Bootlegging

I had the good fortune last week to work with some of the people who manage the equine program at the Tri-Circle-D Ranch at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.


About the Horses
There are currently 79 horses at two locations on the massive Walt Disney World campus. Both barns are near the Magic Kingdom location and there is a diverse mix of horses there who are split into two disctinct groups. One set is made up of the large draft horse breeds like Clydesdales and Belgians. They are used principally for pulling carriages around the Main Street area - always at a walk and mostly on blacktop roads.


The other set is made up of trail horses, mostly of quarter horse descent, with the odd Arabian and warmblood mix thrown in for color or height variety. Their job is to keep the guests entertained on five or six 45-minute trail rides per day. A smaller group of ponies give trail rides around the former petting zoo, which now provides a set of spacious paddocks for the little guys.


The horses are all in exceptionally good weight and health and the facitilies are meticulously maintained by a cheery group. The public - called 'guests' - are free to wander around the facilities. I was very impressed by the willingness of the staff to answer questions and share their love for what they do.
EasyCare and Exclusivity
As you can probably imagine, I wasn't just there to see what it is like at the happiest place on earth. I was there because Tri-Circle-D Ranch is transitioning their horse teams over to a barefoot/booted program and EasyCare will be the exclusive boot provider for their program.


An Impressive Approach
I flew down to Orlando to coordinate a visit there during the two days their barefoot hoofcare practitioner was pulling shoes from some of the horses - and trimming others who are already weeks or months into their barefoot transition. They brought in their vet so we could talk about the relevance of diet in the transition process, and it also gave us a chance to study x-rays of some of the horses' feet so the trims could be modified accordingly.

Some of these draft horses are unbelievably tall - we put a stick to one guy and it was not even big enough to get an accurate measurement. That means he was probably 18h3. It was fascinating to see these big hooves get trimmed - and to get a first hand understanding of the challenges they face. It is a humid climate with soft, wet ground for most of the year, and the hooves are definitely soft-country feet. One of the contributors to success for Walt Disney World will be the amount of work each of their horses is responsible for, which means every horse has a job and every horse is on a strictly monitored work program. This will help speed the transition process.


Those are Some Big Feet
We selected Easyboot Epics for their draft carriage horses - they will be using a combination of size 6 and size 7 for those horses. The trail horses will be using Easyboot Gloves - with the exception of Minnie, a draft horse cross, who will be parading down the trail in her size 4 Easyboot Epics.

All eyes are on the transition project down in Orlando - if this initial phase goes well, Walt Disney World in California will be our next stop. Please join us in wishing the entire team in Orlando the very best of luck in this bold move forward.


Question for the Post
If you've ever been to Disney World, do you remember the name of the carriage pulled by six grey miniature horses?

Keep up the bootlegging!

EasyCare's ongoing alliance with various events across the country continues over Labor Day with this opportunity to win one of two ride entries to this historic event.

About the Ride
The 2010 Old Selam Endurance ride will be held Labor Day Weekend, September 4th and 5th, near Centerville, Idaho.


The Old Selam Endurance ride has been put on for more consecutive years than any other endurance ride in Idaho. The Old Selam ride is named after a horse used in two different escapes from the Old Idaho State Penitentiary on Warm Springs Avenue in Boise. Selam was reported to be one of the best horses in Idaho and had been used for both riding and driving.

On December 24th, 1901, "Bob" Meeks, a member of the Butch Cassidy gang, was working around the hog pens in the prison complex when he unhitched Selam, then an old horse, from the wagon and took off. Meeks and Selam headed north into the hills. Trackers found where he had stopped to cut the harness from the horse. Tracks showed that Meeks had gotten off Selam and walked alongside him as they climbed the steep hillsides. Meeks was re-captured on Christmas Day, and both he and Selam were returned to the prison.


A second prisoner, Sam Bruner, escaped on December 30, 1901. The lights in the prison began to dim that morning. Investigation showed that trusted prisoner Sam Bruner was not at his duty station in the power plant A check of the prison revealed that Old Selam, as well as a saddle and bridle, were missing. The sheriff’s posse never caught Sam or Selam, who together made a successful escape from the penitentiary—a rare occurrence.


Since 1976, the Southwest Idaho Trail and Distance Riders have attempted to re-trace the trails used by Old Selam in his two escape attempts. The first Old Selam endurance ride was managed by Byron Meredith. The 1976 ride was held in mid-October inside the old prison complex. Camp was in the area next to the old barns. Riders had an opportunity to tour the prison, and the pre-ride briefing was held inside the historic (and recently re-located but not quite refurbished) Bishop's house. In later years, camp moved to Rocky Canyon Road, and the trail went just above the prison. From 1986 through 1991, the endurance ride camp moved back to the site of the Old Penitentiary. In 1991, endurance riders followed Old Selam’s trails in the moonlight. In 1992, the ride camp moved to the Douglas Ranch near Eagle due to private land owners on the Boise Front closing their land to equestrian use. In 1993, ride camp moved farther away from the prison to a clearing near the confluence of Grimes and Clear Creek on the backside of the Boise Front. Since 1996, the ride has been held at Henry Creek, near New Centerville. Whether Old Selam and Bruner came this way in their escape attempt is anyone’s guess.


Do You Want to Attend?
Simply send an email to marketing@easycareinc.com no later than end of day on Wednesday, September 1 letting us know why you deserve the entry.

We hope to see you there!


 

Submitted by Renee Gonzalez

It’s hard to believe a year has passed since I had the opportunity to ride in the Redwood National Forest. 2010 is flying by and I feel like I’m pedaling fast to keep up. It’s been a good year in many ways and I’ve been fortunate to have a great horse and great friends to share some miles with. Here we are, already into August and ready for another Redwood Ride.

I had two goals for this ride. The first was for Little Bit to haul to the ride by himself and camp like a professional endurance horse without the support of a buddy. A professional would be the kind who eats and drinks and takes care of himself, rather than the kind who stares into the distance and waits for it to get dark before he bothers to eat. Usually, Little Bit falls into the less desirable category. He’s normally too busy meditating to remember to take care of the basics.


So, Friday afternoon, Little Bit and I, along with my husband, Russell, and dog, Jefe, set out for the Orick Rodeo Grounds. The ride, located along the coast of Northern California, is only a ½ hour drive for us. Our dear friend, Katie Azevedo, had saved us a spot and despite not arriving in camp until almost 4:00, I was able to vet in, do a quick pre-ride, pack a crew bag, and settle in before the ride meeting at 7:00. Little Bit camped like a pro. He ate, he drank, and he didn’t seem terribly concerned that he was by himself. Mission number one: accomplished.


The ride meeting was short and sweet, thanks to ride manager Natalie Herman and head vet, Dr. Jen Powers. The ride is hosted by Redwood Empire Endurance Riders, a small club that puts on four rides each year. For this ride, Natalie volunteered to be manager and she really did a great job. I especially liked that she didn’t make us put ugly numbers on our horses butts (something I’ve always thought makes a horse look like he’s come straight from the auction yard).

My second goal for this ride was for Little Bit to start the ride by himself. Looking back, I should have been more specific when mentioning this to him, as I think he took it quite literally. Perhaps that was why he chose to dump me at mile 8 and attempt to do the ride “by himself”. The start of the ride went better than expected.

Through the night, Little Bit had made friends with his neighbors and thought it’d be best to stick with them all day. I walked him for about 20 minutes in camp to warm him up, and at 6:30 when they said the trail was open, I let the front runners get a head start on the single track trail before setting out. Little Bit power walked across the levy in a reasonably relaxed fashion. Just as we were about to set out up the big hill, a rider went trotting past us at top speed which indicated to Little Bit that this was where he should start trotting, too. This was the 11th time I had done Redwood Ride so I‘m fairly familiar with the trail, and I assured Little Bit that walking up the giant hill at the beginning was an absolute must. Much to my surprise and delight, he complied with my request and behaved himself. Mission number two: accomplished. Sort of.
   
A couple miles into the ride, Michele Dostal and her Rushcreek mare trotted up behind us and ended up riding with us for most of the first loop. Her mare is very sweet and pretty and Little Bit really seemed to like her. In fact, he liked her so much that when Michele stopped to adjust her saddle, and I tried to go on, Little Bit “spooked” at something, dumped me, and trotted back to his girlfriend. Thankfully, Michele was off her horse and being on a single track trail, Little Bit didn’t really have anywhere to go. Throughout the course of our relationship, Little Bit has dumped me a lot. But he’s never dumped me and left me for another woman! In the past when I’ve made an involuntary dismount, I look up to see his big pink nose hovering over me.
     
I have a horrible memory and I can never remember where, exactly, events took place during a ride (or perhaps the fall discombobulated me more than I thought), but I know that somewhere during the first loop, we caught up to Katie Azevedo, Berit Meyer, and Morgan Gratz-Weiser. And somehow during the first loop, I found myself riding with Katie and Shrimp instead of Michele. Little Bit happily exchanged his new girlfriend for his long time friend, Shrimp. So much for true love.
   
It ended up taking us about 3 hours to do the first 17 mile loop. Both boys pulsed down quickly and vetted through with all A’s. We only had a 15 minute hold here but the boys were able to grab a few bites of this and that, and gargle some electrolytes before we hit the trail again. I like riding with Katie for many reasons, including that she’s usually very on time when leaving vet checks. Russell was at the vet check, volunteering and crewing for us. He’s also very good at keeping me on time (“Renee, here’s your bridle. It’s time to put it on”).

   
The second 20 mile loop is my favorite part of the ride. Really, the whole ride is beautiful. It’s probably 75% single track trail and 25% mostly dirt roads with just a few miles of gravel thrown in to keep us from being totally spoiled. Much of this loop is like riding through a tunnel of alders and redwoods and big ferns. As Natalie said at the ride meeting, sometimes the trail feels very Jurassic Park. It wouldn’t have been terribly surprising to see a dinosaur or two along the way.


Katie and I rode together the entire rest of the ride. Little Bit is really great at powering up big climbs so he’d usually lead through these parts. But I have trouble pacing his trot as he seems to like to trot faster and faster and faster. So when it was time to pick a pace and stick with it, Shrimp would go in front. He did a beautiful job keeping a nice, working trot that kept their heart rates where we wanted them. The boys actually seemed to have very similar heart rates most of the day. They get along and go down the trail nicely together, which is surprising given the considerable difference in the length of their legs. Having horses that go well together is a definite plus when the people enjoy riding together, too. Katie is one of my favorite people and we seem to be the same amount of paranoid and conservative when it comes to riding. Who could ask for more?

   
On the second loop, Little Bit started drinking properly. He had taken a few courtesy sips on the first loop but didn’t start tanking up until the second loop. We played leap-frog with Berit and Morgan some more and had fun zipping along through the trees. Little Bit and Shrimp took turns leading. They were both eating and drinking along the trail, taking good care of themselves. Little Bit got lots of practice in patience as we crossed the big bridges that require one horse to cross at a time. He’d have to wait at one end while Shrimp went across. It was a little startling to watch the bridge bounce as the horse ahead of us crossed it.

   
We made it into the second vet check (~37 miles) around 12:40. This time we had an hour hold. The boys took full advantage of our hold and ate nearly the entire hour. Russell and Jefe were there again to crew. Both boys got all A’s. It was finally warm enough to shed my long sleeved shirt and even put a little water on the horses’ necks. I had started out in the morning with two shirts and a fleece vest. By the first vet check, I ditched the vest and finally for the last loop I could wear just  short sleeved shirt. The weather for our coastal rides is an added bonus for riders from inland areas. The very hottest day in Orick during the summer is about 65*. Sure, it was a little chilly in the morning, but after wilting in 90 degrees at Bandit Springs last month, I wasn’t about to complain about being a little too cold.

   
At the end of our hour hold, we electrolyted again before setting off for the last 13 miles. Little Bit still felt great at this point. He was happy and forward and still eating and drinking. In fact, my steed felt so fresh that midway through the loop, he spooked again, nearly dumping me. Katie seemed rather shocked that I managed to cling on that time. There’s one really big, switch-backy climb at the end. The switch backs are tight and every time I climb them, I think how much easier it would be to go straight up (I‘m pretty sure this would be frowned upon). This kind of trail is where Little Bit’s short, compact little bod comes in handy. He powered right up the hill. At this point, I started thinking how well this ride had gone and how great my horse had done all day (aside from that little incident in the morning).

I am so lucky to have a strong, solid horse who loves the trail as much as I do. Living in the redwoods sometimes makes us take their beauty for granted. I always get a little teary towards the end of a ride. It’s such an amazing accomplishment to finish a ride with a happy horse.

Katie and I made our way back down the big hill, out of the woods, onto the levy and across the finish line at 4:15 with happy, hungry ponies. The day couldn’t have gone any better. We mostly accomplished the goals we’d set for the weekend. Little Bit camped well and took care of himself before the ride, and he surprised me by how well he held  himself together when he had to start by himself. Sometimes I spend so much time fretting and worrying about the worst case scenario that I’m afraid to give things an opportunity to go well. My horse surprised me this weekend, and I feel like the two of us are starting to become more of a team. Sure, he dumped me in the dirt and left me for mountain lion bait, but even the best of friends fight once in a while, right?

Grants
You probably already know that EasyCare is dedicating a portion of its annual operating funds to help ensure the health and sustainability of the American Endurance Ride Conference, the national governing body for long distance riding. Our goal is to increase outdoor activities and encourage involvement in responsible equine sports.

EasyCare employees nominate projects, programs and organizations in which they are personally involved to receive funding or product donations. The contribution to AERC via the EasyCare Gives Back campaign is expected to generate more than $10,000 in unrestricted funds to AERC in 2010 alone.

Stewardship and Community Outreach
We recently spent a couple of days with Joanne Pavlis, president and founder of the Fawor Foundation. The Fawor Foundation's mission is to assist Arabian horses who have been retired or discarded from various athletic disciplines. Joanne, her husband Steve and foundation secretary Virginia Wilson gave us a tour of their extensive facility near Larkspur, CO. Joanne is a licensed horse trainer and has a gentle, intuitive way with horses that would make you trust her with even the most challenging of horses. Their current facility is managed and maintained impeccably.

The foundation is named after One Last Fawor (pronounced fay-vor). Like many well bred, well trained Arabians, Fawor was in need of a new home. He spent a few months with Joanne and soon became a barn favorite. He has since been adopted and has a wonderful home with a little girl that has a different color bow for him every day of the week. You can see a bigger photo of him at the Fawor Foundation blog.

Joanne's center provides the financial means required for equine rehabilitation, retraining and placement. This support allows many horses to have a second chance via a new career or just a safe retirement environment. The foundation supports youth and educational programs, breeder and owner awareness and provides a broad network for horses in a career transition.

Joanne and Steve will open an equine wellness center that will offer all horse owners, professionals and amateurs the opportunity to obtain theraputic services under one roof. The facility will be focused exclusively on rehabilitation and recovery. Services will include after-care for diagnosed lameness issues, routine dental care, acupuncture, acupressure, shockwave therapy, massage and rehabilitation therapy for post-colic surgery and founder. Educational programs will provide owners with more knowledge surrounding preventative equine maintenance including chiropractic, massage, dental care, nutrition and hoof care.
Duncan McLaughlin spent some time working on thermographic imaging of some of the horses at the facility. It is fascinating to juxtapose theories about conformational or work-related issues horses may have with evidence that those very areas are in pain or have shut down as a result of pain.


Question for the Post
Which equine community outreach activities are you involved with? What are the steps that led you to dedicate your time, treasure or talent to that cause?

Keep up the bootlegging!

Submitted by Katie Azevedo

If you happen to have similar interests as I do, you enjoy discovering the natural beauty that our land has to offer through the attentive ears of your best equine pal. That is my favorite aspect of endurance riding, if I had to pick just one. It’s the reason I bought my gelding Shrimp six years ago after falling in love with his stamina and animation. We both love the trail.

 
Shrimp and I reside in Northern California on the coast amongst the tallest living beings on earth. Fog is a redwood tree’s best friend, and we have lots of it. The local endurance club, Redwood Empire Endurance Riders (REER) organizes five AERC sanctioned rides each summer including the Redwood Rides in July and August. It was Shrimp’s and my first ride together in 2004, and was also our most recent one- August 7th 2010. This year the second ride in the redwoods was managed by Natalie Herman. It stages out of the fairgrounds in the small town of Orick that lies right on Highway 101. The entire ride is a magical journey through the moist and rich rainforest of the Redwood National Park (yes… national park!).

   
On Saturday morning the riders ride out of camp on a levee that leads them to the entrance of this temperate rainforest. The climate changes to a more cool and humid feel. Huckleberry, thimbleberry, sword ferns, and other shrubs argue for space to grow and capture the light rays that enter between the sitka spruce and coast redwoods. The dirt path is the only spot where the ground is exposed.  It sure makes me feel small and insignificant when I realize that despite the thriving undergrowth, most of the vegetative mass is in the canopy way above me. One look to the sky will have me gaping in awe. It gets me every time!


The trail takes me up a slow but significant incline. I ride alongside Berit and Morgan who are riding their energetic mares. We are all smiles and laughs. As the trail starts to level out, the riders pass through groves of alders. The bright green colors are reviving and the air is crisp and fresh. After 6 miles or so, the single track trail opens into two parallel paths. I notice that laurels and tan oaks have joined in the mix. I advise Shrimp to let the mares push on and we set into a conservative trot behind a bay gelding named Little Bit and his rider Renee. They are riding alongside Michelle and her Rushcreek mare named Nikki. Shrimp and Little Bit conquered one of the 50’s at Bandit Springs together this year and Renee happens to be a great friend of mine, too. She is also a smart rider and good company on the trail. We end up riding the rest of the day together.

 
Before long the flagging steers us right at an intersection. We are back on single track. The trail is windy and technical, going up and down and all around. The footing is nice soft dirt with some dips and undulations. The horses seem to love this type of rollercoaster trail and are plenty warmed up by now. Shrimp feels great and is minding the turns and the occasional root. We are also taken over several long bridges that bounce a bit when walked across. They are made of a composite plastic material. Fun!


This is deeper into the territory of some of the last-standing ancient old-growth redwoods since logging started here along with the gold rush in the mid 1800’s. It wasn’t until around 150 years later that Congress created this national park, and by then nearly all of the ancient trees were gone. Luckily our forefathers saved at least some of the enormous old growth- some around 2,000 years old. Redwoods contribute so much to their surroundings. They are a keystone species because of the way they create the localized climate and acidic soil that the rest of the unique ecosystem has evolved to rely on. Without them, this particular diverse network of flora and fauna wouldn’t have the means to thrive. Redwood National Park is just about the best bet for the preservation of this habitat, as the other parks, preserves, and logging lands are too small and fragmented to sustain the health of the whole eco region into the future. I notice rhododendrons, trilliums, and violets now and then as I ride through this trail. I hear plenty of birds conversing in song, too. It amuses me that these gigantic redwood trees are often skirted by a bed of tiny little redwood sorrel. The difference in the size of organism is remarkable! And oddly adorable… like a whale making friends with a group of plankton or something!

 
Both at the 15 minute hold and the 1 hour hold, there were no lines for the veterinarians. Ah… so amazing. I am also thankful for the volunteers that were making the ride happen! Shout out to Russell and Jefe for the extra help, too. The landing where the vet check was held is the most exposed area we ride into all day. Some sun feels nice and reassures me that the athletes aren’t as likely to cramp up. Once our time is up, it was back into the rainforest. Shaded, lush, yet still warm enough for me to prefer a tank top all afternoon.


Riding back towards camp for the finish at 50 miles was the final highlight in the day. The horses know where they are headed and are as steady as ever. They kindly request to rip the trail up, but Renee and I have been rating them evenly all day. We joke about how Little Bit in particular would have liked to raced it. He just isn’t able to convince Renee yet. There are new exciting trail features like an uphill zig zag of tight hairpin turns… the trail version of Lumbard street. More beautiful creek crossings, a nice wooden bridge, more groves of redwoods followed by mixed deciduous groupings. It just doesn’t get better than this! There is a certain beauty and ambience about a forest with 250 foot tall, 15 foot diameter ancient giants that doesn’t begin to compare to a second growth redwood forest. When we emerge from the enthralling forest at 4 o’clock, the levee takes us to the finish line. We are greeted with smiling familiar faces. After vet through, Shrimp enjoys a nap in the sun (on his new HiTie, our favorite). I get to visit with friends a bit more, and relax the rest of the day at camp. I thank my wonderful horse for doing so much for me! Our horses are just astounding, aren’t they? Natalie and the ride crew did a great job today and I love my waterbottle with the RRII logo on it. I also thought it was great that Natalie gives awards to the last riders that come in- not just the first riders! That is refreshing for a change. Easycare had also donated some great prizes like Stowaway bags and E-Z ride stirrups. Wow!

 
If you have the means to visit this corner of the earth in Northern California, I think you should. It’s one of those rides that tends to stand out from the rest. You may find it the most beautiful ride you’ll ever do and perhaps understand why John Steinbeck wrote that even “the vainest, most slap-happy and irreverent of men, in the presence of redwoods, goes under a spell of wonder and respect”. I am grateful that REER has the opportunity host a ride in such a special area. REER rides in general have a relaxed and friendly feel to them- it’s a really welcoming crowd. They often have a 10-mile fun ride along with the 25 and 50 distances, too, like they did today. This distance is perfect for new riders and young horses just trying out what it would be like to ride LD’s or endurance.


Do take one piece of advice along with you if you visit… offered from a Humboldt Coast native: it is worth it to steer around the banana slugs. Just in case you are faced with this instant dilemma, just go ahead and take my word for it. They won’t get out of the way, and they make for a gooey trailkill.
 
Katie and Bey Shrimp (RD Censashahnl)

EasyCare has formed an exciting collaborative partnership with Australian equine podiatrist and bodyworker Duncan McLaughlin to conduct a thermographic study of shod and unshod horses. Mr. McLaughlin and EasyCare representatives will be on location at the Bryce XP (Paunsagaunt) Pioneer event in Utah starting Wednesday, September 1, 2010. This portion of the study will focus on a comparative analysis of 12 horses shod in the traditional style and 12 barefoot/booted horses.

There are currently four remaining spots available in the segment of the study for shod horses. If you would like your shod horse to participate in this unique opportunity, please follow the instructions outlined at the bottom of this post.


About Thermography
Thermography is non-invasive and has no effect on the physiological status of your horse. Equine Thermography provides an alternative objective view of the circulatory and inflammatory status of your horse. Often, inflammation and changes from the usual patterns of circulation may indicate potential problems before they become apparent by more conventional means. For endurance horses, we find thermography is particularly helpful in identifying:

• hoof imbalance - longitudinal and medio-lateral
• inflammatory conditions of the lower limb - deep and superficial flexors and suspensory ligament strain and joint issues; saddle fit issues; and muscular overuse/underuse, to name the more commonly observed conditions.

About the Study
Our preliminary investigations warrant a much closer look. The study will compare any differences in the circulatory and heat patterns of the foot and limb between shod and barefoot/booted horses. To further examine these differences, we will record thermographic images of horses before and after competition in 50-mile endurance rides using various forms of hoof protection. We are looking for participants willing to have their horses undergo:

• a full thermographic evaluation before the ride start (about 30 mins),
• a quick lower limb evaluation immediately after completion (less than five minutes),
• and a post ride follow-up later in the evening.

The pre-ride and and lower limb evaluations will take place at the EasyCare trailer. The fuller post-ride follow-up will be done where the horse is resting (HiTie, corral, trailer) after the ride and will disturb the horse as little as possible or not at all.

The Take-Away
We will provide any participants who wish it an electronic report, including copies at a later date of appropriate thermograms of their horse. These reports will highlight areas of potential concern such as saddle fit issues, one-sidedness, the potential onset of issues that may lead to lameness at a later date and avenues for remedial action.

A white paper will also be published following the extensive field research and will be made available publicly by EasyCare.

Please contact me at kmyers@easycareinc.com if you would like your shod horse to participate in this landmark study.

Submitted by Kathy Mayeda

A few years ago Linda Cowles introduced me to the world of barefoot and fitted my three horses with Epics soon after they were introduced to the market. This was during the time that I was in the process of starting Drako. I have had a few years of endurance fun with my older gelding, Beau, but he was starting to have wear and tear issues, so why not barefoot him and concentrate on getting Drako into endurance. Drako has had maybe only one or two shoeings in his life. My third horse, Beamer (unfortunately now deceased), was already a barefoot former broodmare, so no change for her except I started riding her more.


I joined the Bay Area Savvy Players, a Parelli Natural Horsemanship study group, and started to take him to their play days and camps and taking occasional Parelli lessons to work through these issues. During this time I accumulated three+ sets of Epics for my three horses, occasionally doing and LD’s on my other two (sane) horses in Epics when I’m riding with friends curious about the sport of endurance.
 
Last year I started to notice the improvements in Drako’s behavior so I took him to Montano de Oro LD, got lost, pulled ourselves from the competition and took him to the beach to let him have a blow up there without the pressure of being in the pack. I was actually happy to pull that day so that we could work on his first ocean sighting without hurting other riders (or me!). I had started the rides in Easyboots (took gaiters off my Epics) but took them off after pulling to ride on the beach. Again, boots were not the problem.

Fireworks last year proved to be the ticket to finally getting him to finish an LD, but not without having an emotional meltdown half way through the ride and running over the vet at the vet check. He wore Epics that day, and the Epics certainly were not the problem!

I train barefoot most of the time, but I know that Drako would need hoof protection again. I still haven’t worn out the Epics yet. I want to try the Gloves but can’t justify it until I finish up using my Epics. Linda warned me that Easyboot products tend to last longer than you want to sometimes and this is certainly the case! I put on the boots the night before because I’m really not a morning person. I noticed that one of the cables wasn’t pulling through as easily as the others, but I went to bed and didn’t think about it again.

The ride start was uneventful. I found a couple of friends I knew to start the ride with, and the ride start was pretty uneventful. A nice gal on her mustang joined our group, and we found our horses to be well matched. I started hearing a clicking a few miles out, but all the buckles were still down and the hoofboots still on, and I hate getting off and fiddling when there’s a pack of horses and riders, so I continued on until we get stopped because someone’s horse had slipped off the trail. I got off to look at the boots and the cable was broken on that same boot . I guess maybe a shot of WD40 or something would have been the cure before, but it was too late. After determining that the rider and horse were okay, we continued on. I decided to replace the boot with the spare I had in my pack at the trot-by. 

The rest of the ride was a lot of fun. A bunch of us missed the turn off on the lollipop trail and had to turn back. A couple of horses got loose after the return river crossing which was a little bit too exciting for Drako so I eventually had to get off of him while everyone was getting organized. Riders and horses okay. We finished around noon at the rear of the top third of finishers which I thought was pretty remarkable considering all the little time eaters we were having. We certainly weren’t burning up the trail! Vetting in with good vet scores, I was really happy to complete.

So we met our goals. One of them was to wear out the Epics so I could get Gloves! Somehow I guess I didn’t zip up the pack all the way so I lost the Epic that had a broken cable. I found another broken cable on a rear boot. It was still on and I had no idea when it broke. But considering how many years I’ve had them, it’s not so sad. I know that there’s still plenty of life in those boots if the cable is fixed, and maybe I will eventually fix it, but it’s time to do a hoofboot exchange for Gloves.

It’s also time for me to think about getting Drako into doing 50’s! It’s about time for both, eh? I’m sure that I wouldn’t be having this conversation about Epics lasting too long if I was really doing 50’s in hoofboots, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

Thanks Easycare for everything you do for us endurance riders and horses. Keep up the good work. I’m looking forward to getting Gloves and riding in real endurance mileage again after a few years absence.

Kathy Mayeda

Photo courtesy of Gore/Baylor Photography

Welcome iwearyourshirt.com Fans
Hoof boots for horses? Actually, yes. Easyboots are to horses what Nike is to runners.

EasyCare produces the broadest horse's hoof product line in the world. In the last three years, Easyboots have been used to complete more than 100,000 wilderness miles in competitions over rough terrain and in foul weather conditions.

We believe that if Easyboots can compete in this arena, they can work well for any discipline. Hoof boots of today are not only used as a spare tire to replace a lost steel shoe: they have become essential equipment for any horse owner. And they can still be used for a barefoot horse or a horse using steel shoes.

Post a comment to this blog post by midnight EDT today, August 10, and you will be automatically entered to win a $100 American Express gift card. You can comment on any topic or ask questions about the boots. Here are some things you might think about commenting on:

• Who is the most famous horse in history?
• Which company made the first horse hoof boot?
• What is your favorite piece of horse trivia?
• If you were a horse, which color would you be?

Want More?
If you’re curious, take a quick look at our New To Boots? page or click here for a two-minute history on horse hoof boots. Check out our daily blog updates for insights and tips by boot users from across the world. You can pick the boot that’s right for your horse and your activity.

Follow us on Twitter @Easyboot and Like us on Facebook.

Check out Jason Sadler's Field Test: Easyboot Gloves against steel shoes.


No matter what you do, be sure to leave a comment below by midnight EDT today.

Candelita and Jaime Mansilla earned their place in the Guatemalan Team for the WEG 2010, on June 19th at the FEI 3*  Event in El Caman Chimaltenango, with Easyboot Bares as back up (as you can see in the picture).


We had three US FEI Officials attending the event, Dr. Mike Tomlinson, Teresa Cross and Sue Phillips helping us as Foreign Officials. And our own FEI 4* Judge Scarlet de Rodas was on location, who has participated in several FEI rides in the US, including the Git R Done in California last January.

Candelita has been shod her entire career she is now nine years old and has done endurance for four years. But we at Haras EL Pino Endurance have started experimenting with natural hoof care for about eight months with the broodmare band and non-competition horses. We were so impressed with the results that were now at the stage of trying it on our competition horses.    

So we contacted EasyCare and they have been instrumental in the transition, and have helped our team with huge amount of knowledge and incredible support. We especially enjoyed the webinars which have helped us make the transition a lot easier than we expected. Thank You guys!

Candelita is now two weeks into her transition and doing great! She was naturally tender at the first stages but our Easyboot Bares have helped us to keep her in training schedule.

We received our new Gloves and Glue-Ons today and will be trying them on the supervised training session of the WEG squad next weekend. Perhaps we can turn more riders here to the bright side of the hoof!


She worked bare today in the arena and her stride has improved a lot. We really are very happy and excited about this new adventure. We are convinced that going bare is a healthier way to go and believe that boots really help in protecting the hoof and improving the biomechanics of the horse.


We hope to post next week after the Supervised Training with the team. See you in Kentucky!

Submitted by Juan Briz, Candelita's Trainer & Trimmer

We tried something new last night: the first in a series of three EasyCare webinars broadcast live to air from the EasyCare North location in Durango, Colorado.

Garrett Ford and I spent 60 minutes showing the best methods for measuring, fitting and applying Easyboot Gloves.


Garrett then went on to demonstrate the gluing process for Easyboot Glue-Ons on Far. There were some great questions at the end, which was a nice opportunity to see what people are concerned about.

There are two remaining broadcasts: one this evening at 5 PM MDT, which will be presented by Duncan McLaughlin and Garrett Ford on the basic principles of basic hoof care and maintenance for the amateur.

Tomorrow, Duncan will discuss the area of nutrition for the barefoot horse. He will also talk about how and when to modifiy the equine diet for the athlete.

If you can't watch the broadcasts 'live', you can always watch the recorded versions.

To Participate in the Live Webcasts (during webcast scheduled time only):
Log into your Facebook account
At or after the scheduled webcast time, click the "Shows" tab on the Easyboot Facebook page.
Click the link "See all shows on Easyboot's Channel"
When the webcast begins, you will see it on this screen. Until then, it may say "Broadcaster No Longer Online".
During the live webcasts, participants may type in the chat window to ask questions. We will devote time at the end of each webcast to answer questions.

To View the Recorded Webcasts (anytime after conclusion of webcast):
Log into your Facebook account
At or after the scheduled webcast time, click the "Shows" tab on the Easyboot Facebook page.
Once webcasts are complete, you will see links to each one on the "Shows" tab. Click to view each recorded webcast.
The chat feature is only available when viewing the webcasts live, but chat questions will be visible for recorded webcasts.

Remember, you have to be a Facebook Fan to see the Easyboot Facebook Page. Once you are a fan, it is an easy process to see the webinars by simply clicking on the "Shows" tab. If you have any questions, please email me at kmyers@easycareinc.com.

We hope to see you this evening.

As part of the ongoing Win/Win partnership with more than 40 equine events across the country, EasyCare is pleased to work in concert with the organizing committee of the Redwood II ride that will take place on Saturday August 7, 2010.


The Redwood Ride is the only AERC ride within the boundaries of a US National Park. There are many single track trails and a few logging roads that wind you down into creek canyons. The course picks its way through old growth redwoods and fern-blanketed woods. Some say it is like riding through Jurassic Park, with dinosaurs lurking behind every giant tree.

This is a moderate ride run in a fun and low stress atmosphere hosted by the Redwood Empire Endurance Riders. Temperatures average from 55-65 degrees, though temperatures have occasionally been into the 80s on ride day. It can be sunny or fog-bound any day of the summer.

There is a ten-mile fun ride for young or inexperienced horses for riders who would like to see the ancient Redwoods, but are not yet ready for a 25 or 50 mile ride.


Camp is located in the town of Orick, about 35 miles north of Eureka, CA. There are a few restaurants, motels, and many gift shops. Many other outdoor activities abound in the area, and the Pacific Ocean is about ten minutes from camp. This is a unique and unforgettable riding experience.


If you would like an entry on the house, please email marketing@easycareinc.com by Wednesday, August 4 and let us know why you should get the ride entry. Click here for more information on the event.

We are pleased to announce the first trilogy of free 60-minute webinars designed to address three basic areas of natural horse care.

These free 60-minute live webinars will take place via the Easyboot Facebook Page this Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday August 2, 3 & 4 at 5:00 PM MDT. Yes, that would be 4:00 PM on the west coast and 7:00 PM on the east coast.

Three Key Areas of Discussion
1. Monday, August 2: Easyboot Glove Fitting and Easyboot Glue-On Application.
Learn how to measure, fit and apply the boots for a variety of trail conditions.
Get tips on what to look for and what to avoid.
Witness the demystification of the gluing process.
Presenters: Garrett Ford and Kevin Myers.


2. Tuesday, August 3: Trimming and Hoof Care Maintenance.
Learn how to make the hoof functional through regular basic maintenance.
Understand how to use basic trimming tools for yourself.
Presenters: Duncan McLaughlin and Garrett Ford.


3. Wednesday, August 4: Nutrition Basics for the Barefoot Horse.
Learn to feed the hoof with a basic diet.
Learn how to modify the basic diet for a performance horse.
Presenter: Duncan McLaughlin

You can watch the webinars live or you can watch the recordings. The benefit of watching the live webinar is that you can ask questions of the presenters in real time.

To Participate in the Live Webcasts (during webcast scheduled time only):
Log into your Facebook account
At or after the scheduled webcast time, click the "Shows" tab on the Easyboot Facebook page.
Click the link "See all shows on Easyboot's Channel"
When the webcast begins, you will see it on this screen. Until then, it may say "Broadcaster No Longer Online".
During the live webcasts, participants may type in the chat window to ask questions. We will devote time at the end of each webcast to answer questions.

To View the Recorded Webcasts (anytime after conclusion of webcast):
Log into your Facebook account
At or after the scheduled webcast time, click the "Shows" tab on the Easyboot Facebook page.
Once webcasts are complete, you will see links to each one on the "Shows" tab. Click to view each recorded webcast.
The chat feature is only available when viewing the webcasts live, but chat questions will be visible for recorded webcasts.

Remember, you have to be a Facebook Fan to see the Easyboot Facebook Page. Once you are a fan, it is an easy process to see the webinars by simply clicking on the "Shows" tab. If you have any questions, please email me at kmyers@easycareinc.com.

Keep up the bootlegging and we'll see you on Monday evening.

We are very proud of the riders who were successful in completing the 55th edition of the Tevis Cup in Easyboots.


Horses entered in the Ride Tevis for Free Contest enjoyed a 62% completion rate compared to the 51% completion rate of the contest overall.

As you can see from the finishers' list below, we had horses perform well throughout the pack. And for the first time in the history of a ride, a barefoot horse in Easyboots won the Haggin Cup!

1. 8. Garrett Ford
2. 9. Lisa Ford
3. 11. Crystal Costa
4. 12. Christoph Schork
5. 15. Janet Worts
6. 19. Rusty Toth
7. 20. Kevin Waters
8. 35. Tim Reynolds
9. 36. Laurie Birch
10. 52. Karen Deaver
11. 54. Pascale Soumoy
12. 58. Karen Donley
13. 69. Connie Creech
14. 70. Dave Rabe
15. 80. Kathy Myers
16. 84. Debra Karl
17. 87. Steph Teeter
18. 90. Leah McCombs
19. 92. Kathy Sherman
20. 93. Kathie Ford

It was a red letter day for Easyboots and for the barefoot horse care movement at large.

We send a heartfelt thankyou to all the riders who started out on the trail at Robie Park.

Keep up the bootlegging!

As part of the ongoing partnership with more than 45 events across the country, EasyCare and The Santa Cruz County Horsemen’s Association (SCCHA) is offering two complimentary ride entries to the 27th edition of the Fireworks Endurance Ride on Saturday, August 7, 2010.

Winners will have the privilege of competing in the 30 or 50 mile events along the unforgettable trails in the beautiful Santa Cruz area. The trails loop through majestic redwoods, rolling coastal meadows with spectacular ocean views, and over several creeks and one river crossing. 

The course covers trails in Henry Cowell & Wilder Ranch State Parks, Pogonip Park, and the upper lands of the University of California at Santa Cruz. 

The ride is well known for the incomparable scenery, but the event also gets accolades for the great volunteers, the delicious dinner, and the wonderful camping in a big meadow. This year there will also be a wine tasting from a Hallcrest Vineyards to help you meet your co-riders and introduce you to some of Santa Cruz’s special delights.


If you would like to enter to win a ride entry, please send an email to marketing@easycareinc.com and let us know why you deserve an entry to one of the most picturesque events in the country. And if you place in the race, you might even win one of four Stowaway Packs or one of four pairs of EZ Ride Aluminum Stirrups.

On Saturday, July 24, 2010, approximately 200 riders will cross the start line of the 54th edition of the Tevis Cup. 36 of them will be officially competing in the Ride Tevis for Free Contest, which means that if they cross the finish line at the Auburn Fairgrounds their ride entry and belt buckle will be provided to them courtesy of EasyCare.


“That’s not all,” said Julia Lynn-Elias of Dewey, AZ, who is one of the contestants. “EasyCare is providing the boots for the event; the tools and equipment needed to apply the boots and the EasyCare staff are applying the boots for the riders. I'm definitely feeling lucky!”

1. Laurie Birch
2. Nicole Chappell
3. Crystal Costa
4. Connie Creech
5. Karen Deaver
6. Karen Donley
7. JJ Donley
8. Kathie Ford
9. Garrett Ford
10. Lisa Ford
11. Rodger Ford
12. Diana Hiiesalu
13. Julia Lynn
14. Debra Karl
15. Paschal Karl
16. Tennessee Mahoney
17. Leah McCombs
18. Duncan McLaughlin
19. Kathy Myers
20. Hannah Pruss
21. Dave Rabe
22. Heather Reynolds
23. Jeremy Reynolds
24. Carla Richardson
25. Vicki Saitta
26. Robin Schadt
27. Christoph Schork
28. David Shefrin
29. Kathy Sherman
30. Pascale Soumoy
31. Steph Teeter
32. Rusty Toth
33. Kevin Waters
34. Dian Woodward
35. Janet Worts
36. Kris Wright

Please join me in wishing all of our riders the very best of luck in the most gruelling of competitions. I'll be at the vet checks cheering them on and assisting them in any way that I can. I can hardly wait!

Submitted by Leslie Spitzer

Over the July 4th weekend I had the privilege of attending the aptly named Mendocino Magic Ride. The ride was magic in so many ways for me. The weather was magical. July in Coastal California is commonly shrouded with fog and mist, but we were treated to crystal clear blue skies and warm, but not too hot, weather. It did get a bit windy Friday, but thankfully it wasn't windy the whole weekend.



 
I went to the ride with friends from the bay area; Pamela, who rides Eagle's sister JAC Chico's Fortune (aka Fanny) and friend Kirsten, riding Canyon. I went to Walnut Creek Thursday to meet up with the girls as we would be taking Pamela's trailer on this trip. Both Pamela and Kirsten ride barefoot/booted as well. Pamela is in the process of switching over from a different brand of boots to Easycare Gloves. I fitted her mare and we had ordered her brand new boots.

Imagine our surprise when on Thursday we found Fanny's pasterns and fetlocks covered in little, oozy sores :(  Fanny is super sensitive and the best we could figure is she had a reaction to fly bites.  This left us in quite a quandary as to what to do with boots for her as surely anything rubbing on them would be a problem.

 
We had a trailer tire blowout on the way to the ride so we arrived at camp much later than we'd planned. Ridecamp was located in a grassy meadow on a bluff with a spectacular view of the ocean at Lari Shea and Harvey Hoechstetter's Ricochet Ridge Ranch. Parking was a bit tight and they were trying to get us all in to leave room for later arrivals. Since we had to hang horses on HiTies off both sides of the trailer we needed extra room. We finally were able to help somebody move a tent which gave us the room we needed. Problem solved! We were a bit stressed at that point with all we had to do with getting ready, sorting out boots, tack, etc. that unfortunately we missed the wine tasting and potluck that was held in the large shop/barn building at the facility. We did make it to the ride meeting though and cracked open our own bottle of wine which was much needed and brightened our moods!

 
I had decided to apply my Easyboot Gloves the night before the ride. I really wanted to make sure they worked well and I wanted to take the time to clean his feet well, apply athletic tape and get a good fit with the boots. I used Mueller Athletic tape and tried something new in using more tape than I have in the past. The boots were a very snug fit and I had a good feeling about them. We were still debating what to do with Fanny, Pamela's mare. Natalie Herman ended up foaming regular old Easyboots onto her hinds and Pamela decided to use the boots she was used to on her fronts as there was less contact with her sores. This combo worked well and all her boots stayed on all day. I have to give kudos to Natalie for taking the time out to help anybody that needed it. More often than not, every time I saw her she was helping somebody out with their horses feet or boots. Quite impressive to me who can barely handle getting my stuff organized and boots on my own horse without melting!
 
The next morning came very quickly and went even quicker since our alarm had failed to go off (oops!) and we woke up half an hour late. We did fine though and I was really really thankful at that point I'd booted the night before! We left after the big pack and soon were jogging along single track through ancient redwood trees and old logging roads through beautiful meadows. It was really indescribably beautiful. We did a lot of climbing, some technical trail and lots of single track. This was not an easy ride, but my favorite type for sure!


Our first vet check was 18 miles (or so) in. The check was in a beautiful meadow. We had a half hour hold there. All our horses vetted well and then quickly settled in to the smorgasbord of hay, carrots and mash that was provided. Cynthia had suggested that everybody should take a walk into the old growth redwood grove which bordered the edge of the meadow just to take in it's beauty. I did take a moment to step in by myself and I'm really glad I did. Having grown up on the California Coast I have a fondness for redwoods and this grove gave me a tremendous deja vu feeling of my childhood. It felt like a very spiritual place and I could have spent all day there, just sitting by myself. Again, more magic.
 
After the hold it was another 17 miles back to camp for our one hour hold. The trail back to camp was more of the same. Climbs, descents, single track, technical and many amazing ocean vistas. All day long we were treated to various wildflower displays, especially the abundant little daisy's. It's all one big blur of beauty to me. 


At the ride meeting the evening before Cynthia had mentioned one of the trails being called the Spectacular Trail. All day long we'd come to a beautiful trail and proclaim we must be on the Spectacular Trail and we'd "oooh" and "ahhhh". Then we'd come to another even better one and decide that no, NOW we were on the Spectacular Trail. This happened several times throughout the day!

At our one hour hold at camp all the horses again vetted well and we got them settled in with their mashes and hay and helped ourselves the the lunch provided by management (this was an ALL frills ride!) ala Duck ride style; premade sandwiches in coolers, tubs of candy and drinks. To me it is such a luxury to be provided lunch at a ride so I can grab and eat and have the time to care for my horse and even sit a bit. My boots were all looking good at lunch and I had totally relaxed about them at that point and quit obsessively checking to make sure they were still there.
 
We headed out for our last loop refreshed on on horses that were looking great. I think we moved out the fastest on this loop. Lots of trotting on wonderful, redwood carpeted single track and even a gallop up a steep hill! Lots of fun and my boots stayed put! Soon we were back at camp and our magical ride was completed.
 
I really had a great ride and my horse felt really good. He has been barefoot since Dec. 21st of last year and he has really thrived. Our friend Kirsten is a chiropractor for humans and horses.  She has treated Eagle in the past and treated the horses the evening after the ride and the next morning. She pulled me aside to tell me that when she had initially treated Eagle a year or so ago she really thought he was arthritic or had some degenerative joint stuff going on but now she finds that his joints feel like the joints of a young horse! I think this is really significant and the only thing that has changed with this horse is that he has gone barefoot and uses boots when he needs them.
 
I do want to mention that if you have had rubs from your gaiters, don't despair! Eagle had no rubs after this ride. In April I took him on the Nevada Derby and had to pull at lunch due to rubs making him sore. The lesson learned for me was to train more in boots. I had been using them occasionally but riding bare a lot. Their skin does adjust and toughen up to the gaiters. Also I learned it is probably not the best idea to use brand new boots on a ride unless your horse is really used to them. I broke my own rule by using new boots on the rear for this ride, but it went fine. I also have made simple neoprene wraps to carry in case of rubs. They work well.  If nothing else, making them and carrying them alone will insure you never have a rub again :).
 
After the horses were all cared for we took a bottle of wine and headed over to the amazing catered dinner and awards ceremony in the barn. The dinner included tamales, pork, chicken, a rice dish and yummy chocolate ganache cake for dessert. It was all very good and spicy! An award was given out for the first booted horse which I thought was really nice and a bottle of wine to the last 10 riders which I thought was really cool. The completion awards were nice ball caps with the ride logo on them.
 
It was fun relaxing after the ride with friends and chatting with everybody. It was announced that fireworks would be able to be seen from the arena in ridecamp, but us girls were so relaxed later in the trailer that we never made it over there but did see a few from the trailer. I'm sure it was a spectacular show.
 
Due to the length of our drive, we had elected to drive home the next morning. We got a leisurely start and hit Starbucks in Ft. Bragg. We must have been talking and enjoying our coffees a bit too much as we missed our turn off onto Hwy. 20 and decided just to keep driving on Hwy. 1 and cutting over at the highway which heads into Cloverdale. We ended up being extremely pleased as we were treated to a beautiful, crystal clear drive through Mendocino and along the coast. The highway up to Cloverdale was not nearly as bad as we thought it would be and took us through more beautiful country and some wine growing areas. It was tempting to stop at some of the wineries!  It was a beautiful drive home and I got to experience part of California I'd never even seen before.
 
I'd like to thank Easycare for my ride entry and for the technology which created my boots and allows barefoot/booted endurance riding to be really a doable thing. I'd also like to commend and thank Forrest Tancer and Cynthia Ariosta for putting on a ride that was nothing short of magical! 


They really did a great job and this ride is not to be missed in the future. I'd also like to give special mention and thanks to the land owners who allowed us to camp on and share in the beauty of their lands. Firstly, to Lari Shea and Harvey Hoechstetter for providing ridecamp and facilities at the Ricochet Ridge Ranch and allowing us to ride through their beautiful trails and also to the Jackson Grube Family, Nan Deniston (Parker Family), Campbell Hawthorne Timber Management, and Mike and Yvette Maguire. We'll be back for sure!

Leslie Spitzer

Submitted by Dr. John Haeberle

We loaded up the trailer and headed north for the Big Horn 100 this last weekend. It was to be my son and his horses’ first 100-mile event, and we chose EasyCare Glue-Ons for hoof protection.

We couldn’t have been more pleased with the EasyCare team, led by Kevin Myers, who helped apply the boots the day before the race. Not only did that mean that it wasn’t me with Vettec Adhere stuck to my fingers, but I also learned a lot about the Glue-On fit and application.

First of all, I learned that I wasn’t roughing up the hoof wall quite enough prior to application. While we’ve had great success with the glue-ons, my wife did lose two at a CTR recently, and I was puzzled as to why. I have now learned that I wasn’t doing quite as good a job as I could have roughing up the wall. Rusty Toth, the barefoot trimmer who travelled with Kevin, taught me to use the narrow side of the rasp to make deeper gouges for the Adhere to gain some purchase.

Secondly, I learned that I wasn’t using quite enough Goober Glue for the sole packing. Kevin and Rusty told me I should see quite a bit of Goober Glue being extruded from the heel overnight, and I could twist that off just before the race. Here’s a photo of what their application looked like before I did that.


Hopefully you can tell that there is a large glob of Goober Glue being extruded. It was about the size of a robin egg, and twisted off easily with a Leatherman.

The boots did great, and so did our horse and young rider. The Bighorn 100 takes horses up from base camp over 5,000’ and then back down. It covers betonite badlands, deep canyons, high peaks, and steep roads. The horses endured at least four hail storms, wide temperature ranges, and all of the exhaustion of a 100-mile event. Through all this, the boots were never on my list of concerns. 


Joe, the 15 year-old rider, said he never had much trouble with traction except on the wet betonite of the final downhill. As he noted, though, nothing works well on wet betonite.  Barefoot horses would have trouble out there, as would shod and booted ones. The answer on steep, wet betonite downhills is to get off and walk.

In the end, our son and his horse did well, completing the ride in the dark of Sunday morning. It was a first 100 for both of them, and they held up well. Scooter checked out sound, and so did Joe. It was a great test for both of them.

When Scooter did his first 50, we were told that we’d have “a new horse,” confident and businesslike, and that’s what we got. After their first 100, we’ve got a new horse, and a new kid.  The both walked away with a new confidence and a touch of pride in their accomplishment.


Thanks again to the EasyCare team for helping with application of the boots. We’ve learned a lot, and plan on helping others to use the boots well.

John Haeberle

Do you remember what you were doing in 1970?  It was the year the Neel Glass invented the first Easyboot. In Shell, Wyoming, a group of hardcore endurance riders decided to put on a 100-mile race of epic proportions. The event would take the riders from the hot, arid badlands just outside town up into the high mountain pastures filled with wildflowers and wildlife that only a handful of people get to see in a year.


Forty years later, the event is still taking place. Big Horn is the grande dame of endurance rides, now the longest continually running 100-mile race in North America.

What better year to attend? 32 riders took on the good fight this year: their opportunity to stand face to face in front of destiny in the most unpredictable of settings. Big Horn is one of those races that just keeps you guessing from start until the horse steps his hind legs across the finish line.

The ride meeting was held at the community center in town, ten minutes’ drive from basecamp. A local band was playing on the stage when we walked in and a long snake of tables would soon be host to hungry riders and crew. At almost 8 PM, Jeanette Tolman stood in front of the restless crowd to walk us through the trail that lay in wait.

It was past 10 PM when we got to bed, and the 2:30 AM wake-up call came quickly. The 50 and 100-mile riders all started together at 4 AM. 43 riders milled around the start line for the roll call, and soon enough we were out on our controlled start for a mile along a dirt road before we were set free on a two-track road across the badlands towards the great Big Horn mountain range. The pace at the front of the pack was consistent and riders and horses were all speechless with anticipation of what lay ahead. It was thrilling.


It took us about 90 minutes to get to the first climb out of the badlands – a service road that kept climbing up through the trees. The riders had already spread out enough for the horses to settle in. Little clusters of riders had formed and the horses were focused on the job at hand.


At the summit we poured out into the first of beautiful canyons. We would cross a creek several times along a stunning single-track trail. It was hard to believe that the wildflowers could be so prolific and the views so stunning. We climbed and we climbed and we climbed. And every time we turned a corner, we came across a new high pasture and even more vistas that took your breath away.  We could see plain out to Yellowstone and the snow-covered Teton Mountains.

We came to the first vet check at 27 miles. Horses, vets, riders and crew were all chipper. Tim French had a barbeque on the back of his truck: he was making food and had a pot of coffee there at a rolling boil. It was Wyoming hospitality at its best.

The hour hold passed quickly and we set out to take on the 14 miles of trail to Antelope Butte ski lodge. At times the wildflowers were so prolific that it was hard to see the marker flags in the ground. We vetted though in a brief lapse from the rain, and spent the rest of the hour watching the horses devour hay and fill themselves on lush green grass.


When we left the ski resort, a big black cloud was hanging over the mountain we were about to climb to get up to Jack Creek. We climbed up and over the summit, and as we began to wind our way down into the valley the skies opened. The muddy roads became slick, slimy clay chutes. We got off and walked: our deconstructed running shoes turned into combat boots and I began to feel like I was not born to run.


We got to the valley bottom and then began the most beautiful climb up the single track trail that would lead us towards Jack Creek. We wound our way up through old growth trees and the intoxicating smell of fresh-cut lumber. I was cold and wet and tired. I wrapped Far’s tail around my hand and let him pull us up closer and closer to the divine summit of the Big Horns. He slipped and regained his footing and stayed ever focused on the journey in front of us.


The single-track trail, alas, had to end. It spit us out and soon we were in a high mountain meadow. How did anyone know it was here? There was no road there, and hardly even a trail. It would lead us to the auspicious Jack Creek vet check – the location for vet checks three and four.

Our borrowed crew rushed to us with blankets and waited on us. We changed into dry socks before heading out on the loop around the top of the mountain. This 14-mile loop was where the fleeting, crowning moment of the ride took place for me.  Far lead us all up and over the highest point in the ride – a breathtaking 11,000 beautiful feet. Who better to be there with than Dorothy-Sue Phillips, Tom Noll and Rusty Toth. Far was focused and intent and content with his role. And I was in awe.

As we wound our way around the lakes, the skies grew ominously dark again. They would deliver hail and thunder and wind as we trudged our way back down to Jack Creek. Neither horse nor rider was happy. And nor were the vets: they checked our horses for vitals and then hurried us back out onto the trail. The skies were heavy and angry, the wind biting and order had been replaced by a sense of urgency. “Hurry down the mountain,” said Dr. Irena Weiss, “it’s just going to get worse from here.”


She was right. The single-track trail that would start the endless descent towards Trapper Creek Ranch had turned into a clay river. Each step was a slip as the horses struggled to regain their balance. We were off on foot again, wearing combat boots and tiring far more quickly than we should have been. I was wet to the bone – my raincoat was no longer keeping the water on the outside. I felt little rivers of water wind their way down the front of my chest. My socks were sponges and nerves were growing raw. And the sun began to set.

Behind us we saw a figure on horseback in a bright orange coat and hood. As we slipped and slid our way down the trail, we realized it was Tom Noll. Unlike us, he knew the trail and he would describe it to us in detail. We hooked up with him and he reminded us that there would be no moon that night. And he told us stories of the night he oriented down the mountain, getting back to base camp at 7 AM. We laughed and told stories. But as the night drew on, I began to realize how close we were to reliving his experience.

The slick roads were impassable by horse or by vehicle – we stayed up off the trail and crossed country through sagebrush. As darkness fell, the absence of the moon soon became apparent. And we realized there were no trail markings.

By some stroke of dumb luck, Tom had a GPS with the track log from two years prior. Before long he was referring to it to make sure we were still heading in the right direction. His four finishes at the ride had given him a sense of the trail, and at the point at which when we started the descent in earnest he knew we had to watch for gates and barbed wire and cliffs. And we all knew we were cold and playing some obscure game of chance. We saw lights and we heard people. And then they were gone. We doubted his GPS and the turns we made. We felt a great sense of hope when we saw the lights of Greybull for the first time, a mile or two below us.  If there were markers on the trail, we did not see them. We saw nothing: not seeing, not knowing.

But the lights seemed not to grow closer and the miles grew longer and slower. I got off and ran when I could no longer feel my feet or my knees. Squelch, squelch, and squelch. As I grew more tired and less enthusiastic, Far stayed sharp and focused and ready. And I began to fade.

The descent was endless indeed. I began to wonder if we would be out there all night with the silent silhouettes of the cows and the rocky trail and the gates and the soupy blackness.

We came upon a lost rider with a sick horse – Lois Fox would join our group of four. At one point we thought we saw horses with glowsticks coming towards us. And then they disappeared. Out of nowhere we stumbled up on Jeanette Tolman out there on her ATV. She seemed overwhelmed. She was holding a flashing red light over her head, as if to mark a target for the riders coming off the hill. It seemed so banal for her to be here, of all places. I could not even comprehend how anyone could ever make it to this point without knowing the trail. It was not just a case of following a single track trail down the mountain the way Tevis picks its route to Auburn. It was a case of orienteering through wilderness trails - often against your instinct to head for the lights of civilization far beneath you.

By the time we hit the slick rock I was dazed and confused. We were on foot, but negotiating the increasingly steep grade of the hill towards the ranch was a slow and painful process. My feet were numb and bruised and it became more and more difficult to choose trail instead of cliff. My steps became short and slow and the light of Tom Nolls’ headlamp grew dim and then disappeared as he continued down the scree ahead of us and gaining ground.

We got to the ranch and to the road and onto the rolling hills of the badlands. It felt good to trot in my semi-conscious state. It had suddenly warmed and the cold, shocky feeling was replaced with the sense of sweat dripping down my back as we trotted up and down the rise and drop of the barren country – the dark side of the moon.  The race against the clock was now the point of conversation.

We crossed the finish line at 2:30 AM - it had taken us seven hours to trek the 32 miles down from Jack Creek. But the achievement was bittersweet. People familiar with the trail who had left Jack Creek before us were still out there in the night. Horses were lost; people were curled in the fetal position under sagebrush; others still were vomiting. The mountain had taken its toll – it had gained the better of ride manager and riders alike. When we finished there were still more than ten people wandering and sheltering from the elements. By morning all horse and rider teams were safely back at camp.

It is perhaps the most beautiful and remote ride I’ve ever done. Tevis felt like a more challenging ride physically and emotionally: you get on the trail and you follow it. You climb and you descend and you play with fate all day and all night. But if your horse can handle the physical challenge and if you can take the emotional challenge, you just truck down the trail. At Big Horn everything is unpredictable. There is less climbing and descent, but destiny plays a different role in determining the outcome. There are less volunteers ushering you though checkpoints and the choices for trail seem almost infinite.

It was the darkest and most thrilling experience of my life. It was an epic journey that leaves me with a dizzying sense of accomplishment. At Tevis you conquer physical and emotional battles. At Big Horn you take on Mother Nature and destiny. She is the most unpredictable ride of them all.

I can hardly wait to take her on again.

Thanks to winning a ride entry to Mendocino Magic July 3rd 2010 from EasyCare, I was able to go see if my horse Chief could make it with four Easy Boot gloves with gaiters (with tape) on a 50 mile ride.

It went very well. Chief retained all four boots. No rubs on the hinds. I had experienced some rubbing in the front in conditioning rides and in a ride at the Hat Creek Hustle on June 20Th in the LD (25). I got the gaiters as tight as I could and used generic baby butt cream on the hairless spots. None of the rubs have ever gone through the skin. They did not get any worse after fifty miles of 'Mendocino Magic'.
 
It was 'Magic'. The trail was challenging. Many big climbs; we did not gallop any hills because I did not want to take a chance and pop off a boot. We did trot a lot of climbs and boots were still there at the tops of those climbs. The views of the Pacific from the ridge tops were spectacular.


There were Redwoods, Alders, Noble Firs, and Daisy and other wildflower and flowering shrub strewn trails to cruise through. There were multiple crossings of a gentle river. There was an old abandoned logging train trestle in one crossing.


There was a good couple of stretches of pavement. I was in awe of the performance of four securely booted feet on pavement. We were trotting and galloping and watching others in Easyboots of all kinds go by us even faster on the pavement. No slipping. And you can feel the difference in concussion yourself! I have ridden at a walk down pavement on a shod horse and felt more vibration from the pounding then at a gallop on pavement at Mendocino Magic in Easyboots! Amazing! I also hand walked down a bit of the road to stretch out my own legs and give Chief a break.
 
Before leaving home on Friday I applied tape to Chief's hooves and my husband Solomon put the boots on. I have fibromyalgia and it is really hard for me to do boot application in the early AM before a ride. With the tape they were harder to apply and harder to take off which was good of course. Even though it took just a little extra effort I did remove the boots in under five minutes by myself at the end of the ride. Seem to be fine applied the day before. I had pads in the fronts, but none in the back.  I tightened all the screws down at the one hour hold: several were loose.

There were a few muddy/ boggy places that we went through and retained all four boots just fine.


We went at a steady pace all day and made it in with the "Sundowners Club’, the final ten riders. The Sundowners received a bottle of wine in addition to their completion award, which was a hat with a really cool Mendocino Magic logo.
 
The potluck on Friday with the ride meeting was a lot of fun, as was the catered dinner and awards on Saturday. Gordon Frasier won the first place booted horse award and went home with four new gloves with gaiters donated by Easycare. Rght on Gordon! He was one of those that flew past me on the pavement.

Larri Shea received a special hat for her completion award. It was a black straw cowgirl hat with fiber optic sparkle lights. Love it! It was super of her and her husband to host us. Ride camp was beautiful.  Loads of grass for the horses and ocean views for us.


Thank you to the Parker family land trust for sharing their land and their story through their forester whom spoke to us at dinner. Thanks also to the all the other private land owners that allowed us to ride their land: ampbell Hawthorne Timber Management, the Jackson Grube Family, Faye Olson and Mike Maguire.


Ride managers Cynthia and Forrest were great and did a good job. Trails were so well marked I did not take any wrong turns for once. Plenty of water well placed. Vets were three of my horse's favorite gals, Roberta Wiederholt, Susan McCartney and Jen Powers, Chief got to spend a few minutes with all three at some point during the ride. Volunteers were friendly and also did a good job. Lynn Glazer was the photographer and I am looking forward to seeing the photos when she has them up on her site.

All photos I am posting were taking by me, with the exception of the one of me and Chief that was taking by my travel/ride buddy Beverly whom I thank for driving us to the ride.
 
I really appreciate my friend Sue Laurente for getting into bare foot hoof care.


Having someone close to home (I live in Trinity County Ca very remote) to take consistent care of my horses feet and that can help with boot fit have been why I was able to jump in and go for it with bare and boots. I am even prouder of the decision now that we made it through a fifty in boots this year.
 
My horse Chief is a Morab and is 19 years old. One thing I would like to accomplish on him is the AERC's decade team. That requires one fifty on the same horse every year for ten years. This is our fourth year, and I think it is doable. He would only be 25 in 6 years and we all know older horses then he that are doing more then 50 miles a year still! I think boots will help him with longevity. Chief is also destined to be my daughter’s endurance horse after she outgrows Patches the Shetland pony she is currently riding (barefooted) in AERC LD rides.
 
The fireworks on Saturday night in Fort Bragg were clearly visible and entertaining. I was to beat from doing a 50 to go watch with everyone down at the vetting area (I mostly do LD because of the fibromyalgia but had to see all the trail on this ride and I do try to accomplish a min of one 50 a year) but I was able to see them from my friend Bev's camper, so I watched from there.
 
I would return to this ride every year. If you missed it, try to get to it next time. You will not regret it!

Audra Homicz and Kiowa War Chief