Hoof boots!

[Rusty15]

I have a few questions regarding hoof boots. My new gelding is barefoot and I’d like to keep him that way if possible. He is a paint but has a lot of TB blood which = crappy hooves. I have a very good farrier and have him on supplements as well as daily topical applications for hoof health. He tends to be tender in his toes, especially on gravel/hard ground. His old owner gave me some easy boots that she bought and hadn’t used on him yet, but they do NOT fit. I can’t get the darn things on to save my life! I am into mounted shooting but like to get out on the trail too. Here are my questions.

1. Can you use hoof boots for any sort of speed work in an arena? Or is this not safe?
2. He is kept in an approximately 24x24 run because he gets beat up in the pasture. The ground is not ideal though. It’s pretty hard and has some stones. Are there any boots that are safe to keep on him while in his pen? There are people there all the time, and I go out daily.
3. What styles/brands do you recommend for stability and comfort for trail rides on gravel/uneven ground? He’s NOT an endurance horse so they don’t have to stand up to miles and miles of trotting and cantering, just a few miles of trails a week. The Easyboot Transition caught my eye but I am totally new to the hoof boot world!
   Thank you very much!

[Appsolute]

Hum, first I will say that I am not a hoof boot “expert” but I have used them, and I prefer to keep my horse barefoot - that said, my first question would be to ask WHY is your horse tender?

Are his soles flat?

Has a careful look been given to the type of trim he is receiving?

What does your farrier say? What type of “topicals” are being used?

Have you tried DuraSole to build sole thickness?

How much work does he receive weekly (exercise is an important component in developing a healthy hoof).

1. Can you use hoof boots for any sort of speed work in an arena? Or is this not safe?

• Sure there are some types of boots that are suitable for an arena - but does your horse really need them while working on sand? If he is not comfortable on soft footing, I would be taking a hard look at whether or not he is really a barefoot candidate.

2. He is kept in an approximately 24x24 run because he gets beat up in the pasture. The ground is not ideal though. It’s pretty hard and has some stones. Are there any boots that are safe to keep on him while in his pen? There are people there all the time, and I go out daily.

Keeping boots on 24/7 is not a good idea. Most are not designed for this, and I would expect that your horse’s feet would be come softer, and more tender if covered all the time. Often an abrasive surface is a GOOD thing for a barefoot horse as it helps the hoof develop a thick sole etc.

3. What styles/brands do you recommend for stability and comfort for trail rides on gravel/uneven ground? He’s NOT an endurance horse so they don’t have to stand up to miles and miles of trotting and cantering, just a few miles of trails a week. The Easyboot Transition caught my eye but I am totally new to the hoof boot

I am not familiar with the easeboot transition - looks like it offers a lot of padding - which would be good for a very tender horse, but not if you want the foot to adapt to being barefoot. Personally I like Renegade boots for trail work. They stay on, and do not trap sand / cause rubs etc.

[Rusty15]

Thanks for the info! He’s been barefoot his entire life, but has rather thin soles and his feet were not trimmed until he was 2 years old (that’s when his previous owner bought him). He’s fine in the nice sand arenas, but there are some in the area that are pretty hard and/or have rocks. Since I’ve only had him not quite a month, my farrier hasn’t looked at him yet, but before I got him he’d been trimmed by a barefoot trimmer. We don’t have anyone that specializes in just barefoot around here, but my farrier has a great reputation so I trust him to do a good job and be able to help him. As far as topical treatments, I just use a hoof conditioner/strengthener to help keep his hooves in good condition, especially during these dry months.

[gothedistance]

[QUOTE=Rusty15;7726098]
I have a few questions regarding hoof boots. My new gelding is barefoot and I’d like to keep him that way if possible. He is a paint but has a lot of TB blood which = crappy hooves. I have a very good farrier and have him on supplements as well as daily topical applications for hoof health. He tends to be tender in his toes, especially on gravel/hard ground. His old owner gave me some easy boots that she bought and hadn’t used on him yet, but they do NOT fit. I can’t get the darn things on to save my life! I am into mounted shooting but like to get out on the trail too. Here are my questions.

1. Can you use hoof boots for any sort of speed work in an arena? Or is this not safe?[/QUOTE]
   [B]
   I wouldn’t consider any boot “safe” in an arena when speed and agility is involved. Even the ones with gaiters can come flying off and dangle around the ankle. About the only thing I would suggest would be a glue on boot with a gaiter. But that’s a heck of a lot of work to glue on a shoe only to have to take it off right after the workout. Glue on shoes work well on endurance horses because the sport involves travel in virtually a straight line on natural terrain, and tend to be negotiated at a trot for the most part during the duration of the ride (50, 75, or 100 miles). Multiday ride horses also can benefit from a glue on because the work is continuous and consistent, and the shoe affords padding. But then they are immediately taken off after the ride, and aren’t reuseable.

If you are going to be using the horse a lot, and it involves some athletic agility in the ring, I would seriously talk to your farrier about nail on shoes. Just the fact that a shoe will lift the horse’s sole off the surface of the ground helps seriously reduce the probability of bruising and getting footsore. Plus a sports shoe like the St. Croix Eventer (which is beveled the entire length of the shoe for perfect rollover regardless of how the horse’s foot lands) will give your horse just the kind of athletic shoepower he needs to do his job at the highest level. Boots do NOT have a rollover around the entire rim, and many don’t even have a rollover at the toe. (You can create a bevel yourself if you have a rasp and some time, but I am not thrilled about having to do this type of correction myself when I’ve spent megabucks to just buy the boot.) Shoes, as a whole, are far lighter than boots, less clunky, and are there 24/7 without having to be put on and taken off each time you want to put the horse out, or throw a saddle over his back.
[/B]

2. He is kept in an approximately 24x24 run because he gets beat up in the pasture. The ground is not ideal though. It’s pretty hard and has some stones. Are there any boots that are safe to keep on him while in his pen? There are people there all the time, and I go out daily.

Yes - The Easyboot Glove is perfect for the scenario above. Easy to slip on, easy to slip off, protects the foot, and the gaiter helps it stay on the foot. The sole is thin however, and I’ve not found them to be good on harsh ground unless they have a sole pad inserted for extra cushioning.

3. What styles/brands do you recommend for stability and comfort for trail rides on gravel/uneven ground? He’s NOT an endurance horse so they don’t have to stand up to miles and miles of trotting and cantering, just a few miles of trails a week. The Easyboot Transition caught my eye but I am totally new to the hoof boot world!

[B]
Honestly, depending upon the speed you travel down the trail, and the harshness of the trail, and how your horse actually does in boots, you might want to start with an Easyboot Glove, or Epic. Easycare will help you determine what size boot would fit your horse, and they even have a kit that you can purchase that will help you determine exactly what your horse needs.

I don’t have any advice to offer on the Renegades. I’ve never tried them (too expensive) and the one time I had to personally experience them in use (on a husband and wife team of riders) they didn’t overly impress me. Then again YMMV. (The husband went on to represent the boots in his area. He’s also a barefoot trimmer)

Seriously, though - you need to think carefully through what you want to do with your horse, how often you’ll be riding him, the type of rides and terrain you’ll encounter, and if you want to deal with boots which (hate to say it) can be a PITA for all the taking off/putting on/retrieving from the trail when they go flying off. You also need the input from your farrier on how your horse travels, if his footfall has any idiosyncrasies that may negate using boots or make it difficult to negotiate the trail with them. I’ve owned a number of Thoroughbreds over the years, and only one ever did well in a boot. The rest did brilliantly (foxhunting, trails, driving (yes, I drove Thoroughbreds and did combined driving as well), and dressage/Eventing/Show hunters - all being shod. And yes, by far and large most TBs do have “not-the-best-feet-in-the-world” syndrome, and do benefit far more from the support of a nailed on shoe vs a boot. But your farrier is the one to talk to about this, and I would suggest you pay close attention to his suggestions before pigeonholing your horse into the “barefoot only” category unless you are sure it is the best fit for him.[/B][B]

And just so you know I’ve BTDT: I only ever endurance rode in St. Croix eventers aluminum shoes with Durashock pads[/B]- which are super flexible and VERY comfortable -[B] and over the thousands of miles logged in endurance competition I’ve collected along the trail quite a few boots to hand in at the end of the ride (including glue ons) but rarely ever a nailed on shoe. On the flip side: I drive my Welsh pair in Easyboot classics during the summer and winter when we go out just on the weekend while they remain barefoot (in very nice pastures), but come the nice weather (spring and fall) when we go out more often they are shod (one in aluminum Kerckheart “Triumph” shoes with Durashock pads, the other in aluminum Queens racing plates) so that I’m not sweating like a stevedore and cursing up a storm putting 8 boots on (and afterwards taking 8 boots off) for each drive. They are padded in the front because we do drive exclusively on gravel roads.

Boots have their time and place, and so do nail on shoes. You just have to decide which fits your horse’s needs, and your needs, better. And don’t feel you can’t switch from one to the other as your needs change with the season. As long as it benefits the horse, and keeps it sound, you’ll be alright.
[/B]

Thank you very much!

Good luck. I hope you find the perfect foot protection solution so that you have many hours enjoying your horse in your sport, and on the trail.

[saratoga]

The arena that I ride in has pretty hard footing and some small stones in it so during the rainy season when my mare’s hooves are softer, I use easy boots…just regular ones, no gaiters. We do dressage work and some small jumps. I’ve never had a problem with them and have no reservations about using them in the arena. I KNOw though from lots of trial and error that they fit…I’d be very surprised if they fell off.
I also use boot for my endurance gelding, Epics in his case and I have also used Renegades. I think the key to boots is to make sure they fit. They have to be the correct size and also a good shape for that particular boot. Trial and error is a pain but I think its the only way. Most people seem to be able to find a boot that works for them, even if it takes awhile and its worth it once you have it figured out.

[Cindyg]

Couple of suggestions.

1. Do some reading on this board about Durasole and Kerratin hoof hardeners. I would certainly try one for a month.

2. Get your feed analyzed and supplement to fill in the holes. Copper and zinc are very important for hoof health, and it’s not just the amount. The ratios matter too. You can’t know what supplements he needs if you don’t know what nutrients he’s already getting.

3. Don’t boot him when he’s in his pen. Moving on the hard, stony ground will toughen up his hooves.

4. I would consider booting him for the trail rides.

5. I would not use boots for the arena/speed work. My previous horse, who was as agile as a cat, would sometimes step on the edge of one boot with another foot, and nearly trip himself up – sort of like when you step on a loose shoestring. No way would I try that at speed.

Let us know what works.

[mzm_farm]

I use cavallo hoof boots on my dressage horses - arena work, w/t/c and lateral movements. Boots stay on, easy to put on/off, if a horse is balanced, they are just as balanced in the boots.

I have used them for turn out as well - one of mine is thin soled. If he seems a touch tender after a trim, I put them on with a nice thick pad for the time he is in his packed gravel paddock/ off when on grass field. So about 10-12 hrs on - not a big problem, but I would not do 24/7.

I also tried Easyboots, they do not stay on any better and are a pain to fit and put on/take off.

The difference is that one is more like a clog with room for socks (cavallos) and the other is like a tightly laced up running shoe (easyboots).

Most of my horses adjusted to being booted up (have always been barefoot, never shod) within a few minutes of walking/trotting around in them.

[cnvh]

I’ve had my OTTB barefoot for about 4 years. His feet are in pretty good shape, minimal chipping/cracking between trims, but he is occasionally ouchy on gravel. Fortunately, the only time he regularly encounters gravel is on the off chance I lead him across the parking lot at the barn, which is to say, not often. His pasture is grass/no rocks, the trails at our barn have good footing, and the arena is sand, so there’s really no need to keep shoes on him.

I have Cavallo simple boots that I use if we’re trail-riding somewhere rocky, and I LOVE them-- easy to put on and take off, and with a cheap/simple hack, they are NOT coming off unless I remove them… Once they’re on, I use teeny zip-ties to keep the velcro tabs closed. As long as they stay closed, the laws of physics dictate that the boots are stayin’ put, lol…

All this is possible because my horse so rarely encounters bad footing… If his pasture was rocky, I would probably have to shoe him. But for us, cavallos are the way to go.

[Rusty15]

Unfortunately there’s a lot of gravel at my barn. I’m open to shoes but for a few reasons I prefer to keep them barefoot if possible.

[ChocoMare]

Barefoot is totally possible, no matter the breed. To make it happen, The Equine Care Square must be in balance:

DIET: Low starch, sugar free, proper minerals. Minerals is the key… for instance, here in Georgia, we’re high in iron but low in copper, zinc & selenium. We use a Seminole 16:8 Grass Balancer Loose Mineral (designed for the southeast) and the strength of hoof wall that comes out is amazing. I have rehabbed 5 OTTBs with “typical” TB feet… think soled, shelly walls, etc. On the Grass Balancer, plus the proper trim, etc. and they now have amazing feet… One is moving up to Prelim in eventing, still barefoot.

ENVIRONMENT: 24/7 turnout is always best, but you do the best you can with what you have. Hooves adapt to the environment they live in. On grass or soft ground all the time, they have no reason to be harder/tougher, nor to develop concavity. So exposing hooves to harder ground, dirt, gravel as tolerated is key. I usually recommend 15 minute daily walks on concrete or asphalt and building up time slowly, as tolerated.

EXERCISE: Movement is critical to rehabbing bare hooves. The more they move, the more the body responds with growth. Combine that exercise with exposure to harder ground as in the Environment Piece, and the body responds appropriately. This is where properly fitted hoof boots certainly help. There are plenty of options out there. Keep trying!

TRIM: A proper Barefoot (capital B) trim is critical, with the trim cycle being much shorter than most are used to. When I’m rehabbing hoof pathology, if it’s very bad, I tweak trim every 2 weeks to begin with and then maintain a 4-week trim cycle. This keeps the wall rolled, prevents any flaring from starting and allows me to keep on top of anything that may be out of balance. I follow the basic premise of Pete Ramey and James Welz in my trim method.

Number one rule of Barefoot trimming: Leave the sole alone. Let it build callous and depth. Yes, Keratex or DuraSole do help.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

If he’s footsore now, and is going to be on a lot of gravel, I’d advise you to have him shod at least in front. I spent too much time waiting for my horse’s feet to “toughen up” and now wish I’d saved him the discomfort.

All the horrible things my barefoot trimmer told me would happen if I shod him? Not only did they never come to pass, but the problem he was having with contracted heels and thrush while barefoot went completely away.

[SonnysMom]

[QUOTE=ChocoMare;7729743]
Barefoot is totally possible, no matter the breed. [/QUOTE]
I disagree with this. I think there are representatives within each breed that can go barefoot. So the statement as written is correct. But on a practical horse by horse basis I don’t agree. I don’t think all horses can go barefoot for all uses. I think for some horses genetically they will just never grow a strong enough hoof to stand up to the intended use for that horse.
Maybe changing the Diet, Environment, Exercise and Trim will work for many horses but in what time frame. Do I wait a year before I can reasonably ride my horse?
I board. Changing the environment can be difficult if not impossible. I don’t know of any place with an indoor in this area that has 24/7 turnout or anything other than fairly manicured pastures. I could change where I board to a place with no indoor but that would negatively impact Exercise. I work 1 hour from home. It is dark when I leave in the morning and dark when I come home in the winter. Without an indoor I may not be able to reasonably ride M-F during the winter. I am pretty cold tolerant. I am not a big fan of doing much riding on a ring frozen to concrete consistency let alone jumping in those conditions.

In my area a few of the parks that are really nice for riding are pretty rocky: Fair Hill, Horseshoe Trail, Blue Marsh Lake. I only knew one horse that didn’t mind being barefoot on those trails. Currently I don’t know any barefoot horses that are truly comfortable on those trails barefoot. Which brings you back to shoes or boots. So yes it can be done but it tends to be an anomaly in this area.
I know a number of people that use barefoot trimmers and do the 24/7 turn-out and use hoof tougheners and think their horses are fine barefoot. I also watch many of those horses mince down the trail, carefully picking their way along or trying to walk off the trail in the brush where there are less rocks. The owners think they are fine, those riding with them realize that those horses are not fine.
I just don’t think that barefoot is possible or practical for all horses for all uses in all riding conditions.

Trust me I tried to take my part arabian barefoot in back. Did the Easyboot Glove, Durasole, good feed etc… The boots kept popping off when galloping, he never was sound enough to go without boots on our trails. Could I have kept at it for another 6 months or year or two years? Tried a different farrier/trimmer? Different size/style of boot? Different feed/supplements? Sure I could have. At what cost to my horse? At what cost to the type of riding I wanted to do? At what cost to my pocketbook to try things that take months to show results or not show results (feed,new trimmer, supplements, hoof ointments) or various expensive boots?

[hank]

@Rusty15;7726098

He tends to be tender in his toes,… I am into mounted shooting but like to get out on the trail too… Are there any boots that are safe to keep on him while in his pen?

It sounds like he needs 24/7 protection. In that case, shoes are your friend.

I spent 10 yrs trying to “transition” a horse with crappy feet, and I spent more money on the problem than I care to admit. Said horse is now 16 years old and finally rideable 365 days per year, thanks to shoes. And none of the horrible things the barefooters tell you will happen have happened, it’s been 6 yrs of shoes.

[Flash44]

Diet needs to start with a good high quality protein to build good tough hooves. Supplements are not going to help without the major building block of protein. I have easy keepers, and they get Triple Crown 30% as a ration balancer plus flax seed. They all have great feet.

I did get Cavallo boots for one new mare that was barefoot when I got her. Didn’t trail ride her until after the blacksmith trimmed her and the rocky ground was too much for her. Bought the boots to hold her over to the next time the blacksmith came. They are very easy to put on and they stayed on through deep mud, river, a good pace, etc. Put front shoes on her the next time he came and feel they give her much better traction.

[JFJ]

I have an 11yr old pinto of unknown breeding, he’s been barefoot his entire life. His feet are really good and he never really chips and breaks up even when he is over due. We tend to have hard ground here and he’s always been sound. I just did our first off property trail ride/ charity ride, and the ground was good most everywhere but there were some rocky places. I packed his feet when we were done and gave him bute since it was a long day. So far he seems slightly stiff, but so am I! Am I crazy to keep him bare foot? Would front shoes be enough? Or should I think of getting boots? I have a couple questions.
What about water crossings? I would worry that would be very uncomfortable , much like if I walked through with my shoes on. I also worry about just general fit and comfort. The last thing I would want to do is put something on and go out for a couple hours and it rub.
I will talk to my farrier too and see what he thinks with regard to his feet.

[katyb]

[QUOTE=SonnysMom;7732408]
I disagree with this. I think there are representatives within each breed that can go barefoot. So the statement as written is correct. But on a practical horse by horse basis I don’t agree. I don’t think all horses can go barefoot for all uses. I think for some horses genetically they will just never grow a strong enough hoof to stand up to the intended use for that horse.
Maybe changing the Diet, Environment, Exercise and Trim will work for many horses but in what time frame. Do I wait a year before I can reasonably ride my horse?
I board. Changing the environment can be difficult if not impossible. I don’t know of any place with an indoor in this area that has 24/7 turnout or anything other than fairly manicured pastures. I could change where I board to a place with no indoor but that would negatively impact Exercise. I work 1 hour from home. It is dark when I leave in the morning and dark when I come home in the winter. Without an indoor I may not be able to reasonably ride M-F during the winter. I am pretty cold tolerant. I am not a big fan of doing much riding on a ring frozen to concrete consistency let alone jumping in those conditions.

In my area a few of the parks that are really nice for riding are pretty rocky: Fair Hill, Horseshoe Trail, Blue Marsh Lake. I only knew one horse that didn’t mind being barefoot on those trails. Currently I don’t know any barefoot horses that are truly comfortable on those trails barefoot. Which brings you back to shoes or boots. So yes it can be done but it tends to be an anomaly in this area.
I know a number of people that use barefoot trimmers and do the 24/7 turn-out and use hoof tougheners and think their horses are fine barefoot. I also watch many of those horses mince down the trail, carefully picking their way along or trying to walk off the trail in the brush where there are less rocks. The owners think they are fine, those riding with them realize that those horses are not fine.
I just don’t think that barefoot is possible or practical for all horses for all uses in all riding conditions.

Trust me I tried to take my part arabian barefoot in back. Did the Easyboot Glove, Durasole, good feed etc… The boots kept popping off when galloping, he never was sound enough to go without boots on our trails. Could I have kept at it for another 6 months or year or two years? Tried a different farrier/trimmer? Different size/style of boot? Different feed/supplements? Sure I could have. At what cost to my horse? At what cost to the type of riding I wanted to do? At what cost to my pocketbook to try things that take months to show results or not show results (feed,new trimmer, supplements, hoof ointments) or various expensive boots?[/QUOTE]

I’d like to know what kind of rocks the barefoot horses are avoiding, and what kind of shoes you are using to keep your horse comfortable on those rocks?

Logic dictates that a regular keg shoe can only protect the hoof WALL from rocks, or the sole from rocks smaller than the shoe. Any rock taller than a horse shoe is still going to impact the sole.

Barefoot horses are careful on that sort of rock, because they can feel it and avoid the discomfort. If a typically shod (no pads) horse is hitting that rock (taller than the shoe) and doesn’t avoid it, it is because said horse has a numb foot and just doesn’t know it hurts. I don’t see how that is a preferable scenario.

I agree that boots can be a pain, and barefoot can be some work, but for the type of rocks we have in east TN, you’d have to shoe with pads to protect the hoof, and that opens up another can of worms in terms of hoof care/health. The benefit to boots over shoes is that they protect the entire hoof, but they don’t stay on 24/7, so the hoof can be clean, dry, and malleable.

[katyb]

Oops - posted twice.

[katyb]

[QUOTE=hank;7732679]
It sounds like he needs 24/7 protection. In that case, shoes are your friend.

I spent 10 yrs trying to “transition” a horse with crappy feet, and I spent more money on the problem than I care to admit. Said horse is now 16 years old and finally rideable 365 days per year, thanks to shoes. And none of the horrible things the barefooters tell you will happen have happened, it’s been 6 yrs of shoes.[/QUOTE]

10 years transition and 6 years in shoes and the horse is 16? That math is a bit questionable, lol.

I do understand what you are saying, but that made me giggle.