Customer Question:
Should I boot all four of my horse’s hooves? I think I want all four of his hooves protected, but they’re all different sizes, and his hind hooves are much longer and more narrow than his front hooves. How do I get the right style and size for each hoof? Do you make boots specifically for hind hooves?
Answer:
The majority of our customers only boot the front hooves because horses carry more of their weight over their front end, which means it’s the front hooves that typically need the most protection and support.
However, you know your horse and his needs best. Every horse is different, and some will have naturally tougher hooves than others. Horses that have been barefoot for longer will also have tougher feet than horses just beginning to transition to barefoot. If you’re going to be on especially rough or rocky terrain, or if you’re going to be riding a lot more than usual, you may want to boot all four hooves. You could always start with front boots, and then wait to see if your horse seems to need protection on his hind hooves or not.
We don’t make boots that are specifically for front or hind hooves. All of our Easyboot styles can be worn on both the front and hind hooves. All you need to do is get the right size for each hoof based on the measurements you have.
Some horses’ hind hooves are so different in shape than the front hooves that they don’t fit in the same Easyboot style. That’s ok! It’s ok to to mix and match. The horse pictured above is wearing Easyboot Fury Slings on her front hooves and Easyboot Glove Softs on her hind hooves. That’s the beauty of having such a great variety of Easyboot styles. They’re sold individually, and they’re all slightly different shapes so we can find the best fit for each individual hoof.
If you’d like some help, please fill out our Fitting Assistant form, or email us your horse’s hoof measurements. We’re always happy to help you select the best size and style for each of your horse’s hooves.
