Recently I needed some hoof boots like yesterday.
I pulled my gelding’s shoes and found that my existing hoof boots were too large to use.
The Cavallo boots look clunky to me but they don't seem to bother Freedom.
I hightailed it to the SmartPak store to see what they had in the clearance section, which turned out to be Cavallo Simple boots. I had tried them once before with another horse but hadn’t been impressed. They seemed clunky and just didn’t fit right — in this case I used them on hind feed which were more oval than round, which might have been the problem.. However, the price was right ($99/pair) and they were returnable.
I’ve had them now for a week and a half and have been very pleasantly surprised. The boots are made of leather tops attached to a plastic footbed. They have no metal hardware but close using Velcro attachments. I am using the boots on my horse’s front hooves and since his feet are fairly round, they fit nicely.
Velcro closures make the Cavallo Simple boot really "simple" to put on.
They are truly simple to put on. Simply open up the Velcro and put the horse’s foot inside. You don’t need a mallet, a hoof pick or baby powder!
I was concerned that they would rub because they come up over the coronary band. So far, it hasn’t been a problem and I’ve given these boots a pretty good test run:
- First I used them for a hunter pace. We went at a hilltopping rate over an 8 mile course that was rooty, rock and muddy for sections. The boots stayed secure without any twisting, my horse felt comfortable and his gaits were unchanged. We jumped half a dozen small fences with no problem.
- Then I hunted him in them. The hunt was probably 8-9 miles with similar conditions to the pace but also going through some water. Once again, the boots were great! No movement, no rubbing and the Velcro closures are cleaning up nicely. These boots have drainage holes in the bottom which is a real benefit if you’re going through water.
The bottom line:
I was skeptical of these boots but they’ve been a life saver. I love the fact that they are so easy to put on because when I go for a quick hack, I don’t have to spend 10 minutes struggling to get the boots on. My horse seems very comfortable in them. They are making the barefoot transition much easier! If your horse has relatively round hooves, I highly recommend these.
Easyboot Bare Hoof boot
I have a horse with good — but not great — hoof quality. I’d had him barefoot behind successfully for many years. However, when I started foxhunting, he started to get bruises. The territory was just too rocky.
I tried putting shoes on him behind. It worked for awhile, but then he pulled both hind shoes in a 12 hour period in mud, taking a good amount of the horn with them. There was nothing left to nail to.
I decided to try hoof boots. With a boot I could add protection where he needed it (hunting) but leave him barefoot the rest of the time.
I started with a regular Easyboot, but they wouldn’t stay on. Then I tried Old Macs (the original design) but they were clunky and I found that he interfered behind and that if I used them for any length of time, they rubbed. Same with the Boa boots. I tried the Easyboot Epic. They worked better than the original, but still came off. I tried the Cavallo Simple boot but it was the wrong shape for my horse’s hind hooves.
I’d read about the Easyboot Bare and thought I’d give them a shot. They are a “lower profile” than several other designs and I liked the fact that they do not use the buckle system of the other Easyboots, but are adjusted with a more permanent method. I also liked the fact that you could buy them individually, rather than in pairs. With both the Old Macs and the Boas, I’d had problems with one boot breaking or wearing more, and didn’t want to buy a whole new pair.
I knew from having read about them that they would be a bear (so to speak) to put on. When I first got them, they were challenging. I’d read a lot about them and knew that at first they would be difficult to put on. Based on what I read, used the following techniques and made sure I wasn’t in a hurry the day I tried them.
- Adjust the boots in a loose position. Even then, I had my doubts about whether I could get them on the first time.
- Put talcum powder over the hoofs as it makes them more slippery.
- Put them on over the toe first, then the sides. Use a rubber mallet to help bang the toe in farther.
I did get them on and rode with them for about an hour. I was very pleased that although they weren’t as tight as I thought they should be, they didn’t shift and they didn’t rub.
Over the next few rides I managed to tighten up the “bungee” system and still get the boots on. I tried the out hunting and they worked a treat. I ride first flight and the boots stayed in place and my horse felt happy and secure. There was no slippage and no tenderness. There was also no rubbing. I jumped in them as well with no problems.
During the entire fall season of hunting I had only one problem — after my horse was trimmed, one boot came off while we went at a full gallop across a field. It was my fault because I should have tightened them up.
Altogether, I’m very pleased. The boots have worn well so far and they have provided an excellent alternative to shoes.
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