Hoof Boots

Barefoot Hoof Boots

Hoof Boots are essentially an alternative to steel horse shoes and can actually be used in pretty much any discipline of riding.  The are many options on shape and size, they provide a surprisingly secure fit and you can even add screw in studs to them. 

Obviously they are not the common choice but there are however quite a few reasons why you might want to start using them on your horse or pony. 

Hooves not in good shape – Hoof Boots provide good protection, cushioning and weight distribution.  If your horse’s hooves are in poor shape, possibly down to a poor diet or years of steel shoes have taken their toll, it may not be a good idea at this point to immediately be riding your horse barefoot, particularly over rough Stoney or hard ground. 

Hoof Boots provide an option to still exercise your horse over various surfaces, providing full stimulation, blood flow and function to the hoof, but with a much more reduced risk of causing pain or other problems such as bruising and abscesses.  It’s a win win really as the hoof can continue being used for riding which will only help condition the hoof further, then slowly make the transition to barefoot use.

Help with Stoney Surfaces – Horses and Ponies having trouble on Stoney ground is quite a common problem, you may see him or her veer straight for the grass verge while your riding down a Stoney track or look a little pottery.  They are probably telling you it’s painful for them, usually this is because your horse or pony’s hooves are not yet conditioned for use on hard or rough surfaces which will need some work, it could be that they just simply do not like it.  If you are aiming to go barefoot, these challenging surfaces do need to be introduced for shorter periods of time.  Hoof Boots provide protection for longer periods, no matter what the surface is.

Hoof Boots are also a good option in helping to keep hooves clean, perhaps when trying to avoid infection.  They also serve as a quick temporary replacement should your Horse lose a shoe.

Cavallo Hoof Boots

You will see below that Cavallo manufactures a few models of Horse Boots, they typically come in either a regular or slim version.  The Cavallo Regular Hoof Boots have a slightly rounder shape the the slim, the Cavallo Slim Hoof Boots versions are around 5mm slimmer than the regular versions.  There are also gel pads available to fit inside for extra comfort. Cavallo Hoof boots are well priced compared to some other manufacturers, almost half the price of some other brands.  Cavallo offer sizes right up to very wide/round shaped hooves and the fastenings are easy to put on and remove.