Submitted by Lisa Morris, Team Easyboot 2015 Member and Hoof Care Practitioner

Easyboot Glove boots are my favorite hoof boots, most of my hoof care clients use them and love them.  Sometimes the fit can be enhanced by adding Power strapsGlove boots fit literally, like a second skin.  They should be pretty tight to put on.  I suggest my clients use a rubber mallet to tap them on firmly at the toe to ensure the hoof is seated in the boot.  If the boot fits perfectly, the “V” should open and be fairly wide.  Sometime the boot fits, but it could be a bit tighter.  I see this especially using the boots on back hooves, riding in extreme terrain or riding at speed.  In this case, the simple addition of Power straps is warranted.  Sometimes the boots are a perfect fit with a fresh trim and new boots, but after a hundred miles or so of use, they stretch out a tiny bit and get too loose.  In this case, adding Power straps can correct the fit.  They also come in colors and can help coordinate with your tack.  Some people use them to distinguish between front or back boots.

Power straps come in a variety of fun colors.

Installing Power straps is relatively simple.  The original instructions state to use a hole punch.  The problem is, I found that most people don’t have a sharp enough hole punch to do the job well.  Sometimes people lack the hand strength to use the hole punch. Occasionally, clients ask me to install Power straps for them, and this is the easiest method I have found.  Karen Bumgarner previously blogged about her success installing Power straps with this method.  I am going to break it down step by step as an easy reference to a common question: What is the easiest way to install them?

You will need this stuff:

– Relatively clean pair of Glove Hoof Boots

– New pair of Power straps with included hardware

– Phillips head screwdriver (I prefer a stubby length)

– Electric Drill

– Drill bit, 1/4”

– Sharp pair of scissors or shears

Step 1.  This quick install was done for a client who was “between sizes” and her 0.5 sized boots were a pretty loose fit.  The first thing you need to do is find the correct size and cut them with your scissors to the correct length.  They are marked with the sizes.

Step 2.  This is what they look like trimmed down to 0.5 size.  Next I grab my 1/4″ drill bit and install it on my drill.  I locate the correct dimple on my Power strap and drill holes to accept the screws.

Step 3. Locate and drill 1/4″ holes in the dimpled stenciled areas of the boots.  For even tighter fit, you can bring the holes very slightly closer to each other.

This is what your holes will look like.  They will match the holes you are going to drill in your Power straps.

Step 4. Install the first screw by placing the gold T-nut on the inside of the boot and adding the washer and then the screw to the outside of the boot.  I use my stubby screwdriver but I do not tighten the first screw all the way.  I leave it a little loose until the second screw is installed.  Please note that the “gap” is facing DOWN on this install because I wanted the tightest fitting strap to correct the boot fit.  For the majority of installs I leave the “gap” facing upwards on the boot. The beautiful thing is, you can try it both ways if you want to tweak fit.

Step 5. Line up the second gold T-nut on the inside of the second hole.

Step 6. Line up the second screw/washer with the second gold T-nut.  Having the first screw not tightened down all the way yet helps this process.

Step 7.  Tighten the second screw down all the way, and then go back and tighten your first screw the rest of the way.

Successful install of Power strap complete.  If we find the strap is “too tight” with the gap facing down, we can reverse it in the standard “upward facing” position. Happy Trails!