EZ boot weight

Hi all,
Input please.  I've always thought that the boots are generally heavy with the exception of the traditional Easyboot. My blacksmith, Ralph, and I have been having ongoing discussions about the weight of the boot and the possibility of trouble for certain horses, particularity young horses who are in the initial parts of their distance careers when the tendons, ligaments and bone are all building and strengthening. Ralph thinks this might put added stress on these areas, soft tissue in particular, and cause problems up in the leg. He has had a few problems with young horses but there have been other factors present that made a clear answer difficult.
Ralph doesn't use heavy shoes on the endurances horses because of the above questions. I myself am curious, concerned, about the possibilities.
Please know that I certainly bring the horses along slowly, building them from year to year. No flash in the pan success stories here.
The insert pads are wonderful.
Thanks for any input.
Amy Cieri

Comments

[Jim Apple]

I belive Metal shoes lite/heavy can and most likley will cause stress to the tendons, ligaments and bone during any part of the horses life.

I belive that any horse that is started at a very young age with proper trimming will statisticly be less likely to develop hoof patholiges.

I also belive that good hoof boots are the only viable protection available for conscienceous and humane horse owners.

This is based on my personal experence as a farrier/blacksmith and your mileage may vary....

bring them along slowly,
Bring them along balanced,
Bring them along barefoot.

Jim Apple
GO BAREFOOT natural hoof care
615.792.9955

[Karen]

Hi Amy - I think there are several benefits of boots over metal shoes for a horse, especially a young one starting in the sport of endurance.

The weights are fairly similar for a shoe versus a boot. It may vary by a couple of ounces depending upon the type of shoe and boot used, but the weights are fairly similar.

A shoe is nailed on the bottom of the foot, which contentrates all of the weight in that area. The weight of a boot is more evently distributed around the entire hoof. If you think of the foot as a fulcrum, putting concentrated weight at the tip of the fulcrum has more of an impact than distributing the same weight over the entire area.

A boot will help to absorb concusion, whereas a shoe will amplify it up the leg through the joints and soft tissues.

I really believe that my high mileage horses have all benefited a lot by using hoof boots. Two are over 7,000 miles and one over 6,000 miles. I think using the boots over shoes helped to minimize the damage and stress from just using a shoe by itself, and now that I know more - using a boot instead of a shoe is the way to go.

Karen

[wurst1]

HELLO AGAIN--WANTED TO THANK ALL THE MEMBERS ON THE QUICK RESPONSES I GOT ON MY QUESTIONS ON TOOLS--LETS KEEP TALKING- MEMBERS

[Amy Cieri]

Thanks all. I will be bringing my young one along in boots this year. She's a greenie, only 3 50's to date, all with shoes. I've been riding and training everyone else's but my own.
Karen's example is an excellent way to look at the hoof. Thank you! Ralph has always allowed for expansion in the heel and it's evident in the pattern of movement seen on the hoof side of the shoe and the excellent condition of my mare's hooves. In any event, there is no doubt the boot is best suited for this. He wants to see how the process goes with this mare and has taken an overall interest in barefoot trimming. Great minds are open to suggestion...he's a gem.
I'm currently visiting family in CA and Nancy Reed took me for a spin yesterday with her barefoot mare. This mare has some deficits in the white line in her front feet and the heels are contracted slightly. No lameness and no issues reported by Nancy. Her boots stay on in gereral but darn didn't both fronts get pulled off on a downhill.
Early on in the ride I felt a few odd back end things. Brought me full circle with a prior question to Karen about shortened stride in a horse wearing epics. I offered Karen's suggestion to try her with bares in the rear and epics in the front as Karen had suggested to me months ago with a horse I had in for training.
Could the failure of her white line be due to added stress to the walls given that the heels aren't in top form? I initally thought thrush but there were no other signs of it. What suggestions could I pass to Nancy on the heels and white line issues while keeping in mind the relationship between trimmer and horse owner.

[Karen B]

Here is my nickels worth. I don't believe an easyboot is significantly heavier than a shoe, or a shoe with a pad. I do believe that what really matters is that the horse be used to the boots. He needs to be used to what he wears on his feet and accustomed to the wieght and feel. Ride with them, train with them but it truly depends upon what the horse is used to. Of course his hooves need to be correctly cared for and all that, I assume those details are taken care of because the question at hand is the weight of the hoof boot. I don't believe the boots, if properly applied, are going to contribute to lameness. Over use, over conditioning, and mis-management often lead to lameness. As you said you bring them along slowly so you have the right idea. I do believe the hoof "attire" should match so the weight is balanced. An iron shoe on one foot with a boot on the other may contribute to different levels of fatigue for each leg and or hoof. However, a properly conditioned and ridden horse has no problem with this. Easyboots have been a successful substitute for a lot of lost shoes over the years. Strengthen the tendons, ligaments, bones, muscles, BUILD your athlete, and you will avoid many common problems. Good luck! Karen B.

[carol]

We just got back from a trail ride thru the mountains. It had been raining and there was a lot of mud, and lots of rocks up the grades. The only horse in our group with the Easyboots came up lame after a 7 hour ride. He had been conditioned and was in the best shape of all the horses in the group. I am wondering if the upward pull on the tendons and muscles in the mud, since the boot is bigger than the hoof could cause the lameness, especially in the hind legs. Anyone else had this problem?

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