Ahem.....me again...and the shoes arent even off yet!

[Cortrasna]

Thanks for the replies on my other thread I now have another query as the countdown to shoe removal on Sunday gets nearer. Gulp!:unsure:

So - I am intending to get her hoof boots for at least her fronts (possibly backs too, but shall see how we go).

Now today was a good day healthwise for me and spent best part of an hour trotting around the lanes with barely any walk and she loved it and I hardly puffed at all!:redface: But it has occurred to me that I shall not of course, be able to do this straight off when she is shoeless. I realise I will be needing to do lots of walking in the early days etc. etc.

But can anyone give me a rough guide, with the boots on, will that mean I can trot as much and as far as I like, or do I still need to build up gradually as I would with just her bare hooves?

I can see that I shall be haunting this section of the forum....perhaps I might start a sort of blog on Sunday with piccys of her feet now and her first trim to keep myself reminded of how well (or not!) her feet are doing.:redcarded:

Oh and also any preference for hoof boots.....I struggle just to lift her feet to clean them etc. so does need to be very easy to put on and off....so far I like the look of the Easyboot trails.....anyone tried them?

 

[juliecwuk]

i personally would wait to see how she acts in the first few days on different surfaces before buying boots....all three of mine went from shod to barefoot and never reacted particularly differently on the roads. Its only really gravelly roads/rocky tracks that Moet sometimes finds hard.

I like the Cavallo's (the ones you bought off me for Solly), but it just depends on her measurements after the shoes have come off as some makes suit different shapes.

With regards to amount of trotting etc again just see what Dolly can offer. Logic says take it slow to start and build up, but again just depends on the horse, my three were keen to trot no bother right from the start....however my friends daughters horse was a bit more sensitive so we were cautious on the amount of trotting for about 2 months until she wanted to trot more....

 

[Cortrasna]

I sold the Cavellos again after the old chap went, he never actually wore them they were too small for him:redface:..but they would be miles too big for Dolly!.

Well the lady who is coming to trim has said she will measure for me and advise me....and I am just wondering will she be pushing for a certain make because (surprise surprise!) she just happens to sell them and has some with her??:unsure:

I thought if I had a bit of feed back before then I could be a bit more choosy before she bamboozles me if you see what I mean? God I am so cynical aren't I?:redface:

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

The boots all seem to have quite different fits so what you get will really be dictated by the shape of Dolly's feet.

Ziggy has the Easyboot Gloves and they have been great, though we have been told to work without them now. The Gloves are absolutely fine for roads and light hacking, and with pads in he thought that he was as safe as if he was in shoes.

I bought a pair of the Trails thinking they might be better for the heavy hacking we sometimes do, but I haven't used them. My trimmer tells me that people find them inclined to come off, but I cannot confirm or deny.

 

[juliecwuk]

haha i know what you mean! the Cavallos come in numerous different sizes as do the other makes! unfortunately i've only tried the Cavallos....but you would be more than within your right to have her measure Dolly and then leave you to mull it over whilst you then research what make would fit her best?

 

[Yann]

If you're in any doubt as to her comfort when the shoes come off then get yourself some boots, they take any doubt out of the situation. My own rule of thumb would be that if she's comfortable enough to walk on an easy surface on her own feet she's probably OK to ride in boots and pads. You'll know when you're on board whether she's OK or not, having had a shod reference point.

I'd trust your trimmer on the boot front, they've nothing to gain by selling you something that won't fit or won't stay on.

 

[popularfurball]

I like the old macs for ease of use and stivkability. We've tried a lot and I never found stuff like gloves fitted and find them quite difficult to get on off (pony not inclined to help in anyway shape or form) so prefer the over the coronet Band style.

The day I found her rocked back and unable to turn, simply putting boots and pads on her transformed her to looking "a little stuff"
Rather than "totally broke" so they can make a big difference

 

[Kite_Rider]

Not sure if this is any help but I've been told to do lots of walking on the road in hand to start with and lots of ridden work either on grass or in our indoor school. Trimmer said not to buy boots right off for Belle as firstly she has good feet and may well not need them and secondly they may not fit her after a few months as her feet will change shape?
Easyboot gloves have been recommended to me by several people who are barefoot - aparently they are one of the easiest to get on and they do stay put, but I guess it does depend on the shape of the hoof.

 

[ladywiththebaby]

I have Trails! I only bought them 6 weeks ago though despite being barefoot for 5 months at that point. I was also told to wait and see how he went. Dolly could well be better than you think. But I was also advised to wait a while as their feet do dramatically change shape in the first year, so could need a LOT of different sizes over that time! So cost also came into it for me.

I have Trails and like them, although when it gets really muddy round here I'm not sure how long the Velcro will last, which is how they do up. I am happy to walk, trot and canter in mine though. And they are very easy to put on and off. I trawled the Internet to get the best price but I Find fitting them so daunting (my trimmer doesn't have many clients who use boots) that I would rather pay more and have a trimmer sell me ones that definitely fit!

Good luck! Oh and lots of pictures of her feet when the shoes first come off so that you can use them as a reference point!

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

You're right about feet changing shape and size. Ziggy's hoof walls have improved a lot and I can't get his old Gloves back on any more even after a trim.