Soft-Ride Articles

Tribute to Roger Ruetenik

Roger Ruetenik was always at the forefront of the Quarter Horse industry. As a member of the founding Executive Board of the Ohio Quarter Horse Association, an Honorary Director of the All American Quarter Horse Congress, and head of the AQHA Show and Contest Committee that started the World Show, it is safe to say the Quarter Horse world might look different without his enthusiasm and guidance.

Soft Ride Customer Service Hours

We're headed into summer and our scheduled summer hours of operation. Our customer service representatives and shipping operations are available Monday- Thursday 9am to 5pm EST excluding established holidays. The shipping deadline is 4pm EST Monday through Thursday. Online orders from www.softrideboots.com will continue to operate 24/7 with orders taken outside operation hours being processed the next business day.

SoftRiders Give Dixie a Fresh Start

SoftRiders Give Dixie a Fresh Start

Recognizing, Treating and Preventing Laminitis

Recognizing, Treating and Preventing Laminitis

Evidence-based Farriery

This article Equine Veterinary Journal reinforces that farriery is an integral part of managing both sound and lame horses, and encourages horse owners to engage well with farriery care for their horses.

Making the Road Feel Less Traveled

Long trailer rides can cause unnecessary stress on both hard and soft tissue in horses’ legs. The secret to helping alleviate that stress? Keeping a horse’s sole stimulated on a long trailer ride.

As you’ll see from this article, Team Roping Journal recommends Soft Ride horse hoof boots to help make the road feel less traveled.

The Top 5 Questions About Soft Ride Boots

You’ll find a complete list of frequently asked questions here, but following are five questions we hear frequently.

Saved By Soft Ride

Thank you for your wonderful product. Your Soft Ride boots saved the ay when my IR/Metabolic American Shetland suffered a ‘perfect storm’ and had a major laminitic episode. I really feel that I would not have been able to bring him back without your wonderful boots. He could not tolerate shoeing, even on meds. The pain was too great and I refused to sedate him for further hammering procedures, and I could not find anyone to apply a reverse shoe as a glue-on. The Soft Ride boots were exactly what we needed to get him through the nasty acute phase. As much as he has worn them, they wash up great and show no signs of wear. Bless you for providing so much comfort while my pony is healing.” Sherry Ward and Dash

Patrick Smith and Amigo Rely on Soft Ride

Like so many pros, Patrick Smith relies on Soft Ride horse hoof boots to keep his champion horse Amigo sound when trailering to eventsRead Full Article

Soft Ride Featured in Equine Laminitis Book

Dr. James K. Belknap is a leading expert on equine laminitis, and his book—Equine Laminitis—is the first book dedicate solely to this common, complex and sometimes deadly equine disease. Dr. Belknap’s book includes 50 chapters with contributions from dozens of other laminitis experts, many of whom espouse the benefits of ice therapy and the Soft Ride Ice Spa when treating laminitis.

The book is aimed at practitioners and is available through a variety of outlets, including Amazon.

World Champion Al Dunning is a Soft Ride Fan

Don’t just take our word that horse owners AND horses love Soft-Ride hoof boots. “Horses love to wear them,” says world champion trainer Al Dunning. Watch this brief video to hear Al talk about the benefits of Soft Ride horse hoof boots and how easy they are to use.Read Full Article

Soft Ride Around the World

When Dr. Jan-Hein Swagemakers, veterinarian for Team Germany, first saw the Soft Ride Ice Spa, he said “that had been the boot I had been looking for for a long time.” Read Full Article

Staying Safe in Your Trailer

At Soft Ride, our mission is to help keep your horse healthy. But sometimes, we come across a story like this that we feel compelled to share because we all spend time on the road and in our trailers at events. So while keeping your horse healthy is our priority, we hope you’ll take a few minutes to read this story and promise to always take the proper precautions when using a generator near your trailer.

Soft Ride Ice Spa Helps Older Horses Perform Better

It’s not uncommon for performances horses to sustain suspensory ligament injuries, particularly when they’re older. Kevin—a signature black heel horse ridden by Billie Jack Saebens—is an exemplary example of how ice therapy can help with prevention and post-injury maintenance.

Make Your Soft Ride Boots Last Longer

Want to make your Soft Ride horse hoof boots last longer? A minimum amount of effort will result in a maximum amount of comfort for your horse, and will help ensure that your Soft Rides last a long time.

As you’ll see from these quick videos, Soft Ride recommends that—every day—you remove the gel orthotic and dump out any accumulated dirt and debris. And once each week, give the boot and orthotic a quick scrub with some mild soap and water.