Barefoot Horses

The Dirty Dish

Wednesday, February 8, 2012 by Amanda Washington

There are some things in life that are put there just to test ones resolve. In my case, it's what I refer to as "the dirty dish." No, I am not talking about the battle of the dirty dish that occurred between roommates in college, where in a passive-aggressive manner one or more of us would go on strike against dishes when a certain roommate who seemed to think washing dishes or even putting them in the dishwasher was against all religion, I am talking about a pathological or chronic flare present in my gelding's right front foot, or, The Bane of My Existence. Seriously guys. This flare has been a battle that appears to be uphill. One that I cannot seem to win. Sometimes I'm able to resolve myself to the fact that this will always be an issue, albeit a manageable one, but other times, the times where I am frustrated with something else or feeling like I can't catch up in other areas of my life, I have a fit.

Topper has been in our "family" since June of 2009. He came as a three-year-old, all gawky legs, with the habitual stance of putting the right front foot back and his left front foot forward in order to lower his little mouth to the ground. Although somewhat tall for a 3yr. old at 15.1, the striking thing about Topper was (and still is) his crazy long legs. Unfortunately, he continued to grow and now at 15.3 he has continued on with his habit of right front back and slightly towards his center, and left front forward. As result, Topper's right front develops a flare at about 10 o'clock and his left front tends to grow a longer toe. I guess you could say it's a typical high/low case, but I believe this stance is the blame.

He stands like this...

And like this...

And this.

But sometimes looks like this, and he's beautiful.

I have tried just about everything to "fix" it. But in one of life's important lessons, I have learned that you can't fix everything. Sometimes you have to just deal with the cards you were dealt and make the best of it, which is what I have done. To address the flare, it is absolutely imperative that Topper not go any longer than four weeks between trims. Even then, that is too long. The cycle seems to go as follows:

Get busy and go four or so weeks without looking closely at Topper
Catch a glimpse of The Dish on one foot and long toe on the other and freak out
Talk my crazy self down and go nuts rasping and checking, rasping and checking
Vow to never go longer than two weeks without addressing the flare/long toe and diligently work at it for the next couple months
Get cocky due to "beating the dish" and back off

Well you can see where this goes. Unfortunately it doesn't say much for my intelligence considering I have been rolling through the above cycle, over and over, for the past two and a half years. Sigh. Some people's kids.

Topper's hooves, sans flare, after a period of very diligent trimming. Apparently I don't keep the "before" pictures. You know, if you don't see it, it must not exist.

Because I am not a professionally taught trimmer (and obviously am not THAT good or maybe this WOULD be fixed) my intentions were not to explain how to trim the flare, but more about dealing with the frustration that you may come across while caring for your barefoot horses. Although I joke about it, I can honestly say it really upsets me that I can't seem to fix this but it is what it is and for whatever reason, I really love this crazy horse and he's worth it. I had one of my little fits the other day and for a second wished that I shod my horses, that I didn't know what I know or that I just didn't care. Of course the thought was fleeting when I realized that if his feet look slightly neglected after four weeks, imagine what they would look like after eight weeks in shoes. Not to mention the cringe-factor of nailed on shoes AND the cost of re-setting those shoes every six to eight weeks. No thanks.

How could you not love that goofy face?

My plan to deal with this issue is to continue frequent trimming, which really seems to be the most important thing. I have worked hard on developing both sides evenly from the saddle, and he travels beautifully. In an ideal world, I would have raised feeders to help alleviate the need for Topper to eat from the ground with his legs ten feet apart, but that isn't really possible at this time.

I know everyone has a dreaded Dirty Dish in their horse lives. What's yours? How do you deal?

~ Amanda Washington
SW Idaho

Barefoot Movements

Monday, February 6, 2012 by Alayna Wiley

There are some people who believe shoes have ruined the human foot. They say that shoes have made our feet weak and that the majority of foot problems and lower joint injuries occur as a result of wearing modern footwear. These views are a bit extreme since not all shoes are created equal and the length of time spent wearing a given shoe must also be considered. A person who frequently walks around in high heels is going to have much unhealthier feet than someone who wears tennis shoes. An equine equivalent would be the difference between “Big Lick” Tennessee Walking Horses and those that are flat shod. There are times when foot protection is necessary for humans and horses alike - selecting the appropriate type of protection is what is important. With the upcoming release of the Easyboot Glove Back Country and the development of the EasyShoe, horse owners will have more choices in hoof protection than ever before.

Extreme examples of harmful footwear - high heels and stacks.

A few months ago I started running. This encouraged me to research the human barefoot movement and Vibram FiveFingers, a minimalist shoe (which is more or less a human equivalent to EasyCare hoof boots). Being well versed in the arguments surrounding the equine barefoot movement, I was fascinated that the arguments in the human barefoot movement are strikingly similar. In a nutshell, supporters of both barefoot movements argue traditional shoes weaken the internal structures of the foot and lower leg which increases the likelihood of injury. Detractors of both movements argue traditional shoes are necessary to protect the foot and that the likelihood of injury is higher without this protection. Whether you are a human or a horse, going barefoot is not as simple as removing traditional shoes – both require a transition period and conditioning. The length of this transition varies in both humans and horses; for some it may take weeks or months to be comfortable barefoot while for others it can take more than a year.

2-Star Parelli Professional Fran Latané wearing Vibram FiveFingers
while working with barefoot horses. Fran runs in the FiveFingers and
says they have improved her posture and eliminated her back pain.

There are many runners embracing the human barefoot movement and this has encouraged shoe manufacturers to develop running shoes that blur the line between minimalist shoes and traditional ones. Similarly, the EasyShoe will blur the line between alternative and traditional hoof protection, creating a unique option that combines advantages of both. For the time being I have put the Vibram FiveFingers on hold and am using a light weight trail runner that has some minimalist properties. Being young and healthy I am sure I could go barefoot and that over time my feet would strengthen a considerable amount. In the same manner, most horses that have been raised with proper stimulation, nutrition, and environment do not need steel shoes. The majority of horses lacking such an upbringing are able to make a successful transition with the aid of a qualified trimmer/farrier and the appropriate hoof protection. As with most things in life, there is no absolute right or wrong; you must do the research, weigh the pros and cons, and in the end, make the decision you are comfortable with.

Alayna Wiley

Customer Service

As one of the customer service representatives, I am happy to help get your horse into the right boots. I have plenty of hands on experience since my horses have been barefoot and booted since 2003.

A New Normal

Friday, February 3, 2012 by EasyCare Customer Service Team

I got a new hip a few weeks ago and am so excited. Getting a new hip is easy - you just buy it, they pop it in and boom you are good to go. What isn't so easy is the follow-up. For the last few years I was gimpy and lame. Now my physical therapists have told me I have to find a "new normal" way of walking, a new gait you might say. Right about now, you are probably asking yourself, "What does this have to do with me and my horse?" Well, I think my experience is similar to finding a new normal when you pull the shoes off a horse. If your horse is shod, has he ever been gimpy? Does he lose shoes frequently because there is no hoof wall left to hold the nails? If so, your horse is probably wanting a "new normal" too.

I'll admit having the farrier come out and shoe every 6-8 weeks is easy with hardly any work involved. My surgeon told me no-one dies from having a bad hip and this was an elective surgery. That said, I was in a lot of pain and wanted a better quality of life so I decided to go for it. Horse's don't die from being shod either but I think some horses are more comfortable in boots than they currently are in metal shoes.

Deciding to take your horse barefoot and buying EasyCare boots is the easy part. Maintaing a barefoot horse takes commitment and work, just like the physical therapy required after a hip replacement. Even though it takes some effort, in the end it will be totally worth it.

PS - I am doing great on my fight against procrastination (see previous blog) this post is a day early!

Shari Murray

Customer Service

If you call the customer service help desk, you’ll probably get me on the phone! I process repairs, returns, credits and exchanges that come into EasyCare.

Crossing the 2011 Tevis Winning Hoof Boot With The 2011 Preakness Winning Shoe

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 by Garrett Ford

What do you get when you cross the hoof boot that was used to win the 2011 100 mile Tevis Cup with the polyurethane horse shoe that was used to win the 2011 136th running of the Preakness?

A new tool for farriers and hoofcare professionals. The new glue-on urethane shoe is a collaboration between EasyCare and No-Anvil. The combined efforts have produced a new urethane hoof protection device that blur the lines between boots and shoes. The urethane hybrid device absorbs concussion, is held securely in place for a shoeing cycle without nails, is lighter weight than most all nail on shoes and allows the hoof to expand and contract as nature intended.

Shackleford wins the 2011 Preakness in Burns Polyflex shoes

Shackleford at the 2011 Kentucky Derby in Burns Polyflex Polyurethane Horseshoes.

Jeremy Reynolds wins the 2011 Tevis Cup in Easyboots

Jeremy Reynolds wins the 2011 Tevis and Haggin Cups in Easyboots.

Below you will find a couple photos showing the collaboration between No-Anvil and EasyCare. The freshly filed patent includes some of the following features.

1. Glue-on urethane hoof protection.
2. The urethane shoe has an internal moldable skeleton for structure and shaping.
3. The integrally molded cuff increases the gluing surface area.
4. The urethane shoe and cuff allow the hoof to expand and contract.

EasyShoe. Half Easyboot, half Burns Polyflex

The EasyShoe. Half Burns Polyflex and half Easyboot Glue-On.

Initial EasyShoe prototypes getting some hard core testing.

Stay tuned for more updates and news on the collaboration.

Garrett Ford

President & CEO

I have been President and CEO of EasyCare since 1993. My first area of focus for the company is in product development, and my goal is to design the perfect hoof boot for the barefoot horse.

Thoroughbred Feet are Just Fine: Meet Garwin

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 by Dawn Willoughby

When you peruse 'Practical Horseman', 'Equus' or 'Horse Illustrated', you may find a professional saying, "Well barefeet might work for some horses, but never Thoroughbreds. They just don't have good feet." Or, "We've bred the feet off those Thoroughbreds." If your friend described her new horse's hooves as flat soled, long toed, with thin, shelly walls, don't you immediately think, "Thoroughbred!" I know I do.

With the natural trim, EasyCare boots, good turnout, some body work and a saddle that fits, my friend and former client, Lyndsay, an owner-trimmer brought Garwin back from the brink. This handsome and talented thoroughbred was a few strides short of becoming a lawn ornament.

If Garwin can make a come back, I think you will agree, almost any Thoroughbred can!

Garwin, 2008.

When he developed debilitating subsolar abscesses in both front hooves, the vet excised the soles. His owner followed the vet's directions for Garwin's daily bandaging. When I met him, Garwin had been on stall rest for 3+ months and remained lame.

"I think the abscesses are the least of your troubles," I said, walking into the barn.

Still shod in back, Garwin had about an inch of good connection between the coffin bone and the hoof wall on the front hooves. You can easily see that steep growth right under the hairline. As the wall grows out, the angle will lessen.

The remaining, severely flared wall is disconnected hoof wall. It is the wall that "rotates" (to use traditional parlance) away from the coffin bone; not the other way around. Without knowing anything more, you could assume his feet are flat. Not congenitally flat as so many folks say but flat because the feet are a mess. The hoof capsule is disconnected and too high; the boney column of the leg too low. Nothing is where it should be. Nothing's working; there is no correct function. You could also assume that the bottom periphery of the coffin bone has become 'moth-eaten'. Coffin bones are not suppose to be on the ground!

If this is all Greek to you, check out Learning to Evaluate Your Horse's Feet (page down to the July 2011 post) for more information.

Why remove of the soles? The vet's concern was that the coffin bone could become infected. Wouldn't removing his soles also opens him to infection? And it appears that the primary cause of the problem, severely flared feet, aka chronic founder, was not being addressed. When I met Garwin in October, he was sore on any surface. And his owner was understandably frustrated.

Right Front Hoof and Leg. Left Front Sole Growing Back, Slowly.

With flare like this, Easyboot Epics are hands-down my top pick. They are very forgiving to get on when dealing with deformed hoof capsules. And the Epics will take the half inch pad that Garwin needed. He walked and trotted off sound so we turned him out in the pasture. First time out in months, Garwin was delerious.

Lesson: Remove shoes before checking for lameness. (YouTube forces the other "related" videos. Not my choice.)

He was a happy guy for sure.

On a weekly basis his owner maintained the mustang roll. The well connected wall grew in, as expected. In my view, having the owner do weekly trims on a horse like this speeds rehabilitation and avoid the set backs of waiting too long between trims.

December, 2008: Looking a bit better.

Garwin progressed nicely. By rolling the bottom of the wall, the mechanical forces ripping apart the wall from the coffin bone have been eliminated. This then allows the well connected hoof wall to grow down the foot. In one full growth cycle of about 9 months, a decent foot is grown. It will take another year or two to get adequate sole and wall thickness. The owner routinely soaked his front hooves in White Lightning as a way to deal with what must have been a large amount of necrotic tissue in these rehabbing feet.

Because Garwin was an extreme case, the owner consulted with a more experienced barefoot trimmer, my good friend Laura Florence. Laura gave her additional insights on rehabilitation: how long to use boots for turnout, when to begin riding, tweaking the trim. She also introduced Garwin and Lyndsay to Zarna Carter and her bodywork, Equine Positional Release.

Lyndsay began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. There was still concern about Garwin ever competing in combined training events - dressage, stadium jumping and cross country jumping. Garwin's feet remained "freakishly flat". Laura invited her back to the Center to have radiographs. The vet was not hopeful. She pronounced Garwin laminitic and recommended shoes. Laura's concerns were allayed as there was nothing on x-ray that she didn't expect to see. It just took an incredibly long time for the bottom of his feet to recover. But he did recover, without shoes of course.

Over time, Garwin transitioned from padded Epics - a different size for each foot! - to Gloves. His sizing has since normalized although I must say they are pretty small feet for such a big guy. This is due to early shoeing of racehorses. The coffin bone on most horses develops until they are 4.

October 2011 at Burgundy Hollow Event

Cross Country Jumping Course in Gloves.

Garwin Attacks the Stadium Jumping Course in his Gloves.

Back Home, during a dressage lesson. Check out the spiffy transmitter!

All he needed was barefoot care from his thoughtful, patient owner. And boots from EasyCare of course.

January, 2012
Lyndsay reports that Garwin has developed concavity all around. Like most Thoroughbreds his wall thickness is about 1/4". The outer horn is strong. Frogs are stellar. He has grown a nice wall to coffin bone connection. What more could you ask for?

One On-Going Challenge
Rules in eventing do not permit the use of EasyCare boots in the dressage competition. If you are not familiar with this combined training, you might think Garwin should be able to go barefoot in a ring.

But unless you are competing at the highest levels, the surface of the rings are far from stellar. Some are made of stone dust which over time is like riding on cement. Alternatively the organizers might put up a fence somewhere in a field. Unfortunately Garwin does suck back on these surfaces. He needs his Gloves.

I hope an eventing competitor will step up to the challenge of having the rules changed. In the meantime, I am hopeful that Lyndsay can compete in the Glue On Glove. I have learned that in Australia, they are trimming down the outer portion of the Glue On Glove and just calling it a Glue On! (Better to ask forgiveness than permission?)

Better to change the rules!

If you would like to see more photos of this great team, go to Lyndsay Poole's Facebook.

In March, I will feature another story of the Thoroughbred racehorse, Chance and his friend, 2 year old Zola. Check them out at The Racehorse Experiement.

Happy Trails,
Dawn Willoughby
Proud Owner of a rehabbed OTTB

Minerals Are Good for the Hoof

Saturday, January 28, 2012 by EasyCare Customer Service Team

Various minerals are important for a healthy horse, and healthy hooves. I read a really great article in the Horse's Hoof, Winter 2012-Issue 45, written by Marijke van de Water. Marijke is an Equine Health & Nutrition Specialist, Homeopathic Practitioner and Medical Intuitive. She is also the founder and owner of Riva's Remedies.

Horse hooves are very much a reflection of the whole horse, and the treatment of the hoof should always consider the whole health of the horse. Healthy hoof horn produced by a healthy, well-nourished horse is smooth, strong, and free of horizontal or vertical cracks. Taking care of the whole horse will always benefit the hooves.

You need to take in to consideration the diet, proper horse hoof trimming and regular exercise to insure good, healthy blood circulation. Blood circulation is how the hoof receives oxygen and nutrients to keep them at their best. We all know that old saying "No Hoof, No Horse".

The Trim

Movement

A few of the important minerals talked about in this article, were sulphur, selenium and silica. How they contribute to really healthy hooves. There are organic varieties that are absorbed and utilized much more effectively than the inorganic form. Natural horse products can be easier to assimilate in the body as in nature, horses eat weeds and vegetation out there that is good for them. It just comes natural to them.

Silica promotes bone health, strengthens collagen and hardens the hoof wall, while selenium and sulphur contribute to collagen production and strengthen the cross link bonds in the keratin.

For a good read and more knowledge, check out this article and then check your horse's hooves. What are you seeing?

Nancy Fredrick

EasyCare Office Manager

As the office manager, I make sure the general operations of the organization run smoothly and seamlessly from A to Z. I have been on the EasyCare team since 2001 and have first hand product knowledge as my horses are barefoot and booted.

Starting From Scratch - Part 3

Thursday, January 26, 2012 by Lucy Chaplin-Trumbull

The Elusive Boot Fit

At last it was time to fit Roo's Gloves. Out came his boot bucket and the rubber mallet.

Roo's boot bucket, containing all his boots

When I first converted Roo to barefoot nearly three years ago, he wore an #0.5 on one front foot (the low heel side), an #0 on the other (the high heel side), and #00.5s on the back. More recently, after languishing in the paddock doing nothing for the last couple of years, his feet were now closer to both being #0.5 in the front, and #0s in back.

Before going further, I held the bottom of an #0.5 boot against the underside of his foot. I position the back of the boot level with his heels and then peer all around. By doing this "eyeball fit", you can see if there is any flaring that's likely to cause problems, if the toes are too long to get the hoof snugly into the front of the boot, and generally if you're even close to having the boot fit.

Side-to-side fit looks pretty good - very snug.

But looking further forward, I can see I'm going to have to work to get this boot on. It could be that if I re-evaluate his trim, I may find that his toe could be shorter.

In Roo's case I could tell that it was "sorta" going to work, but it was going to be tight - and even tighter given that this pair of #0.5 Gloves had Powerstraps attached to them.

Because I wanted my friend to get the idea of how to put the boots on, and because I knew this one was going to be a real struggle, I opted to put on a #1 Glove first, just to ease her into the whole enterprise.

Gaiter Flipping
First I showed her how to flip down the gaiter as far as it would go. New gaiters, being stiff, tend to not flip down quite as far as they can, resulting in a "poofy area" closest to the boot. If you're not careful this bulge gets pushed down into the boot as you're trying to fit it and stops the boot going on properly. However, as the boot gets worn in, the gaiter will flip down much more easily and this will be less of a problem.

A new boot gaiter is "poofier", so doesn't fold back as flat as the gaiter on the older boot shown behind. This "poofiness" tends to get rolled down into the back of the boot when you're trying to push it on the foot. Eventually the gaiter will behave itself and make boot application much easier.

To begin with, even the #1 boot wouldn't go on. Part of the problem was the aforementioned bulge which immediately disappeared down the back of the boot, necessitating its removal, re-stretching down of the gaiter, and starting again. It's worth mentioning that if we had been fitting the #0.5 boot, this would have been less of a problem because there wouldn't have been extra room in the rear of the boot for the bulge to fit down where it didn't belong.

Grungy Hoofwall
After some wiggling and puffing, I realised another problem was that Roo's hoof had a little dried lumpy mud glued to it which I cleaned off using the edge of the rasp. Our area is blessed with clay soil that sets like concrete. This may work fine as hoof-expander when dry, but as soon as we cross a creek, it'll turn into slime and have the effect of greasing the hoof. Not great.

Rubber Mallet Usage
The boot (especially a new, unflexible boot like the one we were using) tends to get jammed on the quarters, so you have to wiggle it side to side to ease it over this wide part of the foot. Once you're close to getting it on but it still isn't quite going on all the way, I had my friend give it a couple of whacks to the toe and then a couple to the heels to seat the boot.

To get best results when you hit the toe, angle your rubber mallet so that you're pushing the boot towards the toe, not towards the underside of the foot.

Fast-Fingered Gaiter Flipping
As you let the foot down, it's best to flip the gaiter up before it gets to the ground. If you don't, the horse will always stand on the gaiter and the back of the gaiter will always fill up with small rocks/mud/twigs, even when the horse is standing on a completely clean surface. It is written.

Feeling the Toe
Once the boot is on (or you think it is), you can push on the bottom-front of the boot to see if there's any space behind it. If there is, your boot is not on all the way and usually a couple of whacks with the mallet, or a few steps trotting the horse will seat it properly.

Evaluating the Fit
As this point you evaluate the fit again. Is the V at the front stretched slightly, or is it loose? In a perfect world, that V should be stretched slightly, showing that the whole of the boot wall is tightly hugging the hoof wall. In reality, if you have a horse with flared walls (common when you don't trim them as often as you should... <inspect fingernails>) or more particularly, a flared toe, you may find that the lower part of the boot is fitting very tightly, but the upper part is gapping somewhat (this is a problem I fight constantly with Uno's over-enthusiastic toes if I don't stay on top of them). Sometimes the addition of a powerstrap can help this problem. And sometimes it'll make it so that it's impossible to get the stupid boot on, especially if you're using a brand new one, so you might need to wait a few uses before fitting the powerstrap.

Either way, rest assured that the more you do this, the easier it'll get. Not only will the boots become more flexible with use, your boot-applying technique will also improve and you'll struggle less. The use of the rubber mallet may become a thing of the past as your boots stretch to fit your horse's feet better, and you get a better shape to his foot as his transition continues.

With a #1 boot on Roo's foot, my friend was quite pleased with her handiwork. She felt that the boot was a good fit. On the other hand, I wasn't quite so sure. Knowing that in the past Roo wore a #0.5 on this foot, I couldn't tell if the #1 Glove seemed to be working because because I'd allowed his feet to grow too long or if his feet had actually expanded in stature. My gut feeling was that although the #1 boot would probably stay on for most riding, if we got into an extreme situation (foot twisting, rough terrain, steep hills), the boot would probably come off.

Pulling out the #0.5 Glove (with powerstrap), I worked hard and managed to smoosh it onto his foot. As anticipated, it was a very tight fit and would have been much easier without the powerstrap's "help". So my choice for him would be to keep him in an 0.5 (and remove the powerstraps).

And this is where a fit kit is worth its weight. You may find that you put a #1 boot on your horse's foot and are very satisfied with the results and think that you have the best fit possible. But if you then put on a size smaller, an #0.5, you may realise that that is the perfect fit.

Similarly, by holding each size of shell against the bottom of the foot, you can readily see how the boot is going to fit.

If you really fight to get a boot on, yet the fit isn't great, could it be that the horse's toes are too long? This is something I struggled with for many weeks with Roo's back feet in the early days. With what I felt were 'reasonable-length' toes, his rear boots constantly came off on steep hills. By holding the next size smaller boot against the bottom of his foot, I was able to see how much toe needed to come off to get a really good fit - and also able to see that the amount of toe that needed to come off wasn't much. I shortened his toes and the boot losses stopped.

Listening to people talk about their boot losses despite "a good fit", I often wonder how good their fit really is and if by trying a smaller boot and/or with a small adjustment to their trimming, they'd be able to get a "perfect fit".

(...or alternatively it could be that they have horses who move like gumby and deliberately twist off their boots just to annoy them.)

--
Lucy Chaplin Trumbull
Sierra Foothills, California

Alternative Application of the Easyboot Glove

Monday, January 23, 2012 by Alayna Wiley

“I don’t want to use a rubber mallet to put a boot on.”

If this reflects how you feel then I have good news, you don’t have to. Last week, Kevin Myers discussed the use of a rubber mallet and how it can aid in the application of the Easyboot Glove. Even though this method is effective, several people I talk to either don’t feel comfortable using a rubber mallet or don’t want to have to bother with keeping track of one. I myself fall into the second category; I have enough tack as it is, a rubber mallet is just one more piece of equipment for me to misplace. When I had difficulty locating a mallet a few weeks ago, I made the mistake of trying to use a rasp to tap on the boots…see the results below.

Note to self: rasp not a good substitute for rubber mallet.

A rubber mallet is one way of ensuring your Easyboot Glove is seated correctly on the foot but there is another option. When you apply a Glove, it shouldn’t slip right on but it also shouldn’t be like trying to put on your skinny jeans after the holidays either. Applying a Glove is all about technique, not brute force. After folding the gaiter back, you will need to put the boot on and twist it back forth slightly to get it over the quarters, this is demonstrated in the beginning of Kevin’s video. Then put the hoof down and secure the gaiter. You may notice that you are not able to tighten the gaiter very much at this point - that's ok.

This is what the Gloves look like when I first put them on. They are not fully
seated on the foot and I am not able to tighten the gaiter very much.

Once I have the boots on, I simply lunge my horse at a trot two circles both ways. Prior to using Gloves, I was already doing this exercise anyway. I like to think of it as my "pre-flight check" and it’s a good way to make sure your horse is moving properly before you ride. Now that I use the Gloves, this lunge gives me the added bonus of fully seating the boots on the hoof. If your horse isn’t accustomed to lunging, you can also trot them out in hand. Once you have moved your horse around, you will notice that the boots look nice and snug and you will be able to tighten the gaiters. I hope this method provides an alternative for those of you who don't want to use a rubber mallet for boot application.

Now the Gloves are fully seated. You can see the V expands
and I am able to make the gaiters snug.

Alayna Wiley

Customer Service

As one of the customer service representatives, I am happy to help get your horse into the right boots. I have plenty of hands on experience since my horses have been barefoot and booted since 2003.

A Reply to New Tracks - What Will They Think

Saturday, January 21, 2012 by Team Easyboot

Submitted by Joanne Pavlis, Team Easyboot 2012 Member

Back in the December 2011 Newsletter, Garrett Ford wrote to us about the concept of “New Tracks”, and asked us the question “Have you ever thought about what tracks you leave”?

As a licensed race track trainer, riding instructor, endurance competitor, and equine wellness foundation founder, I think about this all the time. Whenever I contemplate the vision of “New Tracks”, I recall the remarkable journey I embarked upon with this new EasyCare concept and product. MileMakers has played, and continues to play, a small part in the overall EasyCare evolution of change, as we all move ahead with our new found knowledge and product development. When I think of what Milemakers does on a daily basis, it seems relevant as an answer to the proposed question.

MileMakers began seriously promoting EasyCare products and educating our local horse community about the benefits of equine hoof boot protection in 2011. It has been the best transformation we could have made for our horses health, while giving us the added benefit of exposure to the latest science and technology to better educate those owners who had been sitting on the fence between old school & new school thinking. EasyCare is constantly improving their product to better the wellness of horses, and they do it by using sound research while listening to the horse’s response.

Time and again, I lay witness to the fact that people will not change unless they fully understand the reasons behind the need for change. That is why, at MileMakers, we believe in promoting the education behind the EasyCare concept as we develop one knowledgeable customer at a time. Each newly educated owner/equestrian represents a “new track”. And each “new track” represents a seed of knowledge that has been planted and will continue to grow.

When the new EasyBoot Racing Shoe concept came onto the horizon, there was a lot of head scratching, questions, and a whole lot of “what if” scenarios. Some race track officials and commissioners didn’t know how to react to this new product because it was a divergence from their zone of comfortable knowledge. Other racing officials embraced the new concept, and were able to easily see the benefits for the future of horse racing, and overall equine foot health. No evolutionary journey is without its setbacks. The key is to remain confident with your concept despite those who want to drag you back down to “what has always been” and “we’ve been doing it this way for the last 200 years”.

In 2012, MileMakers will walk our talk. We plan to take our 3 year old colt, Defying Magic, (a.k.a. Indy) to the race track.

He has been barefoot his entire life, and will only wear the new EasyBoot Race Glue-Ons, while running races, due to a Colorado Racing Commission ruling which calls for all race horses to wear hoof protection. He is the first foal we ever bred, and we will not trust his feet to any other type of hoof care product or ideology.

The journey one must take when laying down “new tracks” will never be an easy one. But by using education and proven results we can progress one step at a time. That’s why at MileMakers our motto is “Not just a destination, but a journey taken one hoofbeat at a time.” With “New Tracks” I am excited about what I do as a Team Easyboot member, and we plan to leave a lot of “New Tracks” in 2012.

“Sometimes you’ve got to run away and see if they follow” - Manfield Park.

EasyCare will accept applications for Team Easyboot 2012 until midnight on Wednesday, February 8, 2012. Visit the Team Easyboot section of the EasyCare website for more details and to complete the application form.

Starting From Scratch - Part 1

Friday, January 20, 2012 by Lucy Chaplin-Trumbull

A couple of weeks ago, a friend visited from England. She has just decided to take her endurance horse barefoot and compete him in boots. It sounds like she has found a sympathetic trimmer who is interested in what she's doing, so her plan is to schedule him regularly to do the main trim, while she makes touch-ups in between. As far as I can tell hoof boots are still far from the norm in Britain, with most "professionals" convinced that having horses barefoot just won't work and advising their clients accordingly <wry face>.

Initially she picked my brain over the internet...

What Equipment Would She Need?

My List

A pair of gloves (v. v. important to avoid knuckle rasping)
A hoof pick (I like the ones with the bristle brush on the back)
A good rasp (blunt, rusty rasps are no fun and result in much puffing and frustration)
A sharp narrow-bladed hoof knife (wide-bladed ones are designed for draft horses as far as I can work out)
A hoof stand (this is a lot of money to invest in, but believe me, your life will be so much pleasanter with one than trying to do this without. Without you’ll be sad and tired and struggle)
A rubber mallet

What Boots Would She Need?

She was a little confused by the difference between Glue-Ons and Gloves. I explained that although they were essentially the same base-model, Gloves were what she would be using for conditioning and events because of how easy they were to use and quick to put on and take off. You'd only really use Glue-Ons if you were doing a 100 miler, a multi-day, or practising the gluing technique. Once those puppies are on, they aren't going anywhere without the application of some brute force and a wide-bladed screwdriver.

What Size Boots Would She Need?

I explained about measuring the foot accurately to figure out what size boot her horse would need and then I explained that Murphy's Law dictates that your horse's feet will never fall within the confines of the "correct" measurements for a specific boot size, so EasyCare came up with the "Fit Kit".

Say your horse's foot measures something close to a 0.5, but not quite according to the sizing chart. You order the Fit Kit for 0.5 and EasyCare will send you shells in sizes 1 - 0.5 - 0. You can spend a happy session with your horse pushing shells on, walking him around, taking them off and repeating the performance with the other sizes until you are satisfied with what size boot you think is the best fit.*

* this is often not the size you think it's going to be. Case in point, none of the Glove sizes were close to fitting my pony, Jackit's, feet on paper, but in reality once I figured out the right size, his boots don't seem to go anywhere.

To give you an idea of what I was working with - I have small hands. I was fairly convinced that no Glove size would work for him, but it turns out 00.5 and 00s fit him fine.

You get to keep the Fit Kit for 30 days because everyone knows the second a horse item arrives on the premises, it guarantees instant horrendous weather/sickness in human operator/sudden unexpected business travel.

Unfortunately, not living in the US, my friend doesn't have access to fit kits, so she had (hopefully) the correct size Gloves shipped to my house, and I also sent her home with a couple of old boots the next size up 'just in case'.

She was ready to move on to the next stages - basic trimming and boot fit.

(Continued next week)

--
Lucy Chaplin Trumbull
Sierra Foothills, California

Procrastination

Thursday, January 19, 2012 by EasyCare Customer Service Team

Pro - cras - ti - na - tion (proh-kras-tuh-ney-shuhn) - the act or habit of procrastinating, or putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention.

I'm sure nobody really needs the definition of the word procrastination spelled out, I know I don't - this blog was due two weeks ago! Everyone procrastinates sometimes, over 20% of people are chronic procrastinators. Did you know that procratination and perfectionism go hand in hand? Here are some reasons for procrastination:

Fear of Failure
Because we are too busy
Over-or under-estimating the degree of difficulty the task involves

Does any of this sound familiar on reasons why you have not tried to take your horse barefoot? There is so much information available today regarding natural horse care, using hoof boots and barefoot trimming, it can get overwhelming. EasyCare has a whole section of our website devoted to articles to help educate you and get you on your way.

Ways to overcome procrastition:

Get a buddy to do the barefoot transition with you.
Challenge your myths regarding shoeing and do some research.
Get a new attitude.

So, take a deep breath and dive in. Remember the worst form of procrastition is reading an article about it, feeling the guilt and not doing anything about it. (I will have to remember this when my next blog is due.)

Shari Murray

Customer Service

If you call the customer service help desk, you’ll probably get me on the phone! I process repairs, returns, credits and exchanges that come into EasyCare.

Transition Tuesday: Wait That's the Wrong Guy!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 by Amanda Washington

Everybody know that transitioning a horse from shoes to barefoot is supposed to be hard, and taking one that's already barefoot should make for a seamless transition. NOT. If you've been around horses for any length of time, you will know that there are never any "givens" when it comes to horses!

Back in November, I brought two new horses into our herd. The first was Breve, a big old moose of a 7yr. old Shagya, who had been barefoot for years. A few weeks later, we introduced Nero, a 10yr. old Arab who has been in shoes for the "on" season since he was a youngster. Naturally, he was going to be the difficult to transition where Breve would seamlessly continue in his work with no issue.

Can you really call taking a barefoot pasture horse to a barefoot performance horse a transition? I think you can. There are major differences in a "pasture trim" and a good barefoot trim, and unfortunately many people don't understand these differences. Does your trimmer understand it? Breve had been recently trimmed prior to coming to Idaho, but came with too long of wall, too long of toe and some serious imbalances in all four feet, it was obvious some major adjustments were necessary. Because I knew his feet would be making some serious changes, I waited a while to order boots for him, planning on trimming conservatively and letting him do some natural wear during our frequent rides through November and December. I backed his toe up some and balanced him, but was not aggressive in his trim. Even so, after about a month of riding twice a week, he started to hesitate over the rougher, harder and rocky ground. I wrote a few weeks ago about fitting him for boots. Since we've gotten his boots, I've alternated riding barefoot and booted in the last month. About a week ago, I attacked his feet and am very pleased with how they look at this time. Look at these changes!

From this...

... and this

To this...

... and THIS!

We're well on our way!

Now for Nero. Nero, Nero, Nero. Wouldn't you know it he hasn't taken a bobble? I don't even have anything to write! After pulling his shoes, I rounded the walls and left him for a week. Truthfully, I was afraid to do too much and have the ground freeze, leaving me with a sore footed pony. He just has his shoes pulled for gosh sakes! Of course until now, we've had perpetual fall, so no frozen ground to battle with. That is all changing tonight. But I digress. Nero looked great, and when I started to ride him the first part of December I was shocked! This guy doesn't miss a step! After almost a 600 mile endurance season in shoes, he hasn't skipped a beat. I really appreciate this guys toughness and inherently beautiful feet. While I am not foolish enough to expect a completely seamless transition to competing in boots, I am pleased with how things are going. I have also come to fully respect a good farrier, because I am certain our transition wouldn't be where it is today had Nero been shod poorly. Barefoot or shod, a good trim is imperative, and we should appreciate it when we see it.

Poor Nero's transition has been so unremarkable the only pictures I have are of his ridiculously perfect little face. I guess that's the difference in getting a horse from someone who cares for them as you yourself do! No crazy physique changes, no dramatic before and afters, just an easy pony to love. I have been enjoying our weekly gallops to keep me sane and Nero legged up without pounding out too many miles.

He is spoiled with us! Never a dirty bed, dinner on a silver platter, and a mint on his pillow at bed time. Oh wait. He really hates mints.

Here shortly, I will be fitting Nero for his own Easyboot Gloves. I anticipate needing a very good fit in the front as I have watched him carefully and he appears to twist a bit in both fronts as he places his foot down. Luckily, he has beautiful wall quality, absolutely no flaring and appropriate heel height. If we have problems (and stating this as public record guarantees we will), they will be my fault. I plan to be prepared!

That face!

How are your transitions going?

~ Amanda Washington
SW Idaho

5 Ways To Sharpen Your Knife

Monday, January 16, 2012 by Christoph Schork

Sliced or squished, how do you like it?

Dull knives are dangerous, no matter how you slice it! Whether cutting vegetables, bread, meat or trimming hooves, you need to use a lot of strength. A dull instrument can bounce and deflect, causing bloody hands for the operator. Sharp knives can be controlled with minimum force: they do their intended job with ease. For natural hoof trimming and barefoot trimming, a sharp hoof knife is a must. Dirt, sand and mud left on the bottom of the hoof will quickly dull any hoof knife.

An often heard question at the different natural hoof care clinics has been "which is the best way to sharpen hoof knives?"

Below a list of some of the most common sharpening devices.

1. Bench Sander
Bench sanders and grinders can be used for many purposes and they work great for sharpening knives. They are more cumbersome to haul around and require electricity.

The blade should always get sharpened from the inside (the rounded side) only.

Advantages: fast results, the spinning wheel does the work.

Disadvantages: difficult to sharpen the curved tip; easy to tilt the knife blade, resulting in an uneven blade. A very skilled and delicate touch is required. Doesn't work for Loop Knives.

2. Diamond Sharpener
Always sharpen from the curved side only. You can pull the sharpener towards you or turn the knife around and push the sharpener away from you, as the two images below show.

Advantages: easy to use, forgiving, curved tip can get sharpened as well.

Disadvantages: requires more strokes to achieve a sharp knife.

3. Chainsaw Sharpener
Normally used to sharpen the links of chain saws; a good tool for hoof knives as well.

Again, you can pull or push the instrument. As you can see, it fits nicely into the curved tip.

Advantages: works fast, you achieve a nice sharp tip.

Disadvantages: It is easy to dent the blade if not careful. The round file, especially when new and sharp, can cause some waves in the blade when not being worked diligently.

4. Swissistor
This tool was specifically developed for sharpening hoof knives.

Advantages: easy and fast results.

Disadvantages: tightly curved tips and loop knives can be difficult to sharpen evenly.

5. Sharpening Stone
The oldest knife sharpening tool. Works best when wetted with water.

Advantages: ease of use, safe.

Disadvantages: often hard to get the tip sharpened.

After sharpening the curved side of the knife, it is necessary to deburr the flat side of the knife. The stone is most suitable for that task.

Best sharpening results are achieved by holding a 30 degree angle between the blade and the instrument. For deburring, a 10 to 20 degree angle works well. You can now move the blade towards you with a light slicing movement.

When sharpening the knife, it is best to hold the knife still and move the sharpening tool across the blade. When deburring, you hold the stone still and move the knife across the stone.

Here they are all together one more time, for size comparison:

What is my favorite sharpening device? The Swissistor.

A sharp hoof knife makes the job of horse hoof trimming a lot easier.

Your Bootmeister

Barefootin' in the Ozarks

Saturday, January 14, 2012 by Debbie Schwiebert

Horse trainer, barefoot trimmer and EasyCare dealer Mike Daniels isn't shy about how he feels about barefoot. The Raymondville, Missouri resident frequently presents clinics in the surrounding areas and gives his attendees a lot more than horsemanship to think about.

Mike at one of his clinics. Photo from the Houston Herald, Houston, MO

Photos from the Houston Herald, Houston, MO

A man of faith, Mike weaves his clinics with horsemanship and life lessons. Coinciding with all this is stewardship of the horse and talk about natural hoof care and what means for the horse and owner. Mike has found many people don't give a lot of thought to their horse's hooves and he wants to change that.

Mike's story begins as someone who kept his horses bare simply because it was practical. If and when he needed to ride somewhere rocky, he would end up shoeing his horse for the trip. The expense for a one-time shoeing didn't really add up for Mike and he began searching for other options. He picked up a pair of EasyCare hoof boots and became a barefoot and booted fan for life and hasn't looked back.

Mike believes providing your horse with a natural lifestyle encompassing diet, exercise and barefoot hoof care is as close as we can come to giving them the life nature intended.

Mike also contributes to the blog at the Houston Herald in Missouri.

Mike Daniels, displays a barefoot trim. Photo from the Houston Herald, Houston, MO

Will you be hosting a clinic in 2012? We'd love to tell others about it. Please drop me an email at dschwiebert@easycareinc.com with details.

Debbie Schwiebert

Vet Dealer & Hoof Care Practitioner Accounts

I manage the hoof care practitioner and veterinarian dealer accounts at EasyCare. An integral part of my job is to stay current in all areas of barefoot hoof care, which enables me to serve this vital group of EasyCare dealers at the next level.

Tex and His Easyboots

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 by EasyCare Customer Service Team

The first time I heard from Renee was a very desparate telephone call saying that her horse, Tex, had foundered.

Renee and Tex with the Easyboot Rx.

Since that time, Renee has transitioned Tex to barefoot and he has gone through a lot during his transition. We started with the Easyboot RX and ended up with the Easyboot Glove.

I recently heard from Renee: "I can't thank you enough for all of your help and guidance through this. It has been a long hard road (7 months). Thanks to you and EasyCare and all of the information you provide, the natural trimmer list that is on the website, the Easyboot RX and the Easyboot Gloves - I have my horse back!

Dee Reiter

Customer Service

When you call EasyCare, I’m one of the folks that will answer. I’m also one of the cowgirls in the group. (Heck no, I don’t show, I Rodeo!) When it comes to life’s adventures – never pull back on the reins, and remember: the world is best-viewed through the ears of a horse!

Fit On The Fly: The Top 4 Most Common Mistakes When Using Easyboot Gloves

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by Kevin Myers

I’ve had the good fortune to attend four endurance events since the end of November. It is always fascinating to meet people out in the field and to see what the current practices are – for better or for worse. Listed below are the four most common mistakes I've seen in the last two months.

Mistake # 1
One of the most consistent things I see at events and on the trail is people using the wrong size Easyboot Gloves on their horse. I often see Gloves that are one or even two sizes larger than the foot requires.

A boot too big. A boot just right.

The oversized boots obviously work for people - to a certain extent. But I think the addition of water uphill or speed added to the equation would probably cause a boot loss. When I ask people about the sizing choice, they often say they go up a size to allow for changes throughout the growth cycle. My experience is that you do not need to allow for the growth cycle. It is important for the boots to be snug – very snug – not loose. A simple rasp of the toe area every week or two will keep the boot fitting nice and snugly. Any barefoot trimmer would be delighted for their customers to do a little hoof maintenance between visits because it would also help maintain a healthy hoof.

Mistake #2
People often make the mistake of thinking that adding a Power Strap will offset any size deficiencies. Or perhaps that it will offset any issues around flare, long toes or high heels. Whilst a Power Strap helps keep the top of the boot snug, it will not solve all fit issues. And if you are new to boots, the Power Strap will often mask what is going on inside the boot.

This boot fits well. Even with the Power Strap, you can see that the V is still spread.

Mistake #3
People are going up a size because they can’t easily apply the boot to the hoof, or they are not putting completely putting the boot on the hoof. When I ask if they use a mallet, some people cringe at the thought of banging a boot on. As a point of fact, the forces exerted when a horse trots or canters on hard ground are going to be significantly greater than the amount of force you can exert by a few bangs of a rubber mallet.

This Glove is not quite on yet. Note the gapping at the base of the V suggesting the toe is not fully inserted into the boot. Note also the gaiter appears to be too short.

A good few taps of the mallet at the toe cannot hurt your horse.

Mistake #4
People often tell me they have trouble getting tight-fitting boots off. The trick is to pull from the side/rear of the boot, rather than from the heel bulb area. Pulling from the rear of the boot actually causes the top of the boot shell to contract, hugging the hoof capsule even tighter, and making boot removal more challenging. Pull instead from one side or the other, and you will find it much easier to remove the boot.

Not like this. More like this.

Kevin Myers

Director of Marketing

I am responsible for the marketing and branding of the EasyCare product line. I believe there is a great deal to be gained from the strategy of using booted protection for horses, no matter what the job you have for your equine partner.

Test Ride: Easyboot Trail

Monday, January 9, 2012 by Alayna Wiley

I have used Easyboot Gloves since they were released and absolutely love their lightweight and sleek design. I’ll admit when I saw the Easyboot Trail, I was skeptical and couldn’t help but compare them to my beloved Glove. Even though they are light, they aren’t as light as a Glove. Although they are sleek for a boot, to me they looked downright clunky next to the Glove. After becoming a customer service representative at EasyCare, I knew I needed to ride in the Trails since they were our most popular boot in 2011. So for the past three months I have been using the Trails on Cal, my Tennessee Walking Horse cross. Cal has always been a sensitive horse, the type that would gimp over rocks even when he had shoes on. The Trails were a breeze to put on and I was absolutely amazed at how comfortable he was in them, even more so than when I rode him with Gloves on the front. Now I see what all the fuss is about; the Easyboot Trail really is amazing!

Cal wearing Easyboot Trails on fronts and Easyboot Gloves on hinds.

The top concern I hear from prospective customers is if the Trail will cause rubs. The Trail needs to be broken in, just as you would break in a new pair of hiking boots. Your first few rides should be thirty minutes to an hour of walking and light trotting/gaiting; this is to ensure the fit is correct and there is no chafing. I decided to go against recommendations to see how they would perform if they weren’t broken in. My first two rides were 5 and 7 miles over the course of a weekend. On the first day, I checked for rubs every 30 minutes and found none. The second day, I checked at 4 miles and saw a rub the size of a pencil eraser. When I checked again at 6 miles the area had not changed. After the ride, Cal was not at all sensitive at the site of the rub and the area was so small that it would not show up when I tried to take a picture of it. Since that first weekend I have ridden over 50 miles in the Trail averaging 5-10 miles per ride. The only time I observed a rub was on that second ride and it was because I had not properly broken the boots in. If you are concerned about rubs, you can purchase Gaiters to protect the pastern area. But if the boots are a good fit and properly broken in, Gaiters generally aren’t necessary.

Catalina State Park, the perfect testing grounds.

One of the things that really amazed me about the Trails was how well Cal gaited in them. Being a gaited cross, he is capable of doing a running walk and a trot but he usually prefers to trot. With the Trails however, he gets into a real nice rhythm and I can honestly say it is some of the most consistent gaiting I have felt from him. The aggressive tread pattern performed wonderfully when riding in and out of the technical rocky washes. For anyone who thinks the Trail is “too good to be true”, it isn’t. The Trail is THE boot for casual riders because it is easy to put on and performs well.

Alayna Wiley

Customer Service

As one of the customer service representatives, I am happy to help get your horse into the right boots. I have plenty of hands on experience since my horses have been barefoot and booted since 2003.

2011: The Biggest EasyCare Natural Hoof Care Moments & Changes Of The Year

Wednesday, January 4, 2012 by Garrett Ford

2011 is a year that I'll remember for acceptance of natural hoof care practices, hoof boots and barefoot trimming.

Yes, natural hoof care has been around along time and many people feel it's the only way to keep a horse. There are also many people who believe all horses must wear iron shoes. I think the thing that I noticed most about 2011 is a broad, mainstream acceptance of barefoot hoof care. Horse owners that have had every horse shod for years now have one or two going strong barefoot or booted. I've noticed a change in thinking, it's no longer a debatable topic but a successful tool in the bag of tricks of the equestrian trade.

Here is my list of why I believe natural hoof care made a big step forward in 2011, why it will continue in 2012 and where EasyCare needs focus in the future. I'll start with #1 and cut right to the chase.

1. Pete and Ivy Ramey release a monumental book about natural hoof care called "Care and Rehabilitation of the Equine Foot". Pete and an incredible group of contributing authors (Robert Bowker, Hilary Clayton, Brian Hampson, Eleanor Kellon, Kerry Ridgway, Debra Taylor and Kathryn Watts) lay out the importance of hoof care theory, nutrition and the hoof, trimming different parts of the hoof, laminitis management and feral horse foot studies. The book is incredible and a must read for equine professionals, horse owners and anyone who cares for the equine hoof. If you believe in the phrase "No Hoof, No Horse" this book will bring your knowledge to a whole new level.

Care and Rehabilitation of the Equine Foot

2. Tevis Cup 2011. The toughest 100 mile horse race in the world tests horses, riders and hoof care management techniques more than any other venue in the world. Jeremy Reynolds wins both the Tevis Cup and Haggin cup using Easyboots on a barefoot horse. In addition to Reynolds impressive results, Easyboots were used on the 3rd place horse, 5th place horse and an additional 6 horses in the top twenty. In total 28 barefoot/Easybooted horses finished the 2011 event. The Tevis Cup continues to show that barefoot/booted horses care compete and win at the highest levels of equine sport.

Reynolds racing wins 2011 Tevis Cup in Easyboots

The Reynolds Racing Team accepting the 2011 Haggin Cup. Marvel is wearing Easyboots.

3. Horse Journal names the Easyboot Glove as Horse Journal Editor's Choice and the Easyboot Trail and Horse Journal Best Buy. Horse Journal is a cool equine magazine that does a great deal of product testing and reviews. They don't take advertising dollars so their reviews are usually very good and on target.

The Easyboot Glove on an early testing run. EasyCare's hopes for this boot have come through.

4. EasyCare has promoted the $10,000 Hoof Boot Contest since 2005. Although the Hoof Boot Contest has been very successful and has helped promote hoof boots and barefoot horses in one of the toughest equine sports, 2011 will bring an end to the successful $10,000 Hoof Boot Contest and we will soon launch the inaugural 2012 International Transition Challenge. The Transition Challenge will showcase horse owner and hoof care professional horse transitions. The new contest will highlight the importance of routine hoof care maintenance, proper nutrition and exercise. The change of direction will take our contest focus off long distance racing and put money and energy into a contest where improving the lives of horses will be highlighted and rewarded. More information will be coming soon.

Before and After transition photos showcased in That's My Horse #2.

5. Advancement, another area of focus for EasyCare in 2012. It's 2011 and in many areas of the equine industry we are still using products and methods developed hundreds of years ago. Why do other sports like cycling, skiing, climbing, and running continue to advance? If you look at a bike developed 20 years ago you would think it belonged in a museum. If you looked at a saddle developed 20 years ago you would think it looks just like the saddles being made today. One of EasyCare's goals moving forward is to borrow technology from other industries and bring it into the equestrian industry. Time to look at things differently.

Garrett Ford

President & CEO

I have been President and CEO of EasyCare since 1993. My first area of focus for the company is in product development, and my goal is to design the perfect hoof boot for the barefoot horse.

January 2012: Epona's Natural Hoofcare Services

Wednesday, January 4, 2012 by Dealer of the Month

If you've ever met Natalie Herman, you will know her to be dependably positive and honest. Since she started her business in 2005, she believes there has been an explosion of booting options, both in the growth of new boot brands and within EasyCare itself.

Natalie attributes her success to her burning desire to learn. She finds she can learn something from everyone. Even if she does not agree, there is always something that might cause her to approach a problem from a different angle. She credits her reputuation to the power of word of mouth and her conscientious approach to customer service. "I do some marketing, but it is a fairly tight community around here. If you want to be successful, you need to have people talking about you in a good way."

Natalie says Easycare makes working with their dealer networks and boot users a pleasurable process. "They have a friendly, helpful, knowledgeable staff; they have favorable return policies, and when a product is shown to need improvement, they modify the product instead of sticking with the same old thing."

She uses the same philosophy in her own business: "I am very helpful and giving with my knowledge. If a client has a question, they never hesitate to call or email me with it, and I try and help them. A good trim is just the tip of a large iceberg." She studied horseshoeing first, and credits that time with learning the principles of anatomy and a balanced trim. She feels strongly that evolution is just as important in hoofcare as it is in the boots that protect those hooves.

Natalie is quick to compliment EasyCare: "I love how inovative Easycare is, always trying to come up with new solutions to existing boots, or totally new boots when the need arises. Instead of insisting that the user is at fault, or the trims are incorrect, EasyCare tries to find a solution to boot failures by either modifying the boot design, or coming up with a design that fits the activity of that user. She says she's still waiting to see a sliding plate boot, though. "It just amazes me how fast things are changing in the industry," says Natalie, "and I am loving it."

Natalie currently owns three horses: a 13 year-old Morgan/Quarter Horse mare that was her first horse and, she says, her best horse. "I tried about everything with her, and she is currently being leased to a friend's daughter. Together they won the state championship for CSHA Trail Trials in their division this year, bare and sometimes booted with Gloves. She was also her experimental horse for getting into barefooting. She always needed shoes with pads in the front, having long toe/low heel issues, and wore the outside branches of her hind shoes to nothing in six weeks. Natalie was skeptical of taking her barefoot. "Her feet became so much better that I decided to completely convert my farrier business to natural hoofcare." She has never looked back.

Natalie and Storm.

She bred the mare to the top AERC mileage and Hall of Fame stallion, DR Thunder Bask, and this year her six year-old daughter completed her first endurance season. She has been bare her entire life, and performed wonderfully in Gloves, Epics, and Glue-ons at rides throughout 2011. "She is also my 'thinking outside the box' booting horse. I have had to modify boots and how to apply them to the hoof with her, as she tends to have a lot of torque on the hind end." Having a challenging horse in booting has helped her help others.

Natalie also has a 13 year-old Kentucky Mountain stallion. "He is my 'soul horse' and I love everything about him."

Natalie & Eowyn.

As a small business owner, Natalie keeps a minimum stock for clients, and appreciates the fact that Easycare does not have a minimum order policy amount. Her best-seller is still the Easyboot Glove and Glove Wides. "Most of my cients love them as they are so simple to use. The next best-selling models are the Epic and Easyboot Trail, as both allow a greater range of fitting for clients unable or unwilling to keep the hooves trimmed as frequently as the Gloves require.

Her most rewarding experience as a trimmer was treating her first founder case. "I knew the theory, and had trimmed a few mildly laminitic horses, but not a really bad case. When I called the vet for a consult and to go in and see the radiographs, the vet had basically written the horse off and told me to expect to see the coffin bone coming through the sole." She never did get sole penetration on that horse, but there were months of abscessing. Today the horse has textbook hooves. "This case got me started on the path to working on laminitic horses and it boosted my confidence in the barefoot method."

Natalie's most memorable hoof boot success story is the 2011 XP 2,000 mile ride. "There were a good number of barefoot and booted riders already, but there were also many shod horses competing." The barefoot horses proved to be most of the highest mileage horses on this ride, with over 1,000 miles each during the two-month span. Riders with shod horses discovered the benefits of barefoot/booted protocols, and many of them solved lameness issues during the race by pulling shoes and applying boots. "So much for an extended transition from shoes," said Natalie ironically.

Natalie's calling card.

Natalie's prediction for the future? That a barefoot and booted lifestyle will become the norm instead of a fad. "More and more vets and long-time farriers are becoming interested in it. As boots become easy to use and effective as hoof protection, more people see barefoot and booting as a viable option for their horse's hoofcare.

For more information on Epona's Natural Hoofcare Services, visit Natalie's new Facebook page. For more information on becoming a dealer, visit the Dealer's Corner on the EasyCare website.

Work or Play the Easyboot Glove Shows Why It's Here to Stay

Monday, January 2, 2012 by Debbie Schwiebert

Easyboot Gloves protect 1st place horse.

Central Coast cattlewoman Janine Layman, doesn't have time for things that don't work. She will look you straight in the eye and tell you she was more than skeptical about hoof boots yet in the same breath tell you how impressed she has been with the Easyboot Glove.

Janine questioned how much could really be done on a horse wearing hoof boots? I agreed that having to do a job horseback was a whole lot different than taking a trail ride. Throw into the mix her horses were not always kept on on tight trim schedule. Regardless, in her situation I felt it could be done. I fitted several horses and the test drive began. Needless to say we had great success and she is sold on the concept. Janine admits before the Easyboot Glove keeping horses barefoot and in use on the ranch was simply not an option.

This fourth generation cattlewoman calls Pozo, CA and the Torro Creek Ranch her home. Her go to horse is a fancy gelding named Muy Bueno, a five year old Paint that proudly carries the ranches +M brand. Patrick as he is fondly called is regularly used around the ranch and has proved to be a solid investment. When it comes to getting a job done horseback be it gathering, sorting or moving a few bulls Janine has found the Easyboot Glove to meet her every expectation. Janie says, "I'm pretty traditional, but I recognize the benefits of a barefoot horse and have come to find I can truly depend on these boots. They've earned a place in my tack room."

Recently trying her hand at her first ACTHA competitive trail challenge, Janine turned some heads. Her flashing gelding maneuvered the trail with ease in his Easyboot Glove hoof boots. Janine and Patrick proved they have what it takes, winning first place in their division and claiming the coveted buckle.

Janine and Patrick weren't the only entries turning heads in the Gloves. Also attending and sporting EasyCare hoof boots was hoof care practitioner Rhea Benko of Central Coast Hoof Rehab who had a great day taking fifth place. Frank Brinar put the Easyboot Glove Wide to good use on his mount and yep I held my own to a nice second place showing with the Glove Wide as well.

All grins, Janine Layman and Debbie Schwiebert.

The ride was held on the beautiful Midland School campus encompassing 2,860 acres of amazing country in Los Olivos, CA. The campus neighbors the Los Padres National Forest, the San Rafael Wilderness area and the Michael Jackson Neverland Ranch. I hear a repeat is in the works for next year so if you are in the area grab your pony and your EasyCare hoof boots and come out for a great day of riding.

The Glove hoof boot never ceases to impress. Work or Play the Glove is here to stay.