I’ll admit it, when I first saw the Easyboot Glove Back Country I was pretty skeptical. Before my undying love and devotion to the Easyboot Glove developed, I had used another brand of hoof boots. Post Glove infatuation I was adamant that I’d never use or consider a boot other than my beloved Gloves. The low profile, their light weight, the ease of use, staying power, what’s not to love? Being fastidious about my horses’ very regular trim schedule further increased my success with the Gloves and I didn’t really consider a situation where they wouldn’t be optimal for my horses.
Glove Back Country on a sidewalk?
Enter Dazl, who is undergoing the first year of transition to a functional bare hoof after a bout of laminitis prior to a serious environment and lifestyle change. Saying her feet are changing is an understatement and I’ve found the option of having a boot that offers a more forgiving fit to be helpful during this period of transition. I was worried the Back Country would be too bulky and would cause interference. They don’t. I was worried they wouldn’t fit well and might come off while using a larger size. They don’t. I was worried the different gaiter would cause rubs. Not so.
While definitely bulkier than the regular Glove, the boot portion is still form-fitting and the external gaiter is surprisingly slim as well. The gaiter with built-in, heavy-duty power strap allows one to use a larger size than the appropriate size Glove. This is very helpful when growing out a flare or the bowed out portion of a hoof wall that is growing in much tighter. They don’t twist as a too-big Glove might and I haven’t lost one yet! The rounded edge of the gaiter hasn’t caused any rubs and they are very easy to put on and take off. So far, the velcro gaiter is just as strong after a few months of use as they were when brand-new. During this period of change in size, shape and angle of Dazl’s feet, the Back Country are just the ticket for continuing on with our training while developing a better hoof. In the meantime, I can focus on taking in the view.
