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That is what led me to buy Old Macs, a boot designed to replace metal shoes. The inventor of these boots is David MacDonald, a farrier who came across many different hoof problems in horses and ponies of all disciplines. This led him to the conclusion that having nails driven into the ... Read review
Advantages: No need for metal shoes Disadvantages: No information leaflet in the box
...what led me to buy Old Macs, a boot designed to replace metal shoes. The inventor of these boots is David MacDonald, a farrier who came across many different hoof problems in horses and ponies of all disciplines. This led him to the conclusion that having nails driven into the hoof wall causes loss of condition to the hoof, and that there must be a better way to protect the feet. Metal shoes have been in use for centuries, and some current patterns ... ...
The motto of Old Macs is ‘Give metal shoes the boot’. The claims made for the product are;
- genuine alternative to metal shoes that will eliminate brittle hoof walls and the stress and trauma caused to your horse through constant nailing.
- Minimise and help speed up recovery from concussion-related injuries. Old Macs will help prevent arthritis, pedal bone fractures, jarred shins, ring bone, knee fractures, ... more
Humans have had them for a long time, and now horses can as well. What am I talking about? Expensive trainers of course! You may think that horses wear metal shoes, and this is true for many, but what you may not know is that the current trend toward keeping horses in a more natural way has led to a lot of people ditching the shoes and keeping them barefoot. I am one of these people, but wanted the best of both worlds for Rosie (if you don’t already know, my New Forest pony) - barefoot in the field but also with protection for her feet when we go out for a ride. It is really not worth having metal shoes on her feet all the time, as I only get to ride two to three times a week.
That is what led me to buy Old Macs, a boot designed to replace metal shoes. The inventor of these boots is David MacDonald, a farrier who came across many different hoof problems in horses and ponies of all disciplines. This led him to the conclusion that having nails driven into the hoof wall causes loss of condition to the hoof, and that there must be a better way to protect the feet. Metal shoes have been in use for centuries, and some current patterns can be traced back to Roman times - well overdue for a re-vamp then!
The motto of Old Macs is ‘Give metal shoes the boot’. The claims made for the product are;
- genuine alternative to metal shoes that will eliminate brittle hoof walls and the stress and trauma caused to your horse through constant nailing.
- Minimise and help speed up recovery from concussion-related injuries. Old Macs will help prevent arthritis, pedal bone fractures, jarred shins, ring bone, knee fractures, laminitis, bruised soles, scalping from over-reaching and abscesses.
- Ideal for horse transportation. They will protect your horse from lower limb injuries, tendon damage, hoof wall and sole bruising, and prevent your horse from slipping during loading.
- Protect both stallion and mare against kicking injuries during breeding.
The features of Old Macs highlighted on the box include easy to fit, fully adjustable upper made from laminated waterproof Cordura, waterproof webbing straps, a high density foam collar covered in waterproof leather, Velcro (of course - where would we be without it?) and a unique shock absorption outsole which provides superb traction on all surfaces. The outsole is made from thermoplastic urethane (TPU) compound and is said to have high tensile strength, high abrasion resistance and high shock absorption qualities.
Also on the box is a size guide. Old Macs come in nine sizes from 0 to 8 (0 being 100mm long and 110mm wide, 8 being 140mm long and 150mm wide) and go up in increments of 5mm. I found the instructions for size selection clear and easy to use - you measure the length of the hoof from toe to buttress of heel, and the widest part of the hoof (there is a diagram that shows exactly where to measure). You then select the largest corresponding Old Macs size, and this is the correct boot size for your horse.
Old Macs were developed in Tasmania, Australia and they come with a six month guarantee. This is conditional on the buyer returning a guarantee card to the manufacturer or point of purchase within fourteen days. Since the card would have to fly all the way to Oz in order to be sent to the manufacturer, I have returned mine to the point of purchase, currently the only stockist of Old Macs in the UK, Robinsons Country Leisure whose details are below.
The price of these boots is steep initially - £90 per pair or £170 for a set of four (hope you’re not choking on your cornflakes!) but since a horse is usually shod every 5 to 7 weeks and they are fully guaranteed for six months this equates to four shoeings. It costs around £45 to £55 for a shoeing, so Old Macs compare well to this, especially as I would expect them to last a lot longer than six months. The horse will still need regular trimming every 8 to 10 weeks and the boots are designed to allow for natural growth between trims.
- Given that I have only very recently bought my Old Macs, this opinion is based on my initial impression. I will update it in six months for a longer term opinion. -
My first thought when I took the boots out of the box was ‘Did I get the measurements right? They look like they’re going to be too big for Rosie!’ Having never seen a boot like this before, I was really unsure about the sizing. However, I had followed the chart, and they have turned out to be a perfect fit. When my friend first saw Rosie wearing her boots, she said they made her look like a cartoon horse (with big clodhoppers!), but as she has got used to seeing them she has revised her opinion. Now she thinks they look like over-reach boots, which is far less embarrassing!
The first thing I do with any ‘horsey’ equipment is give it a thorough inspection to make sure it is safe to use. The Old Macs passed this test - the stitching is neat and double sewn, the sole of the boot is stitched and riveted to the upper and the materials look to be of good quality.
Then I like to see whether I think it is going to be comfortable for Rosie. The only thing I thought might cause a problem was the strap which goes around the pastern (a horses ankle) but so far this has not rubbed. The padding around the top of the boot is soft and smooth, and there is also a slightly padded bit inside where the heels go. The boots are quite light in weight, so shouldn't be too noticeable for the horse.
Having checked the Old Macs, it was time to try them on. Trying new equipment is always a worry. You never know what the horse is going to do! With this in mind, I decided to fit the boots while Rosie had her breakfast to take her mind off it, and I only tried them on her front feet. Surprisingly she was not at all worried by the Velcro noise. This was something I thought she might have a problem with as she is still quite young and inexperienced. It was only when she moved that she got a surprise. With a look of ‘What’s she put on my feet?’ on her face, she pranced across the yard like a prima ballerina! Fortunately she settled down very quickly and I was able to lead her around a little to let her get used to them. I didn’t ride her in them at this session. I found Old Macs relatively easy to fit. It took about five minutes for two boots, ten minutes for four, but will get quicker with practice, I’m sure! There are fitting instructions on the side of the box complete with photos which is always helpful, though the promised ‘detailed fitting instructions are enclosed’ were not there so I had to get them from the website (address below). This was rather disappointing, as I do like to get plenty of bumf when I buy new things to make sure I am using them correctly.
It is recommended that you introduce Old Macs gradually, starting with thirty minutes riding and building up from there, so the next time I put on all four boots and took Rosie into the schooling area for a short ride. The first thing I noticed was that she felt bigger, not just from the extra inch gained by wearing the boots in the first place, but also from the fact that she was picking her feet up more. This gave her stride the feel of an altogether bigger animal. We walked and trotted round to see if the boots slipped at all and then called it a day. There was no sign of slipping or rubbing when I took them off.
Today I have had my first proper ride out with Rosie wearing her Old Macs, for about thirty minutes. The area where we ride is quite stony with a lot of pine cones on the ground. This has caused Rosie problems in the past due to her bare feet, and I have always had to steer her onto softer ground at the edge of the path. I found that she was a lot more willing today - I even rode straight up the middle of one stony path to see how she felt. There was no sign of discomfort at all. She was perfectly happy with it, and even looked a little more confident with ears pricked and striding out nicely. My friend and I have always said Rosie is a short wheel base four wheel drive, and now she’s got the tyres to prove it! When I removed the boots at the end of the ride, I checked for signs of soreness but couldn’t see any. I think if I follow the advice and break her into the boots slowly there shouldn’t be any problems.
Though I didn’t find an information booklet, there was a card in the box with general care instructions and a tear off slip to register for the six month guarantee. Point number one on the card is to carefully read the information booklet provided. How can I? I didn’t get one! Point number two states that Old Macs can only be exchanged if they are in perfect condition. Bear this in mind if you choose to buy them. When you try them on your horse, make sure you are in a clean, dry area so that they remain in good enough condition should they need returning.
Old Macs are easy to clean. The instructions say that mud or dirt should be removed while still wet. The boots can be sponged or hosed down with cold water, and any grit removed using a brush. I find that an old toothbrush is ideal for this purpose, especially on the sole which has bigger treads than a pair of Doc Martens! The boots seem to dry quite quickly - I left them for a few hours after washing and they had practically dried. It is recommended that the boots are cleaned after every ride.
If Old Macs become saturated they should be allowed to dry naturally. I quote ‘DO NOT expose boots to naked flame (!) or use artificial heat to dry as this may damage the upper and outsole materials.’
So far I am very happy with Old Macs Multi Purpose Horse Boots, but as stated above this is just an initial impression. I found it easy to choose the correct size, and they were fairly easy to fit. As long as they do the job and allow me to keep Rosie barefoot comfortably I will remain happy with them. We shall see in six months…
INFORMATION
Old Macs Pty Ltd 34 Steel Street North Melbourne Victoria 3051 Australia
Advantages: Easy to put on, durable, cheaper in the long run than shoes Disadvantages: Expensive one off cost, had to order mine from Arizona so had to wait a few weeks
...pair of the new style Old macs G2 boots for my horse as he was finding it difficult having shoes on his hind feet due to arthritis (He's 31). The old style boots werent the right shape for his feet so I forked out £101 on the G2 boots direct from Easy Care Inc. in Arizona as no one in the UK did them.
The weigh just over 1lb each which is great for Pegasus' arthritis and great for me carting them around! They are easy to slip on and I dont need ... ...would advise anyone and everyone to get these especially if their horse has feet or joint problems. Just dont opt for the cheaper fake Old Macs as theyre not as good, dont last as long or fit as well. You do get better quality when you get the real thing! ...
claremash 23.08.2006
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