Benefits
Shoe Replacement
There are times where horses who are fitted with shoes can use hoofboots. These include travelling : to reduce the risk of injury from shoes whilst travelling. In cases of hoof wall disease selected boots can be used over shoes. although this not recommended on a regular basis. Carrying a boot on a hack in-case your horse loses a shoe ensures you can carry on your hack and return in comfort and if you're a TREC competitor, it is a requirement to carry one on PORs.
Transitioning
When shoes are being removed (temporarily or permanently) or the workload increases, the hooves may need some extra support while they recover or adapt. Selecting the correct boot for the amount of support is an important consideration. The end goal is that the horse is able to adapt to the work without the need for boots, however due to management, diet and environment this isn't always possible. The use of hoof boots instead of shoes acts as a compromise between workload, comfort and health, allowing your horse's hooves to be natural between ridden periods.
Pain Relief
In cases such as Laminitis or caudal failure where the hoof requires additional support, hoof boots can be used as a way of providing instant relief. This will not cure the problem, but it will offer comfort while the problem is being diagnosed/treated. Please remember that neither hoof boots nor shoes will treat an underlying condition, if a horse is unsound without boots or shoes they are unsound. We believe that boots are more helpful in these instances as they can be removed and applied without the need of a farrier so you can gain an accurate gauge of the discomfort to see if the treatment is working.
Have Questions?
I have answered your most frequently asked questions.