# Hoof boot recommendation



## fols (Nov 5, 2008)

Does anyone ride with hoof boots? I have a barefoot QH who has good hooves, but I can tell rock and gravel bother him. Some trails I ride have a lot of gravel where they've filled in wet spots. He will ride the brush edge rather than go over the gravel.
I'm out for 2-3 hours max at a time, 1 to 2 times a week. I want something that will not irritate or soften his heels, yet will add the extra cushion he needs. Just fronts should help him. Started looking and looks like there's a lot out there to pick from. Recommendations?
Thanks!!


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

The most important thing is that they fit. Which brand will sometimes be dependent on the shape of your horse's feet.

I had wanted to buy Old Mac's for my TB mare and they were too round; as were Cavallo's. I had to get Boa's for her, and they fit her very well, but I don't think they have the same good reputation as Old Mac's or Cavallos.

So you might want to make a tracing of your horse's feet first to see the overall shape. If they are round (like my APHA mare), you'll have more options. Cavallo's seem to have a good reputation and were easy to put on/off, but I never had the chance to try them in action.


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## birchtreefarm (Jul 22, 2007)

I've heard that a lot of endurance riders like Renegades. Afraid I have no personal experience, so just passing on what I've come across in reading...


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

My Percherons wear a size 5 iron shoe. Few boots come in sizes large enough fot their feet. I tried Boas, and Easyboot Epic (with the neoprene gaiter). I found the Boas too difficult to apply. That much surface area translated to too much friction and resistance. I managed to get them on a couple times, then gave up. Also, the boot would catch and trap mud and sand in it, if you rode through a deep patch of it. The mud or sand would get packed hard against the coronary band and abrade.

I've been using Easyboot Epics for a few years now. I have been able to quit iron shoes entirely. I use a piece of wire or the supplied cotter pins to keep the cable binder down. Haven't had any problems with chafing or irritation at the bulbs of the heels. It does soften their frogs a bit. I use them for riding and driving.


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## gracielagata (Jun 24, 2013)

That is completely true! If it isn't the correct shape boot for that horse, it won't fit well, will hurt, and probably won't stay on. 
Both our mustang gelding and appy/quarter mare have boots they wear as needed on the fronts. Which I will admit isn't very often, but piece of mind in the saddle bag is a great thing. 
We use EasyBoot Gloves at the recommendation of the farrier.
Both horses have nearly perfect circle shaped hooves, which makes a difference for this boot type. 
We love them. They seem to stay on with no major issues. Are fairly easy to get on, once you practice a bit. The neoprene gaiters make a huge difference for easy use and staying on, compared to friends I know that use the wired EasyBoot style. 
Anyhoo. While I can't know if these boots are god for your horse, I can say we love them! So once you figure out the style needed for your horse, at least here is one recommendation. 
Good luck!


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## gracielagata (Jun 24, 2013)

That is completely true! If it isn't the correct shape boot for that horse, it won't fit well, will hurt, and probably won't stay on. 
Both our mustang gelding and appy/quarter mare have boots they wear as needed on the fronts. Which I will admit isn't very often, but piece of mind in the saddle bag is a great thing. 
We use EasyBoot Gloves at the recommendation of the farrier.
Both horses have nearly perfect circle shaped hooves, which makes a difference for this boot type. 
We love them. They seem to stay on with no major issues. Are fairly easy to get on, once you practice a bit. The neoprene gaiters make a huge difference for easy use and staying on, compared to friends I know that use the wired EasyBoot style. 
Anyhoo. While I can't know if these boots are god for your horse, I can say we love them! So once you figure out the style needed for your horse, at least here is one recommendation. 
Good luck!


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

Yup, has to fit the horse perfect. Icelandic's are super hard to fit... either you buy spendy custom boots....
Or...
like me... you use Easy boot trails. They work well for short rides,,, ones under 2 hours.


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## fols (Nov 5, 2008)

Thank you everyone. Off to do some measuring, reading and shopping. 
I saw a lady out on the trails tonight with Cavallo's with pastern wraps. She showed me how they go on and said she loves them. The horse had navicular and it was his first time out since and he did awesome in them.


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## gracielagata (Jun 24, 2013)

If you get the Cavallos- be sure to def get the wraps as you say you would plan, and keep some duct tape with you. A friend of mine has them, and likes them, but she doesn't have the wraps, and they boot velcro quit working, so she has to duct tape them on. It does work that way tho!


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

i love mine too. i don't need shoes very often, as i ride in pastures. but, to get to these lovely pastures, there is a couple miles of gravel. 

i did lots of research before buying too. if you get easyboot glove its a good idea to get the fit-kit first, they are real picky on fit. 

my gelding is allergic to neoprene so that limited my options. i went with the easyboot trails, and they are perfect for my use. these go in my saddle bag and if i need to use them, they go in a flash and good ol copper knows that they make his feet quit hurting--he has his hoof raised before i get to it! perfect for freshly graveled roads, as it protects the sole and frog as well as the wall. 

i learned to barefoot trim my own horses, so now my horses are seldom overgrown, chipped or flared. and with the boots, i'm ready for any ride. these don't come off, but this style is NOT meant for galloping. trotting is ok. since i'm only needing them for a few miles of gravel or sometimes pavement, i'm ok with that. 

i see now easyboot makes a 'backcountry' style and those look better than my trails. i'd look into those. easyboot will let you try them for a good 30 days, but cavello doesn't take them back if they are use at *all*. another reason i went easyboot. mine don't not come off in mud and creeks, and i used them on a full day ride and not a single issue. love them!


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## jennigrey (Jan 27, 2005)

I store my Easyboots in sets of 4 in milk crates. This spring I found this adorableness. Yesterday I officially declared it abandoned, since it has been three months or so.


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## fols (Nov 5, 2008)

Looks like Easyboots won't fit my boy. He is 5 1/8" (130mm) wide and 4 7/8" (124 mm) length. Based on their chart, he should have a longer toe for their boots. He was just trimmed yesterday. Going to order Cavallo with pastern wraps. Purple is on sale  Wish me luck!
Too bad the baby birds didn't make it Jennigrey.


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## Cashs Cowgirl (Jan 26, 2006)

As an up and coming endurance racer, I recommend Renegades, pricey, but they are American made and fit so very nicely. They'll last a while too. I have the new Vipers. Not out on the market yet, but you can get them if you call. Plus they come in cool colors . They are also good when trotting or cantering. They stay on once fitted properly. The customer service is excellent. Right now I have a pair I ordered and they were a bit long, another pair was shipped to try, before they even told me that they were. I got them yesterday and will try them today. They are seriously easy to get on-captivator down, slide boot onto bottom of hoof, and then flip captivator up and velcro both straps slipping on the keeper bands for those horses that like to play with velcro (like mine  ) No banging on boots to seat toes, no muck to get caught up in the boot since everything can come out the back and you don't have to keep the horses trimmed constantly for them to fit.

These are the ones that are slightly too long, but you can see how they fit. The captivator is down too far, but as I said, they were too long and these pics were for the reference of the employee.





He's checking them out, lol. Found out he can't unvelcro these


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

cash, those are awesome. these stay on when you run? these are what i've seen other endurance riders use, so i'm guessing so. i don't see what doesn't fit in your photo? how far do you go in these?


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## Cashs Cowgirl (Jan 26, 2006)

We'll be doing our first 25 miler at mostly a trot in October. I will be riding in them on a ride next month and it varies from 10-15 miles and a good bit of that at a trot. He ran in them fine in my riding ring, but did have one come off, but we were trying them out and both the rep and I felt they were too long, but wanted to make sure.

The bottom of the boot needs to end right at the point of the bearing point on the hoof back by the frog (check out their website, they have better pics and ways to explain this). Also the captivator should easily move downwards to slide in the hoof, mine didn't because I had to pull it in so far to get it to stay (indicating the boot being too long). They make them in many sizes and 2 different styles right now. The vipers have a more aggressive tread and a little different boot style. I'm trying his new ones on today and we'll ride in them this week. 

I plan to only use them for rocky footing. He isn't used to that and I don't need him getting sore.


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## fols (Nov 5, 2008)

Wow! Those look hi-tech. Nice to hear about your adventures and great customer service experience.


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## bergere (May 11, 2002)

fols said:


> Looks like Easyboots won't fit my boy. He is 5 1/8" (130mm) wide and 4 7/8" (124 mm) length. Based on their chart, he should have a longer toe for their boots. He was just trimmed yesterday. Going to order Cavallo with pastern wraps. Purple is on sale  Wish me luck!
> Too bad the baby birds didn't make it Jennigrey.


Easy boots comes in many styles, shapes and sizes... both for normal and round hooves.

Have you gone to their site directly?

Did you measure right after a trim? This is important for good fit.


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