There have been a few requests for both application and removal tips regarding glue-ons, so here’s the whole shebang in one post! If you are more of a video person there are company provided Youtube videos on the same.

Application

You will need:

• denatured Alcohol, DA: (NOT rubbing alcohol)–can be found at Home Depot or equivalent
• nitrile gloves–GLOVES ARE GOOD!!
• glue gun
•  Glue ons, with spares, and ideally a size above and below the size you think you need (I just had 6 size 0s, the size he wears in strap-on)*
• Glueing tips, plenty to spare*
• fresh tube of Adhere*: while you can keep a used tube around at ride weekend, if you are gluing for a new event: don’t cheap out, buy new glue!
• approx. 40 grit sandpaper–I  used both block and flat paper and they were both good
• tin snips or similar to cut notches in shell if needed
• Hoof stand
• rasp
• hoof nippers–to nip off excess boot shell if needed
• if weather is over 70, cooler with ice to rest glue in before use
• paper towels
• trash bag

*available at Renegade Hoof Boots

Hoof prep is key in gluing. Vigorous sanding of the lower 3/4 of the hoof must be done until no imperfections can be seen or felt. This is Morgan/Welsh Kenny’s wonkiest foot after sanding, hard to tell here but it’s high to the outside among other things.  This foot particularly did not entirely seat in the glue on shell and gapped the quarters out, which is highly inconvenient as the quarters are your main glue adhesion area.

Fortunately, with tin snips or similar, you can cut triangular notches in the boots as needed to adapt fit.  In this case, we cut *2*small triangle notches out of each front boot. Just like that, with flex points added by notching, the boot was able to match the odd angles and seated well at the toe, with nearly zero quarter gapping. You can see here how unevenly seated that right front looks, that’s merely an accurate reflection of the high sided hoof/crooked leg. The left front is more normal but also benefitted from the notches, while his hinds are quite regular and required no alteration. (that left hind hasn’t been prepped/sanded yet in this photo)

After sanding the bottom 3/4 of the hoof AND the inside of the boot shell, the shell and hoof are carefully cleaned with denatured alcohol, placing a spare shell on the cleaned hoof as a slipper so it doesn’t retouch the ground. Glue is squirted around the quarters and toe of the boot, ever careful not to get any on the sole, and the boot is applied *quickly* and held strongly in place, with thumbs pressing down the quarters to really encourage a smooth tight seal. The glue is warm to the touch as it sets and you can feel from the outside where glue is smooth to hoof and where there are gaps (ideally there aren’t gaps). After a few minutes of holding the hoof up and pressing, the hoof can be set down, but it’s important the horse not wiggle or torque while the glue is setting. Holding up the opposite leg can assist in stillness.

Removal

I removed Kenny’s Renegade Hoof Boots glue-ons in about 30 minutes.

Note: You can carefully break the glue seal and pry off the boots, using a dremel to remove excess glue for shell re-use.  Illustrated here is recommended company one time  use and removal.

You will need:

*Box cutter
*hoof nippers
*flathead screw driver

 

Cut along the bottom of the shell, there are guidance lines around quarters

Grab hold of the back of the boot, nipping a starter notch/prying up with screwdriver if necessary

Peel the top of The boot shell away along your cut

(if you peel more slowly than I did here, you can get the glue off with the boot all at once better than this too)

Only boot Sole remains, easily wiggled off/pop with screwdriver if necessary

Carefully grab hold of glue chunks and peel them off, prying up with flathead if necessary

Hind and front, post glue-on removal/hoof knife clean up

Take a bow Kenny!