Dakini Scoot Boot Thoughts and Troubleshooting

So, I've had some time to mull over the problems I had.  They're not massive problems, and honestly, the boots so far are great for me.  I am constantly pushing them to see what we've got.

The reality is 98% of the time on trail, I can avoid mud and water.  Mostly.  I will say at some rides, if the footing is mucky, we can get into some deep, sucking mud and filth.  So, that's why I keep pushing these boots the way I do.  I want to see what their limitations are.

So, with my recent rubs, I turned again to my Scoot Boot fitter and asked for ideas.

Some of my ideas were to:
Spray a little ShowSheen/Body Glide/Desitin on her heels to try and ease the problem

She came back and said to try the Mueller tape, very loose.  Also, put the gaiters back on.  Keep playing with it.  Try it with the tape and without.  Try it with the gaiters and without.

Ideally, yes, I'd like boots I need NEVER fiddle with.  Wouldn't we all?  And if I was "just" a trail rider (not denigrating trail riders!  I sometimes enjoy a good casual trail ride with good friends!), I wouldn't be pushing these boots to their extremes when I'm out on my home trails, but trying to trouble shoot problems before they become problems at an endurance ride.

So, up next, we'll try a light wrap of Mueller tape and see what happens.  Might be next week before I can get to the experiment as I've got to get some in, and go see what happens. 

Will continue to track and update our Scoot Boot adventure.  Still, so far, I find them quite a good boot for Dakini and myself!

Dakini in her Scoot Boots; Round 3

So, there was a fundraising trail ride at the barn on Saturday.  How could I NOT go?  I mean, I didn't need to haul ANYWHERE, some friends were going to be coming, and Joe was able to join in the fun.

Took it as a chance to continue to test out my Scoot Boots.


And as such, you're warned, PHOTO HEAVY POST!!!

This ride, we had some bobbles, but I will, currently, say that the bobbles I had were 100% user error on my part!  Having it in my head to keep the pastern straps loose, I made them as LOOSE as possible, and I feel this was the issue.

Anyway, I popped them all on, no problems.  I do love how much easier these are to get on.

Front view.  Notice (if you're able) how loose I have those pastern straps!)

Rear view of front boots.  From this angle I feel you're better able to see how LOOSE the straps on.  But seated well on her feet.

Rear front view of boots.  Those are the exact same wraps as I used last time.  They washed up VERY clean with JUST water. Notice that they straps don't appear QUITE as loose DUE to the wraps?

Rear view of rear feet.  I will say that I feel that right boot is off center (obviously).  It DID end up twisting later (like 180 degree twist), but didn't seem to cause her an issue.  Pulled it off, popped it back on, no big deal for her.

After a little bit of excitement (fellow Paso Fino rider's mare took off and ran off the property.  THANKFULLY she was quickly recovered and didn't seem to suffer any ill effects!), we all saddled up and headed out.

Strider and Dakini were happy to go.  Dakini actually didn't pitch a fit about her boots (I think having Strider there helped) and she set a nice and snappy leading pace for a while.  VERY proud of the little girl!!

There's even a brief video where you can hear me whooping for Strider to "GO STRIDER GO!" while he and Joe tore up the trail, and then Dakini and I are behind them, as more of the group comes along.

Now, while out on trail, I had, at different points, both of Dakini's front boots come off.  Remember when I mentioned that front pastern strap was too loose?  PRETTY sure that's the culprit, but not 100% just as of yet.

So, the first one came off in a puddle (THANKFULLY at the end as we were exiting so it was easy to find!).  I quick swished it off, popped it back on, tightened it and got back on my horse and kept on going.

We looped around and around, and I made her go through another puddle, where the OTHER front one came off as she went in. 

Ugh.  So, quick swished it off, popped it back on and tightened up all her others.

That one that was slightly twisted I mentioned HAD done almost a 180 turn, so I removed it, popped it back on and she was fine for the rest of the ride.

I believe we covered about 7 miles in an hour and 45 minutes (give or take).

Took the horses back to their pen, stripped tack and left them tied in case we decided to ride after lunch and a cold beer.  No big deal.

However, as we were eating, someone mentioned a line of storms was coming, so that kind of broke up the fun.

Not that I was complaining.  We were SUPPOSED to get rain and scattered thunderstorms all day.  Instead the day was hot, sunny with a good breeze.  PERFECT riding weather!!!

So, with that in mind, I went to go remove her boots and put her and Strider away.

As you have surmised, I'm sure, yes, she had some rubs.  But really ONLY on her front two feet.  Now, most of where we ride is sandy at this property, and those puddles are sandy muck.  So I suspect that's what irritated her.

Anyway, post ride feetie pictures!!!

Both front feet, front view.

Right front, rear view.

Right front, rear view.

Rear feet, front.

Off-center shot of the rear left.

And now, the removal of the boots.

FRONTS FIRST!

Straps all undone.

Left front off.  Some hair scuffing that I initially noticed.

Much more visible here.  Left side of left foot.  That is, indeed, a raw and sore spot.

Left front, right side.  Little less visible owwie here.

The rocks weren't in there for the ride; it's because the alley is a little gravelly.  I just thought this was cool though how you could see the impression from the inside of the Scoot Boots in the filth in her foot.

Rub is more visible here.  *sigh*

Moving to the Right Front.

You can see where the hair got all scuffed up.

Moving to the rears!

Left rear first.

Right rear now.

And, since you've made it through all of that, how about some full body shots of Strider and Dakini?

And of course...Strider.

"Hey, Dakini, get outta my picture!  My adoring public needs to see MY face!"

Make sure you got a picture of my good side, ok?

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