I made the decision to keep my ponies unshod in August last year. As I wanted to keep them in full work (one is a driving pony and covers several miles a day on the roads) I decided that hoof boots were going to be needed.
After doing lots of research I came across the Marquis Supergrips, and I can honestly say they are fantastic.
Although the initial purchase price may seem quite steep (£150ish), all of the parts are replaceable. So whereas with other hoof boots, when the sole is too worn you need to throw them away and start again, with the Marquis you can simply order a new pair of soles (£18ish). This I feel will save a lot of money in the long term.
The advantage of hoof boots over shoes is that you can allow your pony to be shoe free, but their feet can be protected when you need to work them. This has benefits as the concussion that the leg receives is greatly decreased when there are no nail on shoes. The pony should also have better traction and shock absorption.
The Marquis boots are very easy to put on. You put the hoof into the boot and then fasten a clip across the front. There is an air chamber in the back of the boot that you then pump up (with the pump supplied or a bicycle pump if you lose it) for a really snug and individual fit. When you want to take the boots off again you release the air from the chamber and unclip the boot, then it simply pulls off. It takes about 1 minute to put a boot on and 30 seconds to take it off.
The boots fit really well and mine get used regularly. They have never come off or twisted in the mud. Another advantage to the Supergrips is that you can screw studs into the bottom, giving you more grip if you need it (I've never needed to do this).
The boots come in various sizes and you simply measure across the widest part of the hoof and then pick the appropriate size.
They look very neat and are well designed. They come in two colours, either black (which I have) or fluorescent yellow, for the safety concious!
In the box were the boots, an air pump and instructions on how to fit them for the first time. There was also a contact number in case you got stuck with fitting, but I didn't need this as they are so easy to put on.
They last really well, mine get used regularly and there's barely a mark on the sole. They seem very well constructed and I have had no problems with anything coming lose or breaking.
My ponies seem to like having them on too! They have never taken a funny step, even when I first put them on and they have no objection to me putting them on, so I think they must find them comfortable, they certainly look it!
The UK supplier of the boots (which are a German design) is Equestrian Select (www.equestrianselect.co.uk). I ordered my boots from them and found them very helpful and the boots arrived quickly. They also offer a hire service for the boots, so you can try them for 2 weeks and see how you get on, check fit and make sure your horse is happy about wearing them. This costs about £40, but this is then deducted from the purchase price of the boots if you decide to keep them. A really good idea in my opinion!
So despite the initial outlay, I think that these boots are fantastic value and worth every penny. They are hard wearing, easy to use and fit well! I really recommend them.
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Price
£148
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