Re: [RC] Gluing on Boots - Natalie Herman - Kevin Myers
Natalie,
I agree with your take on this. My limited experience with glues
and straps is the same as yours (although it only takes me ten minutes to get a
set of glues off a horse ;)). For an average rider like me who squeezes an
annual ride schedule out of a few short weeks of vacation from work, the boot
options sure do make a lot of sense.
I’m also excited that a growing number of competitors
from both ends of the spectrum are making the move. I think it will make
healthier horses and make us better horse people. That’s the point, isn’t
it?
Kevin Myers
I have to both agree and disagree... it is a "depends" scenario. First off,
losing boots happens with strap and glued boots...heck, it happens with shod
horses with the "best application" by the best farriers. That is not a valid
reason to use or not use boots, glues, or shoes... NOTHING is foolproof...so
unless we stop riding, we might as well not use that as a measure of whether
or not to use something. Personally, I have yet to lose a glued on boot (in
fact, one of the only DOWN sides of the glued boots, is that they are TOO hard
to get off when you are done with them, lol...though I tried a new glue at
Bryce and was very pleased with it so far...easier on and off..have to find out
the name of the stuff...)
I do agree that they do have a learning curve that is higher than a strap-on
boot. But once you figure it out, it isn't too hard. The expense it getting
WAY less as new glues are being tested (Vettek, though very effective, has a
pricey gun and glue...now we are using glues that use a 5$ caulking gun and glues
that are in the 8-15$ range, not the 25-30$)...the boots themselves are also
reuseable and thus make it cheaper in the long run...
As to health of the hoof...I would not leave the boot on for more than a week,
BUT...if used in that amount of time, there have been no negative issues noted
with the feet. The boots are not MEANT to be left on forever, so not sure why
that is even coming up...they are made to be applied for an event (a multi-day,
100 miler, packing in the mtns for a week, whatever), then taken off...
I do think for anything less than a multiday (I'd prob not even glue for one
100miler...anything totaling 150 or more is when I switch from straps to glues),
the strap ons are easier and cheaper...but glues are much easier and the price
kinda evens out, when going further distances.
As to trims...well, I can say I have seen plenty of shabby trims on both bare
AND shod horses (and sometimes I wonder that these horses never come up lame
at rides)...but that is a whole nother kettle of fish and has nothing to do
with the kind of boot one uses...I do have to say that glued boots "look funny"
on the hoof..not sure why, but it just does. Every pic I have seen with glued
boots...but watching the horse move in them looks great...they are so form
fitting and light weight, that as long as the base trim is decent, the flight
and landing of those feet is a nice thing to watch...
I do have to say, for my old, getting arthritic horse, the strap ons with
dome comfort pads, sure make him move much nicer...until I can find a pad/fill
material for the glued boots that give him the same support, I might be going
back to strap ons with him...even if it IS easier to glue, then forget about it,
he likes his "insole sneakers", LOL....
Anyway, just my 2 cents...not as many miles as some, but enough to make a
difference, and so far no issues with the glues (less so than strap ons for sure,
esp rides where scratches are an issue! :) )
Nat
