Q: I’m interested in hoof boots for my mule, but I know her hooves are shaped differently than horses. Will the boots fit her well?
Cavallo President Carole Herder shares her advice (https://www.cavallo-inc.com).
A: Many mules wear Cavallo Hoof Boots well. When Cavallo helps customers to fit their mules, it’s almost always recommended to get the slim-sole option. You’re right–mules almost always have narrower hooves than horses.
We can help you size your mule. It’s great to send a photo of the mule’s heel height. We’ll need to make sure that the boots you choose will cover your horse’s heel height. When Cavallo boots are sized correctly, they should be snug in at least one direction. This prevents movement. Correctly sized boots should not spin or twist on the hooves but remain securely in place. The Cavallo Hoof Boot Pad insoles and/or Cavallo Pastern Wraps or Comfort Sleeves can help adjust and tighten the fit as needed.
Cavallo’s Trek and ELB boots are top sellers for mules. The boots have the best style choices for mules and donkeys. Both styles have a unique front-closure system that allows for an extra-snug fit on the upper portion of the boot – creating a very secure fit. The wrap-around Velcro closures can be drawn to the front on an angle downward when the boot is being fastened, creating an almost “V” neck at the boot collar.
Don’t just take Cavallo’s word for it. Here’s what customers report:
Margie Johnson’s mule is back in action on the endurance-racing courses. “Jake the mule used [Cavallo Hoof Boots] in 2020 when he was quicked by a farrier and formed an abscess,” Johnson says. “I called and you all worked hard to fit him. He used the Trek Slims and was able to walk without limping. It was a long six weeks getting him back to sound. Now he will be using his Slim Treks in an endurance race next month! Thanks!”
Johnson wrote again in the fall of 2021: “Cavallo, you have spoiled my mule!” she says.
“Remember my mule, Jake? He used to be barefoot all the time. I bought the Trek for him after a bad abscess, then he wore them in an endurance ride! Today I went out at our normal state park, a place he has ridden all his life barefoot. He let me know that if I expected him to be ridden today, he needed his Treks on! He acted like he was three-legged lame. So, I put his Treks on and he marched out at 4 mph. Cavallo you have spoiled my mule! Jake has also been wearing his Treks in endurance rides. Score = Cavallo: 2, mud slop and rocks: 0! I saw other boots along the trail, lost and alone. Jake’s have stayed on, letting us concentrate on the race and not looking for a lost boot! Thanks, Cavallo.”
Jane McKay wrote to report that the slim-soled Cavallo Hoof Boots fit her mule, as well.
“The size 0 slim along with the Comfort Sleeves worked out PERFECTLY for the front feet of my Minna mule on the July 20 km cattle drive,” she says. It didn’t matter if I was going through a bog, climbing up a cobblestone trail or galloping down the gravel road chasing after a calf that was trying to head home—the boots stayed on, didn’t impede movement, and never caused rubs. I’m hoping the rubber bottoms are hard enough to withstand long trail miles on the sharp rock of Arizona because so far I’m really liking the simplicity of these boots a lot more than the “Brand B” that I used previously.”
Yet another mule owner, Jan Newell, wrote to share her success with Cavallo Trek Boots to help after a bout of laminitis, and now for trail riding. “My mule had laminitis and she was measured for Trek boots after a trim,” she says. “I purchased the boots but didn’t put them on her until we got through the vetting process and another trim, which put us at the 6 or 7-week mark. I put them on her and they fit very well (I was concerned because the farrier really pushed her toe back), and rode her about 20 minutes over gravel, up and down hills, in the pasture and not a lame step! I will be doing more rigorous riding in the coming months and am confident they will do well!”
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Carole Herder is the author of the #1-bestselling books: There Are No Horseshoes in Heaven, and the newly-released Hoofprints on The Journey. Her company, Cavallo Horse & Rider Inc., manufactures and distributes horse products, including Cavallo Hoof Boots and Saddle Pads, to 26 countries worldwide. Herder designed and developed Cavallo Hoof Boots and Total Comfort System Saddle Pads. She’s an honored recipient of the BCBusiness Women Innovator Award, Royal Bank of Canada Woman Entrepreneur Award, a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization, and a certified Chopra University Yoga Instructor and Ayurvedic Teacher.
Visit https://www.cavallo-inc.com to learn about the full line of Cavallo Horse & Rider products. Call (877) 818-0037 from the USA or Canada or call direct, (604) 740-0037.
Contact:
Cavallo Horse & Rider
Jenny@Cavallo-Inc.com
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ztdaz98b2jiope8/AAD3fuNV342x3kMy1sPiU7hLa?dl=0