Old Mac Boots

[spotti]

Well you all know we've been using Boa boots for a while now, only for Faith to be an idiot and fall down a hole and break them! Well, I've sent the broken ones back to the shop for inspection and replacement, but since I've been having such a performance about getting boots to fit her back feet properly, I thought "Hey, lets measure her feet to see what size would fit best" - well!!!!! I measured her feet feet as shown and guess what I found out? ALL FOUR FEET ARE DIFFERENT B****Y SIZES!!! No wonder the boots didn't fit well!

Anywho, I've been looking on the easycare website at all their hoof boots and comparing sizes to see which boots would fit best, and the general outcome is Old Macs.

My question (well, one of many really, but I've got to start somewhere) - what do I do about all four feet being different sizes? So far, by looking at her measurements, she's going to need 3 different pairs! A size 6 original for front left and back right, a size 7 original for front right (but will only just fit when newly trimmed but next size up would be huge) and a size 4 G2 for her back left!!! And at around £100 per pair, it's starting to sound pretty expensive to me!!!

What do I do?

(Haffy - you use original Old Mac's don't you? What do you think of them? They say on their website that too aggressive traction can alter a horses gait etc, but then go on about how good their aggressive traction is...how do you find them? And do Harry and Murphy have boots on all 4 feet? Are they all the same size (or atleast are both fronts the same/both backs the same size?)
Sorry for all the questions but I just thought that you could perhaps help? Pretty please??? )

[haffyfan]

Hi Spotti,
Firstly although they say their still avilable unless you buy 2nd hand it is just about impossible to get hold of the original boots anymore. A local tack shop assured me some I ordered would be originals, checked with NEW who were/(are?) the distributers and who confirmed it, so i ordered original size and they were G2's...this happened twice at which point I just ordered a G2 pair instead. The originals fitted Murph better and Harry's fronts but as you can't get them I use now use G2's mainly. Harry in front is a 7 G2 (was 6 original), this is a bit big until he neeeds trimming but the 6 G2 dosen't fit so I use gaiters to pad them out and this works a treat. He is size 6 G2 behind (was a 5 original but both seem to fit equally well). Murph is size 5 G2 all around but still wears a pair of size 4 originals behind as he is not so hard on them as Harry is and his generally last much longer (that pair are 4 yrs old).

I am not sure about the feet sizes thing but i think I would be concerned if mines feet were different sizes (as in a pair compared to each other). Backs are often smaller than fronts by a size or so but I would see your farrier about her back feet being two sizes difference between them as a pair unless she has an obvious problem causing this.

Ther traction I find is just fine, although apparantly you can't do sliding stops in them for obvious reasons. I find no alteration in the way they move whether booted or barefoot. They are happier booted out hacking as it's very gravely/stoney on a lot of our tracks so they often thingy foot along barefoot looking where they put there feet wheras the boots offer them protection. We have a lot of water/puddles resembling lakes too and they drain brilliantly as Murph loves to paddle.

[spotti]

I think her smaller back hoof is due to having had her pelvis out of line and walking oddly to compensate for it for so long that something odd has happened to it...will ask the farrier about it though when he's next out.

Shame about the originals being hard to get because Faith's feet are quite a bit wider than they are long and the originals seemed to fit the bill perfectly, G2's not so well. Shame really...

Thanks for your help anyway

[trojanwarrior]

Have a look on www.thesaddleryshop.co.uk (I think that's what the address is). They sell the originals on there.

Warrior takes a size 9 in the G2s on his front feet although they were a little wide for his rubbish hoof when I originally bought them. But they fit a lot better now since having work done on that hoof as its got a better shape. He did have size 7 on his hinds but Old Macs don't seem to suit his hind feet & he trashed them.

As Haffy said, I'd expect the fronts to be a matching pair & the hinds to be a matching pair too. Have a word with your farrier to about the mismatch of hoof sizes.

[zoon]

do they tend to run a bit bigger like cavallos do? Tried a set of cavallos on him and actually needed a size down from what I measured him as. Don't want to shell out £100 only to have to pay £10 to send them back and another £10 to have another set sent out!

[brigadier]

Im getting on really well with the boa front boots- they are a bit fiddly though but I really think the horses quite like them, Im wondering about getting some for his hind feet also- although his back ones have always been unshod and are quite hard he always seems to pick up a stone in his off hind- and because his frog and sole is hard when it wedges in its really difficult to get out. Not sure I will tell my OH though- he's going through a mega tight stage at moment!

[haffyfan]

Brig...tell him how much it would cost to have shoes on his feet every 4 to 5 weeks.....then point out the boots advantages ie they last forever!

[brigadier]

yeah but he just looks at me with his grumpy face on! I did mention it earlier but it went straight over his head. So thats the green card to go!!!!

[Becca]

Who is trimming her, farrier or ep? you may find they will be able to even her out in time (obviously you need the for now boots now) you foot person should be able to tell you what shap size they are aiming for when they do her feet and how long it will take to get there, that way in 6months time you wont need to get different size boots again.

Or see if easycare can help, explain your situation they might be able to do you a deal or an odd set? if you dont ask you dont get (one of my fave sayings )

[spotti]

I emailed easycare on friday night - not expecting a reply yet though because they only answer questions mon-fri and its still only mid-way through monday, so I'll just wait and see what they have to say.

As for trimming, its my farrier who does her feet, although recently he's only been rasping them into shape because they're still too flat to need anything trimming off! I did try to contact my 'local' EP on many occasions but she never answers the phone/texts and only replies to emails after about a month, so I've not had much luck with her.

And her feet (fingers crossed) are looking a bit better now. Still flat, but with thicker soles and they're starting to go concave!!! I actually have to dig muck out of them now!
Soooooo, the plan is to get better from being poorly and slowly start coming back into work (again, for about the 4th time!), by which time we should be at uni on nice non-road hacking routes so hopefully won't rely on the boots as much, therefore he feet might be a different shape by then so I may not need to buy her any more just yet...well that's the plan anyway

[Becca]

aww glad you have a nice farrier, my EP only uses a rasp and a knife, so unless her feet grow mega quick that should be all she needs.

see what easy care say they may suprise you?

[spotti]

I do like my farrier. He's quite young, and I guess you could say inexperienced, but everyone has to start somewhere don't they? He's really good with Faith though, answers all my questions without making me feel silly, and as of yet, Faith hasn't found a reason to dislike him (which is amazing because anyone who's not normally in her life she usually finds something to not like!) and he's done an amazing job with her feet already. To say she'd had her feet 'done' by the prat who had her before me (as well as having mild lami that was unspotted and so untreated) her feet have gone from overgrown toes (nothing major but enough to make her walk on her heels a bit) and an odd square-like shape to lovely rounded, almost balanced hooves that stay in the same shape right up until a new trim is due, except that they obviously get bigger!

I know they're still flat (my fault entirely, but nothing I can do now) but they are getting better. They seem to be getting deeper/more concave, starting from her heels, and her soles are a bit thicker too and I actually noticed we're starting to get a bit of hoof wall growth! Yay! And all that is down to the good work of my farrier. The vet even recommended shoes at one point, but R - the farrier - stuck by my decision of trying to remain barefoot if possible and he actually recommended staying barefoot for the sake of her feet, and now they're looking lovely! Shame they're all different sizes, but we'll get there...it's still a bit of a working progress!!!!

[zara]

Would that be Ross? He does some of the horses on my yard. Aj has one front foot bigger than the other a fact which my farrier spotted the minute he met him! He is also stiff through his withers and i recently asked my physio which came first and she said the foot! I was quite surprised at that. Zx

[spotti]

Yep and he's very good!

That actually doesn't surprise me all that much Re: the foot/stiff withers, but thinking along those lines...if Faith's 'little foot' came first, then that could be a reason why her pelvis went out of line and she was so stiff and sore for so long...hmm...*note to self - when managed 6 weeks of bringing back into work, phone chiropractor and ask for more exercises as well as asking about 'little foot' and the pelvis thing...*

[Becca]

awww "little foot" bless her

your farrier sounds fab spotti, don't let him go!

[spotti]

I don't intend to!

And the 'little foot' thing - I just couldn't think of anything else to call it! *chuckles about 'little foot' - tee hee hee hee hee*

[scattymare]

Bless. Shes like Nemo!!
Can't help on the size thing but as for Old Macs themselves - well you've seen my post about Doofs update. She is now nearly 100% sound in them. Took them off yesterday to give her a breather and her feet have grown incredibly - normally farrier just about rasps a bit off and any growth she has caused splits and chips. With these boots they have stayed uncracked and she actually needs a farrier for a change! As fo the gait thing, she does seem to pick her feet up a little higher and when she canters her back feet come quite high up. I couldn't be happier with them though. They've given her a whole new lease of life......hmm must try and remember where I stored that saddle away....!!

[spotti]

Wow scatty! Now there's a compliment for the Old Mac makers!

Re Faith's feet - update!!!
I've not re-measured them again yet as she's not had the farrier out to trim/rasp them, but judging by eye alone, I'd say they are in much better shape than when I started this post and I'm alsmot certain that they're not quite so different in size anymore!
I can't remember quite when the whole 'flat foot' thing started, but after about 3/4 farrier visits, Faiths feet are looking tonnes better and are actually growing and going concaved instead of flat! Touch wood *touches wood and head for safe measures!* we've not had any problems with her feet recently, (except thrush, but that we can deal with no probs) and I hope it stays that way!

Scatty - I hope Doof remains sound and I'm glad she's enjoying her new, pain-free way of life. You never know, you might even be allowed to ride her again someday...

[scattymare]

I wish, but to be honest I probably wouldn't now. Its been at least 5 years since she was last ridden and I just don't quite think it'd be fair on her - though I do keep thinking about it but then need to remind myself I'm thinking about me not her. Never know I might have a potter round the field one day - if I ever dissapear from hear, check the hospitals cos she might have killed me!!! Farrier was out today and even he was impressed by the growth.