If your barefoot horse struggles with hard lumps of ice and snow under his hooves, hoof boots are a great way to protect his feet. Riding your horse in wintertime can also be dangerous due to the risk of slipping on snow, ice and uneven frozen ground. Although letting your horse wear hoof boots – either as they are or with extra traction studs applied – can make many difficult winter riding conditions much safer.
Ice studs aren’t the normal studs you may think of if you have used them before in shoes. They are much smaller and designed to increase traction on wet and icy surfaces. For most surfaces boots with a good treat don’t usually need any help, but even our own shoes with the best treads are no match for black ice. Of course, it’s best to avoid ice where you can, but the studs can be fitted and worn as a ‘just in case’ you should meet it on the road.
Remember to check your hoof boots for wear and tear in Winter, if you’re struggling with a change of fit this time of year you might like to check out our blog on Top Tips for Winter Hoof Boot Fitting
We stock a variety of studs from Cavallo, Scoot Boot, Equine Fusion and Swiss Galopper, and while each brand has its own, they can be used across the boots. Take a look at the design and see which suits your needs best. Some designs include a stud key that helps to insert and remove the studs. Each of our stud product pages contains a video to show you how to fit them – and some of our boots can come pre-fitted. Feel free to ask us more, drop a message to WhatsApp +353858772543 or an email [email protected]