I had a pair of Scoot Boots ~ 4 years ago and liked the design, but had multiple screws on the front straps come out with very light use. I’m ready to buy another pair of hoof boots and wanted to see if anyone had more recent experience with the quality.
Thanks!
I’m using them, no problem with screws coming loose!
I’ve heard more than one complaint about how fast they wear out, but if that isn’t a concern then the convenience may be worth having to replace them more frequently.
I bought my first set of Scoot Boots about 6 months ago, so I don’t have a lot of experience with them yet. That said, I’ve already had to replace one of the screws that hold the front straps in place. I tightened all the other screws, but it’s too soon to say whether this is going to be a problem or if it was just a one time fluke. The boots come with extra screws and straps, so that may tell you something. I also don’t think I’ve got the fit quite right, even though the size I ordered is squarely in the measurements for the hoof (and yes, the hooves were measured correctly, by both me and my farrier). Bottom line, I like the design but the jury’s still out on the verdict.
Easy Boot recently introduced a new boot that looks similar to the Scoots (the Fury). Anybody have experience with those?
Scoots are surprisingly tricky to fit. They have many gradations in size. My trimmer is distributing them and has a fit kit of shells, and it still takes some time trying on sizes and hand walking the horse.
My horse snubs off her front toes and we ate through 3 pairs of Renegades, turned them into Shubooties 
and while one of my Scoots is showing some toe wear, it’s less than that.
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If you do decide you want Scoots, I’m looking to sell a pair (didn’t work out size wise for my horse), PM me if interested (not trying to advertise, just an offer).
I did like the Fury boots, wrote a review here: https://www.teamflyingsolo.com/2019/12/boots-are-never-100-easy-review-of-new.html
Thank you - very helpful. I may do the trial and see how they go. They did seem to fit well last time and I liked not cleaning muddy Velcro, but I was very frustrated with the screws.
I’m using them for fairly light riding, so I’m probably okay if they don’t last as long as my Renegades.
@wildlifer - PM me if yours are a size 4!
I had a client with Scoots.
I liked them at first - her horse had thin soles, and they lasted well…but…two things happened:
His foot changed shape and they no longer had a size that would fit him…the rep said just to stuff the toe with a filler! Right…
So we tried him without the boots, and he was sounder! X-rays showed they did their job and helped his sole thicken, but he had developed cysts on his navicular, and because the boots change the breakover, the boots were now making him sore. This horse had needed a crop to canter for 18 months, and now willingly cantered without the boots.
I now don’t know how I feel about boots. They DO change breakover, and if the horse only wears them once and a while, is this setting them up for issues? It would be an interesting study.
Everything changes break over. Every trim alters it, metal shoes alter it, wear or growth on bare feet changes it. I doubt that wearing boots contributed to the navicular cyst. It’s more likely that early stage navicular issues made the horse need sole protection.
Scoots are made to fit well shaped hooves so if somehow the hoof changed shape so no Scoot would fit, was the change pathological?
Interesting thoughts about changing the breakover. About 25 years ago I had a QH with some navicular changes. Farrier put him in what he called Poor Man’s Bar shoes. Basically regular horse shoes but put on backwards. The idea was that the horse could then wear his own breakover point rather than have it inflicted on him by the shoes.
For the screws can you use a bit of lock tight? It comes in a lot of strengths so maybe go with a really light one to prevent the screw from vibrating out.
There is a Scoot Boot FB group that is run by one of the fitters. Lots of good reviews by people using them regularly for trails, endurance, jumping, driving. Lots of good fitting information from the fitter that runs it and from regular users. I do not remember reading about loosing screws being an issue. If you are considering getting the Scoot Boots it might be worth looking through that FB page. I will say that it sounds like the best bet is to just get the mud straps from the start unless you live in the desert.
Change might be pathological, but his foot got wider. Some horses just have wide feet/coffin bones, and the scoots need a longer/narrower foot. The boots were hard to get on from the beginning with his wider feet.
I don’t think the boots caused the cyst, but I do think they irritated it. Most shoes/trims/wear brings the breakover BACK, whereas boots bring it further forward and elongate the foot.
Ah, sadly, they are not, I have a small-footed horse.
Hit up Stacy Pratt with Heartland Scoot Boots on Facebook. She will give you a good assessment.
The bottom of the toe is tapered back under on the boots I use, while the heel is supported, which I think may make the overall mechanics about the same as a bare hoof. Or possibly even better, because of the amount of taper at the toe and support at the heel?
Unless shoes are set back and/or the toe dubbed off or rolled, I’d say shoes elongate the toe the most and support the bottom of the hoof the least.
I did not have a good experience dealing with Scoot boots.
My gelding has rock solid feet that are probably about close to perfect, and most of the year my farrier rubs a rasp on them or doesn’t even touch them because he wears them down almost perfectly. Over the winter he went 2 months without being trimmed at all because his feet and way of going are that nice, his only issue is a slight flare. My mare has flat feet and only grows toe so she requires much more regular work, and my TB, well, sigh.
Last summer he wore his feet down enough we almost put shoes on him so I wanted to get boots to protect from hoof wear when I start riding on more abrasive trails. I sent pictures to a rep who basically insulted my farrier and suggested I trim my gelding myself and that it would take months before his feet were in good enough shape for boots. They wouldn’t even give me a size suggestion and said that after several months of trimming him myself I could send them new pictures and then they would send me several boot shells to try fit.
So I decided to just go ahead and put shoes on him when he needs them.
My TB gelding has been wearing ScootBoots for four years now. I initially chose them because I really like that they don’t stay wet/damp (except for the neoprene gaiters, which are easy to change out) and don’t cover the coronet. We do a lot of trails, low-level dressage and a little jumping and they’ve held up well through all of it.
If you follow the sizing guidelines online, the company will guarantee fit. And, yes, they will also tell you if your horse’s feet are not a shape that will work with the boots.
I’ve only had one front strap break (at the screw hole) and I believe it was because the screws were so tight they were biting into the material. I don’t tighten mine to the point of no return, but do check them regularly and occasionally find one or another has loosened a bit. They’re a little awkward to tighten, but having a friend to help makes it easier.
I REALLY like the new mudstraps, especially because I can take out the rear screws that hold the older-style pastern straps on the boot. If my horse was going to show any sign of irritation after a particularly long ride, it was directly under those screws, so I’m glad to be rid of them.
I also use the SB pads, which are thin but seem to give just the right amount of extra protection when we hit the rare sharp-rocky patch of ground. (If you order pads, be aware you might need to go up a boot size.)
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