Before choosing the right boot for your horse and for you, the user, you need to measure your horse's foot.
These measurements will determine the choice of boot that fits the hoof like a glove.
And before measuring the hoof, you need to make sure that the foot has just been trimmed, that it is clean and that there are no horn chips on the wall. It must be the ideal size.
Otherwise, the measurement will not be accurate and the hipposandal may not fit properly, turning, hurting or tearing off once the foot has been trimmed.
As a general rule, a hipposandal should fit snugly. If it's loose, there's a greater risk of injury, rubbing, the shoe turning and you losing your foot. So it's essential to spend time measuring.
This also implies regular trimming, the ideal being for a healthy horse an interval of 6 weeks between 2 visits by the professional and possibly a rasp by you between two passages to prevent the foot from going in all directions (link to rasp?).
In the event of pathology or poor balance, your podiatrist may need to visit more often to rectify the hoof before it resumes its ‘bad’ habits.
Now it's time to measure. Don't forget that every foot to be fitted needs to be measured. There may be a difference between the right and the left and most of the time the hind feet are smaller than the front ones (but not always).
You take the foot to be measured as if you were picking it. Use a rigid centimetre to measure the width at the widest point, which can be more or less behind the hoof. If it is further back than the median line, let us know (this is often the case with heavy horses). Be sure to place the 0 exactly at the beginning of the wall for an exact measurement in millimetres.
The length is a little more complicated. You need to measure the area that touches the ground. Seen from the side, as soon as the glomes start to slope away from the ground, you have to stop measuring. This is generally at the end of the fork or lateral gaps. The 0 of the tape measure should be placed in a clamp and the measurement stopped at the point where the hoof no longer touches the ground.
If your hoof is much longer than it is wide, go back to your measurement and check.
If your farrier or podiatrist takes the measurement, be present and look to see where he stops the measurement so that you can answer any questions we may have.
It's better to waste a bit of time at the beginning than to keep exchanging shoes that don't fit.
If you really have any doubts, or if the measurements don't match the hipposandal charts at all, you can send two photos per foot to contact@sosabots.com for confirmation. One photo for the width and one for the length, specifying the foot (right/left front...), the type of horse, its history (unshod since..., particular problem, use and expectations with regard to hipposandals). The centimetre must be clearly visible (no transparent metres, erased figures, miniature or giant photos) and positioned as indicated above.
If the measurements correspond to hipposandals, it may not be necessary to use a fitting kit.
If the measurements are not ‘standard’ or if it's a very tight-fitting endurance shoe, then a kit is recommended.
In any case, don't wait until the last minute to decide. You also need to break in your hipposandals before setting off on a hike...
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