In celebration of Thanksgiving, we wanted to share this inspirational story written by EasyCare customer, Brenna Hersche.
“Ella has been my saving grace, my best friend, my traveling companion, and my inspiration to continue towards my dreams.
In the beginning of 2021, she succumbed to a very nasty bout of bacterial infection in the lungs. This coupled with her high starch and sugar diet were the catalysts to her founder. Every horse owner’s worst nightmare and fears manifested. Despite every effort I had made with traditional solutions, her hooves wouldn’t hold therapeutic steel shoes. In fact, they made her worse when applied! Her thin, weak, and shelly hoof walls had no support to offer, and she just began to sink and rotate further.
Up to this point, my mindset and knowledge of horse keeping came from many traditional thinkers and old protocols, especially around nutrition and farriery. Over the course of this journey, my perspective has completely shifted towards new science and innovation.
In July 2021, Ella was grade 4 head-bobbing lame at the walk. Her soles were as thin as a piece of paper, and I was utterly desperate. It was at this time that I also got extremely ill. I remembered I had received a set of DVDs about three years ago that looked interesting. These were titled, “Under the Horse,” by Pete Ramey. In my sick and fevery state, I binged the entire series three times over in four days. Two days later at the barn, I met Gregory Sokoloski, a veteran trimmer who follows Pete’s principles.
This was no accident. In my sheer desperation, the universe had given me an answer. And with it, HOPE. I immediately implemented dietary recommendations, low starch, low sugar, and balanced vitamins and minerals. I changed my flat trim to Pete’s dynamic and therapeutic method, and purchased the Easyboot Cloud.
Then I saw a post on Facebook about EasyCare’s composite glue-on shoes.
I was absolutely intrigued and delighted. I had never seen such an affordable and customizable glue-on option before!
I immediately purchased my first pair of EasyShoe Versa Grip Lights, and the rest was absolute history. My horse that couldn’t hold a shoe with a nail or keep a boot on was keeping these on! My entire barn was amazed! I was absolutely ecstatic. Movement is the key to rehab, and Versa Grip Light gave Ella the confidence to start moving.
The first day I applied the shoes, she went from grade 4 to grade 2 in her comfort level. The level of flexibility and support that these shoes offer horses is something I have never seen before. You can literally see the weight dissipation under the foot. I affectionately call this the “squish” factor. These shoes offer incredible support and don’t impede natural foot mechanism.
Ella has been healing beautifully since July 2021. In December 2021, I switched from the EasyShoe Versa Grip Lights to the EasyShoe Versa Grip Golds to add tab stability for active riding. Yes, she went from grade 4 lame to being ridden again in 6 months. When you give the body what it needs to heal and rehabilitate, it’s amazing what can happen.
Ella’s story and progress is more far reaching than I could have imagined. Through our experience together and an attitude of never giving up hope, we have helped many other horses with these shoes through education and application.
So, Ella saved my life, and I saved hers. Now she is saving others, too.
I am forever thankful for the people who opened my eyes to a different approach and instilled a never-give-up attitude.
I’m especially grateful for EasyCare and EasyCare President, Garrett Ford, for his forward thinking and the fantastic products he provides all of us.”
Take a look at Ella in November 2022 in the Versa Grip Octo! We are thrilled to see this team achieving big things in EasyShoes.
