Driving shoes

[nassaunellie]

I am a novice driver; no shows, just for my own backyard enjoyment. This year I would like to drive down our dead-end road to a nice big field with lots of little dirt roads running around it. The road down is hilly, partly paved, partly dirt. The roads at the bottom all vary to different degrees of dirt, large and small gravel. What boot, if any, would you recommend?

I look forward to your suggestions!

Wendy

 

[MInx]

Hi Wendy, I've wondered about this also since these little guys go barefooted. I've heard Davis boots are good, but don't know if that's just for the front.

I'm trying to start a little driving club in my area (hard since I so far only have myself and my husband), and we will be doing local trails and tailgating a linch afterwards. Fun eh? But it's again all gravel roads or railroad bed trailways, or snowmobile trails so might need some sort of protection for them.

I guess it depends on how far we go and how tough their feet get. There also might be something that can be applied to toughen their little feet, so I've heard.

Keep checking on here, someone on here will know. Wish you lived closer, we'd go together :bgrin

Maxine

 

[shane]

HI, WHEN I FIRST GOT MY MINI,BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE CITY,I GOT HIM SHOD, NY FARRIER MADE SPECIAL WEE SHOES FOR HIM AND THEY WERE FANTASTIC,THEY GAVE HIS FEET A CHANCE TO TOUCHEN UP, I APPLIED A PRODUCT CALLED KERATEX HOOF HARDENER,IT COST ABOUT $40 BUT WAS WORTH IT IT REALLY HARDENED UP HIS HOOVES AND HE ONLY NEEDED THE SHOES ON FOR ABOUT 6 WEEKS, THEY WERE ONLY 2 INCHES AND WERE HELD ON BY 3 NAILS ,YOU MIGHT GET MORE EXPERT ADVICE ON THIS,BUT THIS WAS MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE...........GOOD LUCK!!

 

[nassaunellie]

HI, WHEN I FIRST GOT MY MINI,BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE CITY,I GOT HIM SHOD, NY FARRIER MADE SPECIAL WEE SHOES FOR HIM AND THEY WERE FANTASTIC,THEY GAVE HIS FEET A CHANCE TO TOUCHEN UP, I APPLIED A PRODUCT CALLED KERATEX HOOF HARDENER,IT COST ABOUT $40 BUT WAS WORTH IT IT REALLY HARDENED UP HIS HOOVES AND HE ONLY NEEDED THE SHOES ON FOR ABOUT 6 WEEKS, THEY WERE ONLY 2 INCHES AND WERE HELD ON BY 3 NAILS ,YOU MIGHT GET MORE EXPERT ADVICE ON THIS,BUT THIS WAS MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE...........GOOD LUCK!!

Thanks for the info. I don't think I want to go the farrier route but I will look into the Keratex.

Wendy

Hi Wendy, I've wondered about this also since these little guys go barefooted. I've heard Davis boots are good, but don't know if that's just for the front.

I'm trying to start a little driving club in my area (hard since I so far only have myself and my husband), and we will be doing local trails and tailgating a linch afterwards. Fun eh? But it's again all gravel roads or railroad bed trailways, or snowmobile trails so might need some sort of protection for them.

I guess it depends on how far we go and how tough their feet get. There also might be something that can be applied to toughen their little feet, so I've heard.

Keep checking on here, someone on here will know. Wish you lived closer, we'd go together :bgrin

Maxine

Thanks Maxine. I do wish we lived closer. I am the only Mini person in my area. I do have a "Mini Mentor" but she lives a ways away and is very busy herself, so I usually hate to ask for her help. I will keep reading, watching tapes, and posting here and slowly I will progress!

Take care,

Wendy

:

 

[Marsha Cassada]

My goodness, I drive on gravel and paved roads all the time and never have the least trouble. I WOULD NOT put shoes on my miniature horse! Horse health is seriously impacted by the health of the foot. There is a burgeoning field opening in natural hoof care. I am not sure if we are finding out more about how the horse's health is affected by their feet, or if people used to know and it was forgotten.

They have very tough feet. If there are lots of little rocks, try keeping the hoof walls a little taller, and don't trim the sole severely. Shod horses also slip more easily on pavement than barefoot horses. The only time I would consider a protection is if you are planning to drive 5-10 miles on stony ground, and even then it probably wouldn't be an issue since they are not bearing weight on their backs. Regular jaunts in your neighborhood or for parades are a piece of cake to mini hooves.

Marsha

 

[shane]

" " HI MARSHA, JUST TO ADD, I HAD TO PUT SHOES ON MY MINI ONLY AS A TEMPORARY MEASURE,I TOOK HIM OUT FOR A WALK WHEN I FIRST GOT HIM,AND HE LOST A QUARTER OF AN INCH OFF HIS HOOVES, SO I NO OPTION BUT TO SHOE HIM UNTIL HIS HOOVES WERE STRONG ENOUGH, MY HORSES ARE TOTALLY CARED FOR HEALTH WAYS ,AS I SAID,I LIVE IN THE CITY,CONSTANTLY ON HARD GROUND,I COULDNT JUST LET HIM STAND INSIDE A STALL ALLDAY,I TREATED HIM WITH THE HELP OF MY FARRIER AND WITH KERATEX,WHICH HELPED TOUGHEN UP HIS HOOVES,THEN THE SHOES CAME OFF,AND HES GREAT NOW!

: WERE I LIVE THERE ARE A LOT OF SHETLAND PONIES,THAT ARE CONSTANTLY SHOD,SO I WOULDNT RULE OUT DOING IT AGAIN IF I NEED TO..JMO

 

[nassaunellie]

My goodness, I drive on gravel and paved roads all the time and never have the least trouble. I WOULD NOT put shoes on my miniature horse! Horse health is seriously impacted by the health of the foot. There is a burgeoning field opening in natural hoof care. I am not sure if we are finding out more about how the horse's health is affected by their feet, or if people used to know and it was forgotten.

They have very tough feet. If there are lots of little rocks, try keeping the hoof walls a little taller, and don't trim the sole severely. Shod horses also slip more easily on pavement than barefoot horses. The only time I would consider a protection is if you are planning to drive 5-10 miles on stony ground, and even then it probably wouldn't be an issue since they are not bearing weight on their backs. Regular jaunts in your neighborhood or for parades are a piece of cake to mini hooves.

Marsha

Thanks Marsha. What I was asking about was "shoes", as in Easyboots, not metal shoes nailed on by the farrier. You put them on when you will be going on rough surfaces then take them off when finished. They give protection from gravel and give traction....so I read. I was wondering if anyone uses them when they drive in these conditions and if so what boot they prefer.

Wendy

 

[_minihorses4ever_]

I have also been wondering this.. Will be watching this topic closely.

:

 

[nassaunellie]

I have also been wondering this.. Will be watching this topic closely.

:

...and I thought I was the only one!

:

 

[Fred]

I am a farrier who has driving horses and they are NOT shod. However, I have shod several clients minis in the past. The ONLY reason I would ever shoe a mini would be if they really had horrible feet and could not hold up. I tend to leave my driving horses feet a little bit long and that seems to help. Going the "natural" route is fine IF the horse can handle it. We have bred these animals and use them in a way that is not natural for them in the wild. We also tend to breed some pretty bad feet. Lately I have seen some horses that NEED shoes get talked into going "natural" and the result is the horse is lame or crippled. Linda B

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Thanks Marsha. What I was asking about was "shoes", as in Easyboots, not metal shoes nailed on by the farrier. You put them on when you will be going on rough surfaces then take them off when finished. They give protection from gravel and give traction....so I read. I was wondering if anyone uses them when they drive in these conditions and if so what boot they prefer.
Wendy

The conventional vernacular has "shoes" as the nailed-on variety and "boots" as the removable kind. Hence the confusion! LOL

It is true that they are supposed to give protection and traction...but I agree with Marsha that most minis just don't need them unless they will be doing sustained road driving all of the time. Even my big horses get their shoes pulled in the winter and not put back on until I see extra hoof wear in the spring and we live in suburbia and road-ride all the time. I have one big horse who never goes barefoot but that's because he has very tender feet and the one time I tried it took him a month of limping with no sign of improvement before I sighed and put his shoes back on him.

My mini will get tender feet if he's trimmed too closely and his version of "too closely" is very liberal. We have to leave him with a little more hoof at each trim but if we do he's fine on any surface. The more they walk on hard surfaces, the tougher their feet will get. Just take it easy and hand-walk your horses down that hill to see how they do. If they fuss and don't improve, consider the boots. If they get over it, don't bother. It sounds like you won't be on gravel except coming and going from where you will drive so I would consider them a pain and not worth the work unless my horse insisted otherwise.

Just my .02

Leia

 

[nassaunellie]

Thanks Marsha. What I was asking about was "shoes", as in Easyboots, not metal shoes nailed on by the farrier. You put them on when you will be going on rough surfaces then take them off when finished. They give protection from gravel and give traction....so I read. I was wondering if anyone uses them when they drive in these conditions and if so what boot they prefer.
Wendy

The conventional vernacular has "shoes" as the nailed-on variety and "boots" as the removable kind. Hence the confusion! LOL

It is true that they are supposed to give protection and traction...but I agree with Marsha that most minis just don't need them unless they will be doing sustained road driving all of the time. Even my big horses get their shoes pulled in the winter and not put back on until I see extra hoof wear in the spring and we live in suburbia and road-ride all the time. I have one big horse who never goes barefoot but that's because he has very tender feet and the one time I tried it took him a month of limping with no sign of improvement before I sighed and put his shoes back on him.

My mini will get tender feet if he's trimmed too closely and his version of "too closely" is very liberal. We have to leave him with a little more hoof at each trim but if we do he's fine on any surface. The more they walk on hard surfaces, the tougher their feet will get. Just take it easy and hand-walk your horses down that hill to see how they do. If they fuss and don't improve, consider the boots. If they get over it, don't bother. It sounds like you won't be on gravel except coming and going from where you will drive so I would consider them a pain and not worth the work unless my horse insisted otherwise.

Just my .02

Leia

Thanks Leia. I think he'll be fine with no boots. Being a novice, I wanted to make sure it would not hurt his feet or legs. Of course I try to use common sense and don't run him on hard surfaces. If I can just get down to that big, beautiful, flat field, then we can have some fun!!

:

 

[midnight star stables]

minitack.com!!!!! :aktion033: It's 100% what you want!

 

[nassaunellie]

minitack.com!!!!! :aktion033: It's 100% what you want!

Thanks. I have ordered from them before...along with Starlake, etc. etc. I just didn't know if anyone else used or recommended boots when driving on pavement or rough roads.

I love this forum. So much good info! :aktion033:

 

[cjacobucci]

Hi all,

I do combined driving with my minis and we regularly practice 6-10 km on dirt roads. the minis love it and have no problems with the distances. Unfortunately I have one mini that doesn't like traveling on gravel. so we bought him easy boots, the kind with the gators to help hold them in place. they are easy to put on and stay on really well, even when we go through water or mud. Before getting the easy boots I tried several different types of boots. We tried barrier boots, but they never really fit right and kept spinning around on his feet. We also tried glue on shoes, made for babies. they were ok and worked wwell till they fell off. They only stayed on about a week or so and then you had to reglue them. That just became too time consuming. The easy boots are just theat- easy. I put them on when we work on the roads. if we are working in an arena or a nice field we don't. My other mini has no problems with the gravel and has never needed boots. I think its an individual thing,one mini may need a little something and another won't.

Just my experiences,

Carrie J

 

[user 3234]

Has anyone ever tried these shoes for driving? They are offered by Star Lake Far & Tack - Buckle on shoes.

Mini Buckle on Shoes
The shoes are made of leather soles with nylon webbing sides that buckle in the front of the hoof. Will completely cover the hoof and protect it. These are great for driving on the roads or taking horses inside. Specify small, medium, or large. Sold in sets of two!

SLT 2050, $19.99 Size Small 2 1/2 X 3 inMedium 3 X 3 1/2 inLarge 3 1/2 X 3 3/4 in.

 

[BSharpRanch]

Those shoes are not any good. They don't fit right and don't stay on.

JMTCW

 

[HGFarm]

My old horse that I drove for miles on a daily basis (and I do mean miles) never needed shoes and has never had a lame day in his life. Minis usually have excellent durable feet. Unless your Mini has a problem, I dont recommend shoes and find they are not needed.