Episode 3 in which my horse tries reining

[Tsavo]

I walked into Dover trying to buy some boots. I had tracing of his feet. They were all too small.

I have to order the larger size.

Learning how to use boots effectively can be a project, but I think it's worth the effort. If you're planning to ride him in them get some with gaiters, as they can make a huge difference when it comes to keeping them on. I like the Easyboot Epics because I use them with ice calks which makes them even harder to keep on, but those who don't use ice calks seem to really like the Gloves, Renegades, and Scoot Boots.

I can't find his size. Based on the boxes in Dover, he would take the largest size and that may not even fit. WTH?

I doubt I will have much choice among boots in his size.

[Tsavo]

By the way, I looked at the largest size they had (I think it was a 5). It looked smaller than my horse's feet even without any measurements in hand.

[Abby Kogler]

Go to the actual boot making sites...easy boot, renegade, whatever. Call them with his measurements, they will help you.

[Srhorselady]

I've been very happy with the Soft Rides for rehabbing with laminitis. Many years ago I rode in MacBoots. They were okay. I didn't like the Easy Boots they had then, but they are all much improved now. I thought I might try Renegades the next time I indulged. I know that is what most endurance riders use. They are only available directly from the manufacturer, online.

[orono]

I like boots and think they are well worth trying.

[kande50]

By the way, I looked at the largest size they had (I think it was a 5). It looked smaller than my horse's feet even without any measurements in hand.

What brand and size shoe does he wear?

If you decide to pursue boots and his feet are that big then look for a really light boot, because a friend has size 5 Easyboot Epics for her half draft and they're so heavy they can be a fight to get on and off. I think the weight may be the reason Easycare didn't make bigger boots for drafts for so long, although I think they do make sizes 6 and 7 now?

Don't know if Scoot Boots come in his size, but people seem to really like them and they look like they'd be lighter than some. If I'm remembering right, Renegades are lighter, too.

[Tsavo]

What brand and size shoe does he wear?

I am not sure lately. He was in natural balance and a 2 I think but that was a while ago. He has been switched around.

If you decide to pursue boots and his feet are that big then look for a really light boot, because a friend has size 5 Easyboot Epics for her half draft and they're so heavy they can be a fight to get on and off. I think the weight may be the reason Easycare didn't make bigger boots for drafts for so long, although I think they do make sizes 6 and 7 now?

Don't know if Scoot Boots come in his size, but people seem to really like them and they look like they'd be lighter than some. If I'm remembering right, Renegades are lighter, too.

RF: 5 and 7/8 x 5 and 1/8 inch (15 x 13 cm)
LF: 6 and 1/8 x 5 and 1/2 inch (15.5 x 14 cm)

His feet are not particulary large for his size and nobody would say he had dinner plates. They do not look like draft feet. He is 3/4 TB.

I was talking to another boarder who suggested that larger horses might not be able to wear the boots and that may explain the lack of larger sizes. My horse weighs about 1360 pounds.

[kande50]

I was talking to another boarder who suggested that larger horses might not be able to wear the boots and that may explain the lack of larger sizes. My horse weighs about 1360 pounds.

I think many are buying them for riding and want to be able to gallop and jump, but when you get to that size boot the faster you want to ride the more likely they are to fly off.

I use boots in the winter for traction, and in the summer when they get too short, but the rest of the time I ride them barefoot. So boots allow me to avoid having to put shoes on them. Shoes are way more convenient for me, but I don't like what they do to the hoof so I make boots work.

Check out this page: https://scootboots.com/pages/sizing-fitting

I've stuck with Easyboots so have no real idea what the pros and cons of other brands are, but there's a lot of info on measuring and fitting out there, and getting a good fit is critical for getting boots that will stay on.

It looks like they do make boots that would fit him, but the reps would be able to look at pix and measurements and tell you which model would likely work best for him.

[Tsavo]

Check out this page: https://scootboots.com/pages/sizing-fitting

Okay thanks for posting that. They can fit the RF but not the LF.

[kande50]

Check out this page: https://scootboots.com/pages/sizing-fitting

Okay thanks for posting that. They can fit the RF but not the LF.

Is the LF too wide relative to the length, or just too big?

[Tsavo]

The foot is 1/4 inch longer than the longest boot.

[kande50]

The foot is 1/4 inch longer than the longest boot.

Try measuring him again in a few weeks because as the hoof builds the sole cups more and the toe comes back. I don't know if that will affect the total length measurement enough because the heel expands too, but I think most of the heel expansion is sideways rather than backwards?

If you keep him barefoot his hoof will change shape over time and may end up quite a bit "tighter" (more compact) than it was when it was shod.

[Tsavo]

If you keep him barefoot his hoof will change shape over time and may end up quite a bit "tighter" (more compact) than it was when it was shod.

I thought the claim was that the foot got less contracted when you go from shoes to barefoot. Which is it?

[Kyra's Mom]

It depends...on what the foot is like when it comes out of shoes.

If you are dealing with major flares, the foot will 'tighten up' as you remove the flare and the leverage that is causing the flares.

If you are dealing with contratction, it should spread as the contraction lessens although this usually is in the heel region. Also, a lot on of contraction is accompanied by long toes so once the toe comes back to where it should be, this might decrease the length some.

Susan

[Abby Kogler]

If you keep him barefoot his hoof will change shape over time and may end up quite a bit "tighter" (more compact) than it was when it was shod.

I thought the claim was that the foot got less contracted when you go from shoes to barefoot. Which is it?

Contraction doesn't have any to do with hoof length, really. Its heel/frog that gets wider and plumper and any sulcus crack disappears and heel bulbs swell and strengthen.

There is so much information out there about healthy feet, shod and unshod. Do your own homework. The time you spend here could also be spent studying hoof sites, looking at others' rads, and learning how hooves are supposed to look and function and why they don't, and how they can change for the better over time, in shoes or not. I see well shod horses, with the shoe under the foot and supporting the bony column and nice frogs. But I see a lot more long toes, crushed heels, contracted frogs, and thrush in deep sulcus cracks.

Study the hoof boot sites. Follow the links. Have some interest and curiousity in the well being of your horse and his feet.

[kande50]

If you keep him barefoot his hoof will change shape over time and may end up quite a bit "tighter" (more compact) than it was when it was shod.

I thought the claim was that the foot got less contracted when you go from shoes to barefoot. Which is it?

The heels get less contracted. They thicken and widen because the digital cushion, frog, bars, sole, and wall get thicker and denser. As those structures get stronger they in effect push the bony column up, and one of the effects of that is that the toe comes back, the bottom cups more, the walls grow down straighter, and the hoof becomes more compact.

The effect is like taking a round piece of paper and pushing the middle up higher. Several more pieces of paper can be added so that the paper is thicker, and it can even get wider on one side (heels), but the edges of the paper will need to come in toward the center somewhere because the middle has been raised up.

When a horse develops a stronger hoof the heels will start to expand, the bottom will develop an arch, and the toe will come back. It'll likely be especially noticeable on Pete's down hoof, but it does take time for the hoof to strengthen and develop enough for the changes to become obvious.

[Tsavo]

Are the people who claim their horse's feet got bigger barefoot high?

[angela9823]

Are the people who claim their horse's feet got bigger barefoot high?

You can have it both ways. Horses that are too low build concavity but get tighter - especially when there was lost connection previously. Horses can then widen when they are contracted. You can experience it both ways with the same horse. You have two very drastically different feet on your own horse and should therefore be able to get this concept pretty easily. The RF on your horse may be contracted a bit and have greater concavity then the LF. But I'm betting the RF has a greater heel bulb density than the LF. So both feet would react differently/opposite of each other to being barefoot.

[Tsavo]

So is it most likely the RF will get bigger and the LF get smaller? How long should I wait to buy boots given this situation?

[angela9823]

Possibly. Have you talked to the farrier about the concerns the horse has going on right now? What is being done about the RF? We've seen a lot about the LF but nothing about what is being changed on RF. I think we've discussed in past that RF contributes to what is going on in all the other hooves. And the reason I ask in relation to the boot situation, it is difficult to find boot manufacturers that can fit both a clubby type hoof along with the crushed foot. I don't like putting a boot on a severely crushed heel which is why I can't comment about boots until I see photos of sole/heel of this horse.

[Tsavo]

The RF has no issue in terms of lameness. Nothing was changed.

The LF heel was stable for at least ~10 years at which point the PA started to decrease slowly. It only started to rapidly underrun coincident with pulling the hind shoes last December. There is a very clear correlation if not causation between pulling the hind shoes and the heel on the LF getting underrun.

I spoke with my farrier who was intrigued by the softest blue pegasos shoe. He thought that might work to allow the heel to grow correctly and still protect the foot. He also suggested equiflex shoes. I would appreciate your opinion on those shoes.

[kande50]

So is it most likely the RF will get bigger and the LF get smaller? How long should I wait to buy boots given this situation?

Buy them now and then sell or trade them if they don't fit right or no longer fit. You can buy them new or used and then resell them on Hoof Boot Exchange (facebook) or one of the other boot reselling sites.