for winter… my horse needs his hooves and legs warm…
currently I use cloud boots and fleece lines shipping boots.
the shipping boots are velcro… so easy to take on and off
the cloud boots… so hard to put on… hinds horse is old and doesnt lift well
are there any fleece lines shipping boots that also protect the hoof?
other thoughts? items are put on every nite and taken off every morning…
Why, specifically, do the legs and hooves need to be warm on this horse?
Please stop leaving shipping boots on this horse in his stall. They are for shipping only.
Quick wraps might be a safer alternative to shipping boots. I’ve used the Schneider’s DuraTech Rapid Wraps on my horse in the stall overnight without any problems. If you’re willing to spend a bit more, I’ve heard really good things about the Back on Track quick wraps. The ceramic fabric may help keep legs warm.
Why are you trying to keep the horse’s feet and legs warm? Horses don’t need warm legs and feet. They’re able to shunt off the blood supply to the feet/legs in order to keep the rest of the body warm. It’s why they can stand in snow and not freeze. A horse can be toasty warm and comfortable and still have freezing feet/lower legs.
If a horse is prone to IR then they can be inclined to get cold induced laminitis. Article below will explain.
https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2017/12/17/cold-induced-laminitis/
Unless your horse has some extreme issue, there is no need to keep its legs and feet warm. For example, think about deer, moose, and other animals that live in cold climates. They are designed for this.
If your horse has a specific issue (e.g. cold-induced laminitis) that has been dx by your vet, it would seem likely that you would have already talked about the ways to manage this situation. I don’t think it’s extremely common.
Yes, this is a real thing.
I would look to Back on Track wraps and bell boots.
Definitely no shipping boots - they are not meant to be used with that sort of movement, and definitely not the getting up and laying down.
To answer your direct question - yes, there are full coverage shipping boots that go from above the hock/knee, to the ground. But as above, you don’t want that style on for this situation
Yes, cold hooves and legs can be a worrisome thing when a horse has metabolic issues. My lameness vet instructed me to use leg wraps with standing wraps over the leg wraps. If the cold legs and hooves lasted more than a few days, I was to call him.
That was several years ago. Wrapping protocol may have improved to something faster but, as has been said, shipping boots are not it:)
For cold induced laminitis, I use BOT Quick Wraps, and BOT bell boot hoof covers- works well.
Another vote for BOT quick wraps and bell boots…if necessary to avoid cold induced laminitis
I use a stick on heat wrap (on the hoof) and cover it with a cut up sock. I may change the sock out to a bell boot, it would be easier. And yes, my horse has Cushings and is IR
I was talking to my vet about cold induced laminitis cases- she sees several each winter. She wonders if some of it has to do with horses parking themselves in front of a hay net or round bale and not moving around much. Movement affects circulation in the limbs and feet. We get quite heavy snowfall around here and if the hay is located in only one spot, the horses end up getting “snowed in” to a small area. She suggests scattering the hay around a larger area to encourage more movement, especially for horses that are not exercised during the winter.
That makes a lot of sense and may be the reason in some cases.
Both of my metabolic horses dealt with cold legs/hooves. When Duke was alive (he had EMS and never foundered), he was the strong alpha and moved the other horses all over 20 acres of hilly Tennessee pasture. I knew the time of day by where he had moved everyone:)
One of my two remaining horses is 24 and pretty healthy; he does not have metabolic issues, he still has 20 acres of lush pasture to dun on, which he does — run a lot. He came in a few days ago with cold legs & hooves, and I about had heart failure as that’s a first for him. The day ended up being in the forties, blustery, on/off rain with a repeat of that the next day.
My horses come in at night, the next day both horses went out with rain sheets and warm legs/hooves.
Again, I think big snow that lends to lack of movement makes perfect sense but my horses rarely see snow and move around a lot – so that theory isn’t totally true 
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
