Recommendations for Pony Boots

[deecclark]

Hi all! I am the new owner of a Shetland Pony and I would like to keep him barefoot but invest in boots for the pavement outings. Wondering if any seasoned pony owners could recommend a brand that are light and not too bulky? Does anyone have experience with the Back Country Easy Boot? Thank you!

 

[Willow Flats]

Welcome! Mindy has done all the work for you! Go here and find out all about boots.

BLOG | The Essential Horse | Driving Horses | Driving Ponies

www.theessentialhorse.com

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I have Easy Boots and Equine Fusion. I think the Equine fusion have a nicer look and seem more comfortable for the horse. Good idea to purchase some for pavement work. Also comes in handy if you ever take your horse indoors (mine goes to schools and nursing homes).

 

[deecclark]

I have Easy Boots and Equine Fusion. I think the Equine fusion have a nicer look and seem more comfortable for the horse. Good idea to purchase some for pavement work. Also comes in handy if you ever take your horse indoors (mine goes to schools and nursing homes).

Thanks Marsha, I will check out the Equine Fusion boots as well!

 

[Walt's Fault]

My ferrier had brought me 3 different boots to try and none of them seemed to fit correctly even though they were the correct size. One had such a hard sole he would slip on the hardwood floor. I got 2 pairs from Build-A-Bear because a friend had jokingly suggested it and they fit great. We have a gravel driveway and road so he needed something. They are holding up much better then expected for $7 a pair and they a hard enough to cushion the rocks and soft enough for traction in the house. He has no reaction to them and walks normal. Pros; price, fit and red to match his harness. Cons; not "real horse shoes.

 

[Willow Flats]

They certainly have the cuteness factor!

 

[weeburnsyg]

My ferrier had brought me 3 different boots to try and none of them seemed to fit correctly even though they were the correct size. One had such a hard sole he would slip on the hardwood floor. I got 2 pairs from Build-A-Bear because a friend had jokingly suggested it and they fit great. We have a gravel driveway and road so he needed something. They are holding up much better then expected for $7 a pair and they a hard enough to cushion the rocks and soft enough for traction in the house. He has no reaction to them and walks normal. Pros; price, fit and red to match his harness. Cons; not "real horse shoes.

I also know of someone who gets their boots from Build a Bear, they actually donate them to her as she does charity work with her horses.

 

[Dragon Hill]

I wondered where those teeny shoes came from, so thanks for the information

 

[MindySchroder]

If you want to drive your Shetland then the build a bear boots will not hold up. The Cavallo miniature horse boots don't hold up well under the strain of gravel and pavement either. The best boots I have used (and I've used all the boots that come in the mini and small pony sizes!) are the Equine Fusion boots. If you want to purchase a pair of boots ONCE then I highly suggest these. Yes they cost more up front but then you won't need to buy new boots for YEARS. I have two pairs with nearly a 1000 miles on them and they still function and when clean, look new! I highly, highly recommend them.

Here is a blog I wrote about the different boots I've tried: Boot Comparison!

 

[MaryFlora]

Mindy’s Boot Comparison is excellent! I learned a lot reading it myself - many thanks!

While I can’t add anything to that excellent post, I can share my recent boot experience.

I ordered the Easycare Easy Boot for minis in December and have been happy with their form and function. I purchased two boots for therapeutic reasons and they have been great. Tiffany has worn them comfortably and after about three weeks of continuous wear in the large snowy paddock and in the barn showed great improvement. The pair was about $90.

There was minimal to no snow build up along the top boot rims, but that was a daily check.

I followed the measuring directions carefully and measured each hoof very carefully several times before ordering.

While they have worked well for us they don’t have the cuteness factor of your little red ones!

Mary Flora

 

[Marsha Cassada]

My husband used calipers to measure mine's hooves to get exact measurement. Then the farrier used his calipers to measure. I printed out the picture on the boot site, which shows where on the hoof to measure, and that helped both guys a lot. Keeping the printout in my horse file, just in case I need it for future reference.

 

[MaryFlora]

Those are great ideas Marsha! Thanks for sharing. I love paper copies and it is so sensible to have that on hand for future reference. You just never know when you might need again.

I never thought Easy Boots would be a purchase but when Tiffany needed the help it was wonderful that little boots from a variety of companies were available. Now that we have them will maybe put to use for driving and see how she feels.....when we get above 40 degrees......

Mary Flora

 

[charlottein]

I just got the Cavallos, as they are what I could afford at the time, but plan to upgrade when I can. I got them on their Black Friday sale so they were $110 for all 4 feet. I did notice that the bottoms are plastic and the breakover is indeed messed up with a tab on the front sole. They do seem to be helping with traction on my slippery road but we shall see... If you can afford the Fusions, go for those. I had used Cavallo Simples on a big horse before and absolutely loved them.