Hoof Care Products

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

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


Stay tuned for more updates and news on the collaboration. 

Gail Snyder recently wrote an interesting two-part article for Natural Horse Magazine on the best practices for managing and preventing thrush.

"Thrush is as controversial a topic as any in the equine world. Everyone has a tried-and-true remedy with free advice for you. If you doubt that statement, type "horse thrush" into an online search engine. In this two part series, I'll cover the topic of thrush in detail."

Natural Horse Magazine graciously gave us permission to make the article available to our readers. Simply click on the links below to download a PDF version of the articles. Note: this function requires Adobe Reader to be installed on your computer. If you don't have it yet, you can download Adobe Reader by clicking on http://get.adobe.com/reader/

Here are the downloads to the articles:

Thrush: Restoring Hoof Health Naturally - Part 1
Thrush: Restoring Hoof Health Naturally - Part 2

Let me know what you think of them.

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.

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

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


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

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

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


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

Happy New Year from EasyCare. I am always amazed at how quickly time passes. I joined the EasyCare team just over five years ago and it seems like a single blink. As each new year begins, I write my professional and personal goals and reflect on years past. In December I was thinking about all the changes I've seen in alternative hoof care in the past five years. Our market is on fire! I see it not only on a day-to-day basis, but also when I travel (both within North America and abroad). Alternative hoof care has teeth! 

One of the greatest things about working for EasyCare is the pace we move as a company. Take a second and think about some the product launches that have taken place at EasyCare since 2007:

Easyboot Grip
Easyboot RX
Easyboot Glove
Easyboot Glove Wide
Easyboot Glue On
Easyboot Glue On Wide
Easyboot Edge
Easyboot Trail
Fit Kits
New Gaiter design
EasyUp Buckle
New Buckle design
HiTie
Over 120 product Videos
Over 23,823 Facebook Fans
Over 1,500 segment relevant blogs
Hoof Boot Contest

OK, I think you get the point. Our foot is on the gas, so hold on! 2012 will be more of the same because EasyCare is going to continue to develop, improve and grow. Thank you for all you do to help us continue be the world leader in hoof boots and natural hoof care.

We're listening. Please tell us what you think.

If you are a current EasyCare customer and you've purchased Easyboot hoof boots within the last 12 months, we'd like to hear from you.

Help us shape the evolution of our boot design based on what is important to you as a boot user. It won't take you longer than five minutes to complete and your answers are completely anonymous.

Click on the survey link now at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/utltimateeasyboot2012 and follow the simple directions on screen. The survey closes at midnight PST on Friday, February 3, 2012.

We're listening. And we hear you.

P.S. Enter the sweepstakes at the end of the survey and you could win $100 in Boot Bucks, (redeemable only through purchases made directly through EasyCare). Due to gaming restictions imposed through the Survey Monkey platform, the online sweepstakes is only open to US residents. We will therefore hold a separate drawing of all non-US residents who identify themselves as such in the demographic section at the end of the survey.

Submitted by Joanne Pavlis, Team Easyboot 2012 Member

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We are very excited to announce that we will be adding this comprehensive book to our current line-up of great educational materials. In fact I just received word that the books are now in stock and ready to ship.

Pete Ramey's book is a must have reference for all professionals who deal with the equine hoof and for anyone wanting to advance their knowledge in hoofcare. The book is a 464 page full color hardback with 630 pictures and drawings. Click here to view an outline of contents. 

Don't wait to get your hands on this valuable information. Pick up your copy today.

How much does it take for you to break a sweat?

We've had a number of people contact us recently asking about the use of a rubber mallet when applying the Easyboot Glove. Some people are concerned about the resulting concussion on the horse's feet. Others are concerned that using a mallet will make the task of applying boots even more complicated.


I always keep a mallet in the trailer tack room door where I keep my hoof boots. I grab the mallet when I reach for the bag of boots for the horse I'm tacking up. I originally bought the mallet for gluing on hoof boots at events, but I find it also helps confirm the toe is all the way into the boot without any additional struggling while you're under the horse.

If you did not read my blog last week about identifying proper fit, you can read it at Fit On The Fly: The Top 4 Most Common Mistakes When Using Easyboot Gloves. I don't subscribe to the concerns that tapping with a mallet will cause any harm to the horse: the amount of force exerted with a few taps is only a fraction of the force exerted on a horse when you're trotting or cantering down a semi-hardpacked trail.

If you subscribe to this blog via RSS and you can't see the video above, click on this YouTube link: http://youtu.be/0fbx9P1_VVs.

What sort of application tricks do you use to make sure your Gloves are properly applied?

Sliced or squished, how do you like it?

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

Disadvantages: requires more strokes to achieve a sharp knife.

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

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

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

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

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

Advantages: easy and fast results.

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

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

Advantages: ease of use, safe.

Disadvantages: often hard to get the tip sharpened.

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

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

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

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

What is my favorite sharpening device? The Swissistor.

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

Your Bootmeister

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

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

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

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


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

Expectations of Team Easyboot Members

If accepted onto Team Easyboot 2012, members are requested to participate in at least 7 of the following 12 items:

1. Represent EasyCare in a professional and positive manner.
2. Be fully knowledgeable about all EasyCare products and help others in the field.
3. Keep information available and on hand to help answer people’s questions.
4. Be available to assist in boot fitting and advice in person and on line.
5. Provide feedback on product as needed.
6. Actively promote the EasyCare brand in person.
7. Submit bio, photo and monthly schedule of activities and availability to help others.
8. Blog once a month on the EasyCare corporate blog.
9. Actively participate with positive interaction and product advice on the Easyboot Facebook page.
10. Wear Team Easyboot attire at events.
11. Display Team Easyboot logo on tack, trailers and vehicles.
12. Consider hosting boot fitting clinics in conjunction with hoof care practitioners.

Summary of Benefits

1. Access to discounted EasyCare product for personal use.
2. Access to EasyCare management team for help and guidance.
3. Access to broader team members for general booting education and problem-solving.
4. Advance access to product information and new products.

Note: Product purchased through the Team Easyboot discount program cannot be resold.

How To Qualify

In order to submit your name for consideration, all you have to do is answer a few basic questions in an online application form. Applications will be accepted until 12 midnight Mountain Standard Time on Wednesday, February 8, 2012.

The Selection Process

75 Team Easyboot 2012 Members will be selected by a panel of EasyCare staff. The new team members will be announced on Tuesday, February 14, 2012.

Over to You

If you would like to be considered for membership in Team Easyboot 2012, please click here and then click on the Application Form button. Remember to submit the form before Wednesday, February 8, 2012 to be considered.

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

Mistake # 1
One of the most consistent things I see at events and on the trail is people using the wrong size Easyboot Gloves on their horse. I often see Gloves that are one or even two sizes larger than the foot requires.
The oversized boots obviously work for people - to a certain extent. But I think the addition of water uphill or speed added to the equation would probably cause a boot loss. When I ask people about the sizing choice, they often say they go up a size to allow for changes throughout the growth cycle. My experience is that you do not need to allow for the growth cycle. It is important for the boots to be snug – very snug – not loose. A simple rasp of the toe area every week or two will keep the boot fitting nice and snugly. Any barefoot trimmer would be delighted for their customers to do a little hoof maintenance between visits because it would also help maintain a healthy hoof.

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

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

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

Kevin Myers

We’re pleased to announce the results of the 2011 edition of the $10,000 Hoof Boot Contest. Riders enrolled in the sixth annual EasyCare Hoof Boot Contest accumulated more than 25,000 miles across two disciplines.

20 competitors earned $10,000 in cash and product based on their total annual mileage accumulations. "Now that the results have been tabulated," said Garrett Ford, President and CEO of EasyCare, "we can give back to the community who puts the most miles on Easyboots."

Endurance Division
Winner of the 2011 EasyCare Endurance Hoof Boot Contest is Carla Richardson, who rode a staggering 2,525 miles with SS Kharady Khid. She and Khid will also win the coveted AERC 2011 National Mileage Award. Carla and Khid completed 50 endurance rides in the 2011 ride season. Khid now boasts 6,635 career miles, and he just keeps on trucking.


In hot pursuit, Debbie Boscoe rode SRT Sizzling Sage and Scarlet Wind Song to second place with an accumulated 1,915 miles. New to hoof boots, Debbie was one of the highest mileage competitors at the 2011 2,000-mile XP ride from Missouri to California. In third place is 2010 Hoof Boot Contest winner, Terri Tinkham, who rode Oliver Twist for a total of 1,435 miles.

CTR Division
Winner of the 2011 EasyCare CTR Hoof Boot Contest is Mary Lambert. Mary rode High Tail Hanna and IM Bronze to a combined total of 375 miles. Bill Wingle rode Mariah for to second place with a total of 372 miles. Sheryl O'Brian rode Psyches Amore and Truimage of Gold into third place with a total of 350 miles.

Detailed Results

For a full listing of the 2011 Hoof Boot Contest results, go the 2011 EasyCare Hoof Boot Contest page.

Easyboot is the official hoof boot of NATRC, AERC and Tevis 2012.

Keep up the Bootlegging!

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

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

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

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


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


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


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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Janine and Patrick weren't the only entries turning heads in the Gloves. Also attending and sporting EasyCare hoof boots was hoof care practitioner Rhea Benko of Central Coast Hoof Rehab who had a great day taking fifth place. Frank Brinar put the Easyboot Glove Wide to good use on his mount and yep I held my own to a nice second place showing with the Glove Wide as well.
 
The ride was held on the beautiful Midland School campus encompassing 2,860 acres of amazing country in Los Olivos, CA. The campus neighbors the Los Padres National Forest, the San Rafael Wilderness area and the Michael Jackson Neverland Ranch. I hear a repeat is in the works for next year so if you are in the area grab your pony and your EasyCare hoof boots and come out for a great day of riding. 

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

EasyCare is in the final week of 2011 before closing for the holidays. We are lucky enough to get a couple of weeks off to spend time with our families. One of the greatest benefits of working at EasyCare is the importance of family. Our team works hard, and as the year winds down it is so nice to get to spend some quality time with our families and return in the new year refreshed and ready to build on yet another year of hoof boot momentum.   


2011 was highlighted by the release of the Easyboot Trail and its success has been amazing. This entry-level boot has opened a door for first-time boot users. The Trail is forgiving, easy to put on and take off, and stays put on varied terrain. Combine this with a base price point and we have a home run!  Our dealer network has been instrumental in the success of the Trail, we are lucky to partner with the best dealer/distributors in the world.  A lot of what is seen in the Trail is due to feedback from dealers and end users. You spoke. We listened. 

2012 will bring a full warehouse and some exciting changes. Keep your eyes open for your 2012 Dealer Packets and be sure to check Easyboot's Facebook page on a regular basis for some of these exciting changes and additions. Alternative hoof care is a growth market; awareness and education are at an all time high. 2012 is going to be yet another amazing year for the barefoot horse and EasyCare. Make sure you are a part of it.

Happy Holidays!

This blog was hard for me to write. It is very personal to my heart but I feel the direction in which hoof boots are taking natural hoof care is nothing short of revolutionary.

A few weeks ago, I have a friend who, with her beloved horse Yankee, completed their first 75 mile endurance ride. She competed in Glue-Ons all around and vetted out with straight A's. She and Yankee were on top of the world! Once home, she left the boots on. With a heavy work week and the holidays coming up, it was safe to let the boots be for a while and pull them the following week.

A week after the ride, Yankee was rushed to the local equine hospital. Yankee was in dire straights with a serious intestinal bacterial infection unrelated to the ride. I wont go into details, but the situation was not in favor for Yankee. On top of everything else, due to the tremendous amount of toxins and edema in Yankee's system from the infection, laminitis was a huge possibility and probability. 

When Yankee was admitted, the vets were curious about the Glue-Ons, how they were applied, and why Yankee was still wearing them. After a thorough explanation in detail regarding the boots, (they weren't familiar with them, but loved them after a description of what was on his feet, how it was done, and why) the vets all concurred it was better for Yankee's feet to have the support of the Easyboot Glue-Ons and to leave the boots on. They were hopeful that the added padding from the Goober Glue and the overall boot support, would aid in the prevention of Laminitis and Founder. Whether or not it would actually help is moot. The fact that the vets were on board and supportive of the Easy Boot hoof boots aiding in health issue is huge!

Yankee is finally home and on the mend after spending eight days in ICU, and he appears to have avoided that dreaded laminitis! Did the Glue-Ons help in warding off the Founder? I don't know. I'd like to think that they did. 

Thank you KF for permission to post this.