What are Fit Kits for Hoof Boots?

What are Fit Kits and How Do They Work?
To answer these questions, let's take a closer look at what Fit Kits are and how they can help you find the right shoe size for your horse or pony. Fit Kits are, without a doubt, valuable when it comes to choosing the best shoe size.

What is a Fit Kit?
A Fit Kit consists of only the 'sole' of the hoof shoe, in which you can place the hoof so that you can see and feel how a specific size fits around the hoof. A Fit Kit is of a particular brand and type of hoof shoe. Only the Fit Kits of the Cavallo brand are available at Art of Riding. Therefore, a Fit Kit does not have a top of the hoof shoe and is therefore not a complete hoof shoe.

How much do I pay for a Fit Kit?
For each Fit Kit, we ask for a down payment for renting three pairs of soles. After use, you return this Fit Kit to us, and you will receive the down payment minus a small fee for the rental back from us as soon as we have received the Fit Kit.
You can find more information about the down payment and the Fit Kit costs on each of our Fit Kit product pages.

How do you choose which Fit Kit to try?
It is essential to measure your horse's hooves in advance accurately. Using the fitting instructions on this page in our shop, you determine the size of the hooves. Then you look in the size chart which hoof shoe size best suits your horse's hooves' size and shape.

Once you have decided which Fit Kit (s) to try, choose the size that seems to best fit your hoof size, as well as one size up and down.

Are Fit Kits available for all hoof shoe models?
Yes, we have all sizes of Cavallo Fit Kits available. The regular and slim Fit Kits are available for the Cavallo Simple, Trek, Sport, and the Cute Little Boots, while the BFB Fit Kit is available for the XL hooves.

How do you use a Fit Kit?
The Fit Kit is used to determine the hoof shoe's size using a sole that adapts to your horse's hoof. Let the horse put the hoof on the ground to assess whether this size sole fits in width and length and that your horse can get out.
If you try a Fit Kit while your groomer or farrier is present, they may want to check with you to determine which size fits best. Please consult with your trimmer/farrier in advance whether and whether he/she wants to take a look.

What if you are unsure which is the best size?
If you doubt the size and no one in your area has experience using hoof boots to help you, taking pictures can be very helpful. You can send these photos to us by email or Whatsapp for advice.
Make sure to take some pictures of the hooves ; on the ground (without the soles on) from the front, side, and back.
Also, take pictures of the hooves  that are being measured.
Then take clear pictures of each hoof in each Fit Kit sole with the hooves on the ground and from as many different angles as possible - side view, front view, back view, top-down view with the hoof on the ground.
Have a few extra hands when taking the photos!
It can also help to fit the soles several times so that you can see the differences between the sizes more quickly.

Pay attention!
The soles do not necessarily have the same profile as the entire shoe, but Fit Kits can combine the different treads and colors.

The advantage of using a Fit Kit first is that you can try on different sizes of shoes without worrying about keeping them clean and undamaged! (Make sure they are clean and dry before returning them!)

TIPS
Using Fit Kits and asking our advice? Make a video of the used Fit Kit! Make sure you took the video from fairly close and move around the hooves to show the fit from all angles. Videos are an ideal way to show how tightly a sole can put on and off and whether you can turn the sole back and forth. Videos generally work best when used with the photos.