# Thinking about buying Easy Boots



## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

There are several on here who do a lot of riding exclusively in boots who will be able to give you some great suggestions. I use easy boots as "flat tire fixers" so have not done very much riding in them (thank goodness!).

Easyboots have a good following in the endurance community so they certainly can hold up to the miles. Finding the boot with the best/right fit for your horse is a very important part of the equation though.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I took my horses barefoot for 5 years. During that period, I used a lot of easyboots for the rockier rides. I gave up and have shoes on this summer because, I wanted my horses to be Barefoot. I don't want to have to use Easyboots each ride. I just don't see boots as an Every Ride solutions.

The boots work. I'd probably look at the Easyboot Glove or some of the newer models ( which came after I'd made my decision to stop using boots.) The Gloves are much easier to put on than say the standard Easyboot, the EPIC or the BARE.

I found the boots worked well on straight line kinda trails at walk/trot speeds. But if we got doing lateral work, ( such as chasing cows) they had a tendency to come off as the horses were twisting and turning under power. Also brush popping was hard on boots. That's where my horses were dragging their legs through thick brush or rocks. You know, the off the beaten path kind of riding. The brush ripped and tore the gaiters and the rough rocks were very abrasive to gaiters and hardware. (The rubber seemed to hold up great)

My biggest concern with the boots was my cost to maintain them. I used them on 4 horse and it was common to tear a gaiter or bust a buckle/cable almost each ride. I was always spending $20=$30 each time I used them to fix one of the boots. I just decided it was cheaper to buy steel shoes and put them on myself.

I can't tell you how many times, I've lost or broke a boot 10 miles into a wilderness ride. Then I'm having to baby a horse back to the trailer. With 4 horses, each having different size boots, (Often different sizes between feet) I just could not (afford or space wise) carry enough spare boots. I'm lucky, but I've never lost a steel shoe in the back country.

I also seemed to be the only one to put them on and take them off, My daughters and their friends never learned. So each ride, it was me spending 20 minutes going around and putting boots on all the horses. and spending 10 minutes after the ride pulling boots. I decided I was spending less time if I just put shoes on every 8 weeks. And for me, I can buy the 16 shoes needed for my 4 horses for about $30. Which is cheaper than one lost boot.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

Rode both Easy boot Epics and Renegades.....

Both are pretty good boots and if they fit correctly will last 500 miles or so.


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## PDGx (Mar 24, 2013)

Have used Classics (originals) first - but they do have a tendency of coming off depending on the shape of the rear of the hoof. Also if you have a horse who's stride has rear hoof come real close to the front hoof, will increase chance of dropping one. However still have them and just recently used a pair that are probably 8-10 years old. 
Have a pair of Rx for rehab of injuries - real soft but not for riding. 
Have a pair of Epics for our mare, that have gator straps to hold them on. Much better than the originals. 
Just recently (last month) bought a pair of the new Trail boots to replace the classics, due to our geldings stride pulling the right boot off ocassionally. These use velcro on all closures and are very easy to put on and take off. The likelihood of losing one of these appears to be very unlikely as they come up further on rear so they cannot be pulled off by rear hoof contact. So far they appear to be very promising. They claim to be good for 25 miles per week. We never do that, so distance shouldn't be an issue. Interesting thing - they will now 'rent' you a set of fitting boots for $12 to make sure you get the proper size(s) if you go directly to the EasyBoot site. 
I would probably recommend this on your first purchase, as the sizing charts aren't easy to guess which one to choose when length and width aren't exact. They should help get exact fit for left and right - which mine are different. Although the new Trail boots appear to have more adjustment capability than the others. 
Good luck.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinaev (Dec 2, 2012)

Thank you all for your help! 

Going by the size charts he should be a size 2. But his injury causes his hoof to wear very unevenly so it's quite pointy on one side. I noticed that they'll do the fit kit and I think I might end up going that route. There are a few pair on ebay that I'm bidding on that are quite cheap to try out. 

We're basically going to be doing very light riding. Walking only, I highly doubt we'll ever trot. We ride on a dirt road, so nothing too rocky or taxing.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

I use Easy Boot Gloves on my boy Biscuit. He is tender footed and so I bought these so I didn't have to shoe him. I don't use them on every single ride and they have saved rides before. We got 100 miles away and my hubby's horse was uncharacteristically tender on one hoof. Plopped the hoof boots on and away we went. Saved a ride for my cousin's hubby - again 100 miles away. Her hubby's horse is tenderfooted like Biscuit. If I am riding where it is rocky I will put them on him. 

They are around $60 each so while they aren't cheap - they are no where near the cost of shoeing him. They fit him well. I have had them come off a few times. Thank God he doesn't act like an idiot when that happens.  I have a set for both of my horses. They stay in the trailer so I have them no matter what!


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## BlooBabe (Jul 7, 2012)

I love my easyboot gloves. Bloo's gotten rather tender in his old age and there was no way I was shoeing him so I tried a few different brands before settling on the gloves. Fit is super important though. If they're too big or small they're going to rub his bulbs raw so I'd fit them before you go on bidding too much. I've put close to 300 miles on mine w/t/c through mud, muck, sand, water, rocks, brush, brambles, and roads without ever having one fall off, tear, or bother him in the least bit. But I've got power straps on them to keep them super snug oh his hoof. They don't look super worn out and are easy to keep clean if you just rinse them after each use.


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## Jolly Badger (Oct 26, 2009)

I tried them several years ago. . .but, since the areas I ride are often quite muddy, I didn't have much luck with keeping them on and they're just too pricey to keep replacing all the time. 

They might do well if you're riding in a more dry, rocky, sandy soil but the southwestern Ohio clay mud will pull them right off.

Just something to take into consideration.


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## tinaev (Dec 2, 2012)

Well I lost the boot auction by 50 cents. I'm so bummed!

But the more I'm reading about Easy boots the more it seems like the style I was looking at (the original Easy boot, without the gaiters) is going to be really hard to put on. So now I'm exploring the easy boot bare or epic. I just don't understand why these things are so expensive! Does anyone have experience with boots that are cheaper? All we're doing is riding around the dirt roads surrounding the house. He will never be capable of doing anything high stress... we're taking him out mostly for his sanity because he just hates being left behind. Spending a couple hundred dollars on boots wasn't really what I wanted to do.

ETA: Good point on muddy ground. We're in hot, dry, northern California so I don't foresee a problem there.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I dont like easy boots at all. But sounds like you could do well with a pair of cavellos, pretty easy to put on. Many of my friends use them, this is a group that park rides on easy terrain and rarely if ever get out of a walk. They work fine for them. You may need a leg wrap or something as on one horse they rub. If you face book search hoof boot exchange. there is a group page for buying tradign and selling


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

I love my EasyBoot gloves, and I have never had trouble with them coming off through mud, at speed, or in brush. However, with the gloves, you are supposed to trim some yourself in between farrier visits to maintain the good fit, and I have watched people struggle with them. Have you maybe considered the EasyBoot trail or backcountry model? These fit a little better and stay on better due to the gaiter. Definitely get the fit kit if you're going the glove or backcountry route. I used to hate the classic EasyBoots, btw. They had these metal teeth that bit into the hoof and sometimes did damage, and they were impossible to get off. I think you'd hate them unless they've changed significantly.

I have also used Cavallos and Old Macs, which each also have their pros and cons. At the high end, I'm lusting after a new pair of Renegades, which promise to be more durable and to stay on better. They also come in super cool colors. 

I've never thought the cost of boots was that bad, but I paid $110 for my pair of gloves, and I've regularly paid $80 for the farrier to shoe a horse. The gloves lasted through way more than one shoeing cycle, so IMO, they're worth the money. The classic EasyBoot has been around a while, and lots of people decide they hate it, so you could probably find some used ones pretty cheap that aren't worn, out, but otherwise I can't think of any that run less than $100 a pair. Sorry.


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## tinaev (Dec 2, 2012)

I have a friend that is a Renegade dealer and she recommended that I look into Cavellos and Old Macs as well. I will take a closer look at those two brands. I really just wanted her to come out to fix us up with boots but she said with Renegades you have to be on a 2 week trim cycle and um yeah.... that's not gonna happen. :|

Thanks for the help!


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

I found the original EasyBoots to be a nightmare to get on. I have gone the boot route with 4 different kinds on different horses. I like the OldMacs best and will keep some for emergencies. But I'm going back to shoes. I don't have the strength in my hands to wrestle with boots and gators any longer.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

tinaev said:


> I have a friend that is a Renegade dealer and she recommended that I look into Cavellos and Old Macs as well. I will take a closer look at those two brands. I really just wanted her to come out to fix us up with boots but she said with Renegades you have to be on a 2 week trim cycle and um yeah.... that's not gonna happen. :|
> 
> Thanks for the help!


I got about 450 miles on a pair of renegades......normal 6 week trim cycle works for me.....might round them over with a rasp in between trims but IMO Renegades are a very nice boot and worth a try.


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## TheOtherHorse (Aug 5, 2012)

tinaev said:


> I have a friend that is a Renegade dealer and she recommended that I look into Cavellos and Old Macs as well. I will take a closer look at those two brands. I really just wanted her to come out to fix us up with boots but she said with Renegades you have to be on a 2 week trim cycle and um yeah.... that's not gonna happen. :|
> 
> Thanks for the help!


I don't agree with that. I use Renegades, and I don't think they need a 2 week trim cycle at all! They are actually quite forgiving of minor fit changes. They aren't supposed to be super tight like the easyboot glove. I bevel the edge of the hoof with a rasp as needed to keep them from chipping (my pasture is really rocky), but my horses are not on a 2 week trim cycle, and Renegades work perfectly. They are expensive if you don't really need a high performance boot, but IMO they are the best.


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## Horsesaplenty (Jan 9, 2013)

Look at Renegades... right now i have easy boot gloves and i dont like them. They are going back. Too hard to put on and they have to be just right.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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