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Discussion on Recommended bell boots?
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Member:
gwen
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007 - 5:47 pm:
Can anyone recommend a durable, yet comfortable bell boot? My tb CAN NOT hold his front shoes. He keeps forging and pulling them off. I think his stride is too big and his back is too short. He did it again today, with a foot of snow in his paddock! The pull-on rubber ones were on a few weeks ago, and he ended up with a mildly infected heel bulb. I think it was a combination of clipping himself, then rubbing with the boot.
Any thoughts on a good set? I am willing to break the bank.
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Member:
ngossage
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007 - 6:38 pm:
Hi, Gwen. The Professional's Choice bell boots are good, and if you're handy with a needle, can sew the tapes back on when they bust. Another brand that I've tried is Schneider's:
https://www.sstack.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=5925&itemType=PRODU CT&RS=1&keyword=bell+boots
They're guaranteed for 6 months! My first pair broke within a month, and they replaced them and paid for the shipping to/from.
Good luck!
Nicole
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Member:
dres
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007 - 6:55 pm:
My gelding wears them 24/7 and we go thru several pairs a year , so i buy the cheaper 'gummy' bell boots.. Buy a size larger then you think you will need too.. Becus you want them to cover the shoe..
It takes practice pulling them on, but once you have the 'feel' they are pretty easy to deal with providing you don't have long finger nails..
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots...
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Member:
erika
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007 - 7:50 pm:
Like Nicole, I like the Professional's Choice. Easy to put off and on. (Don't they call them "Ballistic Boots"?)
I haven't used them for turnout, though. I do know friends who swear by the gummy ones like Ann describes. Certainly more economical.
Erika
BTW, gotta find a signature line...love yours, Ann.I once had the one about "My treasures do not clink together or glitter, they gleam in the sun and neigh in the night". Then an Arabian owner friend told me I'm not allowed to use that since I don't own Arabs! I'm so easily intimidated!!
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Member:
gwen
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007 - 8:47 pm:
Although I chopped up my fingers pulling the pull-ons on, they seem highly recommended. However, they really sent my Theo's laceration over the edge. He ended up on three legs, with me soaking and wrapping, giving him antibiotics and stall rest. I think I have to invest in the higher ends. I shall try the Professional Choice. Thanks, ladies.
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Member:
ekaufman
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007 - 8:59 pm:
Hi Gwen,
How long are his toes behind? Bell boots help, but they won't necessarily keep those shoes on, and they can't keep him from whapping himself. If his hind toes are long, shortening them up might help the situation. Good luck!
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Member:
ngossage
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007 - 9:44 pm:
Erika, yup they're the professional's choice ballistic boots. Gwen, they run small, so definitely order a size up.
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Member:
gwen
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Posted on Thursday, Dec 20, 2007 - 6:21 am:
He was just trimmed last Wednesday, Elizabeth. Maybe now that he has done this for the FOURTH time in two months, the farrier will shorten his hind toes. That is a good point that I hadn't thought of.
I got the large professional's choice. The weird thing is that they only have small medium and large. I was thinking that the warmbloods and drafties can't possibly wear them! Anyway, I got the easy-ons, and not the ballistics. I got blue. He will at least look cute in them!
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New Member:
lafouert
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Posted on Thursday, Dec 20, 2007 - 10:16 am:
Dear Gwen,
You have gotten some good advice on the Professionals Choice boots. They are the easiest and most breathable. As for his back toes, see if your farrier can "roll" his toes in back as well as shortening them. This helped a western pleasure Quarter Horse that boards with us and my own TWH who kept doing the same thing and pulling shoes. This will give them less of an edge to catch themselves.
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Member:
erika
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Posted on Thursday, Dec 20, 2007 - 8:16 pm:
I don't know...been thinking about this one all day.
First of all, I am certainly no expert on trimming, but if shortening toes brings on a quicker breakover, shouldn't the fronts receive the shorter toe to get them out of the way quicker?
If anything, I would think a slightly longer hind toe would delay the breakover of the foot until the shorter front is out of the way.
Okay, let me have it...
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Member:
ekaufman
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Posted on Thursday, Dec 20, 2007 - 8:38 pm:
Hi Erika,
Might help to do all 4. Hind feet pull off front shoes just prior to landing on the ground, so it isn't about breakover behind, unless you're thinking you can re-synchronize the whole gait (a long shot, I think). This happens on horses that overstride and have moments of, err, ungrace. But you're right that getting the front feet out of the way would help, if you could do it. Depends what the horse is doing.
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Member:
gwen
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Posted on Thursday, Dec 20, 2007 - 9:04 pm:
Erika, that is exactly what I was thinking!!! This boy is still quite young and out of balance (see my post about a bouncy ottb). Like I said, he has quite a big stride for a little guy (15.2) and he has a short back. The farrier is coming tomorrow. We will see what happens. The farrier (and horse) are both relatively new, so we are all trying to figure each other out.
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