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Discussion on Bell Boots Rubbing Horse, Scratches Ensue...
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New Member:
raysmom
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 22, 2007 - 10:22 pm:
I'm stuck in a catch-22. My horse needs shoes all around (per vet after a 4 month try at barefoot), but he pulls his own shoes off in front by forging and behind by standing close (even on) his own hooves. To protect the shoes, he wears bell boots all around. He gets sores from the bell boots even though I treat them daily with corona ointment. The sores lead to scratches, which I've been battling since August. Is there an alternative to bell boots that won't rub but helps protect shoes? Can I use some sort of bonding agent to "cast" the lower hoof? I need to get these boots off him since the trapped moisture and rubbing are a disaster for scratches!
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Member:
dove2
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Posted on Friday, Feb 23, 2007 - 6:17 am:
Heather,
I believe this is a job for your farrier to address. My young gelding also used to forge. My farrier corrected that by moving the breakover point. He also made sure that the shoes did not extend out past the hooves, as my gelding would step on the sides of the shoe and pull it off that way too. I would first question your farrier to see if he knows how to correct these issues (just listen to what he suggests), and if not, perhaps find someone who does.
You might also look into "glue-on" shoes. I have not personally had experience with them, and there's the potential for other problems with them, so try to resolve with the most simple solution possible.
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Member:
frances
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Posted on Friday, Feb 23, 2007 - 8:02 am:
Hi Heather - Dove 2's points are good, but if you have to stick with the bell boots you might want to experiment with different kinds. I find that certain bell boots, usually the good quality, durable ones, tend to rub while the floppier, cheaper ones don't. Also, if the rub is just under the fetlock, it may be that the boots are too "tall" for your horse, and that with each step they push up and into the underside of the fetlock.
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Member:
sdms
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Posted on Friday, Feb 23, 2007 - 10:46 am:
Hi Heather. I have to agree with Dove2 that correcting the forging problems is probably the best thing to do. However, if that's not possible, you might look into a pastern wrap of some sort. The wraps I have are made for horses transitioning to hoof boots to prevent the rubbing. They're Old Macs and pull on over the hoof and fit over the pastern and just over the coronary band. That may prevent your bell boots from rubbing, as well. Good luck!
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Member:
dr3ssag3
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Posted on Friday, Feb 23, 2007 - 12:15 pm:
I also think that the shoer needs to do something different, or look into another shoer. In the meantime, a cheap way to protect the pastern is good old vetwrap. You'll obviously have to change it daily, but it will help.
Dawn
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Member:
dove2
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Posted on Friday, Feb 23, 2007 - 1:34 pm:
Be careful with Vetwrap - it shrinks when it gets wet. Could potentially cut off the leg's circulation. Not good. There are now some sticky wraps available which do not shrink when wet. It's definitely worth the effort to look into which ones are available to you that do not shrink.
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Member:
quatro
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Posted on Friday, Feb 23, 2007 - 6:44 pm:
Hi Heather, I had the same problem with Levi, always ripping off his shoes. He has other problems, but the farrier was leaving his toes too long, and he over reached because of that. Once we fixed the toes, he stopped ripping off the shoes.
Also, the new generation old mac boots come with a nifty neoprene sleeve that goes over the fetlock, it cut out the rubbing of the over-reach boots levi was wearing as well. Maybe you could check out their site, and see if you could order just the sleeves.
Is your horse in a stall at night, so he can get a break from the boots?
suz
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Feb 23, 2007 - 7:36 pm:
I think there are many good ideas above but let me correct one misstatement. Vet-Wrap and the other self adherent tapes (Con-Form comes to mind) does not shrink when wet.
However vet-wrap is uniquely able to maintain pressure long after it is put on so care must be always be used in its placement. One property I do think it has when wet is it looses it's ability to "hold shape" and becomes more prone to bunching up on itself. Now the pressure, that was previously distributed across a larger area, is concentrated on a small area and this may cause problems.
DrO
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Member:
hwood
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Posted on Friday, Feb 23, 2007 - 9:19 pm:
Heya, Sara S.,
You still under snow there in Bennett?
I was going to suggest the slinky horse socks, too. I think I saw that Simple Boots have some.
Also, to correct forging, we often square off the toes behind as well as shorten and roll the toes in the front. If your horse has shoes behind, sometimes a heeled shoe and a squared toe will help if the interference is dramatic.
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Member:
freshman
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Posted on Saturday, Feb 24, 2007 - 1:41 am:
I always really liked the bell boots lined with real sheepskin, even in wet conditions. I haven't looked for them in a long time, but I assume that they are still available in some form.
But I think that most materials, no matter what their performance rating, will create rubs and sores when they are wet and gritty with mud and dirt material. A wet material set close the skin that takes on sand is the worst, like in a sandy area or sandy-soiled area; but almost any dirt contains enough sand and other gritty materials to cause problems.
Hopefully some modified farrier work can relieve this issue somewhat. I agree with some of the other posters in saying that shortening the toe can help with this. I also think that cold shoeing will not cut it with a horse that pulls shoes problematically; forged shoes only for a horse like this. Hot shoes can be fit much more closely.
Good luck!
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Member:
sdms
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Posted on Saturday, Feb 24, 2007 - 10:40 am:
Hey, Holly! Well, the good news was that after lots of work we were able to keep the corral draining and yesterday we had NO standing water from all the melted snow. The bad news...we're in the middle of yet ANOTHER blizzard!
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Member:
sunny66
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Posted on Saturday, Feb 24, 2007 - 2:03 pm:
Hi Heather, chiming in on the farrier adjustment! My horse has a short back and long legs... forever forging. Farrier increased breakover on front feet significantly, and did the exact same thing to the hind feet. No more forging... 
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Member:
corinne
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Posted on Sunday, Feb 25, 2007 - 9:19 am:
Oh Sara....it was 70 the other day in Ok but unfortunately the Tornados want to come early! Good luck with the weather.
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Member:
sdms
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Posted on Monday, Feb 26, 2007 - 9:12 am:
Howdy, Corinne. I was an Okie for most of my life...probably still am if it comes right down to it. I feel for you about the tornadoes so good luck to you, too!
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Member:
stevens
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Posted on Monday, Feb 26, 2007 - 6:02 pm:
Another option would be to buy a larger size bell boot, big enough to rotate easily and not rub. Also, lubrication may help (silicon spray or even vaseline) but will likely be messy.
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New Member:
raysmom
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 27, 2007 - 10:37 pm:
Wow! Thanks for all of the great ideas. I think some farrier adjustment along with "socks," be they vet wrap or neoprene, as long as it dries fast, are where I'm headed. I'm glad to say we are drying out a bit here, too, and these winter issues may resolve better. Glad to know I'm not the only short backed, long legged horse owner out there
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