These low-profile, easy-to-use hoof boots offer extra protection during mountain trail rides for a horse who otherwise thrives barefoot. | Photo: iStock

Editor’s note: We at The Horse are horse owners like you. Certain equine-care products have impacted how we manage our own animals, and we want to share our experiences with you. These select products are ones we use and love every day.

I joined a friend for a day ride in the Cascade Mountains with a route planned comprising pine-needle littered trails, a single water crossing, and some river and lava rocks. I’d ridden the trail before and knew it traced that fine line of being appropriate for barefoot horses such as my mare. As we tacked up, I mentioned I needed to invest in decent hoof boots if we were going to do more riding like this. My friend, a hoof care professional, looked down at my mare’s feet, retreated into her trailer, and then emerged and handed me a Scoot Boot bag. “Hey, try these,” she said.

Inside the bag I found two hoof boots unlike any I had tried or seen. They were streamlined and made of lightweight thermoplastic urethane (9 ounces each) but also heavy-duty. No wires, no neoprene, no Velcro. The bottoms sported aggressive traction, but overall I would describe them as minimalist in design. And, importantly, they featured several openings to allow water drainage, as well as a toe designed to minimally affect hoof breakover