Considering trying hoof boots? Welcome to 21st Century Hoof Protection. If you are still fence sitting scroll down and have a look at the stories of those who changed to boots and were very pleased they did.
Easycare Down Under knows why boots are best!
Mike Ware, Manager of Easycare Down Under takes his mare out for a spin in the Easycare Gloves. Mike is an Equine Podiotherapist (a natural hoof care specialist who deals in rehabitation for serious hoof problems) and he also trains natural hoof care practitioners in this therapy and uses the easycare boot range for rehabilitation purposes and riding.
Problems??????
If you are having problems with boots its probably due to either of two things. You have chosen the wrong boot for your hoof shape....or the trim you are using is not addressing the imbalances in your horse's hoof form and is causing gait issues such as over reaching. Both can be solved easily. Just about all the problems that he sees with boots stem from incorrect fitting.
There are many different hoof forms throughout the equine population. There are now also many boot styles just for this reason.
Online Consultations:
If you feel overwhelmed by choice Easycare Down Under offers free consultations for details of how to contact us for your consultation please see www.easycaredownunder.com.au/page20.htm
Getting your first boots doesn't have to be a traumatic experience. We are here to help our customers and their trimmers if they are not familiar with hoof boots.
Hotline: If you need to speak to Mike we have a hotline number available during business hours. 9.00 - 4.00, Mobile 0428 649 369 or email him on easycaredownunder@bigpond.com
Below are considerations for good fit:
Fit is everything - firstly have a good look at your horse's sole shape after a fresh trim.
The saying that best describes hoof boot success is "fit, fit, fit". We believe the biggest determining factor in hoof boot success is indeed fit. That said, how do you know if a boot will fit?
1. Use the EasyCare measuring and sizing instructions for that boot style to determine boot size.
Do your measurements correspond to the size charts? If your measurements are similar to the size charts, your chances of a snug fit are good. If your measurements do not correspond (foot is wider than long, length and width measurements fit into different sizes), chances are you will not have a snug fit and EasyCare hoof boots are not right for your horse.
2. Before a boot is tightened the boot should be snug. If you lift the leg and hold the fetlock you should not be able to turn or twist the boot withyour other hand.
3. After tightening, the boot should be a close fit around the hoof wall. Horse boots should not have large gaps or voids between the hoof wall and the boot. If you have then look at a different boot that might be similar to your horse's hoof capsule shape.
4. You know when running shoes or hiking boots fit your own feet. Use the same type of logic when selecting a hoof boot for your horse. EasyCare hoof boots are not recommended for some types and shapes of feet.
Most hoof problems can be remedied over time withe correct barefoot trimming. They are the result of hoof distortion due to shoeing and hoof imbalances.
1. A hoof with excessive flare. Flaire is a clear indication of hoof capsule distortion that needs to be addressed. With proper trimming flare can be eliminated over time.
2. A hoof that is wider than long. A very round hoof that has a length that equals the width is also hard to fit but depending on the measurements, it is often possible to add pads and make other adjustments to achieve good results. Talk to us about how to do this.
3. A hoof with long heels (high in the heels) or one who is extremely low in the heels. Talk to us about what styles are sold as single boots and would work for you.
4. A hoof that is clubbed or irregular in shape due to injury, scarring, etc. Club footed horses will also have upper shoulder musculature assymetry which causes saddle fit issues too. These horses will certainly need a style that is sold as a single boot as they have two very different hoof shapes.
How to Measure for Boots
1. After a fresh trim, measure the width of the hoof across the bottom at the widest point.
2. Measure the length of the hoof from the toe to the buttress line of the heel. The buttress line is the farthest weight bearing point of the heel where the hoof wall ends. Do not include the heel bulbs in the measurement.
3. Compare your measurement with the appropriate size chart. Please note that each boot style has its own unique size chart.
4. Ideally, the length and width measurement will fit into the same size. If the length and width measurements indicate different sizes, select the larger size. If the width and length measurements are different by more than one size, your selected boot style is not recommended.* Be sure to check your measurements against an alternative boot in the EasyCare line—another style may accommodate your horse's hoof shape better.
*Note: If you are fitting an Easyboot Glue-On or Glove, you will need a fit kit to determine what size boots are needed for your horse. See information about the kits on page 6 under fit kit for Gloves and Glue on's.
How Far?
On what type of surface? How much traction do you need?
Different boot styles have different fastening systems.
Some are very simple but the boot shell has to be very tight fitting to work well. Others are designed to suit horses who don't have perfect hoof form so the fastening systems have to allow for a wide variation in hoof capsule size and be able to draw in the top of the boots. Keep you hoof shape in mind. Fitting becomes easier with practice and is more about technique than strength.
How to Choose a Boot Style
People's shoes come in a multitude of varieties for different uses. Hoof boots are no exception. Generally, EasyCare boots fit into four categories:
1. Therapy boots:
2. Short distance/trail boots.
3. Long distance boots.
4. Multi-day boots.
Lucky for us some boots fit into more than one category so we have a wide range of choices available.
Therapy boots
»» EasySoaker: Best for soaking, poulticing and keeping bandages clean and dry. Waterproof.
»» Easyboot Rx: A light weight therapy boot for horses with hoof maladies,those recovering from surgery, or horses who stand on hard surfaces for long periods.
»» Easyboot: Great for drying out abscesses and medicating the bottom of the foot.
Short-distance / Trail boots (less than 25 miles per day) (The number one factor in boot success is FIT.
Boas, Old Mac's Originals, Old Mac's G-2s and the Easyboot line all have different sizing. Choose the bootthat fits most closely to your horse's dimensions.)
»» Easyboot Glove: A slim, form-fitting boot that is easy to apply.
»» Boa Boot: Full coverage boot with an easy on and off dial system. Perfect for the casual rider. Not recommended for deep mud or sand.
»» Old Mac's Original: Made for horses with very short, wide feet. Hook and loop system makes them easy to apply. Great long-lasting tread and excellent traction.
»» Old Mac's G-2: Similar to originals but made for horses with more elongated feet. Our most popular trail boot.»» Easyboot Edge: Designed as a distance boot, but easy to apply and great for short rides, too. A semi-aggressive tread and padded interior make thisboot tough and comfortable.
Note: Any long distance boot can be used for short distances as well.
Long-distance/endurance and high performance competition boots:
»» Easyboot Edge: Numerous micro adjustments and a smooth interior for aclose fit. Aggressive tread.
»» Easyboot Epic: Our most popular long-distance boot. Versatile tread.
»» Easyboot Bare: Choose this boot if you are an experienced boot user and don't want to tinker with adjustments.
»» Easyboot Glue-Ons (see below) Multi-day boots
»» Easyboot Glue-On: Although trickier to apply, these boots are perfect for pack trips, multi-day rides and any situation where you need a hoof boot for longer than a day.
»» Easyboot with EasyFoam: When mixed and poured into an Easyboot,EasyFoam sets up as a flexible liner and keeps your boots on for days. Hoof protection in case of a lost shoe
»» Easyboot Epic: Easier to get on than the Easyboot and the gaiter helps keep the boot on if they don't fit perfect. Boot of choice for a spare. Easyboots have inside cleats, Epics do not. Boots specifically designed for snow/mud (sold individually)
»» Easyboot Grip: Very aggressive tread. Boot of choice, unless you areplanning to use studs. Studs fit into all of our boots except the Soaker.
Driving:
A variety of boots have been used for this purpose. The big determining factor here will be FIT. Boas and Old Mac's are used for short distances, Epic and Bares for longer distances.
Who is using boots? Will they work for me?
Here are a few articles from the Easycare Blog from riders enjoying boots for various disciplines which may help you decide.
Posted: 26 Jun 2010 02:10 AM PDT
Yvonne Welz of Litchfield Park, AZ shares with us these fantastic photos of her beautiful mare Belle strutting their stuff in Easyboot Gloves. Many of you know Yvonne as the editor and publisher of The Horse's Hoof; her husband James is also a professional barefoot trimmer. Yvonne shares with us her thoughts on the Glove and how it performs in the sport of dressage.
Belle (registered name Gezebella) is a 7 yo, 16'2 hand, German warmblood mare, branded Rheinland Pfalz-Saar (RPSI) registry, by Gatsby out of a Furioso mare. I have owned her since she was a yearling, and done all her training. She has shown through 2nd level dressage, and is currently schooling 3rd & 4th level.
We've been testing out the Gloves to see if they will work for dressage training, and they have exceeded my expectations. I can't even tell when they are on. I can wholeheartedly recommend them to every rider, whether they are trail or arena riding. These boots are so unobtrusive, they do not interfere with the horse's gaits in any way. Lateral work, extended and collected gaits are all performed as though there were no boot on.
Not just for use after removing shoes; in fact, I think these boots will be a great benefit for anyone who finds themselves having to work on poor quality footing! While we barefoot folks want hard hooves, when practicing dressage, we want springy footing under those hooves. Our arenas turn to nearly rock in the summer, so the Glove hoof boots give me extra confidence that I don't have to worry about uneven ground affecting the quality of gait during practice. The Easyboot Gloves are easy to apply and barely noticeable to the onlooker or the rider."
Thanks EasyCare!
Yvonne Welz
Barefoot Horse Turns Heads At The National Finals Rodeo!
Posted: 19 Mar 2010 03:30 PM PDT
If you are a rodeo fan you know there is no better place to be in December than Las Vegas! The WNFR or Wrangler National Finals Rodeo draws over 200,000 people and is the largest single event held in the city of lights. Not only is the WNFR the Super Bowl of rodeo, the 2009 finals proved to be extra special for all of us who are barefoot horse fans. Prior to the event there was some major hubbub that WNFR qualifier Jordon Peterson was planning to make her runs on her awesome horse Jester barefoot. This was exciting news! I was determined to find out if this really was true but connecting with Jordon proved to be a challenge. I put out an APB for help and EasyCare dealer and hoof care practitioner Johnny Holder of Weatherford, TX said he thought he could track her down and track her down he did!
Johnny happens to also have a pretty impressive clientele of barrel racers himself and we featured his wife Liz in our 2009 catalog running her horse in Easyboot Grips.
Johnny sat down with Jordon a few months after the finals for a quick interview and verified what we all hopped was true. Jordon and her great horse Frenchmans Jester, AKA Jester, did in fact compete in all ten rounds barefoot and they are the first EVER to do so! Jordon and Jester won the sixth round and placed in four other rounds. Their time of 13.72 in the sixth round tied for the fourth fastest time clocked during the grueling ten day event. The dynamic duo wrapped up their year finishing sixth in the WPRA world standings.
As you can imagine this has caused quite a stir in the barrel racing community. Reading some of the barrel chat sites one would think you were on a barefoot chat!. Many of these ladies have really done their homework, from transitioning in hoof boots to pea gravel in pens. With Jordon's success, not to mention her four-time world champion mother, Kristy Peterson's barefoot successes; many barrel horses these days are going bare.
Congratulations Jordon and Jester and hats off to this amazing team for setting a great example and breaking the ice in the sport of professional barrel racing!
Posted: 04 Feb 2010 04:46 PM PST
My mare went lame in cutting training before I bought her and then was used as a broodmare. She wore shoes, pads, wedge's and still wasn't sound. Two years down our barefoot transition road she is back to cutting, soundly, in gloves!
Name: Michelle Hagen
City: WatkinsState: IowaCountry: USA
Equine Discipline: Western Arena Sports
Favorite Boot: Glove!
Jumping/Hunting/Eventing:
Endurance
Duncan McLaughlin an Australian Endurance Rider successfully tackles the Tevis 100 Mile Endurance Championship Ride in the United States.
Part of the demanding course is the trail up Cougar Rock. Duncan chooses the Easycare Glove for his mounts as they offer exceptional grip in extreme conditions.
Photo by Hughes Photography
Working Horses
Snr. Sgt. Glenn Potter of the Western Australian Mounted Police Unit reports that they are extremely happy that they chose to make the move out of shoes. Sgt. Potter says now the horses in his unit are correctly barefoot trimmed they no longer suffer lameness and musculo-skeletal issues.
They are happier in their attitude to their work, more sure footed and totally confident on any surface and that fact alone is great as it makes a dangerous job much safer for his officers and other officers they patrol with, as they can now quickly enter areas that used to be out of bounds for shod horses.