Dealer of the Month

Based just outside Mooi River in kwaZulu Natal, South Africa, Easyboot SA is run by Ben, Helga and Peter Ward. Ben has an MSc. in Agriculture and worked in the Seed and Agro Chemical industry for many years. He got involved in saddle making through a friend and in 2006, he and Helga took over the running and ownership of Franco C Saddlery.
Their main market is endurance and they compete in the sport with two of their three sons.
Helga grew up on a farm and has been riding since she can remember. After school she studied dietetics and worked in hospitals until she married Ben. She now runs the offices of Franco C Saddlery, Easyboot SA and their local Endurance Club.
Peter is a dairy farmer and breeds American Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds. After leaving school he studied for a Bachelor degree in Business Management and went on to complete his MBA. He worked in computers, marketing, sales and general management before going to farming a few years ago. He has been riding and horse-mad for over 50 years. 

Easyboot SA identified three boots as their best-sellers: Easyboot Glove, Easyboot Glue-On and Easyboot Trail. "We felt that these would cover the vast majority of needs in our market," said Peter when asked about their inventory. "We have invested in a full range of sizes as well as accessories for these boots. The best seller so far has been the Easyboot Glove.

Peter does his own trimming and occasionally that of a boot prospect, but he never charges for it. "I enjoy trimming as it increases the bond between you and your horse. When you have a successful endurance event it is nice to know that you set up the hooves."

In July 2011 Peter took a little horse called Buddy to Fauresmith to do the ultimate South African Endurance race: over 200 km. It was the first time for both horse and rider - and the horse only made the age cut by a few weeks. "We finished and Buddy became the first horse in the thirty year history of the race to do it wearing Glue-Ons. We have no doubt that Glue-Ons will be used in every Fauresmith from now on." Peter chronicled his experience in the Team Easyboot blog.

Easyboot SA believes the hoof boot industry is moving steadily upwards. "Horsemen are becoming better informed and more caring for their horses at a very fast rate, thanks to the availability of information via the internet.  Hoof care is an obvious place for many horsemen to improve their animal husbandry as hoof boots such as the Easycare range offer real alternatives to any nail-on shoes, be they metal or plastic," said Ben when asked about what he sees for the future.

When asked about their favorite events, Fauresmith is the consistent answer across all three owners. Peter adds that Tevis is on his bucket list.

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.

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."

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 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.

Matt Jenkins is a relative newcomer to the hoof care industry. He was burnt-out from long hours working at the feedlot and ready for a change in careers. His father called him one day and said he was having trouble with a farrier and unfortunately this wasn't the first time. Instead of dealing with the frustration of finding yet another farrier, he suggested Matt attend shoeing school and at least learn how to trim and shoe their horses. Matt signed up for school and after the first week, he knew he had found his new career. 


Four years later, Matt had a client horse he could not keep sound, nor could he keep shoes on it. Fellow farriers came to the barn to assist him, but to no avail.

The horse's owner was in his late seventies and rode every day. On one of Matt's visits to the barn, he handed him one of Pete Ramey's books. Matt was not impressed at first and told him it wouldn't work. The owner was very persistent but a full year passed before Matt took the leap of faith and pulled this horse's shoes. In six months, the horse had recovered completely. "I was amazed and confused," said Matt. "This mentality was so different from my schooling and how I was taught to raise horses."

Matt secretly started to transition his own horses and could not believe the changes in them. He ordered his own copy of Pete Ramey's book and started reading everything he wrote. Soon he started asking his clients to allow him to pull the shoes to rehabilitate their horses. Today, Matt has a client base of more than 450 horses.

He gets excited when he talks about the many advancements in the hoof boot industry. "There have been tremendous improvements in the quality, fit, and ease of application in the past few years. I have to admit I put down the boots in the beginning and would tell people it's okay for a spare tire but nothing will replace the steel shoe."


Matt comes from a modest family farm south of Marion, Illinois, where they raised cattle, vegetables, rabbits and horses. He has a bachelor's degree in Beef Nutrition from Southern Illinois University of Carbondale. He paid his way through college by training horses and driving trucks in the summer.

Today, Matt lives with his wife, Rachel, in Vienna, IL. As an owner of ten Quarter Horses and one Missouri Fox Trotter, Matt attributes his success to patience with people and genuine care for the well-being of horses. All of Matt's horses are booted: "We use Epics and Gloves. My favorite is the Glove but I still have a special place in my heart for the Epic."

Matt has been an EasyCare dealer for about 15 months. He carries Epics, Gloves, Glue-Ons, EasySoakers, Rx and recently added the Trails. His bestseller is the Easyboot Glove.

He graduated from the Kentucky Horse Shoeing school in 2003. He also attended any certification clinic or educational class that he could find. "While transitioning my own thought process to barefoot, I worked at the Agronomy Research Center in Carbondale, IL."

The most rewarding experience Matt has as a trimmer is seeing the look on people's faces and the hugs and tears shed when a horse has been successfully rehabilitated. Most of these clients thought they had done everything and as a last resort they reluctantly tried barefoot. "Yep, their lame horse with no hope walks again."

He can remember standing in a barn with a sad family, a vet and another farrier. The prognosis for the horse was grim: nothing more could be done. He remembers the vet saying to the owners "say your goodbyes, we need to put him down right away." As the farrier and the vet left the barn they looked at Matt and asked if he could fix the situation. 

Matt wasn't practicing barefoot hoof care at the time and this would be his first founder rehabilitation using barefoot methods. "The coffin bone had penetrated both front feet. His frogs were almost non-existent, destroyed by thrush. What was I thinking?" He drove an hour one way every week for several months, then went every three weeks, then every four. Eventually, the horse was doing much better and he moved him to a six week trim cycle. "I am proud to say that the horse is alive and well and guiding trail rides at a local camp. Later I ran into the original farrier. He just shook his head and told me I just got lucky."

When discussing the key to success as a trimmer, Matt's first response is the ability to admit when he has made a mistake. "It goes along way in retaining clients as well as picking up new ones. Obstacles are forever present throughout life and someone is always watching to see how you overcome them."

Matt's leading mentor is Ida Hammer. He also gives credit and an honorable mention to Eric Knapp, Randy Hensley, Jeanie Wright and Debbie Schwiebert from EasyCare.

In his opinion, the barefoot industry is moving forward at a rapid rate. "Everywhere I go, people are showing more interest in barefoot hoofcare. As rule books change in the competitive arena and barefoot horses start out performing shod, change will happen. I also believe barefoot success is parallel to boot success."

Bryan Baire started Palmetto Farrier Service three years ago, after a 20-year career in civil engineering profession working on land development projects. Based in York, South Carolina, Bryan serves the entire Charlotte metro area with a client base of more than 250 horses. He is a graduate of the South Carolina School of Horseshoeing in Aiken, South Carolina. The school is run by Doug Eidenier; a 2009 inductee into the Brotherhood of Working Farriers Association (BWFA) Hall of Fame.


Bryan attributes his success to certification through the American Farriers Association. He also believes strongly in continuing education. "A mechanic cannot repair a car without knowing how the internal parts work," he says. "Nor can a hoof-care provider treat, trim and balance a hoof without knowing the mechanics and all the internal structures that make up the equine foot."

There are many aspects of the engineering profession that Bryan uses in his practice. "The lower limb of a horse has very little to no muscle in it so all the tendons and ligaments work together acting as a system of levers and pulleys which I totally understand and am able to apply mechanical engineering principals to."

Bryan says it is it truly is buyer beware in the hoof-care industry when choosing a hoof care provider. Neither education, certification or licensure is required to be hoof care provider in the U.S. "Being certified and continuing education is a way to separate myself from other hoof care providers in my area."

Bryan's competitive advantage is his ability to perform barefoot trims or traditional shoeing. "While not every horse needs to be shod, every athlete needs a good pair of shoes, and the type of shoes they wear depends on the type of sport they play. Golfers, basketball players, bowlers all wear specialized shoes for the sport. The same principals apply to horses. The type of shoe or boot a horse needs is dependent on the activity in which it will be involved."


Bryan references active participation on social networking sites such as Facebook as his most successful marketing strategy. He posts before and after photos of his work for existing and potential customers to see. He also keeps customers updated on his continuing education and certifications. "Even before a new customer calls they can look on my Facebook page and see all the customer comments and look at photographs of my work. Being able to perform barefoot trims and traditional shoes, I am able to do what is best for the horse and the customer." Becoming an EasyCare dealer has also allowed him to separate himself from other hoof-care providers in his area.

He feels that hoof boots are becoming the next big thing since steel shoes. With better designs, and materials, he thinks the peak of the hoof boot industry is still to come. As a traditional farrier, he saw the opportunity to diversify and offer more choices for his customers. "With the economy that we are in, people are stretching and saving every dollar they can. Boots offer a cost effective alternative to shoeing their horses every six weeks. I see more and more horses in hoof boots all the time while trail riding. My basic philosophy is that if a horse can be pasture sound barefoot than boots are the way to go." The success of the barefoot industry, he says, is directly related to the success of hoof boots. "While most horses can be pasture sound barefoot, just about every horse needs some kind of protection on their feet to perform the work being asked of them. Improvements in hoof boots will help the barefoot industry."

Bryan began stocking EasyCare hoof boots just over a year ago. He tried a pair of Easyboot RXs on a laminitic horse and saw the dramatic increase in comfort immediately. He hasn't nailed shoes or pads on a laminitic horse since.


He laughs when questioned about which EasyCare products he carries, and which are his best sellers. "My customers ask that all the time! I tell them it is a matter of preference, and that all the boots work well." He carries Epics, Gloves, Trails and RXs on his trailer so customers can try each of the styles on and see what they like best. Given his personal experience with boots, he will direct them to a particular boot based on shape or condition of the hoof. "Customers really like the new Easyboot Trails. If I have a horse that over-reaches, I will put that horse in the Trails and the problem is solved. The Trail boot has a blunt face on the back of the boot so there is nothing for the hind hoof to grab a hold of and tear."

He owns three horses: a 25 year-old Appaloosa, a 13 year-old Paint, and a 4 year-old spotted saddle horse. All are barefoot and wear Easyboots. His favorite boot is the Easyboot Glove.


What of his most rewarding experience as a trimmer? "Being able to help a horse that is suffering from a painful condition like laminitis be more comfortable. It's also nice to hear customers remark how their horse's feet have never been in better shape and looked so good."

And what of a favorite event he looks forward to all year? The International Hoof-Care Summit every February in Cincinnati, OH. EasyCare will have a booth there this year, so be sure to look us up if you choose to attend!

For more information on Bryan Baire, go to the Palmetto Farrier Service website. For more information on becoming an EasyCare dealer, go to the Dealer's Corner on the EasyCare website.

The Shoein' Shop is a family owned and operated business that has been in operation for 37 years. Lee and Charlotte Green are the owners; however, their daughter, Audrey, plays a vital role in the day to day operations. Lee Green actually started shoeing horses when he was eleven years old, so he has been working with horses for over 50 years. Shoein' Shop is a horseshoe supply business and they work with many other horse supply businesses around the western states. When you walk into their store, you’ll find that they can supply anything that you need to accommodate hoof protection.

 
Shoein' Shop started working with EasyCare in January of 2009.  Back then, they carried a few of the more popular Easyboot styles, but in the last few years they have begun to supply major horseshoeing supply companies in Germany and have found that the EasyCare boots and products are hugely popular. Because of this, their sales have increased tremendously. They are now purchasing every style of EasyCare boots and most accessories.
 
Audrey states that she sees the barefoot industry not only expanding in the United States, but she sees this industry exploding internationally.

For more information, visit the Shoein' Shop website.

Echo valley Ranch Inc., established in 1972 in Auburn California, is EasyCare's Dealer of the Month for September 2011.

Like EasyCare, owner Greg Kimler believes that "success is a direct result of paying attention to the details". He owns nine horses and have been involved in ranching and farming for his entire life.


He recently became interested in endurance trail riding, and he and his wife have both ridden the Western States Trail Ride (better known as the Tevis Cup), with an impressive 3 completions between them. Tevis is a 100 mile trail ride that is ranked among the top ten endurance competitions in the world by Time magazine, alongside events like the the Tour de France, the Iditarod and the Dakar Rally.

Echo Valley Ranch has been proud distributor of EasyCare products for over ten years, carrying the Original Easyboot, the Easyboot Epic, and the EasySoaker and several other EasyCare products. They believe that the hoof care industry has been revolutionized in recent years, with EasyCare hoof boots leading the way.

They look to Garrett Ford and The Fury winning the 2010 Haggin Cup after riding Tevis in Easyboot Glue-Ons as and indication of how far we've come in the hoof care industry. 

Echo Valley Ranch also specializes in feed, with over 10 varieties of hay in stock at all times. They employ a staff of 30, and are actively involved in community programs like 4-H and FFA.

When asked where he thinks the barefoot horse industry is headed, owner Greg Kimler responded: "With a leading distributor like EasyCare, the sky is the limit!"

Chad Montee grew up on a ranch in Montana and has always felt a connection with horses. After high school, he left Montana to join the Army and become a Ranger. After the Army he began working as a chef in Scottsdale Arizona in the winter and Jackson Hole Wyoming in the summer.


He then moved to Salt Lake City to go to college. He studied at the University of Utah and Westminster College to become a social worker and went on to work with gang youth, homeless youth and youth with mental disorders. He also worked as the volunteer coordinator for the American Red Cross. Then one day he was trying to blend his past with his present and came across Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. 

Chad started a program called Trails to Success and began individual, family and group sessions. “It was the perfect balance between my horse background and wanting to be a social worker.”

It was during this time that he learned about Pete Ramey from a Clinton Anderson training clinic. He began to work toward transitioning his horse and the horses he used for the equine therapy to barefoot. He had no idea how much I would have to learn. “It took me a couple of years studying, trimming and trying to learn everything I could from local trimmer, Tamera Arnold, before I felt comfortable enough to work on client horses.” 

Now based in the Salt Lake City area, Chad is known to be a hoof care practitioner who takes the time to look at the whole horse, especially when he is working with a horse that is having hoof problems.

The biggest change Chad has noticed in the hoof boot industry in the last five years is the push towards better quality boots that are easier to put on and work well for the horse.

Of the two mules and two horses Chad owns, he has one horse who needs boots when riding out in the mountain trails. “I ride in the mountains a lot and I’ve really tested the limits of the different boots styles.”

Chad credits his success as a hoof care practitioner to the time he takes to review the horse’s diet, where they live and how they are being used. Then he makes a plan with the owner to grow the best possible hooves for each horse. He also keeps his truck fully stocked with boots, pads, casts, epoxies, mineral supplements and slow feeder nets. “I trim about 200 horses per month and some horses really need help. Having the skills and equipment to get a horse comfortable and moving again is my best advertising.” Chad says word of mouth seems to take care of the rest. 

Chad keeps a stock of Easyboot Gloves, Easyboot Bares and Easyboot Trails. The Gloves are his best seller. Chad pauses when asked to name his favorite boot. He like the ease of the Trails, but prefers the durability of the Gloves. “Right now I use gloves on my horse’s front feet and Bares on his back feet.”

When asked to describe his most rewarding experience, he goes back to his participation at Extreme Mustang Makeover. “50 of us were given a wild mustang for 90 days to break and train and then compete against each other in an extreme mountain trail course.” He originally joined the competition to learn more about the mustang’s feet, but ended up learning a lot more about the spirit of the horse. “I don’t claim to be a great horse trainer, however getting a wild horse, breaking it and riding it in front of a thousand people or so was really exciting.” 


As for his most memorable hoof boot success, Chad describes an old horse whose coffin bone had penetrated his sole. “When I first saw the horse, I didn’t know if I could do anything for him. His coat and eyes looked dull and he seemed to be in a lot of pain.”

After soaking his feet to clear up the infections he had in both feet, Chad put him in Easyboot Glue-Ons with medicated impression material for about three months. “I took the boots off every month to let his feet dry out and check his progress. It has been a year now and the last time I trimmed him I didn’t recognize him. Instead of this old horse standing next to the gate, I saw a healthy looking horse running and bucking while the owner tried to catch him. When I last trimmed him I couldn’t remember which foot was bad because they all look really good right now.”

See more about Chad at his website: http://naturalhoofcare.info.

You could be forgiven for thinking that The Australian Connection is based in Australia. As a point of fact, The Australian Connection is based in Newcastle, California. If you're not familiar, that's the heart of Tevis country, just south of the Tevis finish line at Auburn.

Did that movie inspire you? Well it inspired Janet and Joan in 1982 to try Australian stock saddles. Janet had been riding a high-spirited and high-withered Thoroughbred horse who was hard to fit a saddle to. In 1983, she rode her Thoroughbred mare at the Tevis using a Syd Hill saddle. In 1986, Janet and Joan formed The Australian Connection. They quickly saw a need for other trail and distance riding products and started selling saddles and other tack they believed in, testing other trail and distance riding gear.

A Long-Distance Junkie
Janet Pucci has been running the company solo since 2008. And running is very familiar to her. "As a long distance runner for more than 25 years, I have a pretty good sense of what my horse goes through on endurance rides," says Janet when asked what someone can expect when coming to her. "In fact, I have a lot of empathy for horses. In my business, we try to help our customers find a suitable solution to their riding issues. We test the products we sell, have our favorites, but don't let that color what is best for each individual horse and rider." What more could you ask?


Easyboots Then, Easyboots Now
When asked to describe how the boot industry has changed, Janet scores a hole in one: "Boots have changed from a temporary shoe replacement to a go-to hoof protector for all riding disciplines." At EasyCare, we're proud that Easyboots were one of the first products The Australian Connection carried, and continues to do so.

The Magic of the Right Inventory
Janet carries Gloves, Glue-Ons, Epics, Original Easyboots and EZ Ride Stirrups in stock. And she will order other products as needed. "The Glove is my best seller now," Janet proclaims when asked about today's trends. "And I tell people that they have to practice with Glue-Ons before they go to an event."

Barefoot and Booted
Janet's horses are all barefoot. She has two Arabs and two Anglos. "I usually ride bare, but if I'm conditioning, I use Gloves or Glue-Ons," she says of her booting preference.

Rewards
Janet has a Bachelor of Arts from UC Davis in Mathematics. Before starting The Australian Connection, she worked as a programmer for many years. "In 1986, I started running ultra marathons. My favroite is the Way Too Cool 50 Miler." Her first Easyboot encounter was on her second 50-mile endurance ride. "I lost a shoe and I had no boot. Another rider loaned me his and it fit. It was definitely a 'pay it forward'. Since then, I've always carried an Easyboot and I've kept my sense of humor."

The two crowning experiences for Janet were finishing the Tevis on a horse that had multiple attempts, but had never completeted; and then going on to run the same course herself at the Western States 100 mile run.

The Crystal Ball
When asked to gaze, Janet says the barefoot/booted industry will continue to grow.

Post Script
If you want to visit The Australian Connection's webiste, there's a .us extension: theaustralianconnection.us, lest you forget the company is based in California.

Joanne Pavlis is the owner of MileMakers, an Endurance Horse and Rider training and conditioning facility located on 800 acres of diverse Rocky Mountain terrain at 7,500 ft, in Colorado. She has been a Student of the Horse since she was seven years old and has lived in Colorado for 15 years.  After being a supporter of the boots and the barefoot concept for many years, MileMakers became an EasyCare Dealer in February 2011.


If you buy from MileMakers, you can expect one-on-one attention, the most current hoof and boot education; a custom boot fit for each individual hoof, access to their extensive inventory for on-the-spot delivery of product, and follow-up to ensure that both the horse and the rider are provided the ultimate boot experience.

“MileMakers is not interested in making a one-time-sale, and forgetting the customer,” said Jo when asked about her business model.  “Instead we are interested in creating a lifelong EasyCare Boot advocate who truly understands their horse's hoof and boot requirements.” They believe in always maintaining a positive attitude and environment and they have a thirst for continuing education.


Jo and her husband Steve own 12 horses and there are an additional 14 horses at their facility for training and conditioning.  Jo has been using boots on and off for the last 12 years, utilizing various models.  She prefers the Easyboot Glove for training and the Easyboot Glue-On for endurance competitions.

MileMakers carries Glue Ons, Gloves, Edges, Epics, & EasySoakers. Their best sellers are Gloves and Glue Ons.

Jo is a certified CHA Riding Instructor, Equine Veterinary Technician, Licensed Arabian Race Horse Trainer, and endurance rider (attended rides in Mountain, Central, Midwest, Pacific Southwest, Southeast, Southwest, and West, including Tevis).

When asked about her most rewarding experience, Jo likes to see others succeed and to be confident as a result of the education she provides them. “My most memorable hoof boot success story was watching the positive transformation of my stallion's feet as the result of a trim conducted by Duncan McLaughlin, and Glue On Boots fitted by Garrett Ford. Eight months, and several trims later, Dancers Starliner is now one size larger, with strong hooves and proper balance. He loves his Glue Ons!”

When asked about Jo’s prediction for the future, Jo believes strongly that barefoot, boots, research and knowledge will replace the age-old practice of shoeing horses.

Randy grew up with horses: he used to team rope and was a rodeo pickup man. He now lives with his wife and two sons on a farm in small-town Iowa. They like to trail ride when time permits: he enjoys the time spent with family and being outdoors. He works full-time trimming, rehabilitating hooves and conducting clinics. He and his wife boot their horses if needed when riding in an environment they are not used to.

When someone calls him for the first time, he asks a lot of questions. “I want to get some history on the horse if possible: what the living conditions are; what the diet is; what the horse is, or was used for; how much it is ridden, and in what situation. I explain my thoughts on hoof care and what is involved to get a healthier hoof. A change in diet, living conditions (environment), and hoof protection will all be looked at.”


He has been carrying EasyCare products since 2006. He stocks Epics, Old Macs, Rx, Gloves, Glue-Ons and pads in his vehicle. The boots he uses the most and his favorite EasyCare boots are the Gloves and Glue-Ons. He uses the RX boots for his rehab cases.

Randy was a traditional farrier for several years. He made the switch to barefoot after a couple of clients began working on him to start trimming their horses that way. “I was very skeptical at first. I began to realize I had a lot to learn; I changed my style of trimming and way of thinking. I began applying natural hoof care to the problem feet that I had. The improvements were amazing; the founder and navicular cases I had been struggling with were improving. As time went on, I changed my business to trimming and rehabilitation, no longer using steel shoes for hoof protection.”


When asked what he sees in the future of barefoot, he says “My hope is that I will see the day when barefoot is normal for all horses.”

For more information on Randy Hensley visit his website at http://www.naturalequinehoof.com/index.htm.

Based in Congerville, Illinois, Ida Hammer has owned horses for 40 years and has been involved with every kind of equine activity. Her family had racing Quarter horses in the late 70s and early 80s and she jockeyed for part of those years. She has successfully competed in competitive trail riding. She has tried her hand at cutting and barrel racing. “There isn't anything I don't love about horses, says Ida. “Now I focus on relationships with my horses and trail ride for therapy."


Ida is a member of the American Hoof Association and maintains around 500 horses as a full time hoof care practitioner. She also teaches hoof care classes throughout the U.S. She and her partner own 11 horses. “Many were given to us as hopeless rehab horses. All are well and sound thanks to the protection and therapy we were able to do with the boots.”

When someone comes to Ida for hoof care, she looks at the whole horse: “It is  more than just the hooves. We discuss diet environment, lifestyle, and the owner’s willingness to be a part of the team to ensure success,” says Ida of her management style. “Horses fresh out of shoes need to have the comfort available to them with use of boots.”

Ida holds a couple of two-day booting classes with Eric Knapp and Randy Hensley just to show how many things can be done with these boots. “Other than sliding plates, we can do with boots about what anyone can do with a shoe.”

Ida has been carrying EasyCare products for six years. Her best-selling boots are the Glove and the Easyboot Rx. “I sell Gloves for all the sound horses and the Rxs for sore, foundered, navicular horses. They are also great for abscesses, therapy and to trailer in.” Ida likes to ride in the Gloves – and before that, she rode in Epics.

When asked about her most rewarding experience, Ida cites the moment when a person is going to put down their horse and she starts trimming it and puts boots and pads on it. “It walks off really well, then you go back in six weeks and they are riding that horse. Both the horse and the human are smiling."

Ida says some of the horses have spent so much time being sore, then get comfort from the boots. “When you walk up to them with the boot in your hand, they will literally pick up their foot up before you ask so you can put the boot on. It gives me goose bumps.”


Ida credits the growth in the barefoot industry to the advances in the booting industry. “Before all the awesome changes and inventions with the new boots being so user friendly, it was a battle. Our theories were correct with the need to be bare, but we didn't have anything to help the horse or owner to be able to do so comfortably. Now we do. I truly believe that this is the 21st century horse shoe.”

As for Ida’s favorite event, she says it's a little piece of heaven anytime she is on the back of one of her horses.

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When Eric Knapp gets a new client, he starts by evaluating the needs of horse and rider alike.  He enjoys passing on knowledge and ideas to help the horse. He assesses environment, diet, hooves and physical needs.

Eric believes the hoof care industry is in great flux and that as boot technology evolves, therapy horses, pleasure horses and working horses are all able to live their lives more comfortably without shoes. "People are learning that boots can do the job of traditional shoes and that they last longer," says Eric. "My clients are often surprised to find that the boots of today are much easier to use than prior models."

Eric lives in central Illinois with his wife and two children, but his trimming business takes him from Chicago to Missouri and from Indiana to Iowa. After 20 years of driving a semi, he turned his dream job into a reality four years ago and started trimming horses full-time. He is now a member of the American Hoof Association and specializes in the natural trim.

The Knapp family currently owns five horses that they taking out camping and riding throughout the Midwest. When asked about his favorite event, Eric doesn't even hesitate: "Each year I ride with a group of people to the Fort Madison Rodeo in Iowa: the trip is about 115 miles. The first year I went barefoot, but the second year I used Easyboot Glue-Ons with Goober Glue. The boots gave my horse added protection and comfort. In fact all 17 horses on the ride were booted, barefoot and happy."


If you ask Eric what he attributes his success to, he'll tell you it that much of it comes from a good product that is user friendly. "Your boots are easy to put on and simple to modify so it makes my job easier." As an EasyCare dealer, Eric likes to carry Glue-Ons, Gloves, Epics, and Easyboot Rx. He also keeps a supply of comfort pads in all densities and sizes, power straps and spare boot parts. "By far my best selling product is the Easyboot Glove: people like how simple, easy to put on, and durable it is." He prefers the Rx boot for therapy and the Glove as riding boot. For people transitioning their horses from steel to boots, he usually recommends the Epic.


Eric's great success story was a Cushing's horse that had foundered and had a rotated coffin bone when he first met it. He gave him a natural trim and put him in Rx boots with a pair of comfort pads. He cut a hole in the pads where the tip of the Coffin bone was and it gave the horse instant relief. "When I drove up, the horse could barely walk: it was in obvious pain.  But by the time I left he was walking considerably better.  That's a good feeling to know that you brought some comfort to a horse in pain."

Looking forward, Eric believes the barefoot trim is the healthiest option for a horse.  "I believe horse hoof boots are the horseshoe of the 21st century.  You can do about anything with a boot that you can do with a horseshoe.  The new Glue-Ons and Gloves provide endless options for horse owners."

Thorsten Kaiser migrated from Germany to New Zealand in 1997 and worked in the software development industry. He got involved with horses and after several years of having his horses shod, he discovered barefoot trimming in 2002.

For the initial transition and early endurance rides he used an earlier version of the Easyboot, which worked well for him. Since then he has become a full-time Strasser hoofcare professional and he sells Easycare products as part of this work.


When clients first seek him out, their horses usually have hoof issues. His goal is then to work with the client so their horse gets comfortable again and that this improvement is sustainable for the rest of the horse's life. Often this means lifestyle changes for the horse and change of horse management for the owner. "I'm not interested in quick fixes or band-aiding problems. At the end of the day, I am doing this to help horses," said Thorsten.

When asked about the changes he has seen in the hoof boot industry, he thinks some boots have been adapted to fit lower heels seen with barefoot horses and have also become easier to apply. He likes that there are now more boot choices with better tread patterns, which help identify boots the owner likes, and fit the horse well.

"In terms of success, I suppose it comes down to dedication, open-mindedness, and being in there to find a sustainable solution for the horse rather than just a short-term fix."

Thorsten has used Easyboots since 1999 and he has carried them for sale since 2006. He carries the Epic, Edge, Glove, RX, EasySoaker, and the Old Mac's G2. His top sellers are the Epics followed by OM G2's

"When I started off doing barefoot Endurance in New Zealand, there was a rule to have horses shod in rides of 40km (25 miles) or more. So, yes, initially I had to use four boots. We then go the rules changed in NZ, and then Australia followed, so that it was possible to ride barefoot. I then booted the front feet and used this as a means to gradually worked towards doing complete ride, e.g. 100km, without boots."


He is still a fan of the Epic: he thinks it is very versatile and adaptable. "It works well on the barefoot transition end as well as the competition end."

When asked about his most rewarding experience he mentions completing the FEI ** 100km NZ National Championship ride on his barefoot horse, Max, in 2003. "When we did the final vet check there were people lined up to see whether or not we get through as, until then, it was perceived not possible to be done. On the other hand there is a client of mine who has done a FEI*** 160km ride completely barefoot, even without boots, and placed in the top 10."

Thorsten's prediction on the future of barefoot is that it will continue to expand, and that boots will become more widely used and we will see more of them being used in competition. "Eventually," he says, "dressage rules will get changed too so that people can ride in competition with boots." He also believes barefoot styles will evolve to a form that works best in the long run, and the politics of it will die out.

If you would like to see more about IBEM, click on the following link to the website: http://www.ibem.co.nz.

Jack Peacock has been in the equine products industry for 31 years. When he and his wife, Mary Jo started The Stagecoach West, they owned no horses, no hat and no boots. They simply got into the equine world as a business venture. Jack says it was the second-best decision of his life (marrying his wife was the best one).


Jack and Mary Jo soon got involved with horses and the game has been on since then. “I love them,” says Jack”. “I love everything about them.”

When asked about the secret to his business success, he says when someone comes to him, he likes to think they will get honesty, sincerity and an answer from his heart. “I have reached a point in my life when I know who I am and I would always like to help someone along the way.”


Jack believes nothing could be more different at The Stagecoach West of today compared to the company 31 years ago. “It’s not business as usual: you’d better know what you are doing and know your products, because your customer certainly will,” said Jack. He attributes the company’s success to consistently focusing on doing the right thing. “In the end,” he says, “That’s what counts.”

The company now employs some 24 people and operates from a 24,000 square foot facility in western New York. They sell a wide range of outdoor clothing and Western wear as well as saddles and other horse tack. They have carried EasyCare products for more than 20 years.

He is astounded at the changes in hoof boot technology. “Just think of the changes we have seen: we have gone from a basic Easyboot through a series of changes that are now shaping how we think about hoof care. Barefoot was not even mentioned years ago and today it is an integral part of our horse management program.” Jack and Mary Jo currently own ten horses. Two are booted, three are barefoot and the rest are shod.

He credits the biggest reward of this business as being the friends they have made along the way. He is most proud of The Stagecoach West being named Best of the Best: Western Retailer of the Year by Tack n‘Togs in 2009.

Jack’s creative approach to all things business has also led to a very gratifying relationship with Tom Seay of Best of America By Horseback. The Stagecoach West now administers Best of America By Horseback’s Trail Club.

“I can say this, I have never seen any company in this industry keep their foot on the accelerator more than EasyCare. We have carried every EasyCare product as it was developed and today, the Easyboot Glove is number one with us.”

Jack believes the barefoot horse industry can only continue going to continue to grow. “I do believe it will level off at some point, but I think that is a ways off.”

Look for Jack at Equine Affaire Massachusetts next year: it’s his favorite event.