Build A Bear shoes for larger minis?

[VerticallyChallenged]

I have not actually measured his feet, but I am considering finding some "shoes" for him to wear on our public outings. He's a 36" mini...so not a real little guy. I have seen posts about these shoes (certain kinds) doing GREAT for their minis, and wondering if a B size mini might be too big for these shoes?

Thanks!
Angie

 

[rabbitsfizz]

There are alternatives- does he actually need shoes or do you just want him to look cute?

 

[VerticallyChallenged]

This is a "look cute" sort of thing, and thinking it may help with traction for school visits.

 

[amysue]

I have seen this done. I have never tried it myself, but was told by someone who did that she shoes stay on the hoof better if you wrap the hoof in vet wrap first. to add traction and keep the mini from slipping inside of the shoe as they are not exactly a perfect fit. She said it made her mini walk better in them and feel more comfortable. She also claimed that the sneakers did help a bit with traction on tile floors and other indoor surfaces. I do know that they make mini sneakers that Velcro on over the pastern and they are pretty cute too. Have fun.

 

[targetsmom]

If you have ever taken a mini indoors on a tile floor WITHOUT something on their feet for traction, it is not a pretty sight or sound. We brought ours out the door IMMEDIATELY and in through another door to a carpeted hallway. I think the vet wrap would work without the build-a-bear shoes and eliminate a sizing problem.

 

[Debby - LB]

I used those on my Mare who had to have meds applied regularly to her feet. It is VERY hard to find commercial equine boots to fit a mini, they were just Not small enough.

One day I was looking in the closet for something and saw my daughters old cabbage patch bear and he had on little work boots and I thought wow they'd fit Wenona! so I got some cardboard and put her hoof on it and traced it and measured it and sure enough when I took the bears shoe off and tried it it fit!

Off I went to Macon to the local build-a-bear and bought the sneakers.

I will tell you although she is a 34" Miniature she is very refined with small feet and these just fit her..

I just measured the bottom of one of the shoes and it is 3 1/4" across at the widest and 4 1/4" long. They worked for what I needed and seem to have good traction but I only used them on dirt.

 

[VerticallyChallenged]

Thanks for the input! The vet wrap will be all I need for traction.... he's been inside before, although I know for sure that it is a slippery floor where we are going this time. Does anyone use manure bags for this sort of thing? Luckily I've not had an issue yet, our visits have been short enough, and he seems to always "go" in the clean trailer on the way there...lol.

 

[susanne]

For just going indoors, vet wrap or the Build-A-Bear shoes would make sense. For actual protection while driving, the Chimacum Comfy Fit boots are both inexpensive ($25/pr, I believe) AND sized for minis. Unfortunately, Mingus is too big for even their C size. (They have A, B, and C.)

 

[amysue]

Mini tack.com sells mini sneakers for 70 bucks. I do not think you'll need them if the place yoy are going has carpet. I do know that if you wrap the foot in only vet wrap be cautious as the tackyness of the wrap wears off as they pick up lint and dirt and it can actually be even slipperier on tile...like wearing cotton socks on a tile floor slippery. Im still looking for those slip on velcro boots for you. I know ive got a catalog with them in it somewhere.

 

[amysue]

Mini horse tack.com and for minis only sell the clip on diapers and the davis rubber strap on boots. Those would probably work best.

 

[minihorsecwgrl]

I have a 35 inch miniature, I bought him build a bear shoes because he has sensitive feet and we wee going to a show with gravel roads between rings, they worked wonderful and they looked adorable! I got the converse high tops and I didn't have to put vet wrap on them at all, they fit like a glove.