Did you Know Cavallos Make Effective Overboots for Shod Horses?

Cavallos – Additional Protection for Shod Horses

Cavallos provide many beneficial uses to compliment the shod horse.  Once thought of mainly as equipment for the barefoot horse, Cavallo Hoof Boots are enjoying a surge in popularity with shod horse owners.

Retaining Metal Horseshoes

• For those who compete or show their horses, Cavallos can be used during turnout to protect shoes from coming off before an event
• For any horse that’s prone to losing shoes, Cavallos can be worn to prevent costly, unplanned calls to the farrier and/or unnecessary injury
• In the case of a shod horse going through hoof rehabilitation, Cavallos can be worn over metal shoes to offer additional comfort and full protection during healing

Extra Protection on All Terrain

• While metal against rock or hard ground can cause reverberation that can be harmful to your horse’s hoofs, adding Cavallos over metal shoes prevents the direct contact that produces shock, and the boot soles absorb much of the shock created by impact
• Cavallo Boots worn over metal shoes give full hoof protection to your horse and prevent chipping, stone bruising or any sensitivity on gravel or stony ground
• On dry, hard Summer ground, Cavallo Boots provide a cushion to protect the hoof against tenderness and/or pain
• Of course, Cavallos also make a perfect “spare tire” for a shoe lost while on a trail

Taking the Shock out of Jumping

• Cavallo Boots are proven to absorb impact and minimize pressure on the hoof. For a horse that is jumping repetitively with the additional weight of a rider, the reduction in hoof pressure offered by Cavallo soles can add up to a lot of relief in the short AND long term.  For more information, please see this video report by Dr. Jennifer Gill and Gabriella Lynn of the Western Kentucky University Equine Sciences department, citing the results of their 2019 study regarding the effect of Cavallo Hoof Boots on reducing hoof pressure HERE!

Wise Words from Dr. Robert Bowker

“Is Barefoot Better? The blood in horses’ feet does much more than provide nutrients to hoof tissues. It also enables the unshod foot to function as a hydraulic system, in much the same way that gel-filled athletic shoes do. We need to be trimming hooves so that more of the back part of the foot — including the frog — bears the initial ground impact forces and weight. Horseshoes provide a much smaller surface area to absorb shock. So, if a bare hoof landing after a jump experiences, say, 1,000 pounds of loading per square foot, then with a traditional shoe, there’s going to be 2,000 pounds per square foot.”

-Robert Bowker, DVM – From Horse & Rider, Feb. 2006,

 

Inspiring Stories from the Shod-and-Booted:

Keep Those Metal Horseshoes ON!

“Hello, just wanted to let you know that we are so pleased with our Cavallo Trek Boots! Our horse used to throw a front shoe at least once or twice a month. We tried every bell boot available, to no avail. Last Winter, he wound up tearing off his shoe and clipping the heel of his front foot so badly that he needed daily bandaging and stall rest for two months.

Time to Try Trek

I spoke with Krystle at Cavallo and she suggested we try the Trek Boots. They‘ve worked out perfectly; he has not thrown a shoe since. We use them for turnout. He’s gone through deep snow and thick, sticky mud, yet he always comes in from the paddock with his boots and, most importantly, his SHOES ON as well. I know the boots are advertised for horses without shoes; however we found them to be just as effective to use as an overboot on a shod horse. Love the quality of boots, durability through all conditions and the fantastic service we got from Cavallo. Would highly recommend the boots as an overboot for shod horses, certainly worked out well for us!”