Dakini in her Scoot Boots; Round 2

Apologies in advance; this will be another photo heavy post.  I tried to take as many photos as I could of the many angles of the Scoot Boots for people who are curious about them.  This is especially true for we Paso Fino riders, and doubly true for Paso Fino riders who are doing distance riding with our horses.

So with that...here we go.

So, I mentioned a few posts back that it took me until the 14th of this month to finally step back on a horse.  And, I took Dakini.  For many reasons.  But primarily because she came up to me in the paddock and didn't run away when I laid my hands on her.  For some reason as of late, she's gotten hard to catch.  Like "I need to take Strider out so I can chase her into the feeding pen so I can get a halter on her" bad.  Quite annoying and frustrating. 

So, that she came up to me and asked for some love was nice.  So I gave it to her.

I went out not caring WHO I rode as I needed to get on them both.  It just so happened to work out that Dakini was easiest to catch.  Strider blasted off at Mach 10, obviously sound and feeling good.  Which was such a relief.

But, I pulled Dakini out and used the sole paint from the vet on all 4 feet, gave her a good grooming, and then tossed her Scoot Boots on her.

Now, after our first trial, and with the minor twist on the rear boots, the lady who fitted the Scoot Boots suggested removing the endurance gaiter.  And, on the suggestion of another friend who is using Scoot Boots on her TWH mare, she uses either cut socks, or the wrist sweatbands to wrap around the pastern to help prevent twist.

Well, why not?  So, I bought a dozen of the wrist sweatbands (thank you Amazon!) and tossed one on each of her rears and then put the boots on.

All 4 Scoots.  Kind of liking the purple on her rears.  :)

Better picture of the rear Scoot Boots. Not squared up.  I know, looks funky.

Left hind 'profile'.

Right rear, view from rear.

Not quite centered on her right front, but fit is good.

I also took the time to put the bit hangers on the new hackamore I got from Rae's Rope Halters and tossed it on.  Isn't she ADORABLE?!

Still a cute little Snort.

Profile and Strider photobomb.

However, let me say this.  She has always been SCARED of fly spray being squirted on her.  I was curious about what would happen if I fly sprayed her.  The actual bottle the fly spray came in broke, so I'd dumped it into the water bottle I bought to practice spraying her with.  And she just stood there for it!  WHAT A GOOD GIRL!!  I -almost- put her away after that.  But, I NEEDED to try out these boots and see how they were.

Anyway, I took Dakini over to the Pecan Grove side of the property.   Now, she had a tantrum heading out.  "I don't WANNA wear these boots!  I hate them!  Don't make me!!!!"  Lots of talking about that.  She's usually not a brat, but she was about that.  "I'm sorry babygirl, but you HAVE to learn to wear them!"

But, we finally got into the grove itself proper.  Where she tossed lots of spooks my way.  A few of them were hard spooks.  Dakini is DEFINITELY the type of horse who needs to be kept in constant work.  Noted little girl.

And away we went.  I let her walk for a while just to get used to them. And then finally asked for her to step it up into a gait.  Which she finally gave to me. 

We rode about 3 miles in them.  I wasn't pushing for speed, I was asking her to adjust to the boots and stop acting so weird about them. 

I pushed her through every large and small puddle I could find.  I made her walk through the nastiest mud and muck and filth we could access and go through.  I wanted to push these boots as much as I could.

I noticed, after passing through one puddle, I hadn't gotten a toe strap done on a boot.  I ALMOST got off to fix it and said "No.  Let's keep riding.  I want to know if, should a toe strap break on me while on trail, if the boot will stay on." 

Spoiler alert; that boot (her front right) DID!

At about mile 2.5, we went through a long, nasty muddy puddle.  As she exited, she did an incredibly violent spook which almost unseated me.  After a frustrated hollar of "What the eff Dakini?!!!", I looked back; "Yep, boot on each rear."  I looked right front "Hey!  Boot with 1 toe strap is still on through that spook!"  I looked left front.  Bare naked hoof.  But, it wasn't on the ground.

It was at the edge of the muddy puddle.  My suspicion is the spook was caused as the boot was sucked off her foot.  I'm SURE that felt INCREDIBLY weird to her.  So, I sort of slopped the boot around in the puddle to get the worst of the muck and grime off and popped it back on her foot.  Jumped back on and away we went.  Gait.  Canter.  She was quite happy to move out. 

Sun was starting to sink at this point, and I really wanted to end on a high note, so I made my way back to the barn. 

And, let me say I was impressed.  NO twist on the rears!  I'm not sure if it was because I removed the endurance gaiters, or because I added the sweat bands, or both, but I feel that the boots performed quite optimally for Dakini*.

So, here is the photographic aftermath of a little gray mare pushed through mud, muck, filth and just all around grossness.

Right front view.

Right front, profile view.

Right front, rear view.

Left front.  This is the boot where I didn't get the toe strap all the way on.  But it stayed PUT!

Left front, profile view.

Left front, bad rear photo.

Left rear; front view.

Left rear; profile view.

Left rear; rear view (again, not a great one, sorry!).

Right profile/front (sorta).

Right rear, rear photo.  Again, sorry it's not very good!

Left front with the boot off. No, that's not glass on the ground.  :)

Right rear, with boot off.  Seeing no rubs or "ouchy".

Left front off.  Looks good!

I apparently didn't get a photo of the back of the left front.  Got interrupted for feeding time at the barn and was talking with the guy who feeds the horses.  SORRY!!!

Right rear, removed, profile.

Right rear, rear view.  Looks good!

Left rear, profile view.

Left rear, rear view.  Still looking good!

Overall, and still so far, despite having less than 10 miles in these boots, I am happy with them. 

I would CERTAINLY recommend them for the casual trail rider on a Paso Fino.  And, while the jury is still out for MY Paso Fino for distance rides...I'm feeling confident.  If I only dismount once or twice during a ride to pop a boot back on, I'll count that a semi-success.  And, I'm thinking for the Old Glory ride, which will be at the same location as Armadillo Run, I just might boot her up for her LD and see how she does.  We have a month to continue 'toughening' up the skin to prevent rubs and to get her really used to wearing her boots.

In fact, think I'll have her wear them for the casual trail ride that's going on at Rusty's this weekend.  Babygirl needs to wear her kicks!!

*-Your mileage may vary