Frequently Asked Questions About Soft Ride Boots
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We’re thrilled to be back up and running after hurricane Beryl. It’s been a busy couple weeks at Soft Ride from shipping to customer service and we so appreciate all the support we’ve gotten from our clients and practices. As some of the top horses in the world converge in Paris we’re seeing a lot of Soft Ride boots out on the road for travel and we thought we’d answer a few of our most frequently asked questions in our newsletter this week. Read on to learn a bit more about our products or visit our FAQ page on the website.
The Soft Ride Team |
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Soft Ride was featured on the Horse Industry Podcast this week and we discussed many frequently asked questions about Soft Ride Comfort Boots, Ice Spas, and SoftRider Shoes as well as Soft Ride as a company. If you have a drive coming up and want to learn more about our products make sure to bookmark this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Radio Public, Pocket Cast and wherever public podcasts are available.
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FAQs About Soft Ride Boots
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Are Soft Ride Boots made for shod or unshod horses?
Soft Ride boots are compatible with both shod and unshod hooves. They were originally designed with metal shoes in mind, so shoes won't damage the gel orthotic, and they are equally beneficial for barefoot horses to give them a little extra support and comfort when it's needed.
Should my horse be wearing two or four boots?
Horses carry around ⅔ of their weight on their front end, so protecting the front hooves is the first priority. Depending on how much you are traveling, what sorts of activities your horse is competing in, and if there are any pre-existing strains or injuries, boots for the rear end become more important.
What can Soft Ride boots be used for?
Soft Ride boots are intended for preventative care use in trailers, stalling, and at show grounds as protection. They help protect the hoof and legs from the strain of travel and provide a supportive base that encourages circulation and comfort.
The boots are also used in most laminitic, navicular, and abscess cases for treatment. The boots can be used for light, round pen turnout and hand walking, but are not recommended for any lunging or unobserved walker use. Soft-Ride boots are not intended for riding or performance.
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How do I measure my horse for boots?
We recommend measuring horses after a fresh trim. Our length measurements account for a normal growth cycle in addition to the length we advertise. If your horse is at a different stage in the trim cycle keep that in mind for your measurements. The horse’s hoof should be measured across the widest point of the hoof, and from the toe to the end of the ground contact on the hoof. For more directions, visit our sizing page and watch the measuring video.
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What sizes do the boots come in?
Soft Ride boots come in 20 sizes. Our sizing is flipped so our size two boots are our largest size and our size ten is our smallest size. Size two boots are intended for warmbloods and size 10 for mini horses.
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How do I clean the boots?
Daily maintenance of the Soft Ride Boots should involve removing the orthotics and checking for impacted debris and bedding. The boots need to be disassembled and washed less frequently, but it is still recommended before storage or when they have come in prolonged contact with urine. When it is time to wash the boots we recommend using a bucket of soapy water and a scrub brush to wash each part of the boots.
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How long can my horse wear the boots?
Soft Ride boots are intended for continuous wear when properly cleaned and cared for. For horses on the road, boots will generally be worn in the stall, trailer, and when walking across paved surfaces. When horses are laminitic or suffering from other injuries or illnesses the boots can be worn for as long as needed based on the horse’s comfort, stalling arrangement, vet recommendation, and other factors.
Do the boots come with orthotics?
All Soft Ride Boots sizes 2-7 include a pair of standard turquoise orthotics, and sizes 8-10 include a pair of standard purple orthotics. Specialty pairs of orthotics can be purchased additionally.
My horse is wearing bar shoes, pour in pads, wedges, can I still put him in Soft Ride boots for trailering?
Our deep gel orthotic is designed to compress under the weight of your horse and can form to different types of shoes. However, many people are using pads/bars/wedges for a specific reason or to correct a problem and prefer to remove the frog support portion of the orthotic. This is easily done with a belt sander or a hoof knife and does not change the integrity of the overall orthotic.
My dog ate one of my boots, can I purchase a single replacement?
We sell boots in pairs or singles so that if you lose a boot, or your horse has different sized hooves, you can have the best fit on each hoof. We recommend only using boots in correlating pairs so the hooves are balanced and at similar elevation.
I ordered the wrong size, what do I do?
Make sure you try your boots on right away with a protective barrier like saran wrap. If your boots are an incorrect size they can be returned or exchanged within our 30 day window. For exchanges include the packing slip with your information and order number on it and write the order number on the outside of the box. Note on the paperwork what size you need for an exchange and we will ship it to you once we have received your boots. Return shipping is the responsibility of the customer and does not have to be done through FedEx.
All exchanges and returns should be shipped to:
Soft Ride
626 Grand Ave.
Bacliff, TX 77518
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SoftRider Gel Max
The slightly curved sole on the Gel Max enables a horse to find the most comfortable resting position for the foot.
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SoftRider Gel Arena
The Gel Arena’s low profile, aggressive tread pattern and center-loading support make it a great choice for competition, trail, pleasure and general riding.
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What is the difference between a SoftRider and a regular horseshoe?
The SoftRider shoe is a center-loading shoe, which means it takes the weight that usually rests solely on the hoof wall and distributes it across the entire hoof. The base of the shoe rests directly against the sole. This allows for loading and unloading of the sole (just like the Gel Orthotic in a Soft Ride Comfort Boot), which stimulates circulation throughout the hoof and leg when standing or moving. SoftRiders also allow multi-directional breakover, which minimizes ligament and tendon strain when moving in any direction.
Can I ride/perform in SoftRiders?
Yes. SoftRiders are specifically designed to be worn for work and performance. Several NFR riders use the SoftRider Gel Arena on horses competing in roping, barrel racing, cutting, reining and more. English riders use the Gel Arena for dressage, jumping, and other equestrian events. And everyday owners use the SoftRider for activities like work, ranch and trail riding.
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How is the Ice Spa orthotic different from the one inside a regular, Soft Ride boot?
The Ice Spa orthotic uses the same material as the gel orthotic that’s found in our Soft Ride boots. However, the Ice Spa orthotic features grooves that allow cold water to flow to the bottom of the hoof and cool the frog without allowing potentially damaging ice chunks to get under the hoof.
Can I attach my own air compressor to the Ice Spa drain?
Yes. We sell an adaptor that can attach your air compressor to the Ice Spa drain line and control the pressure of the air being used in the Spa. For more details, click here. Minimum compressor specs should be 3.5 HP, 135 psi. Decrease flow initially so horse can adapt to the sensation of flow.
If you prefer, Soft Ride offers a portable Aerator that is great when you have multiple horses, locations or are on the road.
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Soft Ride Conference Schedule
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Texas Equine Veterinary Association Summer Symposium
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This conference will provide continuing education and wet lab opportunities for veterinarians and vet students. Soft Ride’s sponsorship helps allow 72 students to attend the conference. The conference includes dozens of equine practices from across the state of Texas.
Event Information:
Fort Worth, TX
August 1-3, 2024
The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel
200 Main Street
Fort Worth, TX 76102
https://www.texasequineva.com/continuing-education
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Equine Sports Medicine Symposium
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This conference will focus on understanding equestrian surfaces for the modern-day sport horses, addressing sport medicine in foot related injuries, and the role of therapeutic shoeing in relation to today’s footing surfaces. It will feature speakers Dr Raul Bras DVM, Curtis Burns, APF-I, Dr Lars Roepstorff DVM, and many others.
Event Information:
August 23 & 24
Chatham County Convention Center
Pittsboro, NC
https://equinesportsmedicinesymposium.com/register
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Opportunities in Equine Practitioners Seminar
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Opportunities in Equine Practitioners Seminar (OEPS) is the leading student forum in equine veterinary medicine, with over 4100 students attending since its inception in 2003. Third-year veterinary students attend the meeting, where they receive information about various avenues and disciplines of equine practice, employment, and practice ownership. Students gain valuable information through face-to-face encounters and presentations from current practitioners, and veterinary practice management consultants. Approximately 200 -225 veterinary students will be attending the 2024 meeting.
Event Information:
August 30 - Sept 1st
Lexington Griffin Gate Marriott Golf Resort & Spa
1800 Newtown Pike
Lexington, KY 40511
Phone: 859-231-5100
For more information please contact the seminar host:
Dr. Craig Lesser
info@oeps.com
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NAEP Sarasota Vet & Farrier Conference
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Northeast Association of Equine Practitioners annual conference will include wetlabs and lectures on lameness and podiatry from Dr. Jenny Hagen, Dr. Travis Tull, and many more.
Event Information:
September 25-28
Saratoga Springs City Center
522 Broadway Entrance
Saratoga Springs, New York 12866
info@thenaep.com
585-205-5122
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All American Quarter Horse Congress
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The AQHA Congress is the largest single-breed horse show in the world. Congress is held in Columbus, Ohio, and hosted by the Ohio Quarter Horse Association. OQHA is committed to setting the standard in the equine industry by engaging equine enthusiasts through world-class competition, recreational activities, education, and engagement of the next generation of participants and industry leaders.
Event Information:
Soft Ride Booth - 602
September 29 - October 27
Ohio Expo Center
717 East 17th Ave.
Columbus, OH 43211
info@quarterhorsecongress.com
614-505-7200
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American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention
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The AAEP Annual Convention & Trade Show is the world’s largest continuing education event dedicated to equine practice, anchored by more than 100 hours of continuing education and a 300-exhibitor-strong trade show featuring the newest products and services for practice.
Event Information:
Soft Ride Booth - 955
December 7th-11th
Location:
Orange County Convention Center
9800 International Drive
Orlando, FL
800-443-0177 (U.S. and Canada)
859-233-0147
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We LOVE hearing from our customers and getting updates on how your horses are doing! Please send us your story and a photo of your horse in their Soft-Ride products for a chance to be featured on our social media, in an upcoming issue of our newsletter, and to be entered in a Soft-Ride giveaway!
Email us here: socialmedia@srboots.com
Text us photos and stories to 419-469-5293 (this number only receives texts, for questions please call our main customer service number).
Tag us:
Facebook: Soft-Ride Equine Comfort Boots
Instagram: @soft.ride
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As we continue our drive to keep your horse on his feet, we've received more than 15 patents, ship to over 50 countries, and work with more than 6,000 veterinarians around the world, as well as every veterinarian school in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. And with horse owners from every discipline using our products, we can safely and proudly say, "The best in the world rely on Soft-Ride."
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