Horse Hoof Boots - Extra Protection for Shoeless Horses

There are a huge range of horse hoof boots for sale that offer almost every horse a viable alternative to metal horseshoes. They are designed to provide extra protection for your un-shod horse without causing detriment to the hoof. They can be used for all types of riding, including trail, jumping, dressage and endurance as well as for driving, rehabilitation and turnout. They come in a wide range of sizes to fit miniature horses, ponies, horses, and medium-sized drafts.

It may be necessary to use hoof boots for a while when you first start transitioning your horse to go barefoot. Often a newly de-shod foot is not able to cope with the varying surfaces you may encounter when trail riding or during turnout so boots are used to make the horse more comfortable until the hoof has built up condition. Many horses also need equine hoof pads in the boots for additional support. Some barefoot horses are lucky and don't need them but for most horses it is something that you do need to invest in (even if only for occasional use).

They can also be used to make a horse more comfortable when they are suffering from abscesses, laminitis/founder or navicular.

Another scenario where horse hoof boots are useful is if you keep your horse on a soft terrain but want to ride on hard, abrasive terrain. It is not fair to expect the hoof to cope with the harder terrain when it hasn't been conditioned to it, but by using hoof boots you can overcome this issue and keep your horse comfortable.

Also there are pads available that can be used on sensitive horses or to help stimulate weakened areas of the hoof, such as the frog. By cutting the pad into the shape of the frog and either taping over the frog or attaching it to the boot, extra stimulus is provided to help develop the frog and digital cushion. Pete Ramey has written a great article on the use of boots and pads click here to read it.

Horse Hoof Boot Comparisons

In general, they fall in to three groups:

• horse hoof boots designed for soaking the hoof;
• ones for rehabilitation and limited use; and
• ones designed for riding.

The riding group has been revolutionized by the introduction of the flexible-soled hoof shoes made by Equine Fusion and Flex Boots.

Up until 2011, most of my experience had been with the Boa's, Old Macs and Easyboot Epics and out of those three my preference for riding was the Easyboot Epic. However all of these boots have a rigid sole which whilst it is better than regular horseshoes, still does not allow the hoof to function as naturally as it could.

The Equine Fusion Jogging Shoe however, have a totally flexible, rubber sole which does not impede the hoof in any way. I personally think this is the way forward as recent research by Dr Bowker indicates that sole stimulation is very important to the hoof and helps increase blood flow to micro-vessels in the hoof. I like these boots so much that I became a dealer - click here for more info.

The other boots I recommend and sell are the Flex Boots. As the name suggests, they are also flexible and allow the hoof to function naturally. The Flex do require a healthier hoof shape, compared the the Equine Fusions, and the sole is thinner so they are better suited to healthy hooves, whereas the Fusions work for both rehab and riding/driving.

The smallest miniature hoof boots available are the Recovery and Active models of the Equine Fusion Jogging Shoes which offer a great alternative to traditional horseshoes for miniature horses. The Flex Boots come in small sizes too.

Measuring the barefoot hoof

How to get the correct size hoof boot for your horse:

1. Measure the width of the horse's foot across the bottom at the widest point.
2. Measure the length of the hoof from the toe to the buttress line of the heel. The buttress line is the farthest weight bearing point of the heel.
3. Compare your measurement with the proper size chart for the boot. If you are taking your measurements in inches, use the imperial size chart. If you are taking your measurements in millimeters, use the metric size chart.
   
4. Ideally, the width and length measurement will fit into the same boot size. If the width and length measurements indicate different boot sizes, select the larger boot size.

Be sure to measure each horse foot as sometimes one is larger than it's pair.

When measuring for hoof boots, it is important to match the width and length of the hoof to the hoof boot size. The front hooves of most horses tend to be more round in shape and wider than the hind hooves. It can often be a little harder to find hoof boots for hind feet but there some models such as the Ultimate Jogging Shoes, that come in a Slim version for narrow hooves.

Measuring for hoof boots

Therapy Boots - for Hooves Undergoing Rehab

These boots for horses are primarily aimed at hooves that need extra protection and padding due to injury or illness. Some are a suitable hoof boot for horse turnout - although this should be in a limited area so as to lessen the chance of the horse loosing the boot. Particularly useful a horse or pony with laminitis and/or abscesses.

Recovery Jogging Shoe Length: 65-165 mm

All Terrain Ultra Jogging Shoe Length: 95-165 mm

Riding Boots

This section includes barefoot riding boots for trail riding and arena work. Some of these boots, such as the Equine Fusion Jogging Shoe, can also be used for turnout. Equine hoof pads can be put in the boots to give the horse additional hoof protection.

AT Ultra Jogging Shoe Length: 95-165 mm		Active Jogging Shoe Length: 65-165 mm		Trekking Jogging Shoe Length: 65-165 mm
Flex Hoof Boots Length: 80-150 mm

Glue On Boots

24/4 Jogging Shoe Width: 71mm - 170mm

Return from Hoof Boots to Natural Hoof Trimming