Horses Boot

Submitted by Renee Robinson, Team Easyboot 2012 Member

Reno, NV rides are absolutely the best. Especially when they’re managed by people like Tami Rougeau. If you haven’t done this ride, next year RUN, don’t walk to Rides of March.

In case you couldn't tell by its name, this ride is held during the middle of March. That means if you live on the west side of the Sierra Nevada mountains like I do, you spend the week before the ride watching Weather.com for hourly updates. Last year we had to cancel our trip to the ride because of a little storm over the pass (“little storm = blizzard like conditions, road closures and car accidents). This year, I was lucky enough to get to go. Accompanied by my husband and our trusty dog, Jefe, we made the 9 hour haul to the ride.

Getting to the ride was easy. Once we got there, the weather took a turn for the worse and I spent the entire day Friday inside my trailer only coming out briefly enough to vet in. That night the wind blew and blew. We woke up ride morning to snow and ice but the weather was supposed to be in our favor for the day so off we went. As it turned out, we couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather.

The first ride of the season is always interesting and this ride was no different. After an involuntary dismount at the start of the ride, Bite and I were on our way. Bite is a 16 hand horse stuffed inside a 14 hand body, so sometimes he gets a bit explosive. But after his brief lapse in judgment, our ride went off without a hitch. He ate, he drank, and he had marvelous recoveries. We also rode entirely by ourselves (not hard to do when you ride at the back of the pack) which is a very big accomplishment for this particular horse. He made me very proud.

If you like rides with perfect footing, go to Rides of March. If you like rides with water placed exactly where you need it, go to Rides of March. If you like nice vets and awesome ride management, go to Rides of March. And as if we weren’t spoiled enough already, after the ride, Tami took us to her house where we enjoyed real showers and real beds.

This is Bite’s second season in Easyboot Gloves, so we‘re still relatively new to boots. He transitioned easily to a barefoot lifestyle and rarely loses a boot (knock on wood). Rides of March was his 5^th 50 mile ride with the same pair of 00.5 Gloves on the front. He also did many conditioning miles in the same pair and now my mare is using them as spares for her hind feet. I love the Glove!

Thank you Tami Rougeau for putting on such a fabulous ride. Weather permitting, we’ll be back every year!

Renee Robinson

Gee, thanks, Title Wizard! If it weren't for you my blog post this week would be titled something totally, pathetically lame like "Organizational Euphoria."

Now, anyone that knows me knows that I like stuff. I'm not a hoarder or anything crazy like that but I do like having the things I need, and having those things readily available. When I very first began using Easyboot Gloves, I had one horse going and one semi-retired. Having eight hoof boots laying around was really a non-issue. However, my herd began growing, changing and evolving, and so did my Glove collection. OMG. They exploded like bunnies. Over the last two years, I have coped with a bag housing boots that were pretty interchangeable between horses. Again, eight or twelve boots weren't the end of the world. 

And then... along came The Moose. And the Moose's white counterpart, The Unicorn. The more the merrier, right? Right. Except when FOUR horses wear EIGHT different size boots. Eight pairs of boots = 16 boots. Did I mention SIX of these boots are over size 2?? Size matters. This is starting to sound like some horrific math problem from the eighth grade. 

After a winter of boots scattered about the trailer, tack room, living quarters and back seat of the truck, I decided there *had* to be a better way. Now remember I am a shopper by heart. I loooooove going to the mall. I love buying clothes, make-up, decorations for the house and, my favorite, stuff for my horses. I HATE office stores, hardware stores and tire stores. Ewww. But with some convincing, I relented and accompanied my husband to the local Home Depot. After sulking through row after row of "man stuff," I walked into the next aisle and there it was- The Solution. 

Enter Husky Secure Lock Track Wall and Vertical Mesh Organizer. I swear to God angels sang. I snatched up the necessary stuff to go along with it and excitedly awaited for organizational bliss. Because my horse trailer serves as a tack room, it is important I stay organized so I don't kill anyone. After scoping out several options to install my new organizer I decided on hanging the track in the horse compartment where my boot storage thingy will hang while we're not driving. Before going somewhere, I'll simply unlock and remove said storage thingy and put it in the tack room. Arrive at ride, hang back up and voila, instant organization! 

Peek-A-Boo!

So far, so good!

Because I have only the three horses at home right now, the three-compartments were perfect. One compartment for each horse, spares and odd sizes in my old boot bag tucked out of the way and I am one happy girl!! 

How do you organize your stuff? 

~ Amanda

"I tried using boots but they did not work."

When I hear this comment, my first inclination is to determine why the boots were not successful. More often than not, I discover the boots are not at fault. Booting an overgrown or unbalanced hoof and/or using an inappropriate boot style are common factors responsible for poor booting experiences. Horse owners who have personal accountability and employ critical thinking are more successful than those who blame the boots.

6 weeks after a trim. This horse would benefit from a shorter trim cycle.

At a recent boot fitting, I worked with a frustrated customer who had trouble with boots twisting on the hind feet. The fit looked good; however after only a few strides both boots had twisted. I removed the boots and took a closer look at the hooves. Even though they had recently been trimmed, there were imbalances in the heels on both hind feet. As horse owners learn to recognize these imbalances, they stop blaming the boots and instead look to the farrier or trimmer. Instead of focusing on the negative, determine what needs to be done to correct or minimize these issues. After showing this imbalance to the customer, I recommended she work with her hoof care practioner to develop a strategy to minimize this imbalance (such as a shorter trim cycle or having the owner do some rasping between visits). You never want to trim a hoof to fit a boot but often times boots can expose trims or hoof conformations that are less than ideal.

Selecting the correct boot style is key to success.
Pictured above from left to right: Easyboot Glove, Glove Back Country and Trail.

If the hoof is balanced but the boots are still not performing as desired, the wrong boot style may have been chosen. I talk with people who are overwhelmed by our number of boot styles but offering multiple styles allows us to accommodate a wide variety of hoof shapes. As discussed in my blog One Size Does Not Fit All, hoof measurements are the starting point in boot selection and they help determine what is suitable for your horse. Another thing to consider when selecting a boot is the intended use. Are you looking for a boot that can do weekend rides or endurance competitions? Using the Easyboot Trail for an endurance ride is akin to using a hiking boot to run a marathon - neither are appropriate footwear for these activities. The Trail is much better suited for casual riding or use as a therapy boot. Don't buy the first style you see or rely solely on a friend's recommendation. Your chance of success is much higher if you determine the style most appropriate for your horse's hoof conformation and your type of riding. If in doubt, the customer service team at EasyCare is more than happy to advise you.

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.

It's possible that Small Thing is in league with the weather gods. Last Saturday we were supposed to be galloping across the NV desert (...well, maybe doing a frantic speed-trot) on our first official distance ride. But once again, despite promising forecasts earlier in the week, by Friday the highway over the Sierra was closed from snow and ice-related accidents and the ride had been postponed for five weeks due to the swamp-like qualities of the alkali flat that was supposed to be ride camp (eloquently described as "slick as snot").

So I had to find something else to write about.

Hoof-boot Evangelism

A discussion arose this week about how horse-folk can be very evangelical about their specific way of doing things - their way is the way - and it was suggested that hoof-booters can be a bit overbearing in their attitude at times.

Personally, I have nothing against steel shoes when applied to properly trimmed hooves - they've worked for a long time. On the other hand, I am biased against bad trimming - barefoot or otherwise: - flared feet, long toes - or against a cr*ppy shoeing job - I cringe when I see horses with baked-bean cans instead of feet, frogs up in the air; or more commonly, splayed feet that have little structural integrity (often accompanied by the proud statement "My horse has huge feet") or the other favorite, ski-jump shaped toes. 

'Course, horses with cr*ppy shoeing still do well anyway. Go figure.

This horse did well at a tough 100 mile ride despite its rather alarming shoeing.

To opt to go barefoot is a personal preference and one that requires commitment. There's little point trying to convince someone about its value if that person doesn't share that philosophy.

My personal reasons for using hoof-boots are:

• With hay approaching $20 a bale, I can't afford to pay someone to put shoes on my horse. Sad but true. If I had tons of money, would I pay someone else to trim and boot my horses for me? Probably. Grovelling around in the mud can be fun, but not when you have to do it as a chore and you're already suffering from a severe shortage of time. I can think of a multitude of other things I'd rather be doing. 

•  As with all things that are hard, I get personal satisfaction from doing my horses' feet. Of course it's easier to not have to deal with it and to sit around reading a book, eating bonbons, but not nearly as rewarding

•  If I shod my horses I'd still have to stand and hold them for the farrier, so if I have to spend the time anyway I might as well do them myself, on my schedule.

•  In the old days, whichever horse I shod would always be the horse that didn't end up getting ridden (because of the horse's health, my health, or "life stuff" going on).

•  I like the control I have over their feet. With one toed-in horse and one who grows tons of toe, I like being able to poke at them at regular intervals to keep it under control. If I look at their feet and go "euw" then it's my own fault. 

•  I don't have to worry about trying to synchronize shoeing schedules with ride schedules (just as well, given that my ride schedule is making itself up as we go along).

•  When I get kicked/stood on/ran over the top of, I much prefer the horse to be barefoot.

•  When I'm on pavement, I don't have to scrinch my body in angst convinced the horse will fall down (to reiterate, this is my personal paranoia and has little to do with reality). 

•  If you're going to do lots of miles on a horse, doing it with the least concussion possible seems like a good plan. Boots provide protection against concussion.

•  And finally, the thing that really tipped me over the edge was Roo doing an enormous spook about 50 miles into a 100 mile ride and only half wrenching his shoe off in the process - it was still firmly attached but offset by about 3/4". Luckily it was as we were coming into the vet check and even more luckily, my farrier happened to be doing the ride and was just ahead of us so I was able to interrupt his lunch hold to ask him to reset the shoe (I'm sure he was thrilled). Never again, however, do I want to be in the position where I would potentially have to pull from a ride because of something that stupid. Not to mention the fact that usually when they wrench shoes, the horse yanks out half the hoof-wall at the same time, so there's nothing left to nail to. And even if they don't pull off half the hoof with the shoe, they tweak their leg and go lame. 

Now admittedly, the above reasons may not be sufficient for many to make the switch - that's their choice. One size does not fit all, and if shoes are working for them, then good. If people don't have the desire to mess with boots - without that initial commitment, then, no, boots probably aren't for them.

One time I can see it being appropriate to suggest a change is when people say:

"Look, my horse has [insert foot problem], how would you fix it?".

(thinks: keep the horse barefoot and use boots - being able to work on the horse's foot at every 1-2 weeks would eventually solve the problem, and if it's congenital, at least you can keep it under control with regular trims)

With this kind of toe-growth, being able to trim at short intervals keeps things under control

...Or if your horse happens to have been constructed with the front legs stuck on the wrong sides.
When this horse was in shoes, he needed shoeing every four weeks to keep his toed-in front feet from becoming a problem.

"My horse has sensitive feet and gets bruised easily, but I don't want to pad" (thinks: use EZ Boots - voila, instant pad that you can take off afterwards).

Setting the Record Straight

This week I was contacted by Rachel Shackelford who was mentioned in a post I wrote a few months ago concerning Tevis (article here). She wanted to set the record straight regarding her horse Cody's pull at Tevis in 2010.

It is true I wasn't even on the US continent when this event occurred (I was in England attending my brother's wedding, surrepticiously following the ride over the internet while trying to pretend to be a wedding guest). I was enthused to see locals Rachel and Cody doing so well that year (they were running in third place) and bummed when they showed up on the pull list. Afterwards when I asked people who'd been at the ride what happened I was told that Cody had slipped going through Foresthill (the paved portion of the ride) and returned to the vet check and pulled. Seeing in the AERC records that Cody was pulled for "surface factors" (which invariably means abrasions of some sort) I put two and two together and came up with what seemed to me the obvious scenario.

Except that's not what happened at all.

Rachel says she was about four miles out of Foresthill on the dirt singletrack when Cody tripped on a rock and fell on his knees. Although he had no scrapes and was sound, she opted to return to the Foresthill check and have him looked over by the vets. Despite getting a clean bill of health, she still wasn't comfortable with continuing - as she put it: "Cody ...NEVER trips. He is the most sure footed horse that I have been extremely blessed to ride...he gave me a sign that it wasn't his day" - so she opted to pull.

Given the above information, then, no - as suggested in my post - Rachel probably wouldn't feel the need to switch from steel shoes to boots.

And in Cody's case he retired sound after over 4,000 miles of competition so shoes evidently worked fine for him. I applaud Rachel for being able to race a horse with that many miles at that level - no flash-in-the-pan there - something I have great admiration for.

In my defense, I was writing about the train of thought I had that day - that if a horse had slipped on pavement then wouldn't the rider want to switch to footwear with better traction? Since that isn't what happened, it doesn't apply to her.

My apologies for any offense caused.

--
Lucy Chaplin Trumbull
Sierra Foothills, California

We had a very interesting weekend. We competed in the Texas Trail Challenge CTR in Whitney, Texas. It has turned out to be a such beautiful spring in Texas, and what a difference from last spring and summer. We finally received some rain over the winter and spring, and the wild flowers are in full bloom. Friend and Natural Hoof Care Practitioner Trista Lutz was at the ride with her beautiful 7 year old daughter, Dani. Trista and I have been talking about her doing Newt's feet, but unfortunately she lives about 5 hours away.  

We know of no natural hoof practitioners close to where I live. I have been studying up on natural hoof care, but have never really seen a trim, and frankly, I am afraid of trimming Newt's feet. The Natural Hoof Care Practitioner I used for about 2 years has moved. I rarely saw him work, as I would drop Newt off for his trim at the farm where he was working. My current farrier does a good job, but is of the old school. Newt's toe cracks were worsening and now he is getting quarter cracks, which he has never had before. Of course, my current farrier wants to put shoes on to correct the cracks. Help! 

Trista took a look at Newt and said no problem. She pointed out that his heels were a little long, and his soles were flat and a little thin. She explained the cracks were from all of the peripheral loading. He has decent hoof walls, just too many of the wrong kind of forces working to cause the cracks. Things I kind of knew, but was not sure of how to handle. Trista trimmed him, explaining all the while what she was doing and why. I took pictures, and really tried to eel the wall and waterline relationship. One of the most interesting things I noticed after Trista trimmed Newt's feet was the sound of his feet hitting the ground. Instead of the usual clip-clop, I now heard pad-pad. I was thinking, "Now I know why the Indians always snuck up on the settlers - their horses must have had much more natural feet. No long hoof wall to make clip-clop sounds!" I know his feet are not perfect, but I feel like we are improving.

Right front trimmed, left front still untrimmed.

Working on the hind. Notice the miracle rasp.

My job now is to try to keep Newt where he is through weekly rasping of his hooves. I rasped some yesterday. Don't think I did any harm, but unsure if I did enough. We are at the beginning of a huge learning curve.  

Trista also gave me one of her old rasps. What a difference! My old rasp was difficult to use, hard to cut with and very grabby. Trista's  worn out Vallorbe Swiss rasp is amazing. It cuts so easily and smoothly. Who knew there was such a difference in rasps?

I also re-measured Newt's feet for the new Glove Back Country boots and Easyboot Trails. We have been wearing the Easyboot Gloves for over 2 years. I wish I had saved my measurements from the first time, but I do remember his measurements did not really correspond to the size that actually fit best. The measurements I took yesterday indicate he needs different sizes. Guess I'll try another fit kit and see if his feet have really changed over the last few years. The Gloves seem to fit well now, even the new ones I ordered about 4 months ago. Trista also suggested adding pads to help his soles out. Hopefully, Trista and I can get together at future TTC rides and keep Newt's feet healthy.  I am so looking forward to this journey in natural hoof trimming.

Carol Warren

1. Ride Managers Who Know Their Stuff
Michael and Julia know how to put on an event. They treat their riders with respect: they listen, they answer questions, they believe truly in what they do and they are both generous. That spreads throughout the whole camp.

2. A Great Camp
Camp is set up at the L Bell ranch in Skull Valley, Arizona. It is easy to get to; the base camp field is full of grass and has more than ample space.

3. Good Trail
Michael and Julia build trail courses that are diverse, challenging and memorable. The high chaparral desert in the Prescott area is some of the finest land in the country. It's a trail rider's paradise and the course this year includes a tour of Granite Mountain. The geography is straight from a western movie through grassy fields, along sand washes and down sweeping single-track trails.

4. Food Matters
On the days when vet checks are out of camp, a variety of sandwiches, drinks and chips will be available for the riders. And the horses will score, too. There will be bales of hay, bran mashes and beet pulp buckets put out for the horses.

5. A Perfect Ten
Michael and Julia scored a perfect 10 with the event last year. You can bet your bottom dollar this year will be an 11.

For more information on the event, which takes place on April 21, 22 & 23, 2012, go to prescottchaparral.com. EasyCare is an award sponsor, so expect great completion awards, too.

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.

Submitted by Tami Rougeau, Team Easyboot 2012 Member

With all the talk about colored boots lately I thought I would share a story as well as my own thoughts on the topic.  I was a solid red boot fan back in the day.  In fact I was so bummed when they quit making them I went in search of any I could find and stocked up, convinced that there would be nothing better if it were not in color.  A few years and hundreds of miles later I would not trade a Red Easyboot for a Glove for any amount of money.  My red boot collection has slowly but surely made its way into my trail buddies tackroom.  She still swears by these tried and true boots but I know I will get her into Gloves as soon as the collection runs out.

One of the things folks seem to like best about the red boots is that "they are so easy to find when they come off".  I beg to differ.  In fact just this year, while out checking trail my friend lost a boot.  Drat!  We looked for it a bit then decided to just go on.  Over the course of the next three months I traveled this same trail no less than a dozen times with various trail partners, all of us on the look out for the lost red boot.  I had finally resolved that said boot had been toted off by animals or something as it was no where to be found.  Then one day, riding along the same trail, there was the boot - smack in the middle of the trail no less!  Over the years many a red boot has been lost to the trail.  So, easy to find?  I think not, perhaps easier but not necessarily easy.

My other counter to this discussion would have to be a statement of the obvious - Gloves are much less apt to come off if they are fitted properly.  The same can also be said for the Epic and now the new Back Country (which I think will be my recommendation to my trail riding buddies).  So if you are not having to constantly look for boots it just does not matter.

Another frequent comment about having colored boots is that you can easily see them while the horse is moving so you know if you lost one. I have experimented with various ways to identify my boots. Spray paint works OK but some colors just don't really show up after you paint over black. The Power Straps come in loads of great colors and are a great way to make your boots mroe visible. My friend Lucy uses yellow (color coordinated with the rest of her tack) and that really shows up well. Very easy to glance down and "boot check". I don't use power straps (or rather didn't but that is another blog) so not realy an option for me.

But this year for Christmas a good friend gave me a few rolls of colored Mueller tape, purple of course as Miss Fancy is very fashion conscious. I used the purple tape a couple weeks ago at the Nevada Derby ride and was amazed at how well it showed up. It really made the V in the boot stand out.

At the Nevada Derby ride this year the winds were fierce.  So I duck taped the vents in my helmet.

Duck tape will also work and it comes in all sorts of cool colors and patterns, even tie dye! I suppose if you are really creative you could even sew colored ribbon onto the velcro strap of the gaitor. Talk about lots of choices with that option.

So do I wish that boots came in colors?  Not really.  In the end it would probably end up costing more money to produce them and that cost would have to be passed on to me (which would mean less to spend on fun inexpensive things like tape).  Plus, what colors would they come in to be sure to satisfy everyone?  Furthermore, for those with a bit of fashion sense, who like to color coordinate their tack, they would have to have different colors for every horse.  No ability to mix and match - a definite Glamor Don't!  Oh yes, colored boots would result in far too much cost all the way around.

Photo by Bill Gore.

In the end, I still love the Glove and lets face it, black is always in and very classy!  So black Gloves for me and I will dress them up as I see fit all on my own. 

The first endurance ride of Idaho, Owyhee Tough Sucker, has come and gone in what seems to be the blink of an eye. It's hard to believe the second ride is only now two and a half weeks away. This season is sure to fly by and I hope to remember to thoroughly enjoy every second of it! 

Vetting in at Owyhee Tough Sucker. Merri Melde photograph

Because I had done my "dress rehearsal" with all of our things and a full set of boots two weeks prior to the ride, my last ride on Nero before the endurance ride was done barefoot, as we had a bunch of rain and the ground was soft. He felt strong and fit and I knew I'd have my hands full the morning of the ride. Because we had the luxury of starting at 8 (!!) I didn't put his boots on the night before as I knew I'd have time to do it in the morning. We went to be that night and I looked forward to a good night's sleep. Nero had other ideas- sometime before 2AM he pulled off his Hi-Tie and proceeded to terrorize camp. When I woke the next morning to feed him, well, he wasn't there. I started walking around camp to find him tied tightly to the ride manager's trailer. Apparently he was causing a ruckus in someone else's camp and landed himself in jail. He was none the worse for wear and thankfully nothing was broken on the High-Tie. I guess it serves him right to have missed out on hours of food back at our trailer, fortunately he could use to miss a few meals!

Leaving the vetcheck for the second loop

I put Nero's Easyboot Gloves easily and got on to begin warming up. While I hadn't had any problems thus far with the boots, I also hadn't ridden him further than 13 miles in them so while I was pretty sure he wouldn't have any problems, one can really never know. Consistent with Nero's transition from steel shoes to barefoot and booted, we had no issues. If there ever was a horse designed for the Easyboot Glove, it is this Arabian gelding, Nero's Asad. 

We started the day near the front, and kept our spot throughout the 50 miles. Nero was an absolute monster for the majority of the first 25 miles and we came into the vet check in 2 hours and 20 minutes. My hands were cramped from my death grip on the reins and my legs were shaking from Nero's big trot with no less than 4 feet of suspension in every stride. Nero came in already pulsed down and off to see the vet, who made some sort of reference to "big" and "strong." I couldn't hear for the shaking in my legs and the fact Nero was running me over. 

About twenty miles into the first 25-mile loop

Off to the trailer to chow and soon enough our hour hold was over. Off we went on the next 25 miles, hoping for a quieter, less pully pony. At this point Nero had let down some and I noticed, for the first time ever, he was paying more attention to where his big old size 2 feet were landing. We stopped fighting and I started letting him make more of the decisions although he still appears to have no pain sensors in his feet while he's actually in motion. While a tough horse is nice to have, one that takes care of themselves can be even nicer! I think we'll start working as a team, eventually, after he gets over the fact *I* am the primary leader. This pains him to hear. 

We finished the ride in a little over five hours and in 4th place. I believe 4 of the top 8 were in Easyboot Gloves all the way around. I know 3 of the top 4 in the limited distance were barefoot or booted in Easyboots as well. I don't know about the rest of the LD's because my mind went blank after I finished due to pain. Did I mention this horse is somewhat jarring? 

Back at the trailer, I peeled back Nero's gaiters expecting to see some sign of rubbing due to the lack of miles we had previously done booted. Nothing. He had more marks on his hind fetlocks from his brushing boots than he did on any one of his heels/pasterns/fetlocks from the Glove gaiters. I couldn't be happier with my boots and want to offer those just starting down the booted path some encouragement. 

Nero, the morning after the ride. He spent the night in jail so we could all get some rest. 

At the beginning, you will probably have some boot losses, you will probably have to re-evaluate your management and you will probably have to make adjustments to your trimming, whether it be the trimming schedule or actual trim. However, it gets easier! While some horses are easier than others, they are all worth it. The growing number of successful booted riders is huge now- seek one out in your area for help, most all of us are willing. Also be encouraged that the longer you stick with it, the more you learn and the easier it becomes. For now, my barefoot horse lounges in his pasture on rest. Love those Gloves. 

Cheers to you for a successful booted year! 

~ Amanda

Another blog about the Backcountry Glove? Yes! I, myself, am very excited about this new protective horse boot and I will shout from the roof tops if I have to.

I received my new boots and couldn't wait to try them.The next decision was to where would we take them on their first journey. Knowing I would eventually take them to the limits, I wanted our first endeavor to be a whopper.

I used the new Glove Back Country boots on my big TWH mare with large hooves. We went to South Mountain Regional Park, and although we only rode about 7 miles that day, it was the ever so famous Arizona terrain we all know and love. We did climbing and very little gaiting, and I tried my best to find a fault in this new boot. I couldn't. Believe me, I tried.

Why yes, this is the trail.

Taking a short rest. This is about the best footing we found up on the mountain.

I watched my Glove Back Country boots from horseback. I wanted to see if I had any twisting, damage to the boot or any sign that the boot was not on securely. Is it wrong that I had a little disappointment that these hoof boots performed perfectly? I even checked for rubs with a fine toothed comb and there weren't any. None, zilch, zip, nada. When all was said and done that day, I did do a little happy dance behind the trailer so no one could see me. 

I love the Easyboot Trails and I love the Easyboot Glove, and I am so in love with this idea of the combining the two. I guess it would be called Love Squared. 

Try them and do your own happy dance behind the trailer.

Sabrina Liska

Submitted by Nonee High, Team Easyboot 2012 Member

Hi. I’m Nonee High. I’m 11 years old, and “time management” is already part of my vocabulary.

I have many different activities I love, but my main interest is Nanny, my Welsh Pony. For the last two years, she has been my best friend and ride. Before that, she was a sweet pony in the field, but very stubborn under saddle which made me very frustrated. Finally one day, with the help of my riding teacher, I decided I just was going to make it work and we have been doing great ever since.

Nanny is my girl.

She loves to jump and do trail rides. Those are our two special things. We are going to show in hunters this year and do our first endurance ride. I can’t wait! Sometimes, other kids ask to ride her. I always let them, but she usually reverts back to stubborn pony.  I kind of like it that she acts especially great with me.

I also have a 7 month old Arabian colt named Phoenix that we rescued with his mom last January. The vet said his mom was about as thin as a horse could get and still be alive. Phoenix was in better shape, but is still recovering from early malnutrition.

Finding Phoenix’ sweet spot has really helped in earning his trust.

And then I also have a 5 year old mare, Bella, a blue roan, probably a quarter horse cross. She came to us as a Premarin rescue at age 2. She loves to trail ride and jump, like Nanny, and is also very stubborn like Nanny, but I am determined this year to bring her along, like I did with Nanny. I hope she and I will become a good team, too. I will sadly grow too big for Nanny, probably after this year. Bella will be my next main horse I think, though Nanny will always be with me.

Besides my horses, I also dance (Highland Dance) play basketball and soccer, and participate in 4H. That is where the “time management” comes in.  

With the WV Highland Dancers.

I made this goal.

Each week, we have at least 3 after school activities. When we get home, there is homework, supper, and chores (we have 7 horses total, 4 goats with babies on the way, dogs, cats). Once a month we have 4H and sometimes we have extra 4H activities. Sometimes it is hard to fit it all in, and do my best in each.  

But I do try. And Mom and Dad say that is the main thing. Each morning, I am up at 6:30. I am the main morning feeder because Mom and my sister have to leave early most days. I like this better now that I am allowed to drive the tractor, though wet days are still just... wet. After school or activities, we all help out. That is when we all pile into the tractor “box” and take buckets and hay around to everyone. It is really fun.

Some of my 4H friends and my sister are helping me feed. That’s my sister’s horse Maggie and then my Nanny in the background.

I also have to do well in school, or else Mom and Dad will cancel my outside activities. Thankfully, I am a pretty good student so it is not too hard. I did my Social Studies Fair project this year on the History of Natural Hoof Care. My Mom is a trimmer and I want to be one, too, so this was an interesting topic for me to work with. I won 1st place at my school and county level! I did not win 1st at regionals, but I am still proud of my yellow ribbon. At least I placed! These photos are of my display, with paddock paradise model, and what I looked like presenting in trimmer clothing!

Back to 4H. This photo is one of an extra activity. Our club, the High Riders 4H Club, was selling tickets for our annual Spring Grand Prize Drawing at our local Tractor Supply. EasyCare has been an appreciated donor to the Drawing the last two years. In this picture, I am discussing the Easyboot Glove with a girl who has just switched boots from the Epic to the Edge. She was hoping to win another pair of boots in the Drawing! Unfortunately, she did not win the boots, though she did win a cool prize.  

Here is a photo of some of us at the Drawing. We raised over $2,000. Some of that money will be donated to On Eagle’s Wings Therapeutic Riding Center in Opekiska, WV. One of their lead instructors will be helping our 4H Club in April with ground work and communication. We hope to also volunteer some of our time with them. (They also have all their horses barefoot and using Easyboot Gloves.) In addition, we will have an “All About Balance” weekend in June with equine dentistry, massage therapy, balanced hooves and Centered Riding as our four pillars. We also hope to go on a horse retreat during summer and one of us will ride in a Buck Brannaman clinic in October. The rest of us can audit. So much to do!

Thanks for reading. Are you as busy as I am? How do you manage your activities and time?

Nonee High

Submitted by Roger Rittenhouse

For the past two years plus I have used other boots with good results on my horse, Omni. While very satisfied with the other brand, I wanted to try another boot that might be easier to install and have less mass going down the trail. Omni has oblong, non-round hoofs, but the other boot is round. So while it fits the length, it is wide for his hoof. The first pair of the new Easyboot Glove Back Country boots arrived today.  With good spring weather, I had to ride and test the boots.

I had measured his freshly-trimmed hooves at least four times. I could not find the mm scale so I used the 32-inch scale and converted against EasyCare’s advice. The sizing is the same as the Easyboot Glove, and from what I can gather, the boot should be long enough for base support but narrow to grip the hoof.

Based on the measurements, I settled on #2.5. It took some effort to get them installed so I used a rubber mallet to seat them. The right front was tight; the left front was better, but still tight. I felt the boots were perhaps a half size too small. I should have ordered a #3. Oh well: once installed there is no return and I had to test ride. Once I got them seated and worked the rear heel capture in place they were easy to lock in place. The mallet sure helped to get them seated. The wide Velcro back flaps worked great. That part was easy.

A little trot in hand went well and the boots stayed on. He moved out nicely. I re-checked the heel and was able to get a finger in the boot to check heel/hoof contact. Everything appeared OK.

We hand walked down the hard road, some trot. No slipping. I mounted at the dirt road, and off we went into the forest. We walked a mile, and then I asked for an easy trot: all felt fine. Due to size and shape, the other boots would clip inside on each other, but not hit the cannon bone. The Glove Back Country did not hit. He also did not forge from behind.

It’s impossible to determine if the boots are working as desired with just a few miles, so we did 7.5 miles, mostly at a walk some at a trot and some jerking around being an idiot Arab. I let him ramp up to about 8-9 mph to see how he traveled. Apart from the idiot Arab kick-outs and hops, he moved very nicely: almost the way he moves when barefoot. Very nice!

When I returned home, the left front was tight to remove. His heels looked good and the captive lip at the lower heel (what EasyCare calls the Comfort Cup gaiter) showed tight contact, as did the back of the heel bar. He had wear marks on the heels showing full base contact. The heel bulbs looked good and had no rubs. The right front showed more pressure contact on the hoof heel bar below the bulbs and more indentation in the heel captive lip. Both hoof walls showed the wear or marks from the grip of the Glove on the sides and the quarters. This shows good width size. The boots were gripping the walls the way they are designed to.

My second ride was not a long ride - only three miles.  I set the boots out in the sun while I cleaned up my boy, figuring it couldn’t hurt them and may make them a bit softer. They were much easier to put on. Since he was ten days into the trim cycle, I filed the left front just to clean it up some and get a better mustang roll. I worked the toe back just a little: a few swipes of the file were all I needed. This hoof grows sort of normal compared to the right front.

Off to the trails: I rode a mile or so on the dead-end hard top, then asked for a little trot. It was nice easy going with no slip. Then into the trails with leaves, mud and downhill terrain. Went quite well with almost no slipping. The tread gripped fine. We did a few loops around the woods trail and into an open field. The boots went through ankle-deep mud. Back at the barn, the boots came off with a slight effort, easier than first ride but they did not just fall off. The grip marks on the hoof wall at the quarters indicated a tight fit.

I think the # 2.5 is a good fit as long as I keep the toes and front walls close and tight. If he would go a week or two, the boots would be too tight. If I were planning on going more than two weeks without trimming, I’d go up a half size to account for the hoof growth. Since I am the primary trimmer, I can work the hoofs as needed. I have a professional barefoot trimmer on a 7 to 8 week schedule to re-do my trims and make corrections as needed.

I noted how well he seemed to move, as in break-over and getting the forehand moving faster. The boots have a natural balance design, that is to say there is a nice beveled toe with the break-over point back behind the white line. I think he moves better in the boots than barefoot. He has tendency to toe clip or toe drag, which causes him to trip at times. The boot design gets that toe over and up into the fight faster. At least I noted he tripped less.

As has been stated many, many times, no boot is perfect for all horses in all conditions. The advantages we have today to find a design of boot that works well for your horse and riding style is significant compared to the limitations that we had to deal with when they are shod. My Initial impressions remain positive. I will find out more as we hit the trails this spring. For me and my old horse the Easyboot Glove Back Country is working and meets my requirements.

Over the course of the next five rides with the four Glove Back Country boots, I used # 3 on the front, and #2.5 on rear. I was concerned the large size would result in pulled boots, but the boots stayed on though hoof-deep mud and rocky washed-out trails.

I am very pleased with the performance of these boots. I have used other EasyCare boot styles with mixed results. The new Glove Back Country really works for me and my horse. They are easy to put on the hoof and take off, and there is no messing around with adjustments. I fold back the Comfort Cup gaiter, slide the boot over the hoof and tap it in place with the palm of my hand to seat the boot. I close the Velcro flaps, and I’m done. I can install four boots in about five minutes. The larger size has allowed me to let the trim and re-shape go a little longer than with a smaller sized boot. He trots just fine over rock stone roads and blacktop. The boot tread and the grip helps to keep him from slipping on the blacktop.

For the riders who are thinking about this new boot design, it really works. I have used almost all the boots ever made over the last 30 years. The new Glove Back Country has performed the best for my current horse and how we ride.


Name: Roger Rittenhouse
City: Pikeville, Tennessee, USA
Equine Discipline: Trail, Endurance
Favorite Boot: Easyboot Glove Back Country

Quo vadis natural hoof trimmers, bare hoof trimmers, booters, farriers, blacksmiths, hoof care merchants?

I have been fortunate enough to have had great mentors when I started farrier work over 20 years ago. My mentors were farriers who were open minded, letting the horses in their care go bare for long stretches of the year to "allow the hoof to relax" for a while, as they always said. Bare hoof trims were nothing fancy or new, whenever a horse had some time off, the shoes were pulled and that was it. Bare hoof riding was a way of life for many horses already many years ago.

Now Barefoot Trimming and Natural Hoof Care have gone mainstream. Natural Hoof Trims and Hoof Boots are in the lime light now, we all talking about it and more and more horse owners are taking it upon themselves to learn and study and doing it themselves.

I have been conducting hoof care clinics all over the Northamerican Continent and Europe. I attend farriers clinics, am a member of the American Farriers Association (AFA) and have ample opportunity to speak and interact with farriers from many countries all the time. Interesting to hear their take on Natural Hoof Trimming and the usage of protective horse boots. Here are some of the comments:

• "It's a fad".
• "It doesn't work"
• "Horses cannot go bare"
• "Steel shoes have always worked"
• "Don't change anything if it is not broken"
• "I'm a professional, I work hard"

None of these statements have any substance, they are hollow, mean absolutely nothing and are only excuses. But for what? Just a few days ago, I heard a new one, which I liked the best so far:

"It is a conspiracy!"

Is this horse a conspirator?

Now I was interested, who are the conspirators? He explained to me that the objective of "them" is to push the farriers out of business.

Conspirators at work.

The Kodak Company came to my mind.  When they filed Chapter 11, did they think it was a conspiracy of the digital camera manufacturers and the various software companies to push Kodak into the abyss? Were typewriter manufacturers victims of a conspiracy?

Life is ever evolving. So are our jobs and professions. If we think we know it all, are lazy, resting and stagnant, we are getting steam rolled. More now so than ever before.

I had to thank this farrier for giving me the opportunity to show him that he will only be out of business if he refuses to educate himself and adapt. The new hoof care findings and new hoof protection product lines offer an amazing opportunity for farriers to participate in the future by providing a complete Hoof Care Service for their customers.  Adding new skills to the art of blacksmithing, like barefoot trimming, Easyboot Glue-On applications, Vettec hoof protection; selling and providing Polyurethane horse shoes like Equiflex and the new upcoming Easyshoe, Easyboot Backcountry, Glove, Epic, Trail, etc, etc; any farrier can participate in this conspiracy and benefit immensely economically through it.

From the past, we move to the future through learning and by being open-minded.

A polyurethane horse shoe made by the Bootmeister with Vettec Superfast.

A protoype of the new EasyShoe.

Jump on board, Farriers, let the journey begin!

Brought to you by Christoph Schork,  The Bootmeister.

Global Endurance Training Center

Team Lurgy (Fergus + Lucy) made their debut last weekend at the Nevada Derby 50 miler endurance ride.

Fergus is my husband Patrick's 16+ hh Tennessee Walker/Arabian horse and although I am his main caretaker and trimmer, I'd only ridden him twice prior to embarking on our 50 miles together. Given that he's probably twice the weight of pony Small Thing, and travels at twice the speed but half the tempo, I knew we were in for a very steep learning curve when it came to adjusting my riding to suit his way of going. Couple that with having not done a 50 since May last year, this was going to be an interesting ride.

Fergus has never worn shoes (he's about to turn 10 years old) and his arrival in our lives was the main push to convert all the other horses to barefoot. If I was going to have to learn to trim him, I might as well do the other five horses as well.

He was probably in the very first wave of the horses competing in Gloves. We were at the Death Valley Encounter multi-day endurance ride in 2008 - with Patrick planning for Fergus to wear Epics for their first limited distance ride - when we came across Garrett Ford fitting some other horses for the new Glove boot.

I'd heard horror stories about Tennessee Walkers yanking off shoes from their way of going, so was a little worried that we were using an unproven (for Fergus, at least) booting method - especially given that it would be Patrick and his first distance ride together. Fergus went out the next day in a set of size 3 (fronts) and size 2 (rears)  Gloves and they completed two days of LD that week with absolutely no problems whatsoever. So much for worrying - Fergus has some TWH traits, but yanking boots isn't one of them.

In the years that have followed, we've downsized his Glove size to 2.5s in front and 1.5s in back, but recent changes in his left rear foot have necessitated bumping him up to a size 2. When I listen to him walking, he steps down differently on that foot so I'm considering getting a chiropractor to take a look at him to make sure there's nothing going on which could be causing this slight anomaly.

Back to last weekend.

Fergus and I went out on a 45 minute pre-ride on Friday afternoon and I came back feeling a little shell-shocked. Fergus has a humungous trot with loads of suspension - there's seemingly 5 seconds of hang-time between each stride and he's like steering the Lusitania - not exactly the short wheel-base of Small Thing.

As luck would have it, the following morning my riding buddy's horse was having an attack of "I'm so fit I left my brain back at the trailer" so we ended up walking most of the first five miles, giving me a chance to really settle in with Fergus and get used to this new balancing act. Perfect (all those trail miles babysitting Uno and Small Thing were paying off in dividends). The fact that Fergus' TWH genes blessed him with an amazingly big walk didn't hurt any either - I could get used to this travelling at speed without breaking into a trot option.

With cattle guards come cattle. Patrick and I discussed prior to me riding him that Fergus had never done anything bad at a ride before... uh, except for when we met those cows on the trail that time. Because of this, we proceeded with caution.

Fergus at the first vet check - having fallen instantly in love with a grey horse he spotted leaving.

The typical NV wind blew... and blew and blew. By the time we'd made the 1800'/550 m ascent to the top of the Dogskin Mountains it was gusting 60 mph, practically blowing us off the horses at times. It seemed like the harder it blew, the faster Fergus wanted to go - a pleasant surprise - I was expecting him to suffer from the "bleahs" from the climb.

Cresting the top of the Dogskin Mountains, before dropping down the other side to Bedell Flat. The steep descent featured several springs that had been diverted into large cattle troughs.

Once down on the flats on the far side of the mountains, it continued to blow and Fergus continued to be far more enthusiastic than I'd ever expected him to be. Unfortunately the muscles in my legs didn't share his enthusiasm and it began to feel like someone was jamming a hot poker into the side of one leg. However tempting it may have been to just let him go and relieve the pain from having my legs tweaked, it was definitely a case of "just because he thinks he can, doesn't mean he should" - his current fitness level was definitely not conducive to finishing a speedy 50 without something going horribly wrong, despite what he might think. So we worked on trying to keep it to a dull roar and get back to camp in some semblance of control.

Back at camp for our hour hold, I quickly checked under each Glove gaiter to make sure he hadn't collected any debris or piles of sand from having slogged through some deeper sand during the descent off the mountains. I was pleased to see that everything was fitting beautifully - he had a small wear at the front of one pastern, so I loosened that gaiter a little, but otherwise his boots were holding up with no problems at all - pretty typical for Fergus (he's not the most interesting horse to write about when it comes to 'boot adjustment').

Inside the back of my trailer, I was confused to discover everything covered in a fine layer of sand. It turned out that while we were out on the trail lamenting the wind, a sandstorm had blown through camp - sand-blasting everyone and everything. I'm going to be washing grit off my belongings for some time to come.

The sandstorm in camp - that's my trailer on the right. Photo: Andy Gerhard

Keeping it to a dull roar. Photo: Bill Gore

During the hour hold, the skies opened and began to rain - Fergus disappeared under a rain blanket to keep him and my saddle dry while he ate his slurpie refreshments. 

When it was time to leave, even though the sun was now shining again, we went for overkill dressing - waterproof legs, jacket, gloves and fleecy neck wrap. Just as well - within 30 minutes of leaving camp it began to rain again, gradually degenerating into snow. The horses decided they were on a Death March and we trudged rather unenthusiastically along into the head-wind, icy snow biting into our faces.

All bundled up, but good and toasty on the trail. Woolly gloves are perfect for mopping a continuously runny nose. Photo: Tami Rougeau

One thing I was surprised to learn was how sensitive Fergus was to different footing, despite wearing boots all around. I suspect some of this has to do with my neglect of his feet in the last few months and hope that this will improve as the mud dries out and we get back to regular trims. Trotting along the gravel roads, he would veer decisively to the softer (or seemingly softer) outside edges, and once we got back on the soft stuff he would joyfully increase his speed. I may experiment with 6 mm comfort pads in his boots to see if it helps, assuming adding pads will work with his Gloves - results seem to vary with different horses and sometimes they cause the low-profile Glove to come off.

As soon as we rounded the corner at the northern-most point of the loop, both horses brightened considerably from their Death March. They had no interest in eating or drinking from the fare provided by the Ride, but every interest in catching the group of horses about eight minutes ahead of us. That took about ten minutes and then Fergus and I returned to our battle of wills on exactly what speed was appropriate for an unfit horse, given that we still had 8 miles or so still to go.

And it was this portion of the ride where Fergus really shined - a very long straight road for the last six miles - the least interesting part of the entire day. We got up on the soft verge and he showed me his bestest medium trot (the one I didn't realise he possessed) and the miles flew by. I've never ridden a horse that could cover ground quite so effortlessly before and it was a true gift at the end of a long day on the trail. 

We completed the ride dead last in 9.5 hours, but Fergus was still pratting around at trot-out during vetting - displaying his sideways stupid trot and bellowing for his buddies (standing right next to him). Finishing with such a happy horse was the second gift of the day.

Worst part of the day? Having to call Patrick and confess that, yes, his horse *is* the most perfect of all our horses, much as I hate to admit it to him. I'll never hear the end of it now...

--
Lucy Chaplin Trumbull
Sierra Foothills, California

Submitted by Monique Chaisson-Williams, Team Easyboot 2012 Member

I have a confession. I’m “one of those people”. I loved horses as a teenager but never owned one until I was in my mid-40s. Growing up in Tucson, AZ, I had plenty of access to other people’s horses and I did everything I could to be around and ride them. I learned a lot about riding and handling horses, but very little about horse care. I worked as a wrangler, but I never had horses in my back yard, I didn’t show, I never took lessons, and my parents knew nothing about horses.

When I finally decided – at the age of 45 – that I was old enough to own a horse, the balance and muscle memory of my childhood allowed me to quickly pick up as a rider where I had left off 30 years earlier, in much the same way that one never forgets how to ride a bike. However the day I handed over the check for my new mount, I felt a wave of panic come over me as I realized that I had no idea how to care for this animal on a daily basis. Now that I am a few years into my horse adventure, I have come to realize that my lack of knowledge – which I viewed as a tremendous handicap at the start – has become my greatest asset, especially for my horse.

With a wealth of information at our disposal, today’s horse owners are far more sophisticated and the supportive technology and products for optimal horse care has evolved tremendously. After a 30-year hiatus, I find myself in the midst of an evolution in everything equine. There has been significant development and groundbreaking work in equine care, training, nutrition, sport, and equipment – endurance saddles, gel pads, western dressage, one-rein stops, bitless bridles, competitive trail riding, and of course hoof care products and boots. These things were all new to me. In fact, I had never really looked at a shoeless hoof. To me, that crescent of steel was as much a part of the hoof as the frog.

Before I finally took my horses barefoot last year, I did my research. I read articles on the internet, consulted with veterinarians, ferriers, and experienced horse owners. If I was going to try this barefoot thing, I’d have to do it right. I wanted to avoid all the “I told you so” comments from the people at my barn that asserted that the desert terrain was too harsh for a barefoot horse. I knew that the proper use of the right boots was going to be the key to my success. The boots I was looking for had to be easy to put on and take off; they had to stay on up rocky slopes, through water, and down long sandy washes; they had to be comfortable for my horse; and not break the bank.  Before I pulled the shoes, I searched for the perfect boot for over a year and one day while trail-riding, I saw a horse outfitted with the Easyboot Glove. BINGO – just one look and I knew I had found the missing key!

The other obstacle I encountered was the erroneous belief that replacing the toe weights and heel cocks with boots would cause my walking horse to lose her smooth four-beat gait. Having no prior experience with gaited horses, I feared they might be right but I took my chances and I am so glad I did. In fact, I found that her gait has improved as a barefoot and booted equine. A proper barefoot trim is required for the use of the Gloves, and I am a huge fan of the Gloves to this day. My horses have never been sore and they gait better now than they ever did with shoes. A well-fitted glove will usually stay on through thick and thin. Over hundreds of miles, my Gloves have slipped off only twice and it was due to operator error (too large or failure to clean dirt out of the toe). They don’t fill with sand or water, and when you do get a flat tire it sounds like a flat tire, and the gaitor usually keeps the glove attached to the pastern so you don’t lose it.

The thing I am looking forward to most these days is settling in and maturing together with my horses, riding and exploring with them for many years to come, and establishing a long track record of barefoot soundness. My evolution from steel shoes to Easyboots is a decision I’ve never regretted for a moment and I don’t believe I ever will.

Monique Chaisson-Williams

It was another great weekend for hoof boots. Easyboots were used by several of the horse and rider teams at the USA Endurance Team Time Trial for the 2012 World Endurance Championship.  Although many Easybooted horse and rider teams didn't have the day they had hoped for, the first, fourth and seventh place horse and rider teams finished wearing Easyboots.  The Best Condition prize was also awarded to a horse that completed the course in Easyboots.   

Jeremy Reynolds and Kutt take home first place and best condition in Easyboots.  Photo by Merri Melde.

Heather Reynolds and Riverwatch finish in fourth place.  Photo by Merri Melde.

Amy Atkins and Juniper finish in seventh place.  Photo by Merri Melde.

In addition to the Easybooted horses, several other of the USA competitors were using Renegade Glue-On hoof boots. The second place horse finished in Renegade glue-on hoof boots.  At the end of the day, Easyboot horses and Renegade horses accounted for nearly half of the USA riders looking for a spot on the team heading to England.  The event shows that hoof boots are here to stay and are being used at the top levels of equine sports.

One of my favorite moments of the day was watching Jeremy Reynolds take time away from his horse during one of 30-minute vet stops towards the end of the race.  Jeremy put his race aside and helped a fellow competitor with a lost shoe.  He tacked the shoe on with minutes to spare and then quickly jumped on his horse as he departed on his way to his eventual first place finish.

Jeremy Reynolds applies a shoe to a fellow competitor's horse during a short vet stop.  Jeremy is still in his helmet!

EasyCare is looking forward to the possibility for riders on the USA Endurance team to compete in Easyboots.  We have several new tread patterns for them to choose from that will help them stick to the course.  In addition, EasyCare's new EasyShoe may be the perfect option for the English countryside.

Garrett Ford

President & CEO

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

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 Karen Bumgarner, Team Easyboot 2012 Member

A recent question about getting a horse used to gaiters on our Team Easyboot list made me realize that perhaps some people need to train their horse to be used to stuff around his legs. These actions are an important part of my training with foals and older horses to get them used to touch and different sensations on their legs. 

All you need for this is one 10 - 12' long cotton rope and some time. Nothing more. Again the idea is to get the horse accustomed to items around his legs and feet. 

Take the horse into a corral or stall for this and do not tie him. Just have the lead rope attached to the halter dangling there so you can grab it if you have to. Take the second rope in your hands for the leg work. I do not tie the rope I hold it loosely in one hand and pass it around the leg, always holding an end in each hand. This way if at nay time if the horse gets upset you can just turn it all loose and no one gets hurt. I wiggle the rope back and forth over and around the leg, beginning high and allowing it to work it's way down the leg to the pastern.

I always begin high and lower it as they are more likely to kick or fuss as it works down. If they are calm about it you can gently seesaw and wiggle it back up and down the leg. Don't be afraid to flip it around a little after all the idea is to get the horse used to touch and pressure. If at anytime he gets upset just slow down, or stop, and let him think about it. It is a good exercise in trust also. 

Once the horse is fine with the up and down touch and sliding of the soft rope over his legs you can try another trick. Gently pull or tug on the rope while it is low on the pastern. When he picks his foot up, release pressure and let him place the foot down. Do this a few times and then pick the foot up with a gentle pull on the rope and hold it up for a few seconds. 

This not only gets your horse used to touch but if he ever gets his leg hung up in a fence or wire he will know enough not to fight it. And once he is accustomed to this the wearing of splint boots, bell boots, leg wraps or easyboots with gaitors will be no big deal to him at all. 

One more thing. With your horse again in a stall or corral, after you have done the rope work apply the boots and let him wear them. Then slip one off and attach it loosely around the pastern. Your horse may jump around a bit but if you did your homework with the rope he won't even notice. I think its important that horses know what a loose boot feels like so if they pull one off while you are trotting down the trail they don't freak out about this thing flopping on their leg. Just a bit of time and patience can help insure a safe ride for you and your booted horse. 

Karen Bumgarner

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