using boots again! and a moan

[cirocco]

Jim has been fine bare since coming out of shoes last July. Over the winter when we were snowed in, 'so not ridden for weeks', he learned to cope bare in the safety of the field. And then throughout the summer he transitioned slowly.
Things improved so much, that we have been 'crunching' up the local bridleways three or four times a week with loads of roadwork thrown in.
THEN a couple of weeks ago, the weather broke, we went from dry to wet in days, from dry dusty paddocks to mud. Poor boys haven't been able to avoid getting their feet wet with the inevitable softening of the feet that comes with it.
So jim back in boots. And the difference has been instant, happy pony. Ive no problem using boots if they save the pony from pain. Im just thankful ive got them.
Ive got out of the habit of using boots, but with their return comes the extra work, scrubbing of soles with sterilising solution, and nightly picking out.  Mud is a bu**er for holding in stones, and in my ponies case, bits of pottery and glass, their field being on an old tip site.
I made a mistake when I was buying the new hoof boots, I got easyboot bares, rather than gloves, [so e bay is going to be busy.]
I needed ones that are simple to put on. ive not tried the easyboots, they seem a bit too faffy, things to pull, things to tighten .... ###naw faffy###   I dont do faffy.
The Mac2's are bloomin awful too, when they are wet and muddy they are almost impossible to fasten even with an extra 2inches put on the straps, and the sides are not made long enough, im in the process of selling off the '6 pairs' of Mac 2's ive collected.
Im fed up with winter already.
Im fed up with rain, wet clothes and a steamed up car.

Roll on summer

[SueWhitmore]

Uranio is on box rest, in boots and pads for his laminitis and abscess. Even so, I've found I need 2 boots for each foot, so I can put a clean boot on every day and be able to clean and dry the other boot. If they are in boots when they are not working, then the RX therapy boots are good for limited turnout. They clean easily. I've started using alcohol hand gel on his soles for the final clean. Vet thought it was a good idea, so did farrrier, as it does not soften the sole. Just a thought if you're having a nightmare getting the feet clean.

[cirocco]

Yes its a struggle, keeping them infection free. i cant do anything about them being wet and muddy, they have to cross the little paddock to get to the field, and they have access to the little paddock all the time, I find that they both choose to stand on the soft throughout the year, and JIM  sleeps out in preference to the shelter with deep clean straw!.  [ odd pony ]
Im using Asda's own baby sterilising solution, its a loosing battle though, i clean them, then they go stand on the mud!.

The hand gel is a great idea, I will start to use it in the frog areas.

William now has lymphangitis, [what next] so I'm struggling to keep the infection at bay from his [ now healed ] mud rash... He's never had anything EVER like that to date, just goes to show what can go wrong when their immune system is low.
I don't have the facilities for box rest... I had to sting an electric tape round half the shelter and hardstanding, just cobbled something together. He had boots and pads on for weeks, poor lad. So i know how your feeling, its a struggle. I kept a bucket of solution to dunk the boots in,  its not done the stitching much good, needs renewing now. I'm looking at getting him some turnout gaiters for him now, although i dont think it will do much good, he likes to paddle in the pond.

[lacey]

I use neem leaf & bark powder in mine, kills the bugs and dries the boots 

[cirocco]

cant find it....

[AG]

Hi

To make your Bares easy to put on and take off you can swap the 'shield' for easy up buckles. I have a pair adjusted this way. They are far more useable and offer a tight fit if required.

Top tip for removing them is to flick the buckle undone with the end of a hoof pick. Can be hard to do without it so if, like me, you have soft finger nails, carry something on your saddle. A tiny spring clip or carabiner will do it.

For clean/tough feet, I have found this http://www.equitech.uk.com/acatalog/Hoof_s_Tuff.html very useful.  The gel is non drip so little is wasted and doesn't desiccate the foot. The built in brush is pants, so use a paint or pastry brush instead.
 
HTH Annette