Slipping in hoofboots

[sundance]

I have a horse who is barefoot and booted, he is very prone to bruising due to a flat pedal bone so needs his boots, but I am having problems with slipping on wet grass and mud. He is in easyboot grips in front and gloves behind. Any suggestions for help? Has anyone tried studs in boots?

[Yann]

How long has he been booted rather than shod? I always find there's a period of adjustment after the shoes come off after which the horse adjusts and the slipping reduces. Other than that I don't really know, as the boots you're using are the best of the bunch for traction. Studs might help but I'd be reluctant to use them if your riding also includes a lot of hard tracks and roadwork.

[sundance]

He has had a period of a year barefoot and booted and I had this problem then, the current situation is that he was barefoot for 4 months last winter, then shod from late January to June, then barefoot and booted since. So about 6 months currently. I have noticed that he is getting slightly better and am working on building up his core muscles with schooling, hill work and swimming. Someone suggested lunging steadily on grass on a slope.
Just haven't come across anyone who has tried the studs.

[Yann]

I haven't either and I'm not tempted personally. Going by my own flat footed and shod / booted horse I'd say 6 months would usually be long enough to adjust so maybe it is just a case of sticking at it and hoping it keeps improving. Our off road hacking is truly vile at the moment, especially just after rain and we spend a lot of time slithering about too, it's not much fun.

[sundance]

I will ring one of the boot suppliers tomorrow and ask about studs. As they are screw in I wouldn't use them all the time but they may just give a bit extra grip on wet grass, also would be good to know how much the slight movement of the hoof which will always be there in a hoofboot, even with studs, compares with studs on a shoe which will give a dead stop. I have done an 8 mile ride today and it would have been just as slippy in shoes!

[nich]

I feel your pain! we have to hack down a very steep hill to get anywhere, it's a track in woods, then over a field, it's treacherous at the moment. so when our trimmer advised Brio needed hind boots to stop her heels getting worn down (when we get half a mile in to our hack it's flinty tracks), I nearly cried! I'm afraid I won't wear the boots in this weather, I just stick to a gentle walk totally barefoot, and long lining in the manege, and will boot her if and when it dries up.