Over the years I have received a lot of questions from engineers and material specialists about the force, pressure, and torque that hoof boots have to be able to withstand.
“How can hoof boots hold up to the pressure of the horse’s weight and constant motion?”
“What type of force will a horse put on this material?”
“How much torque will a hoof boot handle?”
I always answer, “I’m not sure, but it’s a truckload!”
Here is an example of what type of torque, force, and torture horses put on hoof boots and iron shoes. These photos show an Easyboot that was worn over iron shoes and then glued into place.
Easyboots continue to be used in this fashion to protect horses in rocky country or on a road where concussion becomes a problem.
This horse not only pulled the boot off his hoof, but he also pulled all six nails out of the iron shoe. The horse also broke the bond from the glue around the hoof wall. The force and torque placed on this boot and shoe had to be enormous.
Does this mean the farrier’s work was poor?
Does this mean hoof boots don’t stay in place?
Does this mean the glue did not create a solid bond?
Or does this mean that our horses are incredibly strong, gifted athletes?
Either way, I hope these shoe/boot/glue combination pictures will give you something to think about next time you have a boot failure. There’s a lesson there somewhere.
