To boot or not to boot?

[martini55]

The last few times I have taken Martini for a walk I have left her hind boots off. The reason for this is because she had a small bite on her left hind, which I never spotted under her hair (bad mum:o) and it was unluckily positioned at the same place where the top of her hoof boot sits. It rubbed pretty bad and is rather sore:o

She is fine walking out without them though, strides out as well as she does in her boots. So my question is: should I continue to go without the boots and only use them if I go over stoney ground/ ground she might not cope with? Or do I boot up again once it has healed?

Do they get more stimulation without boots or with boots and pads? Also do they become reliant on boots? For example, if she is fine over certain terrain and I boot regardless, will she become reliant on her boots?

Thanks :)

[Bebe]

If she's comfy so far without I'd play it by ear and only use them if/when she shows signs of needing them or you plan on going over ground she's not yet able to cope with.

Boots and pads offer some conditioning and can be very helpful but they don't offer the same conditioning as work over different types of ground with a bare hoof does. You will get benefit and the hooves should be able to cope with more after a period of working in boots and pads than they did before, but there may still be surfaces that take some time to get used to.

Boots without pads doesn't really offer any conditioning at all, just protection.

I don't think they could become reliant on pads in the sense that if you take them off you'll experience difficulties, but it makes sense to only use them if and when they're needed.

I'm going to start weaning my mare off her boots soon, though I think she'll need front boots on stony ground for a long while to come. To start with I'm long-reining her around the fields and in the sand school without boots but using boots all round for hacking. I'll take her hind boots off first for ridden work, then progress to doing short rides on good ground without any boots and see how she gets on.

[MelanieD]

If you've been told to use sole mate or similar pads to improve specific structures keep using them even if sound without. Otherwise I'd go without boots if sound and keep a careful eye on wear and comfort and put them on only for going out longer than usual or over difficult surfaces.

Boots and boots with pads give a different effect to walking on the same surface totally barefooted but using boots only to ride or go for walks in won't usually make the feet get worse and more reliant on boots if the horse is moving around without boots while turned out anyway. Boots don't give the same conditioning effect as walking without but they do have some effect and if the feet would be getting sore without boots comfortable movement in boots is then better than being sore without. Boots can be very useful to encourage feet to grow if you've overdone it a bit and got too much wear because walking in boots gets some pressure to the feet to encourage them to grow without any of the wear.

[martini55]

Thanks guys :) I was told that using boots and pads stimulate the correct structures for growth? I just wondered if it was less/more than what you would experience with a bare foot. I think I'll keep going with the boots and pads, I'll try and see if pastern wraps stop the bit from getting rubbed. If not I'll go bootless until it heals and then boot up again.

[MelanieD]

I was told that using boots and pads stimulate the correct structures for growth? I just wondered if it was less/more than what you would experience with a bare foot.

It totally depends on the condition the feet are in and which structures need improving. For example, weak digital cushions that are so bad the horse isn't comfortably landing heel first totally bare would be improved a lot more by work in pads, whereas a horse that already has good digital cushions would be improved more by plenty of work totally barefoot on a variety of more challenging surfaces. Walking on tarmac totally bare is very good for inner wall growth, but to do that you have to have feet that are already good enough to cope with the wear of walking on tarmac so if the feet are very weak walking in pads would be more beneficial.

[martini55]

For example, weak digital cushions that are so bad the horse isn't comfortably landing heel first totally bare would be improved a lot more by work in pads


That would be Martini. Only good thing about her feet are her frogs, everything else is weak :(. Though she is finally starting to get rid of false sole in all 4 feet. I'll try her tomorrow with pastern wraps. They are a bit of a faff to get on but hopefully they'll stop the rubbing.

[gingeremmie]

You can always put a bit of vetwrap (or even gaffer tape if it's just for a short period) over the sore bit whilst the boots are on to protect it. Gaffer tape is good cos it's shiny so the boot moves against it easier without rubbing the skin. I wouldn't advise it for long periods but just whilst you're handwalking it shouldn't be a problem. I think long distance riders use vet wrap inside boots if there's any rubbing issues.