Renegade hoof boots

OK everyone wanted to know what they were like, well they arrived today and they are FANTASTIC. They have all the advantages of Swiss Boots (never come off when you ride, are very close fitting, don't rub, have nice hard thick soles) without the major disadavantage of Swiss boots (that you need incredible muscles to get the bl**dy things off). Renegades come in two parts connected by a cable, you push the hoof part on and fold the heel part up and tighten the cable with a velcro strap. Also the boot only covers the hoof so can't rub the pastern or coronet. I love them. Kitty went so much better in them, and I could feel her confidence building throughout the ride, when we got to the nasty rocky bit right by the yard I got off to walk as usual and she marched off in front of me! She's NEVER done that before!

Could anyone recommend boots that would fit a very big footed shire? Although Trelawny does really well barefoot we have do lot of rough rocky work and I would like to get a pair of front ones in - just in case he gets sore

Cavallo's? They do seem to do generous sizes. I was talking to Lightertouch the other day and she says there is a store who recommends boots depending on your horses shape of feet and is really helpful.... The Saddlery Store maybe?

LT where are yoouuuuu

I love my Old Macs. Ember will walk through anything in hers

I am in Devon, UK - but the internet is a wonderful thing! will start looking around at boots although the way Trelawny rode out this evening - like a demon possessed and enjoying it - I think his walking delicately downhill on stony ground is a ploy!

I just got my subscription to horse journals 2008 tack buying guide. I have to say I enjoy it. They had a few pages on different hoof boot reviews on the most common boots out there.
Easy boots and old macs were most likely to rub around the pastern (though all have the potential) but the old macs 1st version (not the g2) rubbed the frog :O
I guess boa horse boots are narrower in the heels.

Old macs were rated the highest for best fit for draft horses.

www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk

You rang?!

These guys have a section in their hoof boots area which suggests boot makes for the particular shape of your horse's hooves. I found it invaluable in the purchase of my Old Mac Original G1s. I think they said something about these being good for heavy types and thoroughbreds who have wider feet than they are long...

Hope this helps!

I'll be keeping an eye out for rubbing then...

It also says getting either the pastern wraps or applying vetwrap on the hoof or moleskin to the boot where it creates rubbing. If you are worried about rubbing is a good idea. Anyplace the boot touches skin will probably rub if dirt gets in there. Also says it can take up to 6 months for skin to toughen up that the boot touches so don't be surprised if they rub the first few rides or months.

I really like this subscription already :3

Occasionally when Embers feet get a bit long and in need of a trim, the old macs (G2) do rub a liitle on the heels.
I just wrap a piece of vetwrap (whoever invented that stuff was a genius ) round the coronet band and bulb of the heel and that sorts it out.

I don't think they would rub though if I didn't use pads which lift the whole foot in the boot.

Luckily they came with a pair of pastern wraps, so I'm all set if they do rub.

I really like this magazine, thing. It's full of good information.

They said overall easy boot epics stayed on the best. They didn't do renegades but they said none of the boots did well in mud at all. Has anyone gone through water or mud with the renegades?

lightertouch wrote:Luckily they came with a pair of pastern wraps, so I'm all set if they do rub.

I forgot about the pastern wraps
Still vet wrap works well.

The magazine said none of then performed well in the mud
Mine are great in mud, puddles you name it.

Still next time I'm having Renegades

just going back to this topic as I havent actually done anything about it - Trelawny has a huge amount of feather - will this interfere with the hoof boots??

I wouldn't have thought so - hoof boots (or at least my Mac Originals) slip on like a shoe, so I'd imagine they'd mostly shove the hair out of the way on the way on, though you might need to run a finger or hoof pick around the top to make sure the hair hadn't gotten tucked in? You could ask the vendors - they tend to be pretty helpful. I bought mine from The Saddlery Shop online and they had a lot of info on the website.

I used my boots on my first BHS Trec - 3hr hack! - and covered about all the terrain you can imagine - tho perhaps not the deepest, suckiest mud - including a river ford and they stayed on beautifully. The only prob I had was a bit of rub damage to the horn at the heel (the heels themselves were fine as I'd used the pastern wraps, tho the wraps themselves showed signs of rub damage). I was using only front boots.