Horses Shoe

There are some things in life that are put there just to test ones resolve. In my case, it's what I refer to as "the dirty dish." No, I am not talking about the battle of the dirty dish that occurred between roommates in college, where in a passive-aggressive manner one or more of us would go on strike against dishes when a certain roommate who seemed to think washing dishes or even putting them in the dishwasher was against all religion, I am talking about a pathological or chronic flare present in my gelding's right front foot, or, The Bane of My Existence. Seriously guys. This flare has been a battle that appears to be uphill. One that I cannot seem to win. Sometimes I'm able to resolve myself to the fact that this will always be an issue, albeit a manageable one, but other times, the times where I am frustrated with something else or feeling like I can't catch up in other areas of my life, I have a fit. 


Topper has been in our "family" since June of 2009. He came as a three-year-old, all gawky legs, with the habitual stance of putting the right front foot back and his left front foot forward in order to lower his little mouth to the ground. Although somewhat tall for a 3yr. old at 15.1, the striking thing about Topper was (and still is) his crazy long legs. Unfortunately, he continued to grow and now at 15.3 he has continued on with his habit of right front back and slightly towards his center, and left front forward. As result, Topper's right front develops a flare at about 10 o'clock and his left front tends to grow a longer toe. I guess you could say it's a typical high/low case, but I believe this stance is the blame.

I have tried just about everything to "fix" it. But in one of life's important lessons, I have learned that you can't fix everything. Sometimes you have to just deal with the cards you were dealt and make the best of it, which is what I have done. To address the flare, it is absolutely imperative that Topper not go any longer than four weeks between trims. Even then, that is too long. The cycle seems to go as follows:

• Get busy and go four or so weeks without looking closely at Topper
• Catch a glimpse of The Dish on one foot and long toe on the other and freak out
• Talk my crazy self down and go nuts rasping and checking, rasping and checking
• Vow to never go longer than two weeks without addressing the flare/long toe and diligently work   at it for the next couple months
• Get cocky due to "beating the dish" and back off

Well you can see where this goes. Unfortunately it doesn't say much for my intelligence considering I have been rolling through the above cycle, over and over, for the past two and a half years. Sigh. Some people's kids. 


Because I am not a professionally taught trimmer (and obviously am not THAT good or maybe this WOULD be fixed) my intentions were not to explain how to trim the flare, but more about dealing with the frustration that you may come across while caring for your barefoot horses. Although I joke about it, I can honestly say it really upsets me that I can't seem to fix this but it is what it is and for whatever reason, I really love this crazy horse and he's worth it. I had one of my little fits the other day and for a second wished that I shod my horses, that I didn't know what I know or that I just didn't care. Of course the thought was fleeting when I realized that if his feet look slightly neglected after four weeks, imagine what they would look like after eight weeks in shoes. Not to mention the cringe-factor of nailed on shoes AND the cost of re-setting those shoes every six to eight weeks. No thanks. 

 
My plan to deal with this issue is to continue frequent trimming, which really seems to be the most important thing. I have worked hard on developing both sides evenly from the saddle, and he travels beautifully. In an ideal world, I would have raised feeders to help alleviate the need for Topper to eat from the ground with his legs ten feet apart, but that isn't really possible at this time. 

I know everyone has a dreaded Dirty Dish in their horse lives. What's yours? How do you deal?

~ Amanda Washington
SW Idaho

There are some people who believe shoes have ruined the human foot. They say that shoes have made our feet weak and that the majority of foot problems and lower joint injuries occur as a result of wearing modern footwear. These views are a bit extreme since not all shoes are created equal and the length of time spent wearing a given shoe must also be considered. A person who frequently walks around in high heels is going to have much unhealthier feet than someone who wears tennis shoes. An equine equivalent would be the difference between “Big Lick” Tennessee Walking Horses and those that are flat shod. There are times when foot protection is necessary for humans and horses alike - selecting the appropriate type of protection is what is important. With the upcoming release of the Easyboot Glove Back Country and the development of the EasyShoe, horse owners will have more choices in hoof protection than ever before.


A few months ago I started running. This encouraged me to research the human barefoot movement and Vibram FiveFingers, a minimalist shoe (which is more or less a human equivalent to EasyCare hoof boots). Being well versed in the arguments surrounding the equine barefoot movement, I was fascinated that the arguments in the human barefoot movement are strikingly similar. In a nutshell, supporters of both barefoot movements argue traditional shoes weaken the internal structures of the foot and lower leg which increases the likelihood of injury. Detractors of both movements argue traditional shoes are necessary to protect the foot and that the likelihood of injury is higher without this protection. Whether you are a human or a horse, going barefoot is not as simple as removing traditional shoes – both require a transition period and conditioning. The length of this transition varies in both humans and horses; for some it may take weeks or months to be comfortable barefoot while for others it can take more than a year.


There are many runners embracing the human barefoot movement and this has encouraged shoe manufacturers to develop running shoes that blur the line between minimalist shoes and traditional ones. Similarly, the EasyShoe will blur the line between alternative and traditional hoof protection, creating a unique option that combines advantages of both. For the time being I have put the Vibram FiveFingers on hold and am using a light weight trail runner that has some minimalist properties. Being young and healthy I am sure I could go barefoot and that over time my feet would strengthen a considerable amount. In the same manner, most horses that have been raised with proper stimulation, nutrition, and environment do not need steel shoes. The majority of horses lacking such an upbringing are able to make a successful transition with the aid of a qualified trimmer/farrier and the appropriate hoof protection. As with most things in life, there is no absolute right or wrong; you must do the research, weigh the pros and cons, and in the end, make the decision you are comfortable with.

I got a new hip a few weeks ago and am so excited. Getting a new hip is easy - you just buy it, they pop it in and boom you are good to go. What isn't so easy is the follow-up. For the last few years I was gimpy and lame. Now my physical therapists have told me I have to find a "new normal" way of walking, a new gait you might say. Right about now, you are probably asking yourself, "What does this have to do with me and my horse?" Well, I think my experience is similar to finding a new normal when you pull the shoes off a horse. If your horse is shod, has he ever been gimpy? Does he lose shoes frequently because there is no hoof wall left to hold the nails? If so, your horse is probably wanting a "new normal" too.

I'll admit having the farrier come out and shoe every 6-8 weeks is easy with hardly any work involved. My surgeon told me no-one dies from having a bad hip and this was an elective surgery. That said, I was in a lot of pain and wanted a better quality of life so I decided to go for it. Horse's don't die from being shod either but I think some horses are more comfortable in boots than they currently are in metal shoes.

Deciding to take your horse barefoot and buying EasyCare boots is the easy part. Maintaing a barefoot horse takes commitment and work, just like the physical therapy required after a hip replacement. Even though it takes some effort, in the end it will be totally worth it.

PS - I am doing great on my fight against procrastination (see previous blog) this post is a day early!

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. 

When you peruse 'Practical Horseman', 'Equus' or 'Horse Illustrated', you may find a professional saying, "Well barefeet might work for some horses, but never Thoroughbreds. They just don't have good feet." Or, "We've bred the feet off those Thoroughbreds." If your friend described her new horse's hooves as flat soled, long toed, with thin, shelly walls, don't you immediately think, "Thoroughbred!" I know I do.

With the natural trim, EasyCare boots, good turnout, some body work and a saddle that fits, my friend and former client, Lyndsay, an owner-trimmer brought Garwin back from the brink. This handsome and talented thoroughbred was a few strides short of becoming a lawn ornament.

If Garwin can make a come back, I think you will agree, almost any Thoroughbred can!

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.

Out riding in one of our favorite spots, Lake Melonies in the California foothills. I have been using boots for over 10 years now and have tried almost all of the boots in the Easycare line.


We started out with the Old Mac's, then the Boa Hoof Boots. As soon as I saw the Easyboot Gloves, I new they would work better for my gaited horse. And they do.

She gates much better in them and I think they are the best boots on the market. I have been using the Easyboot Trails on the big paint horse Remington, with Gloves on the back if we go somewhere that has a lot of rocks. This combo has worked great for him.

I will never put shoes on my horses ever again. Thank you, Easycare, for giving all of us booters a wonderful product for our beloved equines.

Phyllis Mattox in Ceres,Ca

Where did you spend last night? On or in the truck, trailer, the tack room where the heater went out?

Will the boots stay on in snow and mud if you use cold or frozen glue?


As the competition season for many riders gets slowly going, some riders are considering gluing Easyboots on their horse's hooves.  With frigid temperatures still prevailing in many parts of the country, successful gluing will depend on thorough preparation of Glue-On Horse Shoes and hoof glue.

After  many mistakes made by myself and after trying many different gluing methods, what proved to be the most successful method is a combination of VETTEC ADHERE or SOLE-GUARD for the sidewall of the boots and Goober Glue (or similar glue) for the bottom or sole area.

When Vettec glues are exposed to sub freezing temperatures, it will not destroy them, but one should refrain from heating them up too quickly. Best to slowly warm them up to room temperature. ADHERE will thicken a lot below 60 F. Best temperature for Adhere is between F 65 and 85 degrees. Sole-Guard is generally thinner. At cooler temperatures it might be better to use Sole-Guard. Its gluing characteristics are similar to the Adhere but it runs thinner. The cooler the glue, the slower the setting times.

During the winter months we need to take special care to thoroughly dry the hooves before gluing.

If the boots are cold, warming them up will make them more pliable and easier to slide onto the hooves. The glue will also stick a lot better to them.

After applying the Goober Glue to the bottom of the boot, we evenly spread the Vettec Glue to the side of the boot, but only to the top half. When sliding the boot then onto the hoof, the glue will then spread evenly over the whole side wall. Applying too much glue to the walls or too low towards the bottom and you run the risk of pushing some Vettec Glue to the sole area, which in turn could cause pressure on thin soled and tender  hooves.

Apply the Vettec glue just to the top half of the boots side wall. In the sole (frog) area the Goober Glue is already added. Like we stated many times, success in gluing comes from proper preparation of hooves, boots and glue.

Cleanliness and dryness are the secret to success. Then the boots will stay on for weeks without doing any harm to your horses hooves and without falling off in the middle of a ride or race. During the winter months, we add the third ingredient, which is warmth.

At the Global Endurance Training Center we are gluing on EasyCare Glue ons and Glue-On horse shoes all year long. And we are using hoof glues in all kinds of weather and temperatures. It is taking a some effort to pry them off after wards. That is how it is supposed to be. Clean, dry and warm are the magic words.

This boot will stay on no matter what the elements are.

Good luck with gluing.

Your Bootmeister

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.

Pro - cras - ti - na - tion (proh-kras-tuh-ney-shuhn) - the act or habit of procrastinating, or putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention.  

I'm sure nobody really needs the definition of the word procrastination spelled out, I know I don't - this blog was due two weeks ago! Everyone procrastinates sometimes, over 20% of people are chronic procrastinators. Did you know that procratination and perfectionism go hand in hand? Here are some reasons for procrastination:

• Fear of Failure
• Because we are too busy
• Over-or under-estimating the degree of difficulty the task involves

Does any of this sound familiar on reasons why you have not tried to take your horse barefoot? There is so much information available today regarding natural horse care, using hoof boots and barefoot trimming, it can get overwhelming. EasyCare has a whole section of our website devoted to articles to help educate you and get you on your way.

Ways to overcome procrastition:

• Get a buddy to do the barefoot transition with you.
• Challenge your myths regarding shoeing and do some research.
• Get a new attitude.

So, take a deep breath and dive in. Remember the worst form of procrastition is reading an article about it, feeling the guilt and not doing anything about it. (I will have to remember this when my next blog is due.)

Everybody know that transitioning a horse from shoes to barefoot is supposed to be hard, and taking one that's already barefoot should make for a seamless transition. NOT. If you've been around horses for any length of time, you will know that there are never any "givens" when it comes to horses! 

Back in November, I brought two new horses into our herd. The first was Breve, a big old moose of a 7yr. old Shagya, who had been barefoot for years. A few weeks later, we introduced Nero, a 10yr. old Arab who has been in shoes for the "on" season since he was a youngster. Naturally, he was going to be the difficult to transition where Breve would seamlessly continue in his work with no issue. 


Can you really call taking a barefoot pasture horse to a barefoot performance horse a transition? I think you can. There are major differences in a "pasture trim" and a good barefoot trim, and unfortunately many people don't understand these differences. Does your trimmer understand it? Breve had been recently trimmed prior to coming to Idaho, but came with too long of wall, too long of toe and some serious imbalances in all four feet, it was obvious some major adjustments were necessary. Because I knew his feet would be making some serious changes, I waited a while to order boots for him, planning on trimming conservatively and letting him do some natural wear during our frequent rides through November and December. I backed his toe up some and balanced him, but was not aggressive in his trim. Even so, after about a month of riding twice a week, he started to hesitate over the rougher, harder and rocky ground. I wrote a few weeks ago about fitting him for boots. Since we've gotten his boots, I've alternated riding barefoot and booted in the last month. About a week ago, I attacked his feet and am very pleased with how they look at this time. Look at these changes! 


Now for Nero. Nero, Nero, Nero. Wouldn't you know it he hasn't taken a bobble? I don't even have anything to write! After pulling his shoes, I rounded the walls and left him for a week. Truthfully, I was afraid to do too much and have the ground freeze, leaving me with a sore footed pony. He just has his shoes pulled for gosh sakes! Of course until now, we've had perpetual fall, so no frozen ground to battle with. That is all changing tonight. But I digress. Nero looked great, and when I started to ride him the first part of December I was shocked! This guy doesn't miss a step! After almost a 600 mile endurance season in shoes, he hasn't skipped a beat. I really appreciate this guys toughness and inherently beautiful feet. While I am not foolish enough to expect a completely seamless transition to competing in boots, I am pleased with how things are going. I have also come to fully respect a good farrier, because I am certain our transition wouldn't be where it is today had Nero been shod poorly. Barefoot or shod, a good trim is imperative, and we should appreciate it when we see it. 

Poor Nero's transition has been so unremarkable the only pictures I have are of his ridiculously perfect little face. I guess that's the difference in getting a horse from someone who cares for them as you yourself do! No crazy physique changes, no dramatic before and afters, just an easy pony to love. I have been enjoying our weekly gallops to keep me sane and Nero legged up without pounding out too many miles. 

He is spoiled with us! Never a dirty bed, dinner on a silver platter, and a mint on his pillow at bed time. Oh wait. He really hates mints. 


Here shortly, I will be fitting Nero for his own Easyboot Gloves. I anticipate needing a very good fit in the front as I have watched him carefully and he appears to twist a bit in both fronts as he places his foot down. Luckily, he has beautiful wall quality, absolutely no flaring and appropriate heel height. If we have problems (and stating this as public record guarantees we will), they will be my fault. I plan to be prepared! 


~ Amanda Washington
SW Idaho 

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.

I have used Easyboot Gloves since they were released and absolutely love their lightweight and sleek design. I’ll admit when I saw the Easyboot Trail, I was skeptical and couldn’t help but compare them to my beloved Glove. Even though they are light, they aren’t as light as a Glove. Although they are sleek for a boot, to me they looked downright clunky next to the Glove. After becoming a customer service representative at EasyCare, I knew I needed to ride in the Trails since they were our most popular boot in 2011. So for the past three months I have been using the Trails on Cal, my Tennessee Walking Horse cross. Cal has always been a sensitive horse, the type that would gimp over rocks even when he had shoes on. The Trails were a breeze to put on and I was absolutely amazed at how comfortable he was in them, even more so than when I rode him with Gloves on the front. Now I see what all the fuss is about; the Easyboot Trail really is amazing!

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.

Wow, what a year it's been.  I can hardly believe 2011 is gone: I have still been writing 2010 on my checks!! While I can't say it's been the best year of our lives in all areas, I can say that I finally felt that I had my boot situation locked down and didn't have a single loss all year. Of course I can say that knowing things are going to change for 2012, with THREE new horses in the mix, there are bound to be a few problems along the way, but that's what makes life exciting!
 

The #1 lesson that was reiterated for me in 2011 is proper fit = success. Don't try to ride with ill-fitting boots. Just don't. Not only will you end up frustrated and discouraged, it's not necessary. With 1000lbs of torque twisting and turning inside a pair of rubber boots, there are bound to be occasional losses, it's no different than nail on shoes, but don't make it harder on yourself by riding in boots that don't fit! Put in a little effort and utilize Easycare's awesome Fit Kit and, if lucky, a Team Easyboot member to help you out! 


Lesson #2 is proper trim - This ranks right up there with Lesson #1: while I think fit is the most important aspect of boot success, you can't achieve a good fit without a proper trim. Get educated, folks! Even if you can't get down there and trim yourself, there is no excuse for not learning more about it. Learn the anatomy of the hoof and about the internal structures. Learn how they work together and why balance is so important. A properly trimmed and balanced foot will be free of flares and stretched white line, will have naturally low heels and short toes. While there are certainly conformational issues that can be worked with, a proper trim really allows for a good fit and will only increase your success. 


Lesson #3 - Go with the flow! Make do with what you've got and change things as necessary. I tend to be a Type A person who gets rigid and fixated on certain things. More than once this year I had to change boot sizes last minute, abort a gluing session and make due with what was there. Gluing boots with The Pickett Creek Girls prior to Owyhee Canyonlands was a memorable event which reminded me of the importance of having the necessary supplies prior to starting an important project- such as gluing boots on six horses for a five-day ride. Are you reading this Steph?!?! ;-) 


Lesson #4 - Riding 100 miles in a day makes for a long one. If you're me, that is. If your super-speed racer riding a horse like Monk you can finish in the time it takes for most people to ride 50 miles. The Monk-Man wears his Easyboot Glue-On's proudly, and a repeat of Mr. Garrett-Easyboot-Ford's performance last year, the winner of Tevis as well as the Haggin Cup was again outfitted in Easyboot Glue-Ons. There really isn't anything these boots can't do, and I think this was again reiterated be some pretty impressive stats this year.  


Lesson #5 - Listen to your horse. I made the very, very difficult decision to retire my mare after the 2011 season. She retires with 2155 miles, and will make some incredible babies when the time comes. The decision was one with which I wrestled for months. Ultimately we decided she was telling us she was done competing at the level she had been previously, and there is no shame in that. It's hard to put selfishness aside for "just one more completion," or "one more 100," or "one more multiday," but it was so important for me to end her on a high, after an incredible season and, most importantly, while she was still sound and usable. She'll be used for trail riding and I cannot wait to see her babies. Hopefully it will be possible to bring one of them up behind their mother. They have some pretty big boots to fill. 


What have you learned in 2011? What lessons would you rather not be repeated? What are your goals for 2012? 

I hope lots of riding is high up on everyone's list! 

We've been horse camping down at Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California for five days now, and although we have sets of boots for both pones, we haven't needed to use them once. The footing for the most part is sand, so most excellent, but it's comforting to know we can boot if the horses come up sore or if we choose to ride an extra-rocky trail.

There have definitely been places we've ridden that I would have been uncomfortable if the horses had been shod in steel shoes.

Yesterday we tried to follow a little-used trail that was somewhat ambiguous as to where it actually went. Worried over losing daylight, we ended up going over a ridge and taking a steep wash back down to the main trail. The wash was filled with rock piles and we had to do some detouring up the sides to get past. It was the sort of place where hooking and yanking off a steel shoe wouldn't have been a surprise. Patrick led Fergus, while I just turned Small Thing lose for him to figure out the route without my "help". We all got down without a scratch.

Another favorite trail that we've done twice now involves multiple sets of roller coaster-like dips - straight down, followed by straight up. For some reason, the very top of the climbs always ends with a short stretch of vertical slick-rock, positioned nicely for the labouring pone to start scrambling on. But in boots or barefoot it's a non-event.
All in all we're having a blast. I've ridden 35 miles over four days, and with another four days of riding in our future and glorious weather, this is turning out to be an excellent winter vacation.

Lucy Chaplin Trumbull
Currently at Joshua Tree National
Park, California

October 8th 2011 was spent working on my farmer's tan watching 175-odd horses and riders set forth on the [winterized] Tevis Trail.
 
The 20 mile loop out of Foresthill was the make-or-break for many riders and the 1,800' jaunt down and up Gorman Ranch Road (not part of the usual Tevis Trail) was - as expected by locals - one of the toughest parts of the trail. Deceptively trottable, it nonetheless took a lot out of many horses. Regardless of position, how long it took to reach pulse criteria coming into this check would dictate when they would be allowed to leave, refreshed after the hour-long hold.

Jeremy Reynolds (the eventual winner of this year's ride) arrived moments before the others but also dropped to pulse criteria first, so he would be first out at 2:58 pm. I went over to take photos. Jeremy and Riverwatch were already waiting to go and I positioned myself just down from the out-timer to get a shot of them--me thinking they'd leave at a fast walk or maybe a trot. “Go” yells the out-timer and they shoot out of there at a fast canter, around the corner, down the hill – on pavement. Ack! Thank goodness for Glue-Ons.


Next up is Rachel Shackelford, only a minute behind on her veteran horse, BR Cody de Soi. Apparently last year Rachel was running in third place and slipped on the pavement riding through Foresthill. Cody went down and the scrapes he sustained forced them out of the race. I thought for sure such an incident would cause her to rethink Cody's footwear, but, nope, she’s still in steel shoes <squeak>.

Just before she leaves, she laughs with someone and says she won’t slip this time. She departs at a fast trot, Cody slithering slightly on the pavement. Ack, I think, crinching up my body in angst.
 
(OK, so maybe this is a personal paranoia, but I'm convinced that any horse in steel shoes will automatically fall over if it does more than amble on pavement. Cody, however, has completed over 4,000 competition-miles during which time he has likely developed some balance skills, eh, Lucy?).


Three minutes later, Dennis Summers and OMR Tsunami (Lola) get to leave and this time I can relax - Lola's in full Glue-Ons so no slippage for them at an extended trot. 

Because of the rerouting of this year's trail, riders had to deal with more paved sections than usual and I'm sure the booted riders were glad for both the cushioning and the extra traction.

At the very beginning of the ride, riders had to cross the paved Highway-49 after crossing No Hands bridge going the "wrong" direction. Word at the ride meeting the previous evening was that riders would be asked to dismount to cross this road. My thought was "well, that won't be necessary for horses in boots, bummer." Apparently ride management changed their minds, however, and dismounting wasn't required after all. 

So many of the front runners came through Foresthill at a canter, but luckily many of them were also wearing glue-ons.

Given my own personal paranoia, there's no other way to go where pavement is concerned.

I have been in love with the Easyboot Glove since its release in 2009. After struggling with the original Easyboot and losing several in mud, I was thrilled with the concept of the Easyboot Glove; finally a low profile boot that is easy to put on and most importantly it stays on. I measured Calatar and came up with 118mm x 127mm for the left front and 116mm x 126mm for the right front. Based on the size chart, I determined he would need a size 1.5 for both fronts. I tried to order the boots and much to my dismay they were on back order; I would have to wait. In spite of this disappointment, I continued researching the Gloves and found that there were Fit Kits available. I wasn’t worried about the fit since both his width and length measurements fell into a size 1.5 but I was impatient and wanted to see these new boots so I ordered a Fit Kit.

I have made my Easyboot Epic love affair known. I have successfully infiltrated a southern Louisiana racehorse training center and sprinkled Epics throughout the grounds, from Barn D where they can be found in droves, all the way down to Barn M where a few people have heard of "that barn" that trains their horses barefoot, and that one horse in their barn (M) wore Epics to sooth his aching feet.

With a little encouragement, I decided that it was time to step away from the Epics and try my hand at something I'd never done before - Glue-Ons. Because I'm a virgin gluer, I invited my mentor, Marie Daniels, and her replacement apprentice to join me in my attempts to become more... sophisticated. After all, now that Garrett Ford has developed an EasyBoot Race prototype, this "practice run" would be the first step towards racing Louisiana thoroughbreds in glue-ons instead of metal shoes.


We had two horses lined up for this little project: My star, Lil' Rick's Gal, who was scheduled to race in just over a week from that day, and Banfish, the two-year-old who was in light work at the track.

We began with Banfish. Right from the beginning we had some real challenges. His feet, still in the early rehabilitation phase of natural hoof care, did not fit any of the Glue-On shells as well as we would have liked. We finally settled on one 0.5 wide and a regular 1, however there was some bulging at the quarters that was definitely not ideal.


We fitted the shell and cleaned the top of the hoof.

Goober glue was applied to the inside of the shell and Adhere was lathered on the hoof wall.

After waiting about five minutes for the shells to set, Banny was allowed to go back in his stall.

He was walked, trotted, and cantered each morning for about half an hour over a 7 day period. He was worked in straight lines, circles, and serpentines. The rider said that Banfish was working very well in his "slippers", and that he hadn't even noticed the first few days that the horse had the glue-ons on his feet.

However, Banfish had already lost one of his shells after only 7 days of light work. Would these shells have stayed on the characteristic 10 to 14 days if the fit had been better, or if we had prepared the hoof better before application? Possibly we did not brush the top of the hoof enough. We didn't put rubbing alcohol on the hooves at the time of application; maybe this extra step would have made the difference. Or maybe the shell fit was just not good enough. We will never know exactly how he went about losing that first shell. Nonetheless, 7 days seems like a terribly short time when you consider how many horses keep these shells on for weeks, all the while going through sticky mud and knee-deep rivers.

Someday, I would like to be a Glue-On guru like so many of you. Today, however, I'd love to hear what you think. Should Banfish's boots have stayed on longer than 7 days? Is there something that I could have done better, or did Banny just not fit well enough in those shells? After all, he did have the worst feet in the barn!

Next time, I'll let you in on how well Ricky faired in her Glue-On "slippers"!