Hoof Boots

I take the brand new hoof boots (EasyBoot Epic) out of their boxes, and whack them on. (It takes about 20 minutes, and I am really hoping that I get much faster at this in the future). I grab the reins and lead my horse. Clip clop, bang, clip clop, bang. I stop and stare. Despite all the "noise" the boots are firmly in place. The horse looks surprisingly at ease. When she walks her stride actually seems longer, more relaxed, easy cruisy.

I jump on and ride towards the gate. Every stride I re-assess the boots with trepidation. Are they still on? Have the little clips come undone yet? Yay of little faith!

We ride out through the gates and into the state forest. Trot. And being on Princess, it's not working trot. We've got so much extension that I can see her hooves flicking out the front. Boots still on. Clip clop, clip clop, bang bang. Whenever I can, I check the back hooves. Boots still on. I gain confidence.

We ride up to Dead Cow, down into the valley, and the up the road at canter. And, being Princess, it's not working canter. It's that solid eventing canter, almost a gallop. I forget about the boots, and enjoy the ride, the wind in my hair, the cold air against my nose, the green of the trees rushing by. We reach the top. Exhilerated. I smile.

Oh, and the boots? Yeah, still on. We ride on for another hour, and finally rock up back at the hitching rail, hot, sweaty, and happy with a full set of hoof boots still in place.

The horse and the boots need a wash. Both have done well.

Hoof Boots - Sizing

Ok, this exercise has taken about 6 months, far too long, but finally we are here. Princess is barefoot, we've measured her up and come back with the following hoof sizes.


Having looked at the various boots (EasyBoot, Boa, OldMacs, and (believe me) all the others), the boots that seem most appropriate for her shape of hoof are the EasyBoots. Upon advice from my barefoot farrier, I decide on EasyBoot Epic - because the gaiters prevent the boots from coming off when a horse overreaches. Princess overreaches. So EasyBoot Epic it is. Here is how the EasyBoot Epic sizes map to Princess' hooves.

At first glance this looks a bit weird to me. I just find it hard to believe that at horse would have such odd hoof sizes to require different boot sizes on both the front and the back legs. I do further study on the sizes, and come back with this.

It becomes obvious that one hoof is definitely size 1, and one hoof is definitely size 2. Excellent. I order one hoof boot of each size. The boots arrive, and it try them on - they fit. Next, I try the boots on the remaining feet. That is, I try the size 2 boot on the other front hoof (which sized up as a 3), and I try the size 1 boot on the other hind hoof (which sized up as a 2). They fit. So in the end, this looks like the correct configuration.

I order another size 1 and size 2 EasyBoot Epic, and I'm ready to hit the tracks.

Impulsion

I arrive for my lesson with Anna Auer. Anna corrects my position, then we work on impulsion - on getting the hindquarters underneath the horse.

Anna gives me my tools - the volte, the shoulder in and the quarters in. Use one at a time, or combine all three within a single long side of an arena. On each rein some of these tools will work better than others. Work out which are the right tools for which rein. Work out when to switch from one tool to the next. Work out when to just go straight.

I obviously do a half-baked job, because at the end Anna jumps on my horse. Princess almost has a hissy fit - for about 20 minutes! Eventually she does what is being asked. I think there is some good impulsion there, but I am not sure Anna is fully happy.

Anna also suggests that a long canter in the park, in forward seat, might be a good idea. The aim of it would be to strenghten her back, which is required to achieve impulsion.