There are multiple situations in which hoof boots can really make a difference for your horse’s comfort. They are a great help in transitioning from iron shoes to bare feet, can be essential in rehab of for example laminitis, but can also give just that extra bit of comfort and prevent excessive wear when you are riding out on rocky roads a lot.
Whatever the situation is, it is really important that your boots fit well to your horse and how you use them. Boots that don’t fit well can damage the skin and hooves of the horse, or you can lose them on your trail ride. Also, when thinking of rehab, it is good to know that not all boots are suited to be worn 24/7 out in the pasture.
In the past few years, the hoof boot market has really grown and improved. There are so many brands and shapes to choose from that it can be quite difficult to decide what is best for you and your horse. This is where a hoof boot fitter can help out.
Fitting session
I offer hoof boot fitting sessions to help you figure out which boots suit best for your horse and your goal. In order to decide which boots to bring to test out, I need pictures and measurements of your horse’s hooves within 1 weeks after a trim. I’ll also ask some questions regarding trim interval, environment and type/amount of work your horse is in, which influences the wear of the hooves in between trims and is important information to decide what kind and size of boots would be best for you and your horse. I also offer heat fitting and custom adjustments on Evo boots to make sure the boots are a perfect fit for your horse at this time.
During a fitting session we will test out the boots I selected, both in standing and in movement. We need a clean and dry environment and of course also clean and dry hooves. Still, it can happen that boots are not (yet) an option for the shape the hooves currently have or that there are other reasons why I cannot help you with boots at this time. It might be an alternative to do wrapping or glueing; we will discuss the options during the fitting session and make a plan.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions or want to know if I can help you with your horse.
Viahov + Hovcenter hoof boot fitter and reseller
I am ‘utprovare’ for Viahov.se, a great webshop here in Sweden which offers hoof boots of the brands Equine Fusion, Evo, Scoot and Easycare boots. In addition I fit and sell Flex hoof boot through Hovcenter.
Besides boots I also keep a small inventory of hoof care products to sell to my trimming customers, either Red Horse Products like Hoof stuff and Artimud – effective and really nice natural products to treat/prevent thrush, white line disease and other fungi/bacteria on the hooves; or the Unique Horn products (clay, concentrate, daily spray, liquid and soaker) which are similar.
Other alternative hoof protection
Sometimes it might be necessary to have ‘full time temporary’ hoof protection. That is for example glue-on boots/shoes and hoof wrapping (casting).
The idea is that this sits for a couple of weeks and will be taken off (and redone if necessary) at the next trimming appointment.
For horses that come out of shoes and have bad hoof quality, and/or for horses that are sore-footed even in their fields (where regular boots are often not an option for 24/7 use), and/or for horses that need extra padding temporarily.
I use Perfect Hoof Wear wrapping (KC Lapierre’s materials), with or without extra Sole Stimulation Pads which will be made to size and fit your horse’s need.
I also aim to start glueing this year and will be working with Duplo/Goodsmith, Equine Fusion 24/7 and Evo glue-on shells to start with.
Please send me a message if you are interested in this or would like to discuss if it could be something for your horse.