Hoof boots are like any other piece of tack or equipment you use on your horse, and should be cared for to get the best from them.
After each use, the boots should have the worst of the mud removed from them (a good hose-down or dunk in a bucket of water will usually do this very quickly!), and the inside should be checked for small stones / gravel and any lumps of mud or deposits that could cause rubbing.
The boots should be routinely inspected for signs of wear, any screws or fitting checked for tightness, and cables or buckles checked for signs of stress or fraying. Just like all tack, damaged boots should not be used until the problem has been rectified, or they have been checked by a knowledgeable individual for safety. It is also worth measuring your horse’s hooves every couple of months, especially during transitioning, to monitor your horse’s foot shape / size, as they can change - just to make sure the boots are still the best boots for your horse! Online auction sites are a very easy way to buy and sell used boots, and often good prices can be made if you do need to sell your boots on, and replace them with a different pair. If you are using one pair of hoof boots on more than one horse, it is wise to use a disinfectant spray in between horses, to prevent the spread of infection. something akin to the spray used to disinfect shoes at a bowling alley for example can be used, or there are specialist hoof disinfectant sprays on the market. at least once a week pads should be removed and the boot and pad should be sprayed liberally, before returning the pad to the boot.
