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Re: [RC] Boa Horse Boot - keeping EZ boots on - Marlene Moss

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Hi Truman,
I have actually had pretty good luck with Easy Boots with most of my horses.  I've competed one season barefoot with boots.  Not that I ride as many miles, or as fast as some of you, but I did end the season with 5 days of LD Outlaw Trail.  I tried foaming and decided that wasn't worth the effort.
 
First, it does help that the hoof has the "right" shape.  This means fairly round without contracted or underrun heels.  Not that I'm saying this is the case with your horses!  But some shapes just work better than others.  We had a mustang that would wear size 2 and the most perfect feet you could find - not a chance keeping those boots on w/o lots of prep because his feet were so short.  No heel, not underrun, just very short. 
 
Here's what I do and I have a least a 90% success rate - as long as I avoid swampy areas.  First, I don't mash down the tines.  I started that was as it was recommended to protect the hoof wall.  If the horse has more oblong hoof shape, I take a couple short strip of duct tape and build up the heel.  Then I do 2-3 complete wraps of duct tape, keeping all this below the hairline.  You could trim some excess from what folds under the hoof if you have lots of layers there, but I usually don't.  The duct tape sticks very well to a clean hoof and the tines dig into the tape, w/o hurting the hoof wall.
 
Then I put the boot on and come up with whatever pattern of wrapping the wire ensures that I have to stand on the buckle to get it down.
 
From there, I just keep an eye on things when I know we're in terrain the is mostly likely to cause them to come off - water then cantering up a hill, muck, turning in deep rocks.
 
This year at Outlaw Trail I lost boots the second day - I had been lazy and not redone the duct tape that morning, just left everything on (releasing the buckles though).  The water we'd been through softened the glue on the duct tape and then it didn't stick through the next dusty start of the day.  But I carry duct tape with me, so no problem.
 
It's still not perfect, but I think overall, I don't worry as much as with only shoes.  I can still lose a shoe and a shoe doesn't protect from rocks as good as an Easy Boot does.  Plus if I can find the thing - I can put it back on in the middle of the ride.
 
I have a new horse that doesn't keep the boots on as good as my old horse, so I shod her last  year.  I'm going to try not to - mostly because we moved recently and still haven't found a farrier I'm impressed with.  We can trim and my husband has put shoes on a couple times - boy what a hard job that is!
 
I'm going to check out the Boa Boots as soon as they're available.  Not sure why they aren't recommended over the Easy Boot, but I'm hoping for the level I ride, that they'll be worth the price - which will be more comparable to the other boot options than Easy Boots.
Marlene
 
Marlene Moss
Moss Rock Endurance Adventures
719-351-5037
719-748-9073