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[RC] Boots - how long do they last - KarenI wonder how many miles the average Easy Care boot will get? Like most things horse related - it depends. Depends on the horse, the footing, the terrain, and how you ride. I've got several sets of boots (Epics and Bares) that have done 12 or 13 50-mile rides each. Still in good shape. I've gotten many reports of riders doing up to 1000 miles on a set of Easyboots or Bares. I think that in most cases, figuring between 500 and 650 is a good amount and then using the boots as spares or backups is a good idea. I've seen riders line their worn boots with duct tape and get another 50 or two out of them. One factor that can affect wear is how the horse moves. If a horse is landing toe first and sliding (esp. on the hinds) they can wear through boots, or shoes, rather quickly. If that is happening, it's a good indicator that you may want to look at making some adjustments to your horses trimming or shoeing. It's nice to have a horse that is light on his feet and easy on whatever hoofware you are using. They aren't all that way though - so if somebody does have a horse that is beating up their boots badly, or wearing through shoes fast try to look at the bright side, at least it's the boots (or shoes) that are getting all that wear and abuse, and not the horses hoof itself. (I always try to look at the bright side of things, as long as it benefits my horse in some way) I think that in some cases, the tread on the Bares will outlast the regular Easyboot tread. After riding Schellbourne in the mud and snow in the Bares I think that they are becoming my favorite tread pattern, which is saying a lot because until now I've always really liked the regular EB tread best (remember I've got horses that have done about 20,000 miles using these boots, so changing my mind is no easy thing in this case). I still can't get over how we went up and down those hills in the snow, and mud, and didn't slip. I should point out that we didn't slip not because of the boots entirely - but because of the horses experience. Horses have to learn how to travel in different kinds of terrain and the best way for a horse to learn how to slip and slide up and down mountains in slick stuff - is to actually do it - and going 50 miles on an endurance ride will do that :). I kind of look at my boots in those situations like having mud and snow tires - my horses that have experience in those conditions all do extremely well in the boots, way better with the boots than they do barefoot. If an Easyboot has worn through prematurely, then email me and let me know. There is a date stamp in the boots (a small circular area towards the back of the boot, in the bottom inside of it). Clean that and try to get the date for me. If you can't read it, take a photo and sometimes that can be zoomed in on to read it. Get me that info along with when and where you purchased it, and if possible a photo of the tread. If there is a problem, I will fix it. Karen =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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