Brushing boots for the 'larger' frame!

[Jamey]

I need to get some boots for Sasha as she brushes with her back legs and, although she has enough feathering to protect her legs whilst turned out/being ridden, I would prefer her to wear them for longreining and lunging. The trouble is I can't find any to fit her! The topmost strap on large sized boots just meet but the other two have no chance!!! She also has a tendency to over-reach on the lunge but XL over-reach boots don't fit either.

Can anyone recommend some XXXXXL brushing and over-reach boots for shire-like horses? :eek: :rolleyes: :D :D

Ooo, also, Full-size travel boots don't fit either - can anyone recommend anywhere for these?

[MelanieD]

I have no ideas for overreach or travel boots but do know a couple of huge horses with brushing boots..
Woof brushing boots go quite big, the 5 strap XL ones. I ride a 16.3hh cleveland bay that these fit on front and back legs so they are pretty big. Westropp ones can be quite roomy as well, I know a big chunky 16hh irish cob that can fit easily into a cob size of the knee and brushing boot in one (kinda like an extended brushing boot).

[Jamey]

Thanks MelanieD, I'll take a look at them!

[galadriel]

There's a type of overreach boot that is made of "petals"; you take some away or add more to make the right size. You might need to get two sets and combine them :) but I would guess you could get them to work.

As usual, don't know anything about where to buy in the UK, sorry :( Although hey! When I went looking to find a picture to post, I found this page:
http://www.uk-horsetack.co.uk/Numnah.asp?offset=250
Apparently the manufacturer of these is "Westropp" and there's a supplier in the UK right there :)

http://www.cowboycenter.com/images/Horse%20Wear/Horse%20boots/Westropp-petalBell.jpg

[ginger]

I have a large IDx with huge feet (think the size of saucers) and i have had the same problem - he really needs them as he brushes badly at the back and had scars from previous overreach injuries when I got him.

I found that the Woof brushing boots fitted, but there were not enough petals in the petal type overreach boots (even when you put in the spare ones which come with them!!!). In the end I got a pair of the rubber with velcro type overreach boots in XL and they seem to fit.

[Jamey]

Galadriel - thank you, I already have a pair of these but they are quite expensive and I was trying to get round coughing up the money for another set to make them big enough! :o :rolleyes: :D I wonder if you can buy the petals separately?

Ginger - thank you also, I will try the Woof brushing boots and see if they fit. XL velcro over-reach boots don't fit - think specially made shoes and awfully chunky pasterns and fetlocks with a lot of feathering (which is staying on)!! :eek: :D

[galadriel]

She has such a lovely face, though...it just doesn't look like it's attached to a body with legs like that! (On the other hand, it doesn't look out of proportion at all.)

If you look at the link I posted, they have the petal sets and individual petals, too. I would think that most places that carry that kind of boots would carry the petal inserts too.

[Jamey]

Ooops, sorry Galadriel, I missed that!

Sasha (http://groups.msn.com/NRphotos/drawings.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=3560)

If you take a look at the link you can see her legs in all their full-feathered glory!! The vet also discovered she has lumps of hard scar tissue on the back of each pastern which she couldn't diagnose as anything in particular but could be from mud-fever (although she has them on her black skinned leg as well as her white ones). I want to get a good fit so that these aren't rubbed and made sore but even so we've got nowhere near the right size yet!!

I've borrowed a set of woof boots of somebody at the yard to try on and they don't fit either!! :( What am I going to do about brushing boots??

[galadriel]

A set of bandages (polo wraps, fleecey) used without padding is what's often used over here for simple impact protection. Maybe 2 polo wraps per leg ;) for her, but at least it wouldn't have to be pre-formed to fit.

She is lovely :) you know. I just can't get over how refined her face looks in contrast to her body. This picture:
http://groups.msn.com/NRphotos/drawings.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=3564
was the first one of her that I ever saw, and it just doesn't look like it's attached to the body of an elephant ;)

[Jamey]

The body of a surprisingly spritely elephant I'll have you know!!! :D :D

I wish I could post some video footage of her as she has such presence when ridden and when applauded you can feel her grow literally ten feet tall!!! Neil's going to take some pictures in tomorrow's lesson so I'll get loads of people to applaud and he can take a picture of that!!

I normally fall for horses within ten minutes of meeting them but it has so far taken me a good three months to start warming to Sasha. I think it's partly a change in attitude towards her and a good deal of positive riding! They do make us learn don't they?? :rolleyes: