Troubleshooting

While we feel that Horse-Mocs are the finest alternative horse boots you can buy, occasionally problems arise. From our own experience and feedback from our testers and clients, we've compiled a list of possible problems you might encounter and solutions to them.

I'm having difficulties getting my Horse-Mocs to go on.

The first fitting of your new Horse-Mocs may be similar to wearing a new pair of human running shoes. They need to be broken in to fit perfectly. Try the following:

Be certain that you've seated the toe firmly and squarely in the front of the Horse-Moc before attempting to slip the hoof all the way in.

Hold the back of the Neoprene upper firmly and allow your horse to "step in" as you lower the foot. You may need to repeat this a couple of times. (See Care and Feeding.)

After riding for a while, I've notice that the Horse-Mocs have rotated.

The causes of the vast majority of turning problems are:

Not putting them on tightly enough. The Neoprene fold next to your horse's skin needs to be pulled very snugly and held in place while pulling the top fold tightly. (Don't cut off circulation of course.)

Incorrect application of the Velcro strip. It must go all the way to the top of the boot, not just to the top of the outer fold edge.

In cooler weather the Neoprene will soften a bit after your horse's body warms it. It's a good idea in this case to tighten again after a few minutes.

You can make a pleat in the back of the Horse-Moc and secure it with Velcro to customize the fit even more.

After putting on your Horse-Mocs for the first time, my horse went berserk and kicked and bucked.

This is extremely rare. This we can't predict. We strongly urge you to acclimate your horse to its Horse-Mocs while dismounted. Consider this: Would you rather discover this quirk with a boot made of soft Neoprene and rubber with a "tear-away" Velcro closure or one with prongs and buckles?

I just received my Horse-Mocs and was wondering about the irregular appearance of the rubber on the sides.

This is normal. What you see is the result of our "made-by-hand" process. The polymer rubber compound we use is a two-part mixture with a working time of about ten minutes. As we apply the rubber, we constantly smooth the sides with spatulas until it sets. This causes the slight irregularities in the surface. The integrity of the bond is in no way compromised.

After several days of wear, I noticed my horses skin was irritated.

Stop! As we say in our manual, Horse-Mocs are not intended for 24/7 continuous unattended wear! Remove them at once, wash them in gentle soap and water and allow them to air dry. Treat your horse's irritation before putting the Horse-Mocs back on!

If your horse's comfort depends on extended Horse-Moc wear, you might consider a second set that could be drying as the other set is worn. As always, consult your veterinarian.

After a vigorous gallop across the moors, I was disturbed to discover that the back of my horse's right-front Horse-Moc was torn.

We feel your pain. In our experience, this was caused by your horse "over-reaching" and stepping on the back of his own hoof. This will certainly result in a damaged Horse-Moc. It will also result in a lost steel shoe and the associated hoof and heel damage. Some horses are more prone to "over-reaching" than others. If yours is one such horse, we can only suggest that you avoid riding at the canter or gallop until your horse is able to go truly barefoot.

You might also consider a pair of bell boots over the top of your Horse-Mocs if you can't live without your morning gallop across the moors.

I returned from a ride on a steep mountain trail and found that the toe of my Horse-Moc was damaged.

We fear that you have used your Horse-Mocs for a purpose for which they were not intended. On a steep uphill slope your horse will tend to "chop" with the front hooves. On a downhill slope, your horse's weight will be borne on the toes. While we feel that our Horse-Mocs are sufficiently rugged to withstand moderate use, don't attempt to recreate the climactic conclusion of "The Man From Snowy River".

After riding through dense brambles, I found a tear in the Neoprene. Can this be repaired?

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The primary purpose of Horse-Mocs is to make your horse comfortable during the transition to barefoot riding. It is not intended as body armor. Horse-Mocs are designed to be gentle to your horse's skin. Treat them like your horse's skin. Thorns, brambles, and sharp underbrush are likely to damage the Neoprene. To use a human shoe analogy, Horse-Mocs are a light-weight track shoe. Using them as hiking boots will be disappointing.

All is not lost however. Small nicks and cuts may be fixed with a small piece of Velcro. You may repair small tears in the Neoprene with a needle and strong thread. You should take care to stitch through the outer layer of fabric and Neoprene only. Keep the inner fleece fabric smooth for your horse's comfort.

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