I know this is a little late but I've used Boa boots. I had a mare that got a very bad case of laminitus and I needed boots for her to wear. I started with the easy boots and like everybody else wondered what they were thinking when they named their product . I did some research and decided on Boa boots. I got the padded footbed for them as well. My mare had to wear them for months 24 hours a day. The ease of use was a true Godsend for us and they worked well for her to. They fit good and everything stayed where it was supposed to. One of the binding wires did end up breaking on one of them though which really surprised me. Despite that fact I would buy them again. Yes, they might be a be a bit bulky but they never hindered my girl. I haven't tried the other brands in question so I can't make an honest comparison .

Thanks for all the input girls!

I have a pair of Renegades (copper color). Only thing that's frustrating for me is pulling out the rubber keepers so you can insert the excess. If you have long fingernails, forget it. They are easy to put on and take off except for that one issue I personally have. Maybe my fingers just aren't strong enough. Like that they come in various colors so you can find them if they come off (which mine haven't). My farrier is a dealer for Renegade and I had him tell me which size I needed when he trimmed my gelding. He also did the adjusting with the side tension wires. Very durable.

I decided to pick up some boots last fall. I keep my horses barefoot and they do well, but the boots are great for the occasional super rocky trails. I spent many hours online reading reviews and trying to decide which brand to go with. Seems like the Renegades are most popular with the endurance crowd, and I would think they would need good boots. I ended up with a pair of Boas. I used them for a 5 day riding trip, and was happy enough with them. They seem bulky, but Fred didn't seem to mind. He was fine with them from the minute I put them on. And I LOVE how easy they are to pop on and off! And yet, I had no trouble with them coming off when they weren't supposed to, and we were riding some very rough trails. I hit ebay and bought mine second hand for half price, although they had never been on a horse. They came with the gaiters (cushioned padding things), and I did have trouble keeping those in place. They wanted to spin and sneak up out of the boot, which may mean I didn't have the sizing just right. Although... I did measure about 850 times over a week or so to make sure I was getting it right. :-) I rode both with and without the gaiters, and it didn't seem to make much difference to Fred. I have a friend who has just about every size of Old Macs and uses them constantly. She really likes them. I've heard from others that had a very poor opinion of them. In fact, I found that it's the same as any horse product- ask twenty people and you will get twenty strong and varied opinions. :-D I had a stranger ride up to me at the trail camp to ask about my Boas, and upon hearing I had just purchased them, she launched into a lecture about how horrible they are and how much I was going to HATE them. Opinionated much? Ha! In any case, I got along fine with the Boas. Don't love 'em, don't hate 'em. Still want to buy a pair of boots for my mare, so I'm back in the info gathering stage. Good luck!

Mud? In Texas? Whats mud? LOL Thanks Nickie

We have used Boas...they do well,,,easy to put on but a bit bulky. Great for trails....not so great if being judged as they they are more apt to click logs, etc. We now mostly use the easy boot glove and love them...Best by far...you must have a near perfect kit...they will send you a trial pack of 3 sizes to try...they are difficult to put on...we keep a rasp, a knife and a rubber hammer handy. Once you get the knack of it, not so hard unless it is a 100 degree day in Texas..But....they fit like a glove...no clumsiness and the horses do very well with them. Worth the more difficult to put on. We have also used the new easy sport boot...they are pretty good also but the easy boot glove gets our vote. The regular easy boot....naww....maye if standing in a stall needing hoof packing or something similar but no good for the trail. We have never lost any boot in the mud.

I'm going to be doing a lot of rocky rides this summer and wondered if anyone knows of boots that have improved over the last few years. Looks like the last post of this topic is from 2009...are there better made boots now? Ones that go on and come off easier?

Here are two links to a site that has FAQ (and answers) to the three type of boots. http://loristack.com/bbfaq.htm http://loristack.com/hoofboots.htm

wannabe, thanks for asking! i have wanted to know more about the different kinds and just never of thought of asking here on ES... duh i ride a foxtrotter, so does that make any diffenence in choosing a boot? thanks to all, susie

I love Old Macs.... Have used them on some pretty rough trails and in brush... have friends that jump and do eventing in them. That alone should say something about their stability. Proper fit is important. They are very easy to put on and take off. If your horse has wide, round feet, try to find a store that still has the old style in stock (lots do).. the newer ones are more oval. I haven't used the Boa or Cavallos so I can't compare them, but i'm sure that you need to take into consideration the shape of your horses feet when deciding... Just as some humans fit Justins better than Tony Llamas or Ariats. They are all good boots, but cater to a slightly difference foot shape. An someone should take easyboots to court fer false advertising!