Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

>  1) one of my horses is
> ouchy on gravel, even
> through the Epics, so I'd like to add more protection.

hi Kristi---
I think the comfort pads will work well for you -- they now come in
1/4" and 1/2" thickness.  I've used them on 3 day rides
and they held up fine.  If your horse is bearing a lot of weight on
a thin section of hoofwall, then that will cut into and squash the pads
in that area.  What I do is take the pads out and reverse them each
day and keep using them.  The pads are still doing their job of
providing protection and support to the rest of the foot -- maybe not
support so much as by having them there they are stimulating that area by
the cushioning that is applied which is a good thing.  I had trouble
using the 1/2" pads because the thickness caused the boots to turn
on one of my horses.  On two of the horses that did not
happen.  The 1/4" thickness worked.  I've only started
using them this year so don't have a lot of experience with them
yet.  I do like how when I take the boots off you can see a nice
frog impression from them.  

> 2) have you seen a horse
> get rubbed heels in the Epics/Bares if you take the
> heel strap off? 

I haven't, but the boots fit my horses feet fairly snugly.  If you
have a really good close fit, then the boots shouldn't wiggle around and
cause friction between the heel and the gaiter. I've had more trouble by
leaving the heelstrap in, it can cause indentions.  I prefer to put
the tapers in (now that they are available) or instead will cut the
heestrap out, flatten the metal teeth and cover with duct tape (just like
I have always done with regular Easyboots).  There are a few things
you can try if you do run into heel rubs -- vetwrap, bodyglide, baby
powder, cornstarch.  

Here is a

link to a template of the actual Easyboot sizes (it's the same for
the Epic and Bares):   Make sure it prints to scale.  This

form is handy for writing down your horses hoof measurements: 
   The easiest way to use the template is to trace your horses hoof,
then hold it up to the printout.  if your horses tracing lines up
right on top of the line, that is okay -- Chief's hoof tracings lined up
nearly identically on the size 1 line and I get the boots on him -- snug
fit, but I think because they do fit like a glove that is why they work
so well for him.  I used to use 2's on him when he wore shoes, and
probably still could but then I think there would be too much play
between the hoof and the gaiter, and would cause friction like you
suggested.  The 1's work because I cut the heelstrap out. 

Karen