Rusty Toth riding Quake is at the front of this pack – sporting his 1.5 Glove Wides; then Dennis Summers with Glue-Ons on the front; then Kevin Waters with regular Gloves all-around.
Do you like uncomplicated things? I find myself drawn to them, and last weekend was an excellent example of keeping things uncomplicated.
The 2012 endurance ride season started on December 1, 2011. I was fortunate enough to spend two days at the Las Cienegas endurance event near Sonoita, Arizona to kick the season off with a bang. A serious cold front kept temperatures well below freezing at night and only ten degrees above freezing during the day.
There were a few good lessons for me over the weekend – and they were simple ones. Here they are.
There is a Market for Glove Wides
I admit it: I was skeptical. But there really are horses out there who need the Glove Wide. One of our new horses, Quake, got to run his second 50 mile race – in Easyboot Glove Wides. He is a textbook fit.
Cold Weather Adds New Challenges to Putting On Boots
The frigid overnight lows brought a couple of additional challenges. One of them was the possibility of hard frozen ground in the morning. We decided to add additional support and cushion by applying Goober Glue padding under the Gloves on the front feet. The whole process only takes about 7 – 10 minutes per horse, and since we put the boots on the night before the event, we saved time the next morning in our foggy early morning state.
And the boots are easily removed after the event with the help of a long flat-heat screwdriver. The glue can be pulled out by hand from the frog area, and the boots can be re-used without any additional cleaning or grinding.
The other challenge with cold overnight temperatures can be how easily the Glove gaiters will fold down, and how easily the boot can be put on the hoof. I brought the hind boots and a roll of athletic tape into the trailer with me and set them near the furnace outlet so they would stay warm and supple. I folded down the gaiters before leaving the trailer, and the boots went on easily and and stayed on for 50 miles.
There’s a lot to be said for keeping it simple.
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.
