Horses transitioning to bare feet benefit greatly from wearing hoof boots. There is a dizzying array of types available for all kinds of feet and requirements. Scroll down to see some of the styles that are available.
Here are some tips for properly measuring for hoof boots from Horse.com
Choosing a particular style of hoof boot is easy; determining the correct size is another matter. Getting the right measurements are essential to purchasing properly fitting hoof boots. The following steps will help to ensure a proper fit:
- Try to measure the hooves after a trim for better accuracy.
- Begin by lifting the horse’s foot and placing it between your legs. The foot should be positioned so that the bottom of the hoof is facing you. Now that you have easy access to the hoof, clean it out thoroughly with a hoof pick and brush. Caked on dirt can lead to an inaccurate measurement.
- Measure the length of your horse’s hoof by placing the tape measure across the middle of the front of the hoof or the toe and stretch it straight back to the middle of the back of the hoof, commonly known as the buttress.
Measuring the length of a hoof
Determining where the heel buttress line is can be a little tricky for those who have never done it before. The buttress line is the farthest weight bearing point of the heel. Follow the collateral grooves along the sides of the frog which form a V. The hoof wall curves inward towards the bar at this point, which is the heel buttress. Now that you know where the heel buttresses are, imagine a line across the back of the foot and measure from that line to the toe. The heel bulbs are not included in your measurements.
Find the widest part of the bottom of your horse’s hoof and measure at this point.
Cavallo Boots – Simple and Sport Models
Easycare Inc – Trail, G2, Edge, Backcountry, Boa, Bare
Buy or sell used boots here http://www.naturalhorsetrim.com/boot_swap.htm or from the classified section at http://www.endurance.net
Here is a good article on current hoof boot designs in The Horse Journal: http://www.horse-journal.com/magazine-article/style-meets-function-in-hoof-boots/
We encourage readers to share their experiences and feedback on hoofboots.