Note to self: rasp not a good substitute for rubber mallet.

“I don’t want to use a rubber mallet to put a boot on.”

If this reflects how you feel then I have good news, you don’t have to. Last week, Kevin Myers discussed the use of a rubber mallet and how it can aid in the application of the Easyboot Glove. Even though this method is effective, several people I talk to either don’t feel comfortable using a rubber mallet or don’t want to have to bother with keeping track of one. I myself fall into the second category; I have enough tack as it is, a rubber mallet is just one more piece of equipment for me to misplace. When I had difficulty locating a mallet a few weeks ago, I made the mistake of trying to use a rasp to tap on the boots…see the results below.

A rubber mallet is one way of ensuring your Easyboot Glove is seated correctly on the foot but there is another option. When you apply a Glove, it shouldn’t slip right on but it also shouldn’t be like trying to put on your skinny jeans after the holidays either. Applying a Glove is all about technique, not brute force. After folding the gaiter back, you will need to put the boot on and twist it back and forth slightly to get it over the quarters, this is demonstrated in the beginning of Kevin’s video. Then put the hoof down and secure the gaiter. You may notice that you are not able to tighten the gaiter very much at this point – that’s ok.

Initial Application
This is what the Gloves look like when I first put them on. They are not fully
seated on the foot and I am not able to tighten the gaiter very much.

Once I have the boots on, I simply lunge my horse at a trot two circles both ways. Prior to using Gloves, I was already doing this exercise anyway. I like to think of it as my “pre-flight check” and it’s a good way to make sure your horse is moving properly before you ride. Now that I use the Gloves, this lunge gives me the added bonus of fully seating the boots on the hoof. If your horse isn’t accustomed to lunging, you can also trot them out in hand. Once you have moved your horse around, you will notice that the boots look nice and snug and you will be able to tighten the gaiters. I hope this method provides an alternative for those of you who don’t want to use a rubber mallet for boot application.

Ready to ride.
Now the Gloves are fully seated. You can see the V expands
and I am able to make the gaiters snug.

 

Alayna Wiley