Marquis Supergrip Boots

[Mackenzie J.]

Has anyone had experience using the Marquis Supergrip boots which are made by strideequus? I am thinking of purchasing a pair for my barefoot horse. However, they are very pricey, and so I'd like to hear opinions before I buy them. Do they hold up well? Good traction? Seem comfortable? Stay on well?

How long does it take for a hoofboot (of any kind) to wear out?

Thanks!
Mac

http://www.strideequus.com/

[joan cameron]

Hi Mac, I have not used the Marquis boots, but use the Boa boots. I bought them slightly used and have used them at least 5 days a week for 4 months now on all sorts of footing and they're still going strong. The only thing I can say about them that's not good is they are a bit slippery on mud or grass, but they do have studs you can get to put on if needed. The fellows who invented the boa boot and old mac's have joined together so I'm hoping they can combine the easiness of putting on of the boa boot, with a tread more like the old mac. I tried the old mac as well, but it was way to clunky, it forced the breakover point to far forward and I did not like the strap that winds around the pastern to keep them on. The Marquis sound interesting, it seems they'll take a little trial and error to learn how much air to have in the air pad to help keep them on....if you wind up getting them why don't you post here and let people know what you think of them?? Good Luck, Joan

[txhoof9903]

Houston Mounted Patrol uses the Marquis and I believe Tampa Mounted Patrol does as well. HPD's trainer says they aren't necessarily his favorite since he's used other brands with the same success, but likes them since the bottoms can be replaced if needed and they ride on asphalt a lot which can be hard on a boot.

They have mostly transitioned their entire unit to barefoot though and only use the boots for the transition process, then only for riots (to prevent horses stepping on things the rioters throw) or for excessive long times on-duty...like when they worked Super Bowl) You have to do a LOT of riding to wear them out though. You can ask the Easy Boot distributors (they make the Easy Boot, the Epic, the Bare, Boa Boot, and now own the rights to Old Macs as well), and I'm sure those that make Marquis, can answer your questions on how long they last.

I know many serious endurance riders and eventers that use the Epics and Bares and adore them, they stay on incredibly well. Boas are great too, particularly for just regular riding. For more serious heavy duty riding I'd use the Epics or Bares.

I know of a website that sells lightly used hoof boots--various types---or new boots that were ordered in the wrong size, etc. but it's a "barefoot website" so they might not like me to post it here. You can contact me by e-mail if you'd like it. Here is a good site on Easy Boots (not a barefoot site!) just for FYI to help you compare boots http://www.redwrench.com/EZboot/karen/karen2.html

[TE Couch]

Well this is the barefoot place here - the used boot swap is on
www.naturalhorsetrim.com
You will have to scroll down to find the link -
TE

[txhoof9903]

Well in that case, :) lol, http://www.naturalhorsetrim.com/boot_swap.htm is the direct link to the page, to make it easier to find!

[frank brown]

just looked at the posted website. hard for me to believe that there are people that actually use boots on horses for extended period. this is the type of mindless stuff that you run into in life. and, yes, this is judgmental. anyone with the slightest powers of observation would see how miserable horses are traveling in boots. boots slide. its similar to a human putting on rubber shoes a couple of sizes too large. do i ever use boots? yes, to apply medication, or for an abscess. for a potential boot user, what, pray tell is the point. I might doubt that the cost of a shoeing is any less than the costs of the boot, putting them on, taking them off, careing for them, the less than quality ride you would get with them, and the misery that you put your horse through.

[Jeanie Connors]

Frank, I don't mean to argue, but if boots are so bad, why do so many people say their horses go so much better *in* the boots?? And I'm not talking about the testimonials the manufacturers put up on their websites; I'm talking about people saying they love their boots.

If you fit them right, they are *not* too big and don't slide around; the boots actually designed for riding are *designed for riding*, and the soles reflect that. Maybe you've observed horses being ridden in medication boots? :confused:

[frank brown]

will admit to overreaction based on skimming the post and being in a hurry. maybe in fact it is possible to "fit" a boot to miminize sliding, and, yet i remain skeptical in that regard. perhaps a disinterested (in selling the product) testimonial might shed more light. also, on reflection able to conjure scenario where infrequently ridden non-shod horse may be put in boots for protection for the occasional weekend trail ride. one might applaud that sort of consideration.

[joan cameron]

Frank you might want to learn more about them before you react. The boots do not slide around if fitted properly. Swiss boots and others in fact fit quite snugly. Some horses need the boots to help with transitioning to barefoot until their feet form a callus and harden up. Or a horse may do fine on most ground and just need the boots for especially rocky terrain. Is still worth using if the horse can stay barefoot most of the time. It would be nice if people were more open minded on these threads instead of saying shoeing is all wrong or barefoot is all wrong. Why don't we all just put our heads together and compare notes and help determine what is truly best for the horses. Just came across some research that's being done by Hillary Clayton, BVMS, PHD. with Robert Bowker, VMD, PHD. who is director of the Equine Foot Laboratory at Michigan State. Using an automated computer system, the same one they used to create Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, they are studying what they call the physiological trim, which seems to be similiar to a natural trim with a mustang roll to me, they are charting the progress of a group of horses and the changes that will occur, good and bad, in these horses feet. Should supply some interesting info. for all of us.

[lorraine]

Just a a note to Mr.Brown.Differen't strokes for differen't folks!