Hock Boot suggestions

[Madi96]

Hi,

My mare gets turned out afternoon-morning and has been getting hock sores. When she was fully stalled she would still get hock sores (shavings were in the stall) and I would use Coat Defense trouble spot paste to help them heal, but her hock sores were better then than they are now. I am currently still using Coat Defense since I cannot find a hock boot to fit her, but would like to find a better solution.

I tried the largest size of Intrepid Hock Shield and the Velcro couldn’t even touch. Does anyone have suggestions for other hock boots that fit large horses? I have seen various kinds online but need one without a hole on the back of the boot since this is where she gets her largest sores. She doesn’t need any sort of ceramic/magnetic/etc. boot just something to prevent the hock sores. Any suggestions are appreciated

[tipzythegreat]

Have you tried these? https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/hock-shield-ultra-14574?_br_psugg_q=hock+boots

I bought the small/medium for my 16.1 big bodied gelding and they fit really well! They also work well! Plus it’s smartpak so you could probably return if they didn’t fit without any trouble!

[joiedevie99]

Ditto what @tipzythegreat posted if the sores are on the points of the hocks rather than the more common side spot. The ones that velcro top and bottom, imho, are much more likely to cause rubs, especially if you’re turning out in them.

[Maythehorsebewithme]

@tipzythegreat

Have you tried these? https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/hock-shield-ultra-14574?_br_psugg_q=hock+boots

I bought the small/medium for my 16.1 big bodied gelding and they fit really well! They also work well! Plus it’s smartpak so you could probably return if they didn’t fit without any trouble!

These really helped when my horse got hock sores on the outside of his hocks this winter. I tried all kinds of meds, nothing worked, and they were getting bigger and more inflamed. Put these on and the sores cleared up within days.

The boots stayed on and up pretty well, but he was wearing them in his stall, not turned out.

Here is the website with sizing info:

https://www.hockshield.com/product-info/#size

[firefoot]

FWIW, my horse has bedsores on the fronts of his ankles and I dress them daily with a vitamin E/coconut oil baby ointment. I’ve found that the softer skin has a better chance to heal. The harder scabs cracked so much more easily and stayed painful.

[Madi96]

Thanks so much everyone! I hadn’t tried these ones out yet but just ordered a pair!

[dmj]

The HockShields mentioned above helped heal my guy’s hock sores - but after some time the straps also cut into his leg something fierce

[jonem004]

I’ve had great success with those Hock Shields on multiple horses. I also like to put a piece of duct tape over the spot where the sores form once there’s a little hair growing back (or before it gets too bad). The tape acts like a little bit of a callus if the boots shift or fall off.

[dqtastic]

I tried all sorts of things, wasted a bunch of money on boots and was always worried about a boot fail and finally discovered duct tape, as @jonem004 mentions. I used it by itself, a good chunk anywhere my horse was having trouble. I left the tape on till it fell off, and reapplied. It’s an old cowboy method, cost me $5 to get her hocks healed up. I highly recommend tape over boots.

[dmj]

I couldn’t really get duct tape (Gorilla Tape) to stay on, and when it did and needed replacing…it ripped off the newly formed scabs over the sores

[Madi96]

Just saw the other responses. It’s been a few weeks and one boot is just about shredded. Thanks for the duct tape suggestions! Might have to give it a try!