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> My neighbor's horse has ripped the gator off the easyboot twice.....any 
> idea on why this is happening?

You didn't give enough info to know when this is happening -- assuming that 
the boot you are talking about is an Easyboot Epic, with a gaiter attached 
and that it is somehow getting ripped off of the horse when it is going 
down the trail?   If it's ripping off of the hind feet, then the boot is 
probably too large and/or not adjusted tight enough. That could be the case 
for the front ones too, or it could be that the horse is stepping onto the 
boot from behind and pulling it off.

First I would check the sizing of the boot. I like to use the smallest boot 
that I can get on, especially if the horse is not shod. Then you want to 
make sure the cable and buckle are snug, and the velcro around the gaiter 
is attached as snug as you can get it. If the horse is still interfering 
then fixing that could be as simple as letting the horse spend more time in 
the boots to get used to them, or as complicated as adjusting the horses 
trimming/shoeing/way of going so that he travels in such a way as to not do 
that. First you need to know exactly when and what is causing the gaiters 
to be ripped.

Chief (previously easyboot challenged horse) has done 29 rides this season 
in the Epics and has not ripped a single gaiter, or had a single boot come 
off. Anytime I've tried to foam on a regular easyboot on over his barefoot, 
they won't stay on. I am giving up on that and just sticking with the Epics 
only from now on, it's easier and I don't have to worry about the boots 
coming off and not knowing it.

If anybody is having rubbing problems with the gaiters, my website has 
photos and videos of how I wrap to prevent 
that:  http://members.tripod.com/ridephotos/    We just did 5 days at Bryce 
without any rubbing.  Which was really not a big deal since there weren't a 
lot of water crossings or mud.  The rides that were a challenge were 
Schellbourne or Mt. Carmel or Color Country -- I figure if we got thru all 
of those without any rubbing then everything else is a walk in the 
park.  if we can do it, so can everybody else! :)

Karen
in NV

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