Horse boots

[WhitRemington]

Trails in my area can be rocky. My appy gelding is barefoot, and at home, I can tell that small rocks in hard areas bother him. He’ll cross the blacktop drive, but if there has been a wash and there are tiny rocks on it, he will avoid it until he has a clear spot to walk. I can see where this could be an issue on trails. Not all of them will be soft, wide, and flat. So I’m considering boots for rockier rides.

What boots have you tried and liked? (or hated) And why?
What can you tell me that I’m not thinking to ask?

Thanks.

[kande04]

If you over-protect the hoof it won’t develop into a thicker, stronger hoof, so it can be a balancing act between providing enough protection so they’re not too sore, but not providing so much that the hoof isn’t challenged. It’s kind of the same idea as building fitness in the rest of the body. IOW, if a horse lives in a stall or never gets much exercise, then he’ll be limited as to how much he can do.

My experience with boots is that if you need a strong boot that stays on and lasts you may want a different kind of boot than if you only need one that’s lighter and easier to get on and off. I don’t mind wrestling with boots so tend toward easyboot epics, because they stay on well and last.

[Ponycatraz]

I like my Renegade Vipers. I’ve only lost one once and that was in very thick mud. They sat on at a gallop no problem. They are easy to get on and off. Sizing was no problem for both my round hooded horse and my oval hoofed horse.

They held up much better to rocky terrain than my Old Macs. They also don’t rub even on my super sensitive pony.

[Scribbler]

I’ve used Renegades and Scoot Boots. I am preferring the Scoots. My experience is that putting in boots and riding hard on trails helps the hoof develop better than poking along slowly barefoot.

You need to get a boot that fits your horse and you need a good barefoot trim for either Renegades or Scoots

My horse is just on the borderline of being perfectly fine barefoot on any terrain. If she’s willing to step out nicely barefoot I leave her so, and if I feel she’s starting to suck back we use boots. It depends on the weather the terrain where she is in her trim cycle and what footing she is living on. I want a her bigger strides on every terrain, not sucked back and loading the foot wrong.

[phantomhorse]

What boot works best depends on the shape of your horse’s feet. How frequently the feet are trimmed also matters.

Personally, I use Easyboot Gloves as spare tires as those feet their foot shape the best.

[OzarksRider]

I’ve used Cavallo Trek boots and Scoot Boots, and I like both. Cavallos are easy to put on and they don’t have any screws that could come loose. My horse wore Cavallos for 6 years, and they never came off and they never rubbed. Then, last summer, they rubbed blisters on 3 feet after a ride. I examined the boots and couldn’t find anything wrong with them. The only thing I could figure was that I hadn’t been riding enough to keep his heel bulbs tough, and we had a very wet spring and summer which also contributed to soft skin.

After that experience, I decided to try Scoot Boots because they’re open in back and can’t rub the heel bulbs. I find the Scoot Boots are harder to put on, but once they’re on, they’re fine. They’re easier to clean than the Cavallos–just rinse with water. I also like the open design on the Scoots because it’s lighter on the hoof and allows water to drain more easily. They’re like hiking sandals, whereas the Cavallos are hiking shoes.

My horse goes equally well with either boot, meaning he just tanks right down rocky roads at a fast trot without flinching.

My advice is to first measure your horse’s feet (width at the widest part and length from the toe to the heel buttress) and then use the manufacturer’s size charts to see which brands look like they will fit. If more than one brand looks good, then think about what the weak points of a boot might be, such as screws that could come loose, cables that could break, and so on. Like others have said, the best boot for your horse is the one that fits.