Hi, everyone -

I'm a bit clueless when it comes to training, but I've (unfortunately) had to
become pretty knowledgable about hoof care and nutrition over the last few
years, as I've adopted two horses who were foundering at the time that I took
them in. Thankfully, with the help of my trimmer and vet, I was successful in
rehabbing both. One of the horses (my beloved punk Paint, Frank) had to wear
hoof boots around the clock for several months. In addition to providing needed
pain relief and support, Frank's boots were perfect for administering
therapeutic hoof medication. (With a padded boot, the medication stays where it
needs to be without the usual messy and shortlived duct tape/diaper method.)
Frank also had ulcers when he came to me, so he didn't tolerate bute very well.
The boots gave Frank enough relief from the pain to eliminate the need for
prolonged use of pain medication.

Having said all of that, I'll add that in my experience, hoof boots are terrific
IF and ONLY IF a qualified hoof professional measures the horse's hooves to
determine the correct size and style. Every boot style is different and no
single boot style is a universal fit for all horses. The horror stories I've
heard (and seen firsthand) are in the minority and have all stemmed from people
not working with their hoof professional and vet when selecting boots.

Frank foundered 2 years ago, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that hoof boots
literally saved his life. He was fitted for boots by a certified trimmer who was
also working with my vet. Thanks to hoof boots and attentive care, his hooves
are now perfect. Frank had to wear his boots (with custom pad inserts) 24/7 for
several months, but I knew going into it that I would have to check on him
several times a day while he was wearing said boots and that I would need to
take them off for one hour a day to let his soles/frogs dry out.

Boot manufacturers all say that the product should not be worn 24/7 without
supervision. The majority of problems occur when people put ill-fitting boots on
their horses and then throw them in a pasture or paddock unsupervised for most
of the day. A properly fitted boot will not come in contact with the coronet
band. Frank's hooves were best suited to Easyboot Epics with gators, and the top
of the boot was almost 2" lower than his coronet band. To illustrate the
importance of getting a proper fit, Frank takes two different sizes of boots.
His front hooves are slightly larger than his back hooves. According to my vet &
trimmer, most horses fall into this category. Frank's hooves also changed shape
as he healed. Now that his hooves are healthy, he wears a different size boot
than when he was foundering. All of the people I've seen who had a bad
experience with the boots bought the boots themselves and bought the same size
for fronts and backs.

If you work with your vet and hoof professional, boots can be a wonderful aid to
a horse experiencing hoof disease and as an alternative to shoes while riding.
As with any piece of tack, however, they can be dangerous if not fitted properly
and if use is not supervised.

-Nancy