Over reach boot help?

Kite_Rider

Kite_Rider

Cantering cabbage!
May 18, 2009
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Hoping someone can help out here.
For the first time since Ive had her I have had to start using over reach boots on Belle for turn out as she keeps pulling shoes off, but since it's been so wet and muddy they were starting to rub around the coronet band where wet mud was gathering and I assume it is the movement of the boots causing friction that has done this?
I left them off this week to give her a break from them and got her in this morning to yet another pulled shoe... my farrier is on speed dial and I think he's getting almost as fed up of me as I am of having to phone him :(
So what am I doing wrong with the boots please? I think half the problem is she has small feet but such chunky legs I need a large to fit but then it leaves them flappy around her hoof .... any ideas? Never had to use them before so am a complete boot novice.
 
My first question would be why is she suddenly over-reaching? perhaps the farrier has changed something or let something run away?

Bell boots are always pretty floppy around the foot :) I would avoid using any with fleece/sheepskin around the top in the wet as it will just hold it against the skin, I prefer cheap plain rubber ones for turnout, you could even slap a little pig oil around the cuff to stop the mud sticking in there. If Belle's leg-foot proportion is the issue you might find the petal type work better for her :)
 
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I used these for turnout for a while. They are lightweight and didn't rub like the rubber ones. Lasted surprisingly well too...

Screenshot_20180112-101933-600x1067.png
 
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Interestingly she’s only started overreaching since we stopped schooling and started hacking only, she seems much happier in herself and much looser in her stride.
Her farrier hasn’t changed and her feet don’t look any different to me.
I have the rubber ones with sheepskin round the collar, but it was the neoprene ones she’s had on since the claggy weather came. Might see if I can get some of the petal type ones and will try some pig oil - thank you @Jessey
 
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Kite_Rider said:
Her farrier hasn’t changed and her feet don’t look any different to me. @Jessey
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A good farrier should assess stride and be able to compensate a little to help minimize shoe removal by aiding breakover, tiny changes can make a big difference, things as small bringing break over back by 3mm can be the difference between a horse over reaching and not.
 
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You actually need them fairly long, if they aren't then they won't cover the back of the shoe & she'll still pull them off. I use rubber ones & they're too soft to rub, but check you don't get pvc ones by mistake because they're hard & I should think would rub very easily. For turnout I'd avoid anything with fabric or sheepskin as they'll hold the wet. I also change them daily & leave off if stabled overnight.

As @Jessey said I would be wondering why she's started pulling shoes. Do you think she's not as strong since she's not schooling? Or is the field muddy & so making her slower to get her front feet out of the way? I would be having a chat with the farrier to see if he can do anything to help, just make sure you phrase it so it doesn't sound like a criticism!
 
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carthorse said:
You actually need them fairly long, if they aren't then they won't cover the back of the shoe & she'll still pull them off. I use rubber ones & they're too soft to rub, but check you don't get pvc ones by mistake because they're hard & I should think would rub very easily. For turnout I'd avoid anything with fabric or sheepskin as they'll hold the wet. I also change them daily & leave off if stabled overnight.

As @Jessey said I would be wondering why she's started pulling shoes. Do you think she's not as strong since she's not schooling? Or is the field muddy & so making her slower to get her front feet out of the way? I would be having a chat with the farrier to see if he can do anything to help, just make sure you phrase it so it doesn't sound like a criticism!
Click to expand...

Thanks carthorse, ive the neoprene ones and am fairly sure the over reaching is because our field are really claggy mud and have been for ages. She has always been having a hooly when she does it too, I can tell by the skid marks and I almost always find the shoe buried in a rut where she's taken a corner at speed, so I guess the twisting, sticking and speed are what contribute? It could be because she's not as strong now we simply hack but in all honestly I just don't know.
Farrier is coming out Monday to put it back on and I'll have a word with him then.
 
Do your boots have a 'seam' around the top? I use Horze over reach boots on Raf but they're not like the ones in the picture above, they're just plain neoprene, which certainly doesn't look as nice but I find that anything with a seam rubs. These are the ones I use: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Horze-Pro...hash=item2a7dcb7fd8:m:mnMMuuH7djqQDV9QcCbGMDg

I have them in black, but the blue picture shows clearly how it is just a plain piece of neoprene with a Velcro fastening. Not like me to go for the cheapest option lol but I tried lots, including those with a 'button' that are supposed to stop the boots sliding round and rubbing. They didn't, but maybe I didn't have the right size to fit Raf perfectly or something.
 
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