EasyCare and Dan Schroeder, HCP and Vet Dealer Representative, recently held a clinic in Palmer, Alaska. The clinic was put on by Rafter C Ranch, Christian McCormick, and Arctic Equine & Livestock Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Cherise Neu. The clinic had 73 people in attendance, with some attendees traveling from over 3 hours away! Topics of discussion included EasyCare products and applications, an agronomy talk about hay quality, vaccinations, and hoof mapping.
Dan gave us a great overview of his experience:
Day 1: Practical EasyCare Applications for Farriers
The clinic began on Friday, August 7. We got to use the beautiful veterinary hospital facility at Arctic Equine, and we got some help from their staff.
Five practicing farriers were in attendance, and we assessed twelve different horses for lameness and physiological needs. We then discussed the wide array of EasyCare hoof care solutions that could be applied for each individual.
Immediate feedback indicated the EasyShoe Versa is a huge hit in Alaska, with many people already reaping the benefits of the shoe and its amazing versatility and custom applications. Many of the horses that we looked at that day were fitted with the EasyShoe Versa, and the customization capability of the Versa was leveraged to achieve greater levels of comfort and soundness for each of the horses.
This forum created an atmosphere of camaraderie among the attendees while we covered different materials and applications to keep our horses sound and happy.
EasyCare products discussed and used that day were the Easyboot Cloud, Easyboot Trail, EasyShoe Compete, Easyboot Glove Soft, and the Easyboot Zip. One of the advantages of the EasyCare line is that we carry many different products to accommodate a wide array of soundness issues, as well as different terrain and environmental challenges. EasyCare’s many options offer versatility in achieving the optimum comfort for your horse.
Day 2: Discussion and Classroom Learning for Farriers and Horse Owners
Saturday, August 8, was the second day of the clinic. Many of the attendees were owners that were looking for new ideas, and some looking for some advice on the best applications of EasyCare products for their equine companions. There were plenty of questions and comments about the wide variety of hoof care solutions presented. Some attendees even offered up their personal experiences using boots and shoes to help others see how they were using them and how well they were working. We were thrilled at these unsolicited testimonials!
One topic that many were interested in was how to deal with ice and snow (after all, we were in Alaska). It got to be a bit of a joke with the attendees reminding me about it. Being from southern-middle Tennessee, I don’t deal with winter extremes like Alaska does!
EasyCare does have solutions for ice/snow concerns. We discussed our Hoof Boot Studs, Quick Studs, and the new EasyShoe Versa Grip, Stud option (coming soon!). I am very anxious to get some reports back this winter on how these products work for the horse owners.
Many of the attendees thanked us for traveling such a long distance to put on this clinic, and wanted to know when we will be returning for another visit.
Once again, we would like to thank Christian McCormick, Dr. Cherise Neu, Deanna Quinn, Carissa Haley, Stefanie Bergman, the whole staff at Arctic Equine, and all of the attendees for making us feel welcome and for hosting a phenomenal event. EasyCare and I are honored that we were invited to present, and we look forward to going back again!
In the weeks since the clinic, we have received positive feedback from the clients about the comfort of the horses fitted for solutions on clinic day. We have also taken many phone calls answering questions about the clinic and the topics of discussion. The clinic was a huge success and I am very happy to have been given this unique opportunity.
