Old Mac G2 - tips?

[Montana]

Ok, I've bought some G2's as recommended by my EP. Monty's been barefoot since July, and is still too footy to really ride on gravel or concrete much, had very little hoof wall to start with. I'm happy with his progress, but need to do more riding out of the school.

They're driving me nuts! I thought the G2's looked pretty easy to deal witth (have been using Marquis, which I wasn't getting on with at all), but there's so many straps and buckles and velcro:D

I'm also really struggling to get the gaiters (which came with them) to stay in place - they're supposed to fold over at the back aren't thet? Well, they're not long enough for that....

Any handy hints/tips? What's the best way of dealing with them so that I don't have to avoid riding any more:rolleyes::D

[Bebe]

Which gaiters have you got? The pull on sock style ones or the ones that sit in the bottom of the boot and then velcro around the pastern?

I've had both styles and never folded them over at the back. As long as they're tucked into the top of the boot they should work fine.

[coss]

if you have the gaiter with the velcro round the pastern, i put that in the boot so its sitting then generally fold it backwards over the boot until i've got the boot on, the folding backwards shouldn't affect how it sits in the boot but just makes it easier to handle. open up the velcro of the boot at the front as much as possible and put the hoof in the boot. i then pull the main part of the boot round (with the big bit of velcro) as tight as i can and buckle up. i then wrap the pastern wrap round the pastern. sometimes the pastern wrap doesn't look right (sort of scrunched or just doesn't sit "comfortably") so i generally start again... my horse has a fair bit of patience :o

[Yann]

If you've got the 'sock' type of pastern wrap then I'd personally ditch it and get hold of the other type with the sole plate. You can keep them semi permanently in the boot and they're much less hassle. They're exactly the same ones as sold with Boa Boots.

Is your horse prone to rubbing? You might find that you're perfectly OK without a gaiter, although they do sometimes help with fit and performance.

[MelanieD]

The best way to deal with the gaiters I found was to have a tantrum, throw them across the yard and use the boots without them :o Human hiking socks work pretty well if you need something to prevent rubbing and can't be arsd with the gaiters.

I did the folding over to put them on thing, just found it pulled them out of position, and trying to get the flippin things done up properly around hairy little coblet legs... the strop happened :D

[Bobbin]

I assume you got the boots then Mel?

I would say that the ones with the bottom plate are alot easier, although I had real problems getting them done up around HRH fat hairy ankles, it would seem they just aren't made for coblets!!

[Montana]

Thanks guys.

I've got the gaiters with the sole plate and the velcro ankle strap. There's no way it would double back, much too small for that. And they're quite a tight fit, which is why I was confused - they're the size recommended for that sized boot, but don't seem to fit very well.
He's fairly prone to rubbing, so I will need to use something. I like the hiking sock idea thanks Melanie - people will think I'm more odd than they already do, but hey ho:rolleyes::D

Thanks for the description Coss. Sounds about what I'm already doing though, which, by the time I have his muddy feet clean and dry, then get the boots on, then put his (very heavy!) western tack on, I'm too tired to ride:D

I'm assuming I have to clean and dry his feet by the way?!

[Yann]

The feet don't have to be perfect but I would make sure there isn't too much mud or grit around the coronet band or pastern areas where you can get rubbing. Two minutes with a stiff brush if the foot if is dry and also with a bowl of water if it's not ought to do the trick. Wouldn't worry about drying, the first time you go through any mud or streams that will go out of the window anyway :)

[MelanieD]

Bobbin - got the boots thanks, just been a forgetful muppet and forgotten to let you know they'd arrived :o

Haven't actually used those G2s yet, pony has decided that after I buy new boots is the ideal time to have hooves of concrete that never ever need boots! I had some size 7s I bought off my EP before that didn't fit so got sold pretty quickly and it was those that resulted in The Tantrum :D

[Stormin]

I had the same problem with the gaiters but I think it's the shape of the bottom part which is misleading.
I pulled them up a bit more out of the boot than indicated (but not too much as to have the sides that stick out of the boots) so the bottom part is a few millimetres from the edge of the inside of the boot and they're OK.

I didn't use them at first but Stormin has almost no heel on his hinds and they were rubbing :eek: No problems since using gaiters.

[Roofio]

The best way to deal with the gaiters I found was to have a tantrum, throw them across the yard and use the boots without them :o Human hiking socks work pretty well if you need something to prevent rubbing and can't be arsd with the gaiters.

I did the folding over to put them on thing, just found it pulled them out of position, and trying to get the flippin things done up properly around hairy little coblet legs... the strop happened :D

i'd totally missed this thread until now, but ^^ yes that!!! (but not hairy little legs, big long ones!)

gaiters are stupid. a nice idea, but just stupid!:p

[Montana]

Thanks guys.

My EP was out today, so I got him to check out my technique:D

He showed me a couple of tips, and reassured me that the size I got (which he measured up for me), fit well - I had thought they might be a bit small, but he assured me they weren't.

He fitted the gaiters effortlessly:rolleyes: So I'll give them a go, but if that fails, I'm going to definitely try the hiking socks:D Do you get the 'padded' ones?:p

[Bubblepony]

several of us at our yard have struggled with gaiters and pastern wraps for old Macs G2s and found them really awkward. I find they make the boots well too snug and impossible to get on. Then we heard about the human socks idea which we thought was mad but we gave it a go. OMG its great! We just got normal sports socks for men and pulled them on the hoof and its quite funny as the heel area of the sock fits perfectly over the fetlock joint as if they were meant for the purpose. No more bother getting the boots on, they dont rub at all now and stop debris getting in the boot and are jjust brilliant! COuldnt recommend em more!

[Roofio]

He fitted the gaiters effortlessly:rolleyes:

The man is obviously some form of wizard, or demon, or something.

[Montana]

The man is obviously some form of wizard, or demon, or something.


Elf (christmas variety....)





:D;)

[senjj]

He's a lovely man!!! :)

[Montana]

He's a lovely man!!! :)

Yep, and talented:D