Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

At 09:22 AM 6/19/2006, sherman wrote:
> My horse?s hoof
> measures slightly larger than size 0, but I can get the boot on with just
> a little effort and it seems large enough, maybe even too big ?cause it
> doesn?t stay on well enough. I might try putting him in 00s. Could they
> cause any damage to the hoof if the boot is actually too small, or will
> it just not go on? 
>  
> Kathy

Hi Kathy:  A lot will depend on each individual horse.  You
might try making some additional adjustments to the size 0 boots that you
have now and they may work fine for your horse.  I have found over
the years that usually the only difference between keeping an Easyboot
on, or having it come off -- is in the cable adjustment.  Wrapping
the cable around the top of the buckle assembly in a slightly different
way is often all it takes.  I like to use the bottom groove on the
buckle as I find that if I have the adjustments done the best way
possible then the buckle is a lot less likely to pop up.  

I've been using size 1 boots on Chief even though his measurements place
him clearly into a size 2 boot.  That works for him, but I don't
know if it would work for your horse (to use 1 size smaller).  I
have also found with two of my other horses that can take a size 0 on
their hind feet, that a size 1 works just fine as long as I get the cable
adjusted right for each of them.  For example, I rode Zenos three
days at Fort Schellbourne and used 1's all the way around on him because
I didn't have enough 0's.  He never lost a boot or even had one
turn.  

I just did an update to the Easyboot 101 article I did a few years ago,
and I also did one on using the Easyboot Bare.  I have them posted
on my blog, which is here: 

http://easycareinc.typepad.com/karen/    There is also
a lot of additional information on using the boots, different tips and
techniques I have learned while using them.  I have used Easyboots
on over shoes for about 13,000 miles of competition, and on three
barefoot horses for almost 4,000 miles of competition.  I also did a
couple thousand miles in plastic shoes, which worked fairly well for
Chief but not nearly as well as keeping him barefoot and using boots for
competition has.  

For Bruce:  I've ridden a lot of miles with Don, and Geronimo was
always shod.   Corry Clinton's horses are barefoot and she
foams Easyboots on them, they have done quite well.  One of the
things that surprised me when I was doing the Decade Team interviews (

http://aerc.org/long_table_list.asp ) is to find that there were/are
horses out there that have been barefoot for a long time, and using boots
to compete.  In some cases it was the taking them barefoot that
contributed to keeping them going.  

If anybody is interested in seeing who is competing more seriously this
year with their horses barefoot and using boots, here is a link to the
contest results so far: 

http://www.easycareinc.com/_system/lib/Image/main_pages/programs/2006_Hoof_Boot_Contest.pdf
     This year, Australians are allowed to enter the
contest and they are participating as well.  They seem to be doing
quite well with barefoot endurance, they have horses regularly competing
100 mile distances totally barefoot.  I don't know how many rides we
have here that would even allow that, certainly not very many -- and in
some regions none.  

Karen