Karen's EasyCare & Endurance Musings

Photo of Chief's foot in his Epic showing no gaiter rubs

I've been pretty fortunate with all of my horses.  They have all done endurance rides (some of them a lot of endurance rides) with Epics and Bares and not had any rubbing problems from the gaiters.  This is a photo of Chief's pastern area just before I am about to take his boot off after riding him.  I can leave the boots on him for days at a time and this is how it always looks. 

For those of you that are using these boots and have had problems, I've got a category called "rubbing problems" in my blog (see left hand column) that might help you.  Here is a useful tips page on Epics that will include that information as well as other info that might be helpful to know.   If you can't find what you are looking for or need additional help, feel free to email me directly. 

One of the most important things to check first with any boot - is it a good fit?  A lot of the problems I have seen occur because the boot being used is not the correct size, or is not adjusted the best way possible.  You can see in my photo that this size 1 Epic fits Chief perfectly - right out of the box and without a single modification, I can take them and go do an endurance ride if I'd like.  If I am going to be doing an endurance ride of three days or more on the same horse then I tend to still use vetwrap just as a precaution.   Here is a video I've done showing how I wrap.

Tips for reducing heel rubbing

I've heard from others that have been experiencing problems with their horses heelbulbs rubbing when they are using Epics or Bares (boots with gaiters).

Here are some things to try that may eliminate that problem.  These items have been reported to me by others who have solved their problems by doing one or more of these things.

• Use a bandage wrap (similar to vetwrap) and wrap the entire hoof for added protection
• Add a layer of duct tape across the heel bulbs
• Add a strip of duct tape over the area getting rubbed after it's been wrapped with the bandage wrap
• Use body glide (a lubricant that riders use to eliminate chaffing)  You can find this at bike shops or on the internet
• Use Comfort Pads in the boots
• Double check your horses measurements with our free boot size calculator and be sure you are using the correct size boot

If your horse has unusually high heels, or a long toe or odd shaped hoof then it may need a bit more work from a good farrier or hoofcare practitioner.  If your horses feet do need a bit of work, don't give up or get frustrated -- the effort will be worth it in the end.  The same goes for using the boots, it may take some effort to get them figured out for each horse but once you do they will usually continue to work well for many years for you. 

If anybody else has any other suggestions let me know! 

Solving gaiter rubbing

Last year I rode a lot of miles on one horse using Epics and Bares and was fortunate enough to be able to figure out how to make it work really well.  I have now been competing regularly on three different barefoot horses and the boots are working fantastically well for all of them.

I know a few of you are having some issues with gaiters rubbing on your horses so thought I'd put together a list of some things that might help you solve that particular problem.  We are working on new innovations and products that will eventually solve this and other problems completely.

1. If you happen to have an older version of the gaiters, consider upgrading to the newer verions which are softer and have a rolled edge.  Look at my post on "Training gaiters" to see a photo of what the new gaiters look like so you can tell the difference. 
2. Check out this video that I posted on using vetwrap, or look at this photo album.
3. Make sure that your boot is the correct size!  Check out our handy Hoofboot Size Calculator.  If your horse is close on the sizing you may be able to try one size smaller, or larger and get a more perfect fit.  I use size 1's on Chief even though his measurements would allow him to wear a 2. 
4. Have you already got a couple of rubs that you don't want to get worse?  Apply some Trail Rite Ointment or Gall Salve to the area before you wrap. 
5. I buy black Cohesive Bandage from Country Supply, they sell 18 rolls for 16.02. Be sure to look at the photos or video linked above and make sure you don't put the wrap on too tight - if you do that alone could cause a problem!
   
6. Play around with your adjustments.  If your getting rubbing after trying all of the above, consider adjusting your gaiter a little looser, or a little tighter.  Each horse is different and what works for one might not work for another.  I know that most people will be able to get this to work for them with a little effort and once they do it will be worth it!