Easy Bloc Express 4P XL Hoof boots/Hoof Blocks

Easy Bloc Express 4 pack (2 left, 2 right) complete kits - XL size

Complete kit of 2 left and 2 right boots, box with special right and left boot holders (see pictures), liquid and powder resin and mixing/application spatulas. 

Easy Bloc Express standard boots are 110mm long interior sole and 130mm long overall.  The XL size have a 130mm long interior sole and are 150mm long overall.  The standard is used in the majority of cases - you can trim the claw to fit the standard but cannot glue the XL when it is too big for the hoof, although anyone looking after a large number of animals or larger European breeds needs to have some XL on hand. 

Lameness often occurs where an animal has a problem with one claw – a hole, lesion, lodged stone etc – and a proven method of aiding recovery is to take the weight off that claw by gluing a block or boot on the healthy claw. In this way the sore claw is slightly elevated and takes less weight, allowing it to recover.

Hoof blocks or boots are generally not removed, but allowed to slough off naturally in time. Depending on the type of product used and the conditions the boot or block may stay on several weeks.  A hoof grinding disc is ideal for preparing the healthy hoof for the boot - use a claw check to get the hoof shape right for the boot. 

The Easy Bloc express system is a simple, strong, all in one system that comes ready to use. It has several distinct advantages over other hoof block and boot systems:

• Flexible boot with extra toe room
• Elevated sole is under the base of the foot where load is located
• Fast setting resin
• Uses resin, not a glue which is a dangerous good (unlike Cowslip)
• Boxes include mixing holder for ease of use
• Boots are graduated for correct glue quantities
• Boots can be trimmed to size and shape of hoof

The Easy Bloc express is a fast and durable way of attaching boots and requires no special skills. After diagnosing the problem with the animal’s sore claw, clean and trim the shape of the healthy claw to the shape of the boot with a hoof knife. Use a claw check to get the shape right, and don’t forget to clean the front anterior of the claw as the front of the boot will be glued there as well. Make sure you try the boot on the hoof before mixing the resin – for best adhesion it needs to be a reasonable fit (though the resin is fairly thick and will take up most gaps). The claw needs to be clean and dry for the resin to adhere. Make sure you have the correct boot (they are right hand and left hand) and put it in the holder in the box lid. The resin comes in two parts – a liquid and a powder. Pour liquid into the boot up to the first line (20ml), then add around twice as much powder (almost to the top of the boot). Take the boot out of the holder and mix the resin with the mixing stick suppled until it is a consistent paste. Then push the boot firmly onto the claw, using the mixing spatula to spread the resin around the boot and into any gaps between the boot and the hoof. Don’t forget with boots the space around the anterior of the claw is important – they aren’t just glued to the sole like blocks.

You need to work fairly fast, applying the boot as soon as the resin is mixed to consistency. Do not mix the resin unless you are completely ready to apply the boot to the claw. The resin sets to full load bearing strength in around 2 – 3 minutes depending on ambient temperature.

Full instructions come with every box of Easy Bloc express.

It is worth wearing gloves (such as nitrile milking gloves) when fitting Easy Bloc boots.