Hoof boots, gaiters or no?

[paintedtrails]

So I am beginning the hoof boot hunt and there are just soo many choices out there!
I am not a high mileage rider at this point, but hope to get into more miles and such in the summer…right now I mainly need something to keep him pain free from rocks (big wimp!) but don’t want to have to buy multiple boot types if I can avoid it either…

Why get boots with gaiters or without? Is one better than the other, or is it just a matter of if your horse has rubbing or staying issues?
My rough measurements showed width and length were almost the same…but it was really muddy so I am going to recheck when it clears up before ordering.

[starkissed]

I have easy boots. The epic, which is the same as the original boot, but it has gaitors.

I have not tried them without the gaitor, but I wasnt sure how well they would stay on without. In hind site, my horse would probably do just fine without them, but it’s nice because I can always take them off if I decide not to use them anymore. One plus is that you are less likely to pull the boot off and lose it, because the gaitor keeps it attached and such.
And I have not had any rubbing issues.

[howardh]

I use Simple Boots. I bought a set of their gators and use them the first time I put boots on. Sometimes winter hair will make boots that DON’T rub in the summer rub…

Always handy to have just in case IMO

[JeanM]

I have the Easyboot Bares, which come with gaiters.
They’ve been fine. I think gaiters make a LOT of sense if you might be crossing mucky spots on your rides.

Do note that if you might get into competitive trail riding, anything that goes above the coronet band is not allowed – meaning the gaiters must go. (Hafta wonder how many CTR riders lose boots on their rides :no: Wouldn’t it make sense to offer Easyboots in a color other than black, for later recovery?? )

[paintedtrails]

CTR

Per the Easyboot blog, CTR is close to allowing boots above the hairline, but not yet!
Renegades are ‘nicer’ for that recovery aspect! what wild colors. I saw the “Power strip” now for Easyboots…that might help:)

[Painted_Horse]

Either use the gaiters to help keep the boots on or Glue on the boots. I loose enough boots even with gaiters. I’d hate to think how many would come off with out gaiters.

The Easyboot Gloves and the Easyboot glue on are the same boot. One has a gaiter and one doesn’t.

[TSWJB]

boas

boas. they fit the best for same length and width. my guy measures 6.5 inches across and 6 inches in length. i couldnt find many boots to fit properly. plus the guy i bought them from said the other easy boots are too hard to get on.
these boots are really easy to get on and off.
i bought mine after my WB galloped over rocks on a summer practice hunt i took him to. i was so worried he would be lame but i couldnt stop him from following the pack. he wasnt lame. but i bought the boots. i used them once on a trail ride and they were fine. no rubs. easy to put on etc. i will use them next year on trails. the boots really are more for my piece of mind since my horse has rock hard ultra thick hoof walls!!! i love the barefoot life!

[BEARCAT]

You can just spray paint them bright orange - have to reapply every so often, but works well.

[matryoshka]

Certain styles of boots are not recommended for high mileage riding. These include boots that go over the coronet to fasten, such at Boas, Old Macs, Old Mac G2’s (as per Easycareinc.com) and by extrapolation, Cavallo Simple boots. Even with gaiters (a separate neoprene sock), they can cause rubs.

Plain old Easyboots fasten below the coronet and are currently acceptable for competitive trail riding (CTR). They are fine if your horse isn’t prone to overreaching. Also, it requires a good fit, so it helps for your horse to be close to the measurements on the boot. These can be glued or foamed on for a competitive ride. I did have one come off @ mile 15 on a CTR (no glue), but the mare finished the last 15 miles barefoot and was fine. The drag riders found my boot. Now I spraypaint them red so I can find 'em if they come off. The funny thing is that it went from a front foot to a back foot (I’ve got pics), and the mare was too excited for me to pull it and put it on the front. Then it came totally off. Weird.

I think some people are using the Glove style (sans gaiter) with the power strap. These, too, would be acceptable for high mileage or CTR. These can also be glued on.

Then you’ve got a variety of Easyboot styles that have a gaiter attached. They vary by the tread and type of closure. Some people have had trouble with the gaitors causing rubs. I never had an issue with this. They cannot be used for CTR with the gaiter attached, and some of the closures work better in conjunction with a gaiter (e.g. the Bares).

The Marquis are supposed to be very good boots. Don’t know if the bladder is likely to cause a rub in the heel bulb or not. They’re supposed to be decent for jumping.

Somebody on COTH just got some Hoofwings. They wrap over the coronet, but I think all the parts above the coronet are soft and unlikely to rub. Again, these would not be acceptable for CTR.

A lot of people love Renegades. I know little about them, since the dealer near me was unable to find Renegades to fit my horses’ feet. Haven’t tried them, but they are supposed to be easy to get on and off. Don’t know if people have had trouble with rubs.

That’s the rundown of what I’ve seen. I’ve tried Boas, Old Macs, Old Mac G2’s, plain Easyboots, Epics, and Bares. What I like about the Easyboot line is that you can often modify the boot to fit better. They tend to be a pain to put on and take off when the fit is snug.