The hunt begins…
Last fall, JB had some hoof issues that we had to contend with. He spent September through November in pads and Gene Ovnicek shoes to allow his sole bruise to heal. Since that time, I have been trying to decide what I will do for the upcoming season. I have two choices the way I see it. Either go back to pads and shoes or look at horse boot options. I would say the choice is obvious, given the fact that pads with shoes only hinder the health of the foot. My goal is to improve JB’s hoof health , not hinder.
Over the last few weeks I have talked to numerous folks and researched the various hoof boot options out on the market. Overall, tt seems Renegades are coming in first place. They seem to really hold their own in the endurance ring and people are quite impressed with them, ofcourse, if you want the best, you pay for it…
Easy boot Epics seem to be another popular choice for those that put miles on. Ofcourse they seem more prone to go flying off into the brush, never to be seen again. Maybe I can install a homing device or modified car alarm system so I can locate them more easily??? Nevertheless, the price is a bit more inviting and a lot of people use them with good success..even better, they are readily available at our local ranch supply sotre. These could be a possibility...
There are the Cavallo boots which look really snazzy but apparently due to the aggressive nature of endurance riding and the wear and tear caused by that, the warranty is voided.. that won’t do! (I swear.. it says so right on their website!)
There is the Marquis boot that are deemed the “Mercedes of Hoof” boots. Well, that got my attention!!...but only briefly…They have an air chamber that allows for custom fit but sometimes requires additional pumping. The comany brochure explains how to adjust this air chamber for better fit but this seemed quite labor intensive. I could just see myself lugging around a screwdriver and possibly a bicycle pump on the trail in the off chance I get a flat…. Mercedes or not, I don’t think that is something I am interested in. Besides,they appear to be more readily used for driving and less intense wear, although they have a really neat “sock” concept that could be useful, maybe even in conjunction with the easy boot??
So those seem to be the top contenders. If any of you out there have any infinite wisdom, please share.. The clock is ticking and I need to make a decision so when the roads do someday clear of ice, JB and I can be out there riding once again with no more sore feet.
4 comments:
As you know, I've been using Easyboot Bares. Overall, I've really liked them, but they can be hard to apply, particularly when they're cold. I'm getting tired of spending 30 minutes putting on boots before every ride! (It only takes 10 minutes on a warm day, but...)
I, too, have an eye on the Renegades. Spendy, though.
Have you heard about the new Easyboot Gloves? They're supposed to be easier to apply than other Easycare boots, cost about $55 each, and be available in late Feb 2009.
With 30 minutes of wrestling with an easy boot , you won't need the Wii Fit!! I have heard a little about the new Easy boot Edge and the Glove...both sound intriguing. I have only read a little bit on them but it's kind of hard to tell what the difference between the two are.. I was looking at this site
http://easycareinc.typepad.com/from_the_horses_mouth/easyboot_edge/
They look almost the same but I think the glove is a little lower profile and the edge fits a harder to fit hoof shape. JB's hooves tend to be very round flat, which with any length, like to become like a platter...
Thanks for the heads up. It's good to know there are more options coming and $55 is alot better than $115 (approx Renegade price)
JB is a Fuego son, isn't he? Tuetano (also by Fuego) has similar hooves.
Oh, and the Bares only take 30 minutes on a bad day...but I'm tired of the bad days! Not tired enough to resort to regular horseshoes, though -- not by a long shot.
Yes, JB is a Fuego son... so that tells me it's a genetic thing, however, JB's filly Mazie does not have this. Ofcourse, her mom is a Lippitt Morgan so maybe she took after that with the feet.
I called easy care help desk today and starting january 15th, people can start placing order for the glove and edge. I plan to order the fit kit to see first what will work best for JB's weird feet.
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