Question and Answer Series on Barefoot Hoofcare; Part 3

Our new blog series is taking a look at barefoot hoof care with a variety of Questions and Answers from our customers. The questions will be answered directly by our very own barefoot hoof care expert The Saddlery Shop’s proprietor Lucy Nicholas! Question 3: How long will hoof boots last? – I’m trying to budget for going barefoot in the near future. The largest manufacturer of hoof boots, Easycare Inc, states their boots outlast steel shoes 3:1 on average, so if your horse wears through his metal shoes in six weeks, you could expect boots to last 18 weeks. However, boots are generally not used all the time or for every ride, so will in most cases last longer than this. The boots of the average horse hacking for an hour a day, five days a week, will last 6-18 months; this is dependent on terrain (roads being more abrasive than tracks, in general). Incorrectly sized boots will show unnaturally fast wear – for example if the breakover is too long for the hoof, this can make a horse catch the boot and wear the toe more than expected, highlighting the importance of a correctly fitting boot. I have heard of boots lasting three to four years when they were not used all of the time! Just like with metal shoes, the horse’s action plays a part in boot wear. A horse with a twist to their action or that drags their toe can wear them prematurely. A wide range of Hoof Boots and Hoof Boot accessories are available from The Saddlery Shop.