We’re wrapping up our mid-summer week off at Soft-Ride and we’ve been busy behind the scenes networking with vets, going to conferences, and updating some of our equipment. We also took a little time to celebrate the life of our owner’s father who was a pillar of influence in the equine community. If you haven’t done so, learn a little about Roger Ruetenik in this article.
We are so grateful to have clients that understand the importance of family and the time we get to spend with them. As we ramp back up into production and shipping we thought it would be a great time to address some of our most frequently asked questions. We’d also love to hear from you what questions you have and how we can help you.
The Soft-Ride Team |
|
Frequently Asked Questions About Soft-Ride Boots
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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?
Yes! 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?
Yes! 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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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.
|
|
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 used for treatment 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. For riding and performance, we recommend SoftRider shoes.
|
|
|
From the Ground Up Conference
|
|
Soft-Ride is also sponsoring Northwest Equine Performance’s “From the Ground Up” Conference on equine podiatry in Mulino, Oregon. This conference will feature podiatry based lectures and labs from Mark Revenaugh, Tim Ober, Charlie Buchanan, and many more. Talks and wetlabs will focus on:
- Strategies and limitations for Nerve Blocks
- An Update on Orthobiologics
- Lessons learned as USA Team Farrier for 25 years
This meeting will focus on the collaborations of veterinarians, farriers, and equine footing experts to address equine soundness. Soft-Ride is pleased to be involved in this pioneering research and advancement in the field.
Event Information:
When
July 7th and 8th, 2023
Where
Hopkins Demonstration Forest
16750 S Brockway Road
Oregon City, OR 97045
If you would like more information or to attend this event, please contact NW Equine Performance at info@equinepi.com
|
|
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
|
|
Thanks for Reading!
If you have a friend you think would be interested in our content you can share with the social icons below.
|
|
|
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."
|
|
|
|
