easy boots

[llayman@neorx.com]

     Lynette,
     
     I've used and competed in easy boots on my white hoofed horse for 
     three years (going on four). I never use vet wrap and I only use the 
     foam for Rides, never on training rides, even long hard ones. The foam 
     does help to keep the boot on (kind of like super glue) and keep rocks 
     and sand out and seems to provide some shock absorption. I don't crush 
     the metal teeth down because they are there to keep the boot on the 
     hoof. The damage they inflict on the hoof is far less than nails, or 
     going without the boot if it comes off. I've only lost one boot, and 
     that was due to over reaching. Since then I've learned to cut the back 
     of the boot all the way down to the ground, and I haven't lost one 
     since. I can get them on in under a minute, and get them off in about 
     the same amount of time. They're great!  Each horse is different, and 
     I think some people need the vetwrap and foam to keep the boots on. I 
     don't. I guess I'm lucky. Let me know if you have any other questions.
     
     Linda-Cathrine
     slypner@juno.com
     LLayman@NeoRx.com
     
     
     Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 07:50:39 -0600
     From: Lynette Helgeson <helgeson@lansford.ndak.net>
     To: ride camp <ridecamp@endurance.net>
     Subject: Easy Boots questions
     
     Hi everyone,
     I want to try out easy boots on a horse with soft white feet that has 
     a hard time keeping shoes on. 
     
     When you go shorter conditioning distances, is it necessary to use the
     vet wrap every time? What is the purpose of the vetwrap? What happens 
     if you don't use the vetwrap?
     
     Who uses easy foam and is it worth the hassle? What exactly does easy
     foam do?
     
     Thanks
     Lynette