To be honest i find many boots clumpy. i dont feel safe on my horse in them! But i've just bought some easyboot bares for my paint horse. hes never had shoes and was farrier trimmed until i bought him last year. hes struggled over stones since i had him and now i've moved yards its worse because there are loads of very stony tracks. so we've had to have boots.

The bares are good. dont move when on and he seems to walk out ok in them. i cant tell he has them on. i had some initial probs getting them on! but i've now converted them to up buckles and thats much easier. can get them on in seconds now. i've also removed the back straps as i found these werent sitting right on him.

problem is- been out again today and hes still struggling over the bad tracks! i think he needs boots for his back feet too! Grrr. more money.

I used the original Easyboots on my endurance mare. She was competing at upto 80 miles so heavy work load. Have used them on several horses since. Still the same set. Still going strong. Over 10 years old. A bit tatty but still effective. There is a knack to getting them on and off, but once you have it they are easy. Current horse over tracks by upto a foot so has stepped them off, so just used bell boots on top - worked fine. Barefooters tend to recommend the bares, boa or Old Macs. I find the Old Macs a bit fiddly.

Thank you all for your replies. Got the farrier coming Monday so will sound him out about the plan and then go from there!
Thanks again