In which we test the Ruby Slippers in mud, the creek, and the Big Thing

The sun was shining. Madeline and I had the entire day available. It was time to go test out those Ruby Slippers!

Mel sent me a link to the "cable adjustment" tutorial. I really appreciate the clear instructions and copious photos on the link, and I sat in front of the computer one night with my boots and a cup of tea and adjusted the heck out of those puppies!

Here's how they look now:

left front (above and below)
right front (wonky foot) below

front feet

both front feet--the "wonky" foot has the little garland stuck in so I could keep track in the photos!left rear (below)rear feet, side view (below)

The straps are much more manageable now, but I suspect that the left front actually needs a slightly smaller size. I will try one of the hind boots on that foot to see if it's an improvement for her.

Fiddle and her Ruby Slippers!Hana was happy to be groomed in the December sunshine.

Even with tons of Cowboy Magic on her mane, Hana gets horrible elflocks. I have to pull them out with my fingers every day or two.

"I'm ready for my saddle now, Madeline!"

Mads carried the camera most of the day, to document the trail conditions.

This trail (below) is a mucky mess, with deep mud on the flat sections and slick mud on the hills. Fiddle was very tidy with her feet, and didn't slip nearly as much as I had expected because she was being so careful. She took some funky steps at first, getting used to the feel of boots instead of steel shoes.

Through the creek. "Hey! Look at my red toes!" Maddy and I practiced the camera-pass midstream so I could get a photo of her and Hana in the pretty winter light.This section of trail has deep, abrasive sand.

And then....SUNSHINE! I love that stuff--it's so rare in the Swamp this time of year!

After about an hour of riding (walk/trot) through mud, sand, and gravel, we stopped to look at the boots.

Everything still stuck on pretty well--I didn't adjust a thing.

Then we did some trot-bys to get some pictures of the boots in action:

(Below) you can see the reason that we've had trouble keeping boots on.

Fee has a GIGANTIC overstride. Last year (wearing EasyBoot Gloves), the back boots would "scoot" off of her feet, and the front boots would get knocked off by her back feet. It was so frustrating!

Here's a video of Fiddle doing the trot that we call "The Big Thing":

Considering all the "action" involved in doing the Big Thing, I am lucky that her steel shoes stay on as well as they do. The video shows her moving out nicely, but this isn't nearly her top speed. She has at least two faster trotting gears, plus a pace and a canter!

(Knock wood), her feet are very strong and steel shoes stay stuck on beautifully. But will boots continue to stay on this mare's feet?

So far: YES!

Hana got to stand by and spectate while we took photos and videos of Fiddle and the boots.

Back at the trailer, the light is beginning to fail (at 4pm! Solstice is almost here!)

Front feet:

Back feet (she's standing like a goofball):

all four boots are in place. No twisted or spun boots either. Compared to the EasyBoots (I tried a couple different styles last year) the Renegade boots are significantly easier to put on, take off, and adjust. And, of course, they stay on.

You can see in the photo (above) that the parking lot is gravel. As soon as the boots were removed, Fiddle complained about the pointy stuff. She was "okay" on the gravel with the boots, but I can see that steel shoes are a more comfortable option on gravel--and we have a lot of gravel logging roads to ride.

This reinforces my observation that Fee is not a good candidate to be barefoot/boots in serious training or competition. I like the idea of a barefoot horse, but when idealism collides with reality, reality is always stronger. I won't choose a nice idea over a pain-free horse.

I know it works for a lot of horses. It would probably be a good choice for Hana, who walks just fine on the gravel with bare feet. Poor tender-toes Gigantor will be returned to shoes when we go back to a regularly conditioning program prior to the ride season.

Initial impression after one good ride:

Ease of application: A+

Ease of adjustment: B+ (wouldn't want to have to adjust the cables in the field because everything would be so muddy and nasty)

Stick-on-itivness: A++

Horse comfort: B+ (still not as much protection as steel shoes, but more protection than EasyBoots)

Attractiveness: C (no purple? srsly??? Maroon isn't purple, just like a Big Mac isn't a hamburger)

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Overall score so far: B+ Muddy boots!

Thanks, Mel, for all your help!