that is secured on one side and fastens on the other to pull the slit closed after the boot is on, and see if that helps.

I think for casual (not daily) use, trail riding, and general puttering around, the Glove is wonderful! I still use them for the driving ponies – the ones that stretched out now fit the other pony’s feet quite beautifully and I don’t use them often enough to lead to rubbing.

[SharonA]

Yeah… the very helpful folks at EasyCare suggested that I use a rubber mallet to get the Gloves properly seated on my horse (she’s spot-on for the measurements, but the boot shape isn’t right), but no offense, but I think I’ll just go back to Renegades. I don’t want to have to tap, twist, leverage, or otherwise work to get the boot on. In our particular situation, the Renegades went on with the ease of slippers and stayed on, so I guess we’ll stick with them and count our blessings but not our money, as we won’t have any money after new Renegades.

[m2shedd]

easy boot glove

I am a trail rider. Bought the gloves, in less than 5 miles the side screws came out. I tightened them as much as possible, still lost them. salvaged enough for one boot, used the blue screw glue, they stayed in for the next five mile ride. On that ride, I used one glove and one renegade… on snow, ice, and pavement the glove slipped more than the renegade. the renegade didn’t slip at all on the pavement. I am going back to the renegade even tho it is much more expensive. (about 25$ more per boot).

[katyb]

We’ve had good luck w/ Gloves. Our newer mare came shod, w/ awful feet and a lot of scarring around her right front coronary band. She overstrides at a canter or gallop. She has done the same thing to a Glove, ripping the gaiter, but it was replaced under warranty. I’d rather rip the boot than the horse! We use power straps, and the Gloves stay on much better. I’ve never had a horse react at all to the flapping of a pulled off boot. Gotta love the non-reactive, solid sorts!

[Snowdenfarm]

Love the glove!

My round hooved mare wears wides which are a hair too long and a hair too narrow for her very round hooves, but have not come off once in sucking mud or bucks! I also use them on my gelding with one square hoof and one rectangular hoof that took a boot 1/2 size larger than the square hoof to accommodate the length. He loses the larger one on the rectangular hoof sometimes at a gallop as it is a bit wide for his long hoof. I just ordered a power strap to fix that.

They are a tight fit, obviously, as they don’t go on loose and then get cranked down. Still, I find them easy to put on. I do the twist, but then I do pull on the gaiter as they put their foot down. They slip right into them and if I have to replace them more often it is worth it to me for the ease.

[jazzrider]

Just noticing that this is a 2009 thread - revived by someone on their very first (and still only) COTH post, to complain about the Glove. Guessing they just did a google search to bad mouth the boot wherever they could because they’d had a bad experience. But I could be wrong.

I’m still happy with the Gloves for my forging TWH. Just lost my first one on a gallop – but it was old and worn and ripped, and I already had a replacement for it in the barn. I trail ride a lot, and it lasted two years. Not bad, I think. And I still love how easy they are to get on. :yes:

[BarbeyGirl]

Wow, how odd to see this old thread resurface.

I’ve been using Gloves on my endurance mare for 2 years now – over 800 AERC miles – and can count on less than one hand the number of times a boot has come off on the trail.

Also, they’re very easy to put on (I can do all 4 in about 5 minutes) and even easier to get off.

The newest Gloves have improved gaiters and a rolled toe for quicker breakover. They’re fantastic.

Love, love, love the Glove!