Now that we’re pros at using these boots, I swear Atty helps put them on and pull them off: She holds her foot up while I place the boot and then stomps it down to shove in her hoof. When it came time to take off the boots, I simply unhooked the pastern strap and two front closures, stuck my fingers under the heel in a peace sign and popped the boots off. I found very little modification to her stride-no more than I would expect from a new set of nailed shoes. Instead, she took a couple tentative steps and then settled into her new footwear-no big deal. My mare is sensitive and expressive, so I expected drama from her when I first put them on. And raise your hand if you or a riding buddy use hoof boots and have ridden your route in reverse to track down a missing boot (hand raised).īut Scoot Boots were so different from what I’d tried, I figured they were worth a shot. I especially didn’t like how water sloshed in them after crossing creeks. The ones I had tried I found difficult to fit and put on, often loose, and unreliable. The flexibility hoof boots offer was an obvious solution, but I’d never found a pair I really liked. Because of that, I’d considered having her shod, but it seemed like a waste for just a few rockier rides a year. But on the rockier mountain trails, she would chip flares off her quarters if her foot had any extra wall growth.
Riding on our primarily sandy desert trails, she never asked for shoes. This mare, Atty, has large, symmetrical feet with strong walls and a nice cup to her sole. But, honestly, if a horse is comfortable barefoot, trims instead of shoes sure cut down on farrier bills. I’ve always just done what seemed to work for each individual horse. I’ve never considered myself a “barefoot” person or a “shoe” person when it comes to my horses. I unfastened the front of one, put my mare’s toe in, easily pulled on the heel with my index and middle finger, set my mare’s foot down, and the Scoot Boot popped right on like Cinderella’s slipper. And, importantly, they featured several openings to allow water drainage, as well as a toe designed to minimally affect hoof breakover. The bottoms sported aggressive traction, but overall I would describe them as minimalist in design. They were streamlined and made of lightweight thermoplastic urethane (9 ounces each) but also heavy-duty.
Inside the bag I found two hoof boots unlike any I had tried or seen.
0 kommentar(er)
