Submitted by Ashley Gasky, Team Easyboot 2015 Member
I’ll admit it, I’ve gone Easyboot Crazy.
In June, I watched Pete Ramey use Easyboot Gloves and Glue-Ons to rehab problem horses.
In July I was lucky enough to travel to Tevis as a member of the Easyboot Elite Team.
When I left for California, I had some barefoot horses in my practice, some in composite shoes and a select few in metal. Some of my clients used boots on their barefoot horses, that was their choice.
If a horse in my care needed hoof protection, I would generally default to some form of horse shoe. I still recommend shoeing for horses who spend more time in their boots than barefoot, but am outfitting more horses for boots lately.
EasyShoe Competes on an FEI horse.
After spending a week observing elite equine athletes who train in Easyboot Gloves and compete in EasyBoot Glue-Ons, my perspective changed. This first hand experience gave me a whole new appreciation for what hoof boots are capable of. See the results for yourself!
The first week after Tevis I was asked to fit boots left and right. Knocking the dust off my fit kit, I got to work.
When I tacked up my own riding horse, she wasn’t shod, she was booted.
Being around the best booters in the business, I picked up some tricks.
For example: using Mueller Athletic Tape to enhance the fit of hoof boots.
These are Easyboot Glue-Ons fit and applied using Muellers tape. They stayed in place for a 45 minute dressage school in a grass arena. This idea was courtesy of the BootMeister, Christoph Schork!
Following the advice I found here, I’ve been using Dental Impression Material in place of traditional pads inside boots.
I wanted full protection for a day long trail ride and chose Easyboot Glue-Ons up front, and our trusty blue Gloves behind. I loved not worrying about bruised feet, or missing hoof wear!
Close-up of our Gloves after riding through the mountains of Vermont. Again, Muellers athletic tape helps keep boots in place… No booters tack box is complete without it.
In a few weeks, I am attending a clinic with out of the box thinkers (and booters) Pete VanRossum and Ernest Woodward. I’m thrilled to find more creative ways to use the tools EasyCare has to offer.
