# Hoof Boots



## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I recently permanently borrowed my husbands Easy Boot Epics. I think they are the greatest things since padded saddle seats :lol:
I've taken Vida through mucky sucking over the top of the boots mud, down rocky creeks and not one complaint can I make. 
Now Tony has to get a replacement set. Anyone have any favorites?


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I'd sure look at the new Easyboot Gloves. The demo set my dealer had were really easy to put on and stayed on.


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

I use Boa's and like them very well. I too want to try those easy boot gloves.. They look like simplicity.


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## Barbarosa (May 19, 2008)

Since my wifey Vida has permanently borrowed my easyboot epics, I just ordered a new pair of easyboot edge for my Fras. Of course if they dont fit Miss Frassy, Maureen and Vida the mosquita get another pair:shock:..


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## RedHawk (Jun 16, 2008)

I bought a pair of Easyboot Epics on my barefoot trimmer's recommendation. I haven't gone riding in them yet (long story) but i'll be sure to post about it once i do.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

RedHawk said:


> I bought a pair of Easyboot Epics on my barefoot trimmer's recommendation. I haven't gone riding in them yet (long story) but i'll be sure to post about it once i do.


You really should try them. Once you get the hang of putting them on and taking them off its really easy. I get them pretty much started then have my horse step down to make sure they are on good. 
I like all the easy boots because you can trim the front part off if its hitting above the hair line.


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## RedHawk (Jun 16, 2008)

Just some quick background info: my Tb has really flat soles and so has developed the habit of treading toe-heel to made himself more comfortable, which my barefoot trimmer has told me is very bad! So she's loaned me a pair of her old Easyboot Epics to try. So far I haven't noticed a HUGE difference, but he does seem to be smoother and travel easier with his front end (aparently the toe-heel problem was making him quite stiff in his shoulders and he feels like he's loosened up) he is also more, er, forward :roll:, so he must be travelling better.
The only problem with the boots is that the fine gravel in our area gets in and chews up the pads in the boots. So i was wondering if it putting bell boots on him would help minimise the amount of gravel that got into the boot?
Also, when jumping, would he need splint boots if he already has the Easyboots on? Or would they be enough protection? I assume they would act as fairly good shock absorbers.
Sorry for going off topic!:lol:


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

I'm getting into trying boots for my gelding, and mainly for shock absorption and hoof wear on pavement (at shows, sigh.)

However to your question RedHawk, I just had a horse pop a splint. Splint boots protect your horse from hitting his splint bone on the front leg--they are NOT for absorbing shock.

Most jumpers use open-front tendon boots, that protect the whole back of the front leg in case the horse hits it with one of their rear feet. As for shock absorption... their pasterns are for that, lol!


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## RedHawk (Jun 16, 2008)

whoops!  haha, i must be thinking along the lines of sling boots then. Something like this:
Yimar Neoprene Sling Horse Boots LARGE B/W HSB1 - eBay Boots, Clothing, Horse Riding, Sport. (end time 04-Mar-09 20:00:00 AEDST)
I was under the impression that the above boots helped relieve the strain on tendons and, to some degree absorb some of the shock. If I've got it wrong, don't ask me where I got the idea from, lol :-?.
I guess i assumed splint boots and sling boots served a similar purpose.
I know very little about boots (other than those like Easyboots/Boas/Cavallos/Old Macs etc), as up until recently i just rode for pleasure. Now I'm starting to compete, so I'm looking at equipment I haven't needed before. Excuse my ignorance! So do splint boots and open-fronts serve the same purpose?

What are your thoughts on the bell boots idea in my previous post?


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

Boots can be controversial at times, and there are a lot of myths running around about them, so don't feel bad. 

With the ones you posted, they are a little bit of a 'knock off' of the professional choice SMB boots. They have been said to give tendon support, but some people claim they give TOO much support and when they come off, the horses get hurt. I have SMBs myself, but I use them only on hard days for extra protection. Usually I go with nothing, splint boots, or polo wraps if I'm ambitious. 

When it comes to shock absorption--and mainly with jumping--a lot of the shock is absorbed through the pastern. When someone tells me that a flimsy piece of fabric can absorb the shock of a VERY heavy animal, I am skeptical at best!!  Many people think polo wraps provide shock absorption too--they don't. The best protection, when it comes to shock, is to have good footing for the horse to work in. There's no way around that one. 

Splint boots usually have a strip of something--plastic, gel, etc.--over the splint bone, on the inside of the horse's front leg. They provide little, if any, protection to the back tendons. So when jumping, that's why almost everyone will use open-front--to protect all those tendons, not just the splint bone! 

With the bell boots idea, it can't hurt to try! you might find that it rubs your horse's pasterns though, so... might be a trial-and-error thing. I think I'm going to try to splurg on the Cavello boots--they look like sneakers, and I want something to cushion the hoof for pavement walking--where in the easy boots just look protective. (nothing wrong with that, though!)


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## RedHawk (Jun 16, 2008)

With the Easyboots, you can buy pads to put in the bottom of the boot if you want something to cushion your horse's feet. My barefoot trimmer recommened the Easyboots over Cavallos as she said Cavallos tend to wear out quicker and don't have the longevity of the Easyboots, but having never tried them wouldn't know myself.
Check out the EasyCare website, they have lots of boots as well as the Epics... > Horse Care at EasyCare, Inc.: Horse Hoof Care, Natural Hoof Care, Hoof Care, Horses
With the bell boots, I've found a pair on eBay for $0.99, haha, so what the heck? I may as well try.
Thanks for the info on the other boots too. Muchly appreciated!!!


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Redhawk, 

You can get a better pad material for the inside of the boot a lot cheaper at a place that sells exercise pads. (here we get it at walmart). It's a really dense material. Cut them to fit and you can replace them much more economically than the ones they sell for the boots. This comfort will help your horse walk properly which will give you the end result of much better hoof health. Sounds like he needs to redevelop/condition his heels. I can't remember the name of the cushion at the heel, but it would be weak due to the current hoof health. Once they are strong he will be able to do without the boots. As for jumping, I would wait until my horses hooves were in shape and then do so barefoot. 

Bell boots may help keep the lil bits of gravel out, try it..


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Barbarosa is still waiting for his Easy boot edge. They have been back ordered for over 2 months :shock: Just FYI in case anyone else is thinking about getting the edges.


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## edozier1 (May 1, 2007)

EasyCare has the dirt skirt inserts and also the liquid foam kit, both of which are marketed to help keep dirt/rocks/debris out of the boots and cost is $10-$15...maybe that would help with the gravel?


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## MLK11 (Feb 27, 2009)

I really like the look of the easy boot glove. And they are popular, on the easy boot website they are all on back-order!

When do you measure your horse for the boot size? Should you do so sometime in between trimmings, or right after?


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

You measure right after a trim. I think those gloves look very promising too.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Easyboot Bares! They don't need any adjustments and I used them on Jemma all last year everywhere around. 

In fact I got Easyboot Epics too for Kiara (mostly because they are little easier to put on and she would be scared too much), and think I did a mistake. Should of go with Bares for her too (she has different size, unfortunately). Epics are good too, but all this wire/clip thing is not my favorite.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

My husband did some "modifications" to the epics and so far they seem to be holding up. I've used them every time we ride now, mostly because I want to get her used to them. 
Easycare has a 50% off upgrade deal, so I figure when I wear the epics out (or maybe before :wink I'll trade for the bare or glove, I haven't decided yet. The one thing I don't like about the epics is the clip. I decided to put a piece of duct tape across it when we are going to be in deep rocks. It seems it may get forced up by a rock in the right situation. I may just be paranoid. I'm constantly looking down at them to make sure they are still intact :lol:


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Yep, same with me. I constantly have a feeling the boot opens up, so I keep looking. Lol! Weird!..


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## MLK11 (Feb 27, 2009)

I had a quick question for those of you that use these boots,

Do you put them just on the front, or do you use them on the front and back??


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

I think it depends on the terrain as well as the horse. So far I don't boot the hinds. Normally the fronts are the ones that bear the most weight.


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## MLK11 (Feb 27, 2009)

Appyt said:


> I think it depends on the terrain as well as the horse. So far I don't boot the hinds. Normally the fronts are the ones that bear the most weight.



I kind of assumed that for average riding you would only boot the fronts. Thanks!


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

MLK11 said:


> I had a quick question for those of you that use these boots,
> 
> Do you put them just on the front, or do you use them on the front and back??


Front only for me. However friend of mine who rides in mountains put all 4. If I go to the park with minimal rocks (and no river crossing) I don't put any.


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## Barbarosa (May 19, 2008)

I gave up waiting on the easyboot edge boots and took look at the renagade hoof boot.. Glad I did so far.. very easy to put on and seem to work great. Maureen and I went four miles of gravel the first day and almost eight miles of gravel on day two. So here is Fras in her new Boots... Just like a girl showing off her new shoes.:lol:


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## Barbarosa (May 19, 2008)

A couple more.


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## Barbarosa (May 19, 2008)

one more try... I cant load photos worth a darn.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Interesting. I wish I could find renegade around, so I could try them at least. I'm really surprised Edges didn't come in. I never had an issue ordering easyboots.


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

OH WOW, those look great! So, you like them a lot eh? Did they take much adjustment, fitting time. Did you order them via our trimmer? I've heard that's how they sell them but didn't know if she was fitting for them.


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## Barbarosa (May 19, 2008)

Very easy to adjust the cable system, SOOOO easy to put on. We ordered them right from the web site and used the sizing method discribed on the web site. I did call to confrim the sizing just because Fras has one giant WIDE right foot. I tried to load some better pics of them but they wouldnt take at the house so I'll try from here.. Amber hadnt tried these yet but did like the way they looked. The lady from the web site did want Amber's email so I gave it to her. We now will see how they hold up. But for temp. use they are so much easier to put on than the epics. and the cable system is much easier to adjust.


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Good news all the way around. I like the lower profile of those over the Boa kinda clunky look. I really want those Easyboot Gloves if they aren't too hard to get on and off. But, I know my Boas are going to last forever.  Thanks for the pics and info.. I'm off to check out the Renegade site.


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## Shadow157 (Mar 21, 2009)

Ive never used a boot before or even seen one in person on a horse. I just got my first horse and hes barefoot but a little ouchy so i thought boots would be best because he does have nice hooves and i dont want to shoe him... so i asked my farrier and he said we'd have to measure him just before he got trimmed to allow for growth in the boot. he suggested the old mac g2's.....but when i looked on the website it said measure just after a trim, so do you measure before, after, or both and then average the two????? does anyone have any experience with these or can suggest something that works better/ cheaper???? (cost doesnt really matter i just dont know the average) and how to correctly fit them???? sorry to get off subject, ive been meaning to post this for a while now and while we're on the subject.......

thanks


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## Appyt (Oct 14, 2007)

Shadow, You measure immediately after a trim. The size charts are geared to this measurement. They do allow a little bit of growth room. You do not need to figure that in.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

The really hard part is getting figuring out the size on most of the charts. Maybe its my math challenged brain but I get befuddled and end up having to call the company. Thats what I suggest everyone does, call the company to order and talk to someone in the know. Some boots just don't fit every horse. 
The easy boot gloves have a sizing set you can purchase for around $8. I think if I was in the market for a new boot I would go for them and get the sizers to get a perfect fit. 
I do like barbarosa's Renegades. He will have them on and ready to go while I am still huffing and puffing putting on my Epics. 
There is a boot exchange site I'll see if I can find it and post it here. 
You can get used or slightly used boots cheaper sometimes.
heres that swap page:
http://www.naturalhorsetrim.com/boot_swap.htm


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## Trails (Jan 28, 2009)

Has anyone here heard of, or used swiss boots? A woman where we board swears by them and I was just looking for other opinions




Cheers
www.trailmeister.com


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I looked into them and found them interesting, but there weren't any fitters in my area. At that time that was the only way to purchase them.
They look very much like the new easycare gloves


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## hotreddun (Jun 27, 2008)

My horse was just fitted with Gloves right AFTER a trim. I had my local natural farrier come do our 6 month check-up (I trim my own) and she just became a dealer for the Gloves. She is the dealer for all the Epics and said she liked the Glvoes the best because they don't have all that tensioner stuff in the front. But they have to be sized perfectly to work.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Be sure to let us know how the do.


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## zanyoutthere (Jan 31, 2009)

Davis easyboots.


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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

I use Renegades. 
At first, as it seems you all have been discussing, I was having trouble with the correct fitting (they were falling off while running on the trails). However, after consulting with the company and my natural trimmer I got the correct size and they haven't fallen off since! So like Vidaloco said, I'd also recommend to call the company before ordering because going through the hassle of re-ordering and re-sizing boots is no fun.
But once I had it all right, I've found boots to be the most fantastic thing ever!


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## Shadow157 (Mar 21, 2009)

well i finally bought boots for shadow... but im unsure about them. i had my farrier measure him up and i bought the old mac g2's.... the instructions said that when you slip the boot on you have to "pop" the hoof into the boot, like wail your hand on the boot to get a snug fit into the boot. i can put his feet in with ease, and once its tightened up it doesnt seem like his feet wiggle inside the boot, but it seems like they are.....sort of baggy in the part that wraps around the whole hoof. they just seem so big and clunky on him.... i know its hard to say wether a fingure should fit or not (my fingure may be much smaller than yours!) but how else can i tell if theyre a good match??


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I'm not for sure on the Old Mac's I've never used them. I know many different one are not suppose to fit super tight around the upper part of the hoof. It would be like wearing a pair of really tight shoes. 
Best test is to have the horse walk/trot around with them on. If they don't come flying off, the probably fit.

You can always call the Easy Care folks. They are very friendly and willing to help.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

Kitten_Val if you don't like your Epics, you can convert them to BAREs. It is easy to change out the buckle-cable for the bungie that comes on the bares. Everytime I break a buckle or cable I convert and have converted almost all of my Epics over. The only difference will be that you still have the Epic Bottom. the BARES have a different traction pattern molded into the bottom.

The gloves have a Fit kit that you can order and try on your horses feet to decide what really fits. They come in half sizes. And we've seen horses that have different sizes on different feet. 0.5 on Right Front. 1.0 on Left Front etc.


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