Reason 7,651 why working for EasyCare, Inc rocks: we were just treated to own private Pete Ramey clinic! We were able to bring our own horses for assessment and trims and a couple of us were lucky enough to get Gloves custom heat fit by the man himself. Pinch me!

I am usually fairly unimpressed with celebrity but in true hoof geek fashion, meeting Pete Ramey felt like a huge deal. I’ve watched all his DVD’s and poured over his books-always impressed by his insights and holistic approach to soundness. I spent the day completely wide eyed and rapt…and maybe even a little sweaty palmed. He had a fascinating array of Glove shells that he had altered for various applications. Some he had drilled a large hole in the bottom for breathability, others had had ground out much of the original tread to create something with superior grip.

His go to for the horses we brought is the straight up Glove boot, heat fitted and then adjusted for breakover in the toe and a little rocker in the heel.

Pete has a wonderful way of explaining complex topics in an easy to understand way and man, can that Georgia boy turn a phrase! I could listen to that southern drawl talk hooves all day. It might be fair to say that Pete Ramey is the George Clooney of the barefoot equine universe.

It was interesting to hear his take on using customized EasyCare products to rehab his clients. He will often custom heat fit the Glove, add an appropriate pad, and instruct owners to leave the boots on 22 hours a day. The other two hours the boots are removed, rinsed, and hung to dry while the hoof gets monitored (and maybe treated) for the “black funk” and given a chance to breathe.

That amount of time out in the elements inevitably breaks the gaiter material down so he tells clients up front that they can expect to replace gaiters monthly. Pete advised that the gaiter be wrapped in duct tape to keep the horse from nibbling the edges. Of course as a hoof is rehabbed it can be expected to change shape-sometimes dramatically so. Pete makes sure his clients know up front that they will likely go through several pairs of boots before the feet are healthy and stable.

I liked the perspective he had on comparing the cost of a few pairs of boots to the continued expense of high dollar therapeutic shoeing. All those boots seem expensive at first, but in the long run, ending up with a horse going comfortably barefoot is far cheaper, useful for trimmers and horse owners to keep in mind when beginning a transition from shod to bare.

I also love how easy my Gloves are to apply and remove now that they have been heat fitted to my horse! I never lost boots before, but it was always a production to mallet them on and then pry them off post ride. Now they just slip right on and stay put, even over jumps and even without power straps. GO PETE and THANKS, EASYCARE!

 

Rebecca Balboni
easycare-customer-service-representative-rebecca-balboni

Customer Service Representative

A lifetime of riding and showing sport horses has given me a deep appreciation for the importance of soundness and comfort on performance. Let me help elevate your equine experience by finding the right boot for your horse and unique situation.