Roxy has never been shod. She uses Easyboot Gloves. I love them, she loves them, it gives us the freedom for her to be barefoot every night during our 5000 mile solo horse ride fundraiser.
We first got the Gloves in April to replace another brand that didn’t fit Roxy’s wide hooves. Up until this point I rode Roxy barefoot in the roughest of terrain. The only reason I needed boots was to ensure her hooves weren’t worn raw when I upped the mileage in preparation for the trip.
We tried the Gloves in a range of situations: swamps, roads, trails, rocks, gravel, at all speeds and with rough transitions. I even did a sliding stop on pavement once! They never came off.
I liked the simplicity of the design, there are very few moving parts to break. The first 4 boots I bought were a little large so I just kept Roxy’s hooves longer to make sure the fit was snug. I knew that when it was time to replace the first set, I would go a size smaller. The 3rd week of September we went from the 2 1w and and 2 0w in the back, to 0w in the front and 0 in the back. This set works great with Roxy fully trimmed. I use them with the powerbands and most recently, the red comfort pads and the quick studs for extra traction and longer wear. The comfort pads help alot with concussion. The studs help prolong tread by taking some of the direct pressure and wear off of he sole. They also give a bit more traction in some situations.
The 2nd set of boots have been used exclusively during our trip on pavement and gravel. We currently have 450 miles on them. I expect to get another 350 miles at least. The next set will be used with the quick studs right from the first day. I’ll report back on my blog at a later date to give an account of how long that set lasts, as well as future observations. From what we’ve noticed so far, the boots last longer the tighter they fit on the fully trimmed hoof. This includes walls, heel bars and mustang roll edging.
And these red boots are my Keens. Highly recommended as well…
Chris MacLuckies’ professional career began with a decade-long stint as an organic vegetable grower in Ontario Canada. His career is prolific in breadth and scope. He has farmed organics commercially, volunteered in Guatemala, ran a gardening business, raised and raced sled dogs, tended his livestock, and ridden his horse on a multi-country expedition.
Chris is a certified TEFL ESL English Teacher, author of seven books, freelance content creator, and outdoor travel gear designer.
What a pretty lady in her red heels! Have you taken her to any barn dances recently? How is the social life on the road?
Nice legs 😉
Hi there august. It’s more social on the road then back in the hood by about 100 fold. We have not been to any dances, but she’s been on lots of dates with other horses. Talk to you later!
I will be posting an update on my experiences with Easyboots, including the back country and the edge model. Also my observations on a new product I’m using, called Hoof Armor