Easyboot Glove

The Easyboot Glove Back Country is now available through the entire EasyCare distribution network. That means you can buy your set of Glove Back Country boots via http://www.easycareinc.com or through any of the tens of thousands of EasyCare dealers who have decided to carry the boot model in their inventory.

The Glove Back Country in action.

We posted a number of blogs and two videos about the Glove Back Country to help you decide if it is the right boot for your horse. I've summarized the tools available to you below:

1. Alayna Wiley gives her first written review of the boot in Love at First Sight. In this first review, Alayna describes fit and application as well as her thoughts on the first ride with them.
2. In Fitting the Glove Back Country, Alayna drills down into the differences between fitting a Glove and fitting a Glove Back Country.
3. We made a Glove Back Country application video, which is available on the EasyCare YouTube channel. In it, I describe in detail how to measure, fit and apply the Glove Back Country.
4. And last, but not least, Team Easyboot 2012 member, Carol Crisp, has made a video review with her thoughts on the Glove Back Country whilst riding in the rocky mountains northwest of Denver, Colorado.

The family tree: the Glove and the Trail inspired the evolution of the Back Country.

Don't hesitate to call us for advice on whether or not the Glove Back Country is the right boot choice for your horse.

Keep up the bootlegging!

Kevin Myers

Director of Marketing

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

Garrett Ford celebrates Easyboot's win and Best Condition award at the USA Endurance 100-mile Team Time Trial in Texas last weekend.

Kevin Myers points you to four areas of information about the Glove Back Country, including a video review by Carol Crisp.

Dawn Willoughby discusses tips and tricks to combat the effects of diet on the health of horses.

Debbie Schwiebert introduces a must-read article on hoof loading by Gail Snyder in Natural Horse Magazine.

We welcome three new dealers to the EasyCare distribution network.

And Team Easyboot 2012 member Anke Schreiber reports on a hoof trimming clinic she recently attended in Germany.

Do you need support in making boot choices or troubleshooting? You can contact us at the EasyCare offices for free advice, no matter where you purchase your Easyboots.

Please keep in touch: our goal is to help you succeed with EasyCare products and your booting needs.

Read more...

"Can I use Comfort Pads in the Easyboot Glove Back Country?"

This is yet another challenging question and the answer is, it depends. Although Comfort Pads are not recommended for the Easyboot Glove because they can affect the precise fit required, we have received feedback from several customers who successfully use the 6 mm thickness. As discussed in my previous blog, the fit on the Easyboot Glove Back Country does not need to be as precise as the Glove. In fact, the Cordura Upper on the Back County works similar to a power strap, yielding a slightly snugger fit than the same size in the Glove. Customers may choose to increase boot size for the Back Country by a half or full size in order to accommodate this feature or for specific needs such as trim cycle or ease of application. I chose to increase my horse Cal's boot size to a 1.5 for the Back Country (up from a 1 Glove). By sizing up I could use 6 mm Comfort Pads in the Back Country.

6 mm Firm Comfort Pad. (The photos in this blog just show the base of the Back Country
because it is easier to see the Comfort Pads without the Cordura Upper and Comfort Cup Gaiter.)

Our Original Comfort Pads are also available in a 12 mm thickness and I had my doubts that these would work in the Back Country. It came as no surprise that I was not able to get the Back Country on with the 12 mm pads in the size 1.5. I thought that going up another half size to a 2 may work (now a full size larger than Cal's Glove size). First I tried the size 2 without pads and they worked well - they were secure and there was no twisting. I personally would not select a full size larger because of the effect it has on break over, but it is an option for customers wanting to accommodate a longer trim cycle. Although I was able to get the size 2 with 12 mm pads on, the boot twisted after only 10 minutes of ground work. Unfortunately the 12 mm pads just take up too much room in the low profile boot shell and this compromises the fit.

12 mm Soft Comfort Pad.

Next I tried the Dome Comfort Pads in the size 1.5. I was able to get the boots on but I had to to lunge Cal (2 circles both ways) to fully seat them on his hooves. After lunging I was able to tighten the Upper and it seemed comparable to the tightness I achieve without pads. I proceeded to do some more ground work and was very pleased with the results. This past weekend I went on a short test ride and Cal moved out nicely. It appears that the Dome pads may be used in the Back Country but this will be on a case by case basis. In order for a horse to be a candidate for Dome pads they must have a concave sole; they are not recommended for flat footed horses. I want to test them on longer rides before I actively endorse them but I am encouraged by these initial results.

Dome Comfort Pad.

In summary, the 6mm Comfort Pads are the best option for the Back Country. The 12 mm Comfort Pads will not work and the Dome Pads may work but only on horses that have adequate concavity.

A note on sizing for Comfort Pads:
Both the Original and Dome Comfort Pads must be cut to fit. The lines that are on the Original Comfort Pad are designed for use with the Easyboot, Epic and Rx which have a different size chart than the Back Country. As a result you must place the Back Country on top of the Comfort Pads and trace around the base to determine how much you should cut. With the Dome Pads I was able to use a medium in the size 1.5 without cutting it.

Alayna Wiley

Customer Service

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

Submitted by Lalita Creighton, Team Easyboot 2012 Member from Hillsboro, Missouri

As I get older, I value certain characteristics in my life more and more. Two of these are reliability and dependability. Not only in my relationships with my family, friends, and even coworkers, but also with my horse and even the tack and equipment I use. I’m always willing to give new things a try, and if they work well, they become part of the “tried and true” I depend on every day.

My horse, Flirt, falls in this category. My husband’s horse, Jinx, also falls in this category. So do the Easyboot Gloves we use on their front hooves, every single ride. We don’t use any boots on their hinds. They are both barefoot, and have been for several years. Although they can probably handle most trails without any boots in front, we like using them for that little bit of extra protection, and not having to worry if we ride somewhere with a lot more rock than is in their pastures.

We originally started using Boa Hoof Boots on Flirt back around 2005, because we just could not keep metal shoes on him no matter what we tried. After having the shoer out three times in one week, and still missing a shoe on Saturday, I threw my hands up in the air and was willing to try anything. Boa Hoof Boots seemed like a good solution. They were easy to put on, I didn’t ride a ton of miles, and I no longer had to worry about lost shoes.  The Boas performed reasonably well, and I used them until 2010. 

I was fortunate enough to be selected for the original Team Easyboot in 2010 (and chosen again both in 2011 and this year – thank you, Easycare), and was able to perform some testing in the new Easyboot Gloves. They were revolutionary. No moving parts to break or replace, fairly easy to put on, and boy do they stay on.

A few years before, I had a barefoot trimmer that stopped trimming due to a back injury teach me to trim our horses. When I had abdominal surgery, my husband stepped up and learned, and to this day does all the trimming. Keeping the hooves in shape for the Gloves is never an issue for us, and we have never had a Glove fail us.

The closest we’ve come to one “failing” was due to poor fit. We had let Flirt’s toes get a bit too long, and his Gloves were fit to that hoof size and shape. As we corrected that runaway toe, his boots became a bit too big and started to occasionally come off.  We found a few wraps of athletic tape around the hoof allowed us to keep using those boots until I could get a Fit Kit and confirm his smaller size.

We’ve also been able to depend on these Gloves to perform duties outside what they are recommended for, and perform well. Flirt had stepped on one heel bulb with his other hoof when he got tangled up on the trail in a badly eroded hill. He walked off without any indication something was wrong, and since he had his boots on, I never thought to get off and check. We rode about ten miles that day, and back at the trailer we discovered he had actually split his heel bulb open about ¼” wide and deep, and about  1” long.

I rinsed it with saline, put a clean bandage on it (no ointments), secured the bandage with tape, and put the boot back on. I hauled him home and called my veterinarian. After explaining the wound and my treatment of it, my veterinarian said he couldn’t do anything more than I had done, and to keep it clean, change the bandage twice a day, use antibiotic ointment, and keep using the Gloves for turnout to help protect the area. For approximately one month we followed this protocol, sometimes leaving the boots off during the night so his hooves would have a break. He never had an infection, never took a lame step, and the boots showed no wear and tear from this usage. This obviously falls outside the normal recommendation for these boots, but I was absolutely delighted with how well they worked.

Just today, after giving the horses the winter off, we hooked up and hauled to a local trail for the first trail ride of the season. I took all of my reliables and dependables with me:  my husband, our horses, and of course our Easyboot Gloves.

Lalita Creighton

Remember the days of dance class and dress rehearsals? The day you got to dress up in satin leotards, make-up, your hair tied in buns,  and dance with none of the pressure of an audience or judges? Those days I waited for, counting down the nights 'till dress rehearsal night and, shortly after, competition day! Inevitably, someone's sequin strap broke, other costumes didn't fit right and false eyelashes came unglued and gouged someone in the eye. Luckily, there was time to fix and perfect, and by the time the actual competition came around the kinks were ironed and everyone was ready to dance. 

Well some things haven't changed for me, although these days there are no more satin leos or sparkly tiaras (most days). I insist on running through a "dress rehearsal" before the first ride of the season, just to make sure all systems go. This year, with a new (to me) endurance horse and two new (to endurance) goofs in the wings, it will be imperative to test my stuff, most specifically my boots, to set myself and my horses up for as much success as I can. 

Nero's dreamy mane... I could look at this view forever!

I have been riding Nero in his Easyboot Gloves for the past month now. He took to the Gloves like a Labrador to a swimming pool. I have ridden Nero now at speed, at a more probable endurance pace, in and out of water, up and down hills and so on. I feel comfortable with the fit of his size 2 Gloves on the fronts and size 1 Gloves, with Powerstraps, on the hinds. I ordered my back-up boots tonight (always make sure you have back-ups before an important event to prevent the inevitable broken sequin strap phenomena) and will be as prepared as I can for the first ride of the season in a couple weeks time. 

Recently I began riding with a new friend who is also new to endurance. Not new to horses being involved in dressage and jumping, she found endurance through some friends, rode two LD rides last year, and has been hooked since. She will be starting her season with the first Idaho ride of the year, and will also be riding her lovely gelding in Easyboot Gloves for the first time.

Tara and Elvis, after their first ride on a sweltering Indian summer day at Owyhee Canyonlands. They obviously fit right in! 

Last week my friend was lamenting whether or not her horse would be ready to complete the LD at the Owyhee Tough Sucker, so I suggested she come out and we go through a trial run to make sure boots fit, new saddle pad worked and Stowaway Pommel Pack was attached firmly where it belonged, as well as assessing her horse's fitness. She happens to work with a very good trimmer and Easyboot dealer who trimmed and fitted her gelding for his Gloves a while back, and as luck would have it, his front boots seemed a bit too large. His back size 1 Gloves with Powerstraps fit beautifully, and with a few wraps of athletic tape around the fronts we headed out to see how things would work. About halfway through the ride, her gelding's front boots, specifically the right front, began twisting. We ended up taking off his front boots and completing our ride, and she will be calling her trimmer for a re-fit this week. To accommodate for the whole trim cycle, she plans to keep her larger 1.5 Gloves for use as needed. 

Twisted right front. A smaller size should prevent any future twistage. 

I learn something from almost everyone I ride with and I appreciate my new friend's easy-going attitude and willingness to understand the importance of a close fit with her Gloves. Her horse is trimmed beautifully and I am confident he will take to his boots like a fat kid loves cake. 

Set yourself up to succeed, folks, and please be sure to give yourself plenty of time before an important event to make adjustments as necessary. Run through your dress rehearsal to make sure your eyelashes stay put and your boots fit right. It's the best thing to do. 

~ Amanda

Carol Crisp has been involved with Team Easyboot for many years. She has a passion for the high elevation mountain trails of the rockies and has become known for putting boots to the test by riding on some of the steepest trails she can find.

Carol recently took delivery of a set of Easyboot Glove Back Country hoof boots and was kind enough to make this video review for us with her horse, Smoke.

Carol makes some interesting points worth underlining:

1. Check the hardware on your boots when you get them out of the box. If you bought from the first batch of Back Country boots, make sure all the screws in the boot are tightened up before you use them for the first time. Carol even puts a dab of nail polish around the screw to keep it in place - and shares a tip on how to remove it if and when you want to change out components.

2. Fit on the Easyboot Glove Back Country is more forgiving that the fit of the Easyboot Glove. You should feel comfortable that going up a half size will still assure you a successful booted experience.

3. Certain boots work better for certain horses. Depending on the conformation of your horse, one boot may perform better than the other. We believe this boot is a good complement to the Easyboot Glove, and allows for more variations in hoof shape and angle than the Glove. It also allows for boot fit throughout a longer trimming schedule.

4. Test the boots before you go out on the trail or go to an event. Carol longes Smoke in the boots before she rides him - just to make sure there is no twisting or signs of rubbing.

Carol's first test of the boots was for over 2.5 hours. I see a future for the Easyboot Glove Back Country. If you subscribe to this blog via RSS, you can see Carol's video review at http://youtu.be/gUXhrqLZYJg.

Thanks Carol. Keep up the bootlegging!

Kevin Myers

Director of Marketing

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

Traditions, they say, die hard in the West. Contrary to popular belief, back in the 1800's men weren't the only ones shooting whiskey and packing a Peacemaker. Women were often going toe to toe with the best of cowboys. These women broke tradition and blazed their own trail. They knew no boundaries.

In that same spirit, Kimberly Knight of Date Creek Ranch, Wickenburg, AZ is not afraid to buck tradition. Date Creek is the continuation of over 130 years of family ranching and is now in the capable hands of Kimberly and her husband Stephen. 

This past December Kimberly was interviewed by EasyCare dealer of the month and natural hoof care practitioner Amanda Beno Marsh for Western Horsemen Magazine's monthly feature Women of the West.

As Kimberly reveals in the  interview, Date Creek Ranch embraces innovation and recognizes what it takes to survive in the ranching business today. Proactive and environmentally conscious, the ranch embodies a true spirit of a new West. 

This same forward thinking carries over to the ranch's horse keeping practices. Kimberly, with the help of Amanda Marsh of Mountain Top Hoof Trimming Services have had success keeping the ranch horses barefoot, happy and sound in some very tough country.                                                                                                                                                 

Kimberly, has tried several styles of hoof boots but found the Old Mac's G2  with 12 mm Comfort Pads to be the hoof protection that suits her horses best and can handle the extremely rocky terrain on the ranch. Now with the new Easyboot Glove Back Country she is excited about giving this new boot the ultimate rock test. 

Rocks and more rocks.

The spirit of the West is one of individuals who never settled for the status quo. I challenge you to get a little western and to not be more comfortable with your old problems than with a new solution. Folks from all over the country and around the world just like Kimberly Knight are bucking the tradition of shoeing and choosing a barefoot lifestyle for their horses. Perhaps there's a little bit Western in all of us.

Debbie Schwiebert

Vet Dealer & Hoof Care Practitioner Accounts

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

Another year, same result. NV endurance rides are the best - except for one minor flaw - they are on the wrong side of the Sierra Nevada.

Last year I was due to make my debut-borrowing-Fergus to do the 50-mile ride at the "Rides at March" endurance ride. That weekend marked a spectacular storm, closing I-80 over the summit from multiple spin-outs and wrecks. So much for that plan.

This year Small Thing was due to make his Limited Distance debut - a 30-miler - at the same ride. Two weeks beforehand for our last "big" training ride it had been in the mid 70s F/low-20s C and I was trying to figure out if it would be an insult to Jackit's Welsh heritage to clip him for the NV ride. But by the time the prior Monday rolled around, the weather was starting to look less impressive and by Wednesday I knew our weekend trip wasn't going to happen. Somehow hauling over Donner Summit (7,200'/2,200 m) in a snow storm didn't appeal.

The route we would have been on - Kingvale on I-80 ...not even at the summit yet.

My friend Lester and I had done this last April, insistent that we had to go to a NV ride. She bought the chains for truck and trailer and I put them on - all was well until we got to the very top and I was white-knuckling the passenger door. The drive down from Donner Summit involves a drop of 1000'/300 m in about 3 miles with plenty of curves for added excitement.

Nope, don't fancy that again, so no debut ride for us.

The good thing about the 70 degree weather two weeks before was that I was able to pressure-wash Small Thing (a mere shedding blade wasn't going to make much headway on that coating of dried slurry) and actually get his legs clean enough to apply boots.

Our plan for their last "big" training ride was a 15+ mile jaunt along the South Fork of the American River. This new trail was put in a few years back and makes for good continuous trotting but can be quite hard footing. I've ridden it barefoot with little problem in the past, but in this case we wanted to make sure that both pones had practised with their boots (I think I only got around to putting front boots on Jackit twice so far this year) and that we had a good fit.

Fergus was a little overdue for trimming (OK, a lot overdue) so I worked on him the day before, as well as touching up Jackit's feetses by performing a quick once-over with the rasp. It always seems that the horse I'm riding regularly never needs a trim per se - mostly because I poke at the hooves much more often so all they ever need is a quick touch up - while the non-workers and Fergus tend to get overlooked for "next time".

Getting ready for the ride, Small Thing's boots went on with no problem at all - even the brand new back Gloves that usually require a few rides before they'll go on without encouragement had no need of help from the mallet.

Fergus' size 2.5s went on his front feet OK, but when it came to cramming 1.5s on the backs, only one went on nicely while the other looked a little dubious. It was on, but neither of us were convinced that his foot was seated all the way into the bottom of it in the back. Fergus used to be a size 2 in the rears and apparently my lack of trimming has caused his feet to flare a little again. You reap what you sow.

So we fetched a size 2 with powerstrap out of the trailer (conveniently, the size Uno wears on his fronts) and popped that on instead, with me making a note to self to take off a little more toe on that foot next time I worked on him.

The ride went very well - the main object was to cover the distance as fast as we could (which on Jackit, isn't really very fast), trying to trot as much as we could and with me hopping off and running the downhills with him.

It's really not fair to expect Jackit to keep up with Fergus, given the disparity of size (Small Thing = barely 13 hh; Fergus = 16+ hh), but he's managing quite well and instead of having to dig in to increase the speed of his trot, he's finally figured out to switch up to the canter. We first started working on this over Christmas at which time he had a hard time moving into that gait without inserting a couple of exuberant mini-bucks first. His canter still isn't terribly ground-covering... infact he generally canters like a banana - curled to one side or the other, lots of leg movement and frantic activity, but not a great deal of speed-increase, but he'll figure it out.

Most of all, I'd like to point out that he's quite capable of cantering without his boots falling off (keeping in mind that on paper his boots don't remote appear to fit the shape of any of his feet). Even when he canters à la Banana.

--
Lucy Chaplin Trumbull
Sierra Foothills, California

Submitted by Kicki Westman, Team Easyboot 2011 Member

The other day my eyes fell on my friends thoroughbred-mix Coca-Cola´s boots. She wore Easyboot Gloves Size 0 in front that seemed a bit off. "Those boots are too big for her," I said. My friend replied that she knew but was not able to get a smaller pair on no matter how hard she tried. Weird, I thought. The boots were obviously oversized with huge gaps in front, I could quite easily push my pinky between the hoof wall and the boot, but they were not loose and they did not twist.

I could not show the gap with my pinky and take photo at the same time, had to use a bit of dried weed as a pinky stand-in.

I sat there, looking, thinking and scratching my head for a while, then I saw that she wore the same size Gloves on her hind hoofs as well and they didn’t seem so big? More scratching my head, looking at the boots, taking them off and on again, twisting and pounding. Then I saw that the shell where bulging at the back sides. Eureka! The boots are not too big at all, they are in fact too small. Her hooves are a tiny bit too wide for the toe to be able to reach all the way to front and fill up the boot, that’s how the big gaps appear! I ran after a pair of my 0.5 with Power Straps and they did the trick.

Snug

Size 0.5 to the left and Size 0 to the right.

Look at the difference in the silhouette. Smaller size boot on the hoof away from camera. And here with both sizes on, we see that also the gaiter is bulging on the smaller boot in comparison with the larger size. My camera could not capture the bulging in the shell that i first discovered.

So, sometimes it takes a while and a bit of head-scratching, but the most important thing is – to finally get there. And we did learn the lesson: too small can look too big.

Kicki Westman

I attended the International Hoof Care Summit in February and the AERC convention in March. There is nothing better than getting to spend time with boot users. One of my favorite things to do during trade shows is to start a collection of things people say to show the diversity of user experiences. Below are my six favorites.

1. "You can't canter in Easyboots."

2. "Those boots don't work."

3. "Can you ride in those boots?"

4. "I only finished Tevis because of my Easyboots."

5. "I've never lost a boot."

6. "You don't ride in the kind of country I ride in."

So, about #1: we've been picking up the speed a little in our horse training program. We've been taking advantage of the warmer climate at the New Mexico/Colorado border and getting some training rides in sand washes and along the dirt roads that service the oil fields. The footing is slick in the wet, but it dries out quickly to form a hard-packed surface that we've been getting some speed training on.

Three of the four horses in the video above are wearing Easyboot Gloves (read on for data on the fourth horse). If you subscribe to this blog via RSS, you can see the video at http://youtu.be/68wMnLp_T8A. Two of them are wearing well-used Gloves without any athletic tape. Here are the stats:

Distance: 17.7 Miles (28.5 KM)

Time: 2.2 Hours

Maximum Speed: 15.6 MPH (25.1 KPH)

Elevation Gain: 1,734'

Highest Elevation: 7,400'

Number of Easyboot Gloves Lost: 0

If you found the above video dull, maybe you should check out Garrett's ingenious girth cam footage below, taken at the same time as the first video in this post. You'll find it mesmerizing. If you're an RSS subscriber, see the video at http://youtu.be/dxOSHRooD_Q.

It does a good job of showing the Easyboot Glove at faster speeds and gives you an up-close sense of how much concussion the boots absorb on hard-packed road. How do you like the thud as each hoof boot hits the ground?

Question for the post: one of the horses in the video is testing a prototype of the new EasyShoe. Can you tell which horse it is?

Keep up the bootlegging.

Kevin Myers

Director of Marketing

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

"Will my horses wear the same size boot in the Easyboot Glove Back Country as they wear in the Easyboot Glove?" 

Of all the questions I receive regarding the Easyboot Glove Back Country, this one seems to be the most frequently asked and the most challenging to answer. The Easyboot Glove Back Country and the Easyboot Glove utilize the same size chart, however customers may want to consider sizing up for the Back Country. It is a difficult concept to grasp but even though the boot shell size is the same, there are some reasons why you may want to select a larger size for the Back Country. 

Easyboot Glove size 1 and Easyboot Glove Back Country size 1.5.

The Easyboot Glove requires a very precise fit and needs to be snug enough that the front V expands. Success with the Glove often requires using a rubber mallet or an alternative method to ensure the boot is fully seated on the hoof before riding out. It also entails frequent maintenance trimming. The Glove has proved to be a very successful boot and was even awarded Horse Journal's product of the year in 2011. Despite this success, there were customers who were unable to use the Glove due to length of trim cycle, lack of hand strength or hoof conformation that would not yield a snug fit. The Easyboot Glove Back Country looked to the Easyboot Trail for inspiration to tackle these challenges.

Size 1 - the V expands and the result is a nice snug fit.
Cal wears this size for the Easyboot Glove.

Unlike the precise fit required for the Easyboot Glove, the Easyboot Glove Back Country will still work on horses where the fit is not “perfect”. The Back Country's Cordura upper stabilizes the boot on the hoof and allows for flexibility in sizing. This unique upper features a front plate that is essentially an integrated power strap - which means unless you are currently using power straps on your Gloves, the Back Country will have a slightly snugger fit than the same size in the Glove. One reason you may choose to increase boot size is to accommodate this feature. Since my horse Cal has a very snug fit in the size 1 Glove, I chose to use the size 1.5 for the Back Country. Some other reasons you may choose to size up are for ease of application or to accommodate a 6-8 week trim cycle.

Alayna Wiley

Customer Service

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

You all probably recognize the above as a little project you did in kindergarten around Thanksgiving. The teacher had all the little boys and girls trace around their hands so they could create the image below:

Can you see how much bigger this turkey turned out than the hand above. This is the reason that we here at EasyCare recommend that you pick up the hoof and measure with a ruler instead of tracing. For our boot styles such as the Easyboot Glove and the Easyboot Glue-Ons that are measured in millimeters, the difference between each half size is four millimeters,or the thickness of three dimes. So there is little room for error in measuring and determining the correct boot size. 

A Fit Kit is always recommended to ensure a good fit. I like to tell customers that the size chart is just a guideline since we are fitting a three dimensional hoof to a two dimensional measurement system. 

Don't be a turkey.

Thank you, and you will thank me later when your boots fit.

Shari Murray

Customer Service

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

Using hoofboots is a big committment for the average rider with one or two horses. For a horse trainer with several horses in and out the door on a regular basis, it can be hell. Last time, I posted about my young gelding, Chant, who is currently in Endurance Horse Boot Camp with a good friend and long-time endurance rider, Darlene Anderson. Darlene and her family have had some pretty high-mileage horses, and Darlene has always been congnizant of her horses feet, their trimming and shoeing. Having a horse with high/low syndrome, she understands proper trimming is paramount to keeping him going, and going he does well. While they do shoe their horses during the competition season, they are used to pulling shoes and continuing to ride regularly throughout the off-season. And although she doesn't ride her own horses barefoot/booted at rides (yet), she did do her first booted ride with me a few years ago after an impromptu trimming/fitting/booting session the day before her mom's horse's first ride (say that ten times fast) and had a successful finish with no boot issues. Thank goodness because that would have been all on me! 

Darlene's first ride in Easyboot Gloves. 2010 Owyhee Tough Sucker.

Last weekend I hopped in the car and took a quick four-hour drive west to Bend, Oregon, where little Chantly has been living. I brought an arsenol of footcare items- all my trimming tools (afterall, he was last trimmed by a FARRIER), boots, boots and more boots. I had sent a box of boots for Darlene to try on Chant a couple weeks earlier, based on what I *thought* would fit him. Although I sent him to training with boots that fit at that time, he has since grown out the remainder of the foot that he had when he came to me, and as result, has gone down a size in boots. While it's obviously a challenge to fit boots from 250 miles away, the distance isn't the only challenge. 

Another challenge we face is the six week trimming schedule, which is not necessarily a death-sentence in boot fitting, but may require a few more tricks in the bag. We also have someone who is newer to using Gloves but definitely not new to using Easyboots. Although we're facing a few road bumps, this is NOT the end of the world.

Like I said previously, Darlene and her crew are used to continuing to ride throughout the off-season despite pulling shoes in October or November. She has a pretty good stash of Original Easyboots, which they use throughout the winter. Here I admit my predjudices, as I have never used Original Easyboots nor did I believe they were a great option. Shame on me. Those things are awesome! The morning of our big ride Darlene slapped a set of four Original Easyboots on her man's horse and they never looked back. I love learning new things! While I was there, Darlene decided to use my experience fitting boots to get a fantastic little mare, Soul Sister, owned by Team Easyboot members Dennis and Sue Summers, to a set of Gloves. We popped a pair of size 1 Gloves on Sister's front feet and pounded on a size 0.5 on her back feet. Again, we never looked back (or should I say, down?). 

Lumpy and his snazzy red and black Original Easyboots, to go with his snazzy red and black color theme. I was so impressed by these boots.

Darlene, Lumpy and Sister slipping under a cool tree limb that keeps the BIG horses off this trail. So glad I wasn't riding either of my moose. Sister moved beautifully in the Gloves and will do well with them throughout her career. 

Chant was next. Although I had planned on trimming him while I was there, the previous trim by the farrier was so great, I opted to leave him alone and let the farrier trim him on his next visit, which happens to be this Thursday. I can't hardly believe I, the control freak of the century, just said that. But seriously peeps, the trim was good, Chant's feet grow and wear evenly and balanced and my back hurts. It's so worth the money. However, because we were four and a half weeks into the trim, we were pretty tight on fit and had to pound a bit with the rubber mallet to really set the boots. Because I had doubts they would have fit the next weekend at five weeks, I decided to leave another pair of Gloves the next size up for his front feet to be used depending on his trim cycle. The backs can go bear at that point if necessary and hopefully we're covered.

First of all, I have to say I have the Best.Friends.Ever. However my girlfriend found this shirt, I have no idea. But I love it and it was so perfect. Luckily Chant stayed true to his given name, Enchanter, and didn't need the nickname during this ride. You know you have good friends when :).

Chant strides out in his Gloves. Not pulling TOO hard here- he is a GOER!

Well how was the ride you ask? Wonderful!! Not only did my young gelding NOT try to kill me, all of our boots stayed put and the day was as gorgeous as you could ask for. Because of all the flack I got using hoofboots in the beginning when it was "taboo," I always hope my rides in boots with those who aren't devout booters go seamlessly and was thrilled when we never glanced at our boots all day and found them securely set when we went to take them off upon arriving home. EasyCare, I love you. 

Chant continues to improve and we'll see what the future holds for us. For now, he's set up with a great trainer, a great trimmer and boots that should fit him throughout a six-week period. Would it be easier to put shoes on him and forget about it? Probably. But with a little effort and a few willing participants it isn't necessary. Aren't we lucky to have the option? 

I love the Gloves. 

~ Amanda

Submitted by Stacey Maloney, Team Easyboot 2012 Member

I'm getting geared up for this year's Competitive Trail and Endurance season in Alberta. In the next week or so, my horses will be going to see the vet for their annual check-ups and barring any surprises there, we will begin conditioning very shortly.

After a few months off due to the harsh conditions of our winter my horses feet are usually a lot more sensitive; both from disuse and standing around in the moisture, so I always have to boot until things dry up.

In the past I have only used my 2001 APHA mare for CTR. I purchased her from Alberta's only (at the time) AANHCP's trimmer and had a steep learning curve to follow when it comes to natural hoof care and boots. Her hooves were amazing and now it was my job not to mess them up. At the time I brought her home Easyboot Epics were the best technology for her hooves and intended sport.

Since then these Epics have seen hundreds of miles. We go completely barefoot when the terrain allows but these boots are absolutely my "go-to" hoof protection of choice.

This year I will be conditioning one, maybe two other horses and will need to fit them for boots. I love my Epic's as they have never given me any trouble on the trail through the toughest of conditions and their adjustable fit make them ideal for hooves mid-late trim as well. I'm not sure if I want new Epics for my other horses this year or should I try something new?

One horse measures out to have a round hoof and should fit into Easyboot Gloves which I've heard nothing but good things about. The third horse will most likely be ridden by novice riders and therefore might benefit most from the Easyboot Glove Back Country due to their ease of application. On the other hand, both should also do fine in Epics and I trust this boot completely.

What to do? What to do? I'm having a hard time telling myself to branch out because of the great success I've had with the one style, but technology is forever changing and I might just have to take the leap.

Watch for us on the trail and you might be surprised to find what is on my horse's feet.

Stacey Maloney

I just got back from three days in Reno, Nevada, where the annual American Endurance Ride Conference's convention took place. There were Easyboot users blended throughout every award category imaginable. And although the endurance segment represents only a small percentage of the Easyboot customers, their achievements showcase what can be done with our products in the most extreme challenges known to the human/equine partnership.

If you ever had the misguided opinion that Easyboots don't work, please take note of the following notable accomplishments by Easybooted riders.

Carla and Kid's banner used at the EasyCare booth during the 2012 AERC Convention.

1. National High Mileage Champion: Carla Richardson

Carla Richardson rode her horse SS Kharady Kid +/ through 2,525 miles during the 2011 ride season, Carla and Kid started and completed 50 events across the nation. Every one of those rides was in Easyboot Gloves or Glue-Ons. As a point of interest, 7 of the top 10 horses in the National Mileage Championship were campaigned in hoof boots.

Leah accepts her award from Bruce Weary at the AERC Awards Banquet on March 10, 2012.

2. Jim Jones Stallion Award: Leah Cain

Leah Cain and TAR Pistol Pete +/ rode 1,235 miles during the 2011 ride season. Every mile was in Easyboot Gloves or Easyboot Glue-Ons.

Dennis & Sue Summers near Tom's Thumb in Scottsdale, Arizona.

3. Julie & Bob Suhr Husband & Wife Team Award: Dennis & Sue Summers

Dennis and Sue Summers pick and choose the events at which they use with Easyboots Gloves and Glue-Ons. They accumulated an impressive 2,265 miles between them during the 2011 ride season, and most of those miles were in Easyboot products.

Jeremy & Riverwatch's banner used at the EasyCare booth during the 2012 AERC Convention.

4. 2011 Tevis Winner & Haggin Cup Winner: Jeremy Reynolds

The 2011 Tevis and Haggin Cup winner was Jeremy Reynolds from Reynolds Racing. Jeremy and Heather compete exclusively in Easyboot Glue-Ons.

A recent full-page print ad featuring Christoph Schork.

5. 2011 AERC 100-Mile National Championship: Christoph Schork

Christoph Schork rode Stars Aflame to the first place position at the National Championship and received the Best Condition award. Christoph also has the enviable title of being the rider with the most first place finishes in AERC history, with more than 230 wins to his name. He and his partner, Dian Woodward, compete exclusively in Easyboot Glue-Ons and train in Easyboot Gloves.

Kevin Myers

Director of Marketing

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

While I was making dinner last night I started thinking of the greatest food combinations of all time. Here is my list.

10.  Popcorn and butter

9.   Chips and Salsa

8.   Peanut butter and Jelly

7.   Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

6.   Burger and Fries

5.   Soy sauce and Wasabi

4.   Cookies and Milk

3.   Bacon and Eggs

2.   Pizza and Beer

1.  Easyboot Glove and Easyboot Trail

Ok, so my mind slipped a bit off task, but the new Easyboot Glove Back Country was borne out of combining EasyCare's two top selling hoof boots. This new combination takes the very best from two great products and morphs them into a new boot that will offer additional solutions for horses that may have had trouble using the Glove or Trail. Some of the features that make the Back Country one-of-a-kind:

• The Comfort Cup Gaiter is incorporated into the rear of the boot for the latest technology in support and protection of the soft tissue areas
• The lightweight upper stabilizes the boot on the hoof
• Quick and easy to put on and take off: no strength or force required
• Available in 18 regular and wide sizes to fit most breeds
• Completely convertible: built on the Easyboot Glove chassis, this boot can be converted into an Easyboot Glove or Easyboot Glue-On (additional accessories required)
• Sold in singles

On top all of this, it looks amazing too!

Get yours today.

Brian Mueller

Director of Sales

As the director of sales, I am responsible for identifying new dealer opportunities and building on existing relationships to foster ideas and create additional growth.

This video was shot in the Hansen Dam Reservoir on Big Tujunga Creek, about twenty miles northeast of Los Angeles. The terrain is very challenging: the fire trails are mostly decomposed granite, the creek beds are dry, sandy and rocky in the summer but there is plenty of water in the winter when the rains come. Throughout the year there is always some water to cross so protective hoof boots are always subject to the wet.

In 2010, I rode over a thousand miles in the reservoir and the surrounding fire trails of the Angeles National Forest. I did it using a single pair of Easyboot Gloves on the fronts. Those Gloves lasted the entire year. This video was shot in May of 2011. In the video, my mare, Kitty, is wearing Easyboot Gloves on all fours.

My horse is a 14 year old Thoroughbred mare, who has been barefoot for six years. She is a classic example of a Thoroughbred who had flat, shelly, flaky feet, thin soles and poor walls. As the ill-informed like to say, "typical Thoroughbred feet." She also had a tendency to stumble. Well, not any more. She has thick soles, thick walls, great concavity and terrific laminar connection. And no more stumbling!

I have used EasyCare products since going barefoot. Many thanks to EasyCare for producing this great equipment. 

I am perpetually amazed at what these animals give us day in and day out. This video speaks for itself.

Thank you, Randy Oglesby

Dee Reiter

Customer Service

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

Have you been wanting to get a better look at the Easyboot Glove Back Country and how to put it on? We've just published the official EasyCare application video for this new boot.

A still shot of the Easyboot Glove Back Country in action - photo courtesy of Bernd Jung.

In the video below, you can hear a description of the boot components, and the best practices for putting the boot on.

If you subscribe to this blog via an RSS feed, you can see the video by clicking on the Easyboot Glove Back Country Video link.

Keep up the bootlegging!

Kevin Myers

Director of Marketing

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

There is always talk of the importance of boot fit, but what about gaiter fit? Is it too loose? Too tight? Well, I am going to give a few tips, so sit back and take a deep breath. 

Let's use the Easyboot Glove as an example, even though any EasyCare boot with a gaiter could be used.

Typically, the gaiter should be very snug once the boot itself is on the hoof correctly. I have seen other riders with snug gaiters, finger loose gaiters, and just plain ol' four fingers between the pastern and gaiter loose gaiters. I think each horse/rider team has a preference, as it should be. But what else can be done for a happy fit?

If your horse is anything like mine, there are those feathers that get in the way. What am I talking about? Check out the photo below.

Hair much?

Ahhh, much better.

So the question is, should I trim or even clip those hairy feathers away? The answer is: it depends. If the hair under the gaiters are getting matted, full of sweat and mud or you think the gaiter doesn't have the best fit in your opinion, then yes. Also, if you are concerned about underlying possible rubs it would be a good idea to nix the hair. Starting with a 'clean' slate will give you an idea about boot and gaiter fit. As a distance rider and a rider with very long hair, I personally feel for the horse and like to get all that hair out of the way. I know I would appreciate it.

Tight gaiters, loose gaiters, hairy pasterns or not, the importance is a comfy horse in well fitting EasyCare boots and a happy ride.

It's March and it's all about the luxurious new Easyboot Glove Back Country. Much of this month's newsletter is dedicated to the details of the latest addition to the EasyCare hoof boot lineup.

Garrett Ford tells all about his opinion of the new boot.

Kevin Myers summarizes four things you absolutely need to know about the new boot.

Alayna Wiley writes the first public review of the new boot.

Dawn Willoughby's popular blog returns this month with an aritcle on rehabbing OTTB feet successfully.

And our Dealer of the Month is Amanda Beno Marsh from Mountain Top Natural Hoof Trimming Service.

Do you need support in making boot choices or troubleshooting? You can contact us at the EasyCare offices for free advice, no matter where you purchase your Easyboots.

Please keep in touch: our goal is to help you succeed with EasyCare products and your booting needs.

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