EasyCare is happy to announce a new EasyCare Blog platform that combines “The Horse’s Mouth” “Hoof Boot News” and “EasyCare Customer Help Desk” blogs.  The current blogs will be phased out and the all new EasyCare blog content will be found at one convenient location.  Bookmark the new web address and come back often. 

The new platform also allows horse boot users to submit hoof boot success stories at www.DoYouBoot.com.  These success stories will post directly to the new EasyCare Blog.

We are also looking for “Guest Blog Posters” to contribute stories and blurbs that are relevant and interesting to people in the natural hoof care and hoof.  Guest authors will be compensated with schwag and eligible for EasyCare Ambassador pricing. 

Check out the new EasyCare Blog and sign up for the new RRS Feed and get daily updates.

I have added the new links to our main and sub blogs below.  All sub blogs feed to the main blog but if you want to concentrate on one reader you can just view the sub blog.

Main EasyCare Blog.  http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/easycare

Garrett Ford's "Hoof Boot News".  http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/hoof-boot-news

Kevin Myers "Bootlegging".  http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/bootlegging

Brian Mueller  EasyCare Dealer News.  http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/horse-boot-dealer-news-and-tips

EasyCare Customer Service Team  EasyCare Customer Service.  http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/horse-boots-customer-help

Debbie Schwiebert  Barefoot Horse Professionals http://blog.easycareinc.com/blog/barefoot-horse-professionals-news

How To Increase the Size of Your Horse’s Feet:

A Status Report on The Great Barefoot Experiment

Wendell Berry is a fascinating farmer, poet and author who writes prolifically about a way of living he values. He believes in the interconnectedness of life through sustainable agriculture, the purity of food, husbandry, healthy rural communities and a connection to place.  His poems are divine, and he just published Leaving, his first book of poems in five years.

I’m not a tree-hugger and I don’t eat organic food every day (although I know I should). But I do think Mr.

Berry’s wholesome philosophy translates well into better understanding the principles of managing a barefoot horse.

Here are two interesting topics for you to ponder.

Gaining One Boot Size in Six Months

One of the four horses participating in our barefoot experiment has actually increased by one boot size in six months. Rocky’s front hooves have grown from 00.5 to 0. He’s only 14 hands so the hoof to height ratio is not bad.

Before: Rocky being sized using a Fit Kit six months ago.

After: Rocky in Gloves at a training ride last Sunday.

I attribute this change to the following four conditions:

1. The heels on this horse were significantly contracted. Before pulling the shoes, his feet were contracting and there was an abundance of toe (one obviously goes hand in hand with the other). His hoof capsule has benefited from the opportunity to spread out – and his frog is bigger, wider and flatter.
2. Regular work. This horse has regular work every few days, even if it means lunging him in the round-pen when time doesn’t allow for miles on the trail. When he was going through times of sensitive feet, he would wear Gloves for 12 hours a day while out in the paddock.
3. Regular rasping. One of the tips we got from Duncan McLaughlin was to work on bringing back the toe every few days. Depending on growth, we have been beveling his toe right back to the white line at least once a week. We rasp the hoof from below first, then from above. Bringing the toe back has really helped the heel spread out.
4. Strict attention to diet. This horse balloons in weight if his diet is not properly managed – and he becomes foot-sensitive if he gets too much starch.
   

Rocky’s foot today.

Which is the Right Candidate For Booted/Barefoot?

Don’t assume the only barefoot candidates are the ones who have tough feet. Think again: sensitive footed horses are the very ones who might benefit most from an alternative approach.

Redford

is another interesting case: I resisted pulling his shoes because he was always so sensitive in rocky conditions. He has had his share of adjustment challenges throughout this process. But now his white line disease is all but grown out and his feet are looking balanced and tough.

I took him out for a couple of 12-mile training rides in Easyboot Gloves last weekend. I don’t like to tempt fate just before a multi-day ride, but this horse has never felt so sound – even when he had shoes on with pads and packing.

Discovering my own connection to place.

Put Your Boots On

Wendell Berry’s poems honor investment in quietness, solitude and watchfulness on the world. That should remind you of the kind of fulfillment you reap from a good ride on a solid horse. So put on a set of Gloves and get out there. Maybe I’ll see you on the trail.

Keep up the bootlegging!

Kevin

Laura Hayes and Rushcreek Nerf at the 2009 Event.  Laura and Nerf had a solid finish fitted in four Easyboots.

In 2009 EasyCare helped 20 riders with the installation of Easyboots before the event.  Riders using Easyboots had a 75% completion rate,  compare that to the 50 year average of 50%.  Was the booted success in the 2009 event luck?  Or is there something that hoof boots do to protect the horse over the 100 miles of rocky trail?

Booting horses before the 2009 Tevis. 

EasyCare would like to use the 2010 event to continue the study.  Will the 75% completion rate continue?  Will the completion rate of booted horses get better?  Only time will tell.

Kevin Waters and Golden Ali on the way to Forest Hill.

Do you want to ride the 2010 Tevis Cup courtesy of EasyCare (We pay your entry fee)?  Here is what we are proposing.

1. EasyCare will pay the Tevis entry fee for all riders who use four Easyboots on a barefoot horse. But riders need to do the following to get reimbursed.

2. The rider has to finish two 50 mile events prior to the 2010 Tevis in Easyboots to qualify. We want people to know the product and have success before they arrive.

3. The EasyCare team will help install the Easyboots the Thursday and Friday morning before the event. No boot installs from Friday noon on. We are also riding and need time to get prepared.

4. You need to finish to get reimbursed for your ride entry. Last year booted riders had a 75% completion rate compared to the 50% 50 year average. In the worst case you have a 50% chance of riding Tevis for free, If you use boots you have a 75% chance. If you use boots and ride smart it could be 80% or better. 80% or better is news and will make the world take notice!

What do you think?Join the discussion on the Easyboot Facebook page

The 6th place rider "Kadee Felton" is a junior, how coo is that.  We may just have to double her cash and have her put half in a college fund. 

Looks like the 2009 contest will be our most successful ever.  We had more riders and more miles ridden than any year in the history of the contest.  The total miles for the 2009 contest will probably be over 19,500. 

Remember that we pay 10 places deep.  Turn in all your miles so we can get all the checks out and contribute to your holiday shopping cash. 

Poking a bit of fun at both sides of the conversation.

I personally believe the biggest challenge to natural horse care and barefoot trimming is the number of natural hoof care professionals in the field. The current number of trimmers can't keep up with the demand of consumers who would like to have one or more of their horses trimmed in a barefoot style.  Most of the practitioners I know turn away more work than they take on.  The industry needs more trimmers! 

The only way to make more trimmers is to have more good certification courses and classes.  We have several good certification courses around the world and here in the USA but we need more.  The industry needs more courses and more trimmers.

I continue to hear great things about a professional trimming course offered in Australia.  The course sounds great and I've personally seen the beautiful work from several of the trimmers who have attended.

I've attached a blurb about the course below.  I believe if the USA complained enough we could get them to host a class over here on an annual basis? 

As the Melbourne Cup was held the day after the first block of lessons finished. Two of the students who travelled from Western Australia thought it would be a great chance to see the cup before catching a flight home. Tanja Hanish and Alina Luff pictured below having a great day. Alina said that it was very interesting and all in the name of furthering their knowledge as they spent a good deal of time discussing the hooves of the top horses! Donkeys Part of the training of an Equine Podiotherapist is learning to deal with donkey hooves. Donkeys are often kept as companion animals but sadly they don’t seem to get the regular hoof trimming they require, nor do they often get proper education so they can be a quite a challenge to trim.

Rob Little is one of the EPT group and although he has been trimming semi professionally for a while, he has not had to tackle “the donkey” up till now. I spotted his email posted to the Podiotherapy students and asked him if I could share it in our newsletter. I love Rob’s colourful way of writing and thought it was a great representation of the huge spectrum of cases that professional trimmers may meet.

Hi everyone, thanks for your responses on my posting of the donkey I now have further fuel for the fire.........  Today I visited an elderly gentleman who looked like the old ultra marathon runner Cliff Young who had a (wait for it) a DONKEY that he was worried about.  He explained to me as we drove over a hill that the plan was that he would distract the donkey with a piece of bread and then cuddle the donkey (which I found out was a headlock) while from a distance I was to approach with a hidden halter slip it over his head and bobs your uncle feet done, happy donkey.  All of this was going fine with my new found ultra marathon look alike friend cuddling the donkey and me approaching as if I was taking a walk in the park until.................... the donkey sees the halter. The

donkey (who had terribly bad feet) took off with my new friend still cuddling, down a hill at a speed and  agility resembling that of an African gazelle, taking out small and large trees as it went.  As I watched the donkey and my new friend disappear into the distance cuddling one another I couldn’t help marvel at 2 totally different things.

1. How the hell does a donkey that had flippers for feet move like that.

2. Why the hell did my new friend not let go!

Anyway the donkey unfortunately never got trimmed, and my new friend only suffered superficial cuts. I know this is a serious chat site so I shall desist with my donkey bashing and only post relative and insightful commentary from now on.

-This is Rob signing off.

And Elephants!

While we are speaking of being asked to do the out of the ordinary .....one of the first group of EPT students from two years ago, Yvonne Taylor from WA has just returned from a trip to Africa where she as asked to deliver workshops to train farriers in natural hoof care practices. She was also asked by her hosts to assist one of their other animals. She explained it was a little outside her training but because there was no one else around with a file, and Yvonne not being one to shy away from helping a creature in need, she did just that!

Chris Ware

EPT Course Co-ordinator

www.equinepodiotherapy.com.au

email equinepodiotherapy@bigpond.com

Ph. 02 6493 6944

"At six years old, the Hanoverian was at the end of the road.  In one year, the owner had spent $14,000 on veterinary care, diagnostics and corrective shoeing.  The horse seemed to have everything "in the book".  Hooves that would not hold a shoe without wall repair, glue and clips. The video shows the step by step process that Pete takes to help the horse grow functional feet.

The before and after shots of this horse's feet tell the story.  The feet look like they come from different horses.  Amazing results!

Before photo.  This is what the feet on the horse looked like at the start. 

The same foot as the photo above.  It's hard to believe it from the same horse. 

Pete and Ivy Ramey have come up with an incredible concept in the "That's My Horse" series.  I believe that more horse owners will be more comfortable trimming and doing routine maintenance trims if they can be taught on their own horse or a horse that is similar to their own horse.  That's My Horse #1 focused on an off the track Thoroughbred, #2 on a Hi-Lo Hanoverian. What will series #3 bring? 

Watch  critically important changes to the trimming over time and also see:

• Pulling shoes with pads and impression material
• Application of Equicasts with Comfort Pads
• Fitting Easyboot Epics with Comfort Pads
• Fitting Easyboot Gloves
• Growing out shelly hoof walls
• Growing out wall flare
• Slight distal descent reversal
• Management of the "navicular horse"
• Low heel angle reversal
• Hi-Lo conformation  improvement/management
• Improved development of atrophied shoulder 

You Can Ride a Magic Carpet Without a Genie

The little red rocket at the Turkey Trot 75 Last Weekend in Arizona. Photo^© Steve Powers.

Isn’t it wonderful when things fall into place ‘just so’? I still get a little nervous before getting on Far – there’s a sense of anticipation, risk, the unknown and the unpredictable all rolled into one little chestnut gelding. And yet he keeps exceeding my expectations. Everything in the world is just right when I ride him.

Stories of magic carpets started in biblical times, but it was the collection of Arabian Nights that really stirred the fantasies of western cultures. I rode my magic carpet through the McDowell Turkey Trot 75 Mile Race on Saturday in Easyboot Glue-Ons. The 11½ hours of floating in the saddle gave me a chance to pause and reflect. Meditation in motion; literally.

We had a good ride all day. I had the privilege of riding for the first time with Kevin Waters and Stephanie Palmer DuRoss: two endurance heroes. We finished just a little while behind the front runner, and Far even got High Vet Score. Kevin rode Tahoe in Easyboot Gloves and got the Best Condition award.

I think it’s the first ride I’ve been to where there were fewer shod horses than booted horses in the mileage category I rode in. I’m not sure what the proportion of boots versus shoes looked like in the 50 mile event, but the winner, the Best Condition horse and the turtle were in Easyboots, and there was healthy booted representation throughout the pack. Times are definitely changing.

When you stop and boil it down to basics, things just have to be right starting from the ground up. If you don’t have four healthy feet on the ground, your chances of success are unnecessarily compromised.

Far and Tahoe coming into the 50 mile vet check.

Turning Down The Chatter

One of the teachings in yoga is about tuning out the noise around you and becoming focused on the moment. The horse communicates many things to us and we have to focus to hear what he is saying. You will increase your chances for success if you tune out the chatter and focus on your horse’s message.

1. Watch the stance. Does your horse stand square; does he seem to point one leg more than the other when resting?
2. Look at the symmetry.  Is one foot drastically different than the other side?
3. Feel the gait. Is one foot consistently more sensitive than the other? Which foot is the horse’s weight usually on when he takes a tender step?
4. Diagonals matter. Do you make a point of changing diagonals throughout your ride? Every single ride?
5. Re-evaluate the hooves. Again and again and again. How often do you take a rasp to your horse’s hooves and keep him in balance?
6. Look for pain. Look into his eye. Is it bright and alert - do you notice when it changes? Is your horse more irritable on one side than the other? Are there certain things that make him react negatively when you tack up?

Each of the messages above should influence the actions you take in your strategy for success.

Boot Your Horse; Be Present

One of the great things I’ve learned as a novice rider and boot user is to look more closely at my horses. I know what each foot looks like in a way that I’d not noticed when I put my faith in steel shoes. I’m more in control of how his feet evolve – I’ve taken on more responsibility to make sure each individual component of the horse is in step and in harmony. And I love it.

Ride The Magic Carpet

Much of the race last Saturday in McDowell Mountain Park was hard-packed granite and rock. The boots just float across leg-pounding terrain with not so much as a whisper and hardly a faulty step.

If you get the various pieces in order and invest a little time in getting to know your horse and your equipment better, things might just fall into place perfectly for you to ride your own magical carpet.

Keep up the bootlegging!

Kevin

The first Easyboot prototype was hand made by Dr. Neel Glass in late 1969.  The boot was fashioned out of roofing material, duct tape an old ski buckle and had a heel area that pivoted. 

We have posted several more photos on the Easyboot Facebook page. 

Duncan McLaughlin and Global Endurance Lady go over Cougar Rock in the 2009 Tevis Cup.  Lady did the entire event in Easyboots. 

The winner of the Easyboot Facebook photo contest for week #4 and four Easyboot Gloves is Duncan McLaughlin.  Duncan's photo received the most "Likes" and was voted on by you.  The photo shows Dunc and Lady going over Cougar Rock on the way to strong Tevis Cup finish.  Beautiful shot, nice equitation Dunc.

We have one week remaining in the photo contest.  The theme for the last week is "convince your neighbor".  If you had to send one photo that would convince your horse owning neighbor to read more about natural hoof care and hoof boots what would the photo be and what would the caption be?

#4 and #3.5 Easyboot Gloves arrived today.

The bad news- The larger #3.5 and #4 Easyboot Glove and Glue-On sizes arrived today and are already sold out.  We are now on back order.  Place your order now for #3.5 and #4 to guarantee you get some boots from the December shipment.

Christoph Schork and Power Ball on the way to winning another event in Easyboot Glue-Ons.

12 months ago Christoph Schork and Dian Woodward from Global Endurance spent a week in Tucson after the Valley of the Sun endurance event.  At that time Christoph and Dian had shoes on their horses and used Easyboots over shoes for events that were rocky and had long sections of hard packed roads.  The visit was perfect timing as EasyCare was about to release the Easyboot Glove and Easyboot Glue-On.  Christoph took the time to look over the new products and did several training rides next to EasyCare horses that were fitted in the new hoof boots.  The new products and success on the training rides convinced the pair to pull the shoes from their horses and give the hoof boots a try the following weekend.

Christoph and Dian after Las Cienegas in 2008.  This was the first event for Global Endurance in Easyboot Glue-Ons.

The first test was such a huge success that Global endurance continued to race the entire 2009 season in Easyboot hoof boot products.  The team will end the 2009 season with over 3,300 miles, 15 best conditions and 30+ wins.

Christoph has been involved in the sport since 1988 and has accumulated over 19,000 miles and 165 first place finishes.  This year (the first season in Easyboots) has been Christoph's most successful season ever.  Christoph will end the 2009 season with over 2,400 miles.  His past high mileage season was 1,685.  Christoph will end the 2009 season with 33+ first place finishes and 8+ Best Conditions.  Dian has also had an impressive season with over 1,100 miles, 6 first place finishes and several best conditions.

Christoph and Dian have shown that endurance horses can compete at the highest levels of the sport in hoof boots.  They have been competitive at local 50 mile events, the Tevis Cup, the AERC National Championship and FEI events.  

What a year.  Over the year EasyCare has learned a great deal about how to glue Easyboot Glue-On shells in place, what adhesives to use, how to prep a hoof, how to remove boots, racing and training in Easyboot Gloves.  Thanks to Global Endurance, hoof boots have made huge advancements in 2009. 

EasyCare would like to thank Global Endurance for believing in the hoof boot concept.

Christoph Schork, Tennessee Mahoney at the XP Mt Carmel Endurance Event.  I believe Christoph won all three days.
Christoph Schork and Dave Rabe approach Robinson Flat at the 2009 Tevis Cup.  Both riders are Easyboot pros.  Both will be in the AERC Hall of Fame.

Christoph and TC Moonshine at he Kentucky Cup.

Dian and Salty in Moab.

(And Why You Should Care)

Applying a set of Gloves

Have you ever figured out exactly how long it takes you to tack up on the morning of a ride? I find myself constantly recalculating what time I need to set my alarm clock for the morning of a race. The same is true when I arrange to meet friends for a training ride. My current tacking up time is about 15 minutes – and that includes fitting four Gloves.

Checking the hardware.

Easyboots Are Tack, Too

All tack needs regular maintenance – and Easyboot Gloves are no exception. Your tack will last longer if you follow a few simple rules.

1. Keep it Clean. Rinse the mud and dirt off your boots and let them dry off before you store them. Make sure you get out any dirt that may have built up on the inside of the toe: it will be easier to get the dirt out before it dries hard.
2. Check the Hardware. No matter what the speed or distance you ride, boots are put through endless dragging, concussion, vibration and abrasion. All that wear can loosen the screws slightly. If you ride with loose screws, you run the risk of an equipment malfunction. Using a Phillips screwdriver, check to make sure the screws are tight. I check mine once a week. One of my riding buddies actually puts a dab of Loctite Threadlocker on the screws to keep them firmly in place.
3. Check the gaiters for areas of stress. Sometimes you may see the beginning of some separation where the gaiter meets the boot. Inspect your boots carefully once a week to make sure things are still holding together nicely. Remember you can change out the gaiters onto different boots if one component is beginning to wear. You can also save the boot shell and use it as a Glue-On later.

Changing out the gaiters requires using only three screws: one each side and one at the back.

Keep Your Boots On

Regularly assess the fit of your boots. I’ve got one horse who has gone down a size in the front as the hoof wall separation grows out. I’ve got another horse who has gone up a size in the rear as his feet expand. By making sure you have a good fit, you reduce or eliminate the chance of losing a boot or creating a rub. I had a blast this weekend by doing a fast 20-mile training loop in boots in deep sand. It was my last push before the Turkey Trot 75 this weekend.

Make sure the gaiters are not showing signs of distress. This is a healthy gaiter.

A few steps with the boot off but the gaiter still around the leg can compromise the durability of the boot. I haven’t lost a boot in a long time – and I’m doing lots of miles these days. If you’re torquing off your hind boots, check for fit and see if you can go down half a size. Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of Mueller Athletic Tape on the hinds: simply wrap the tape three times around the top off the hoof wall below the coronet band. The tape becomes tacky and adds some tooth to the inside of the boot. It is very easily removed at the end of the ride, too.

The boots will loosen after the first ride with them. If you want yet more insurance against losing a hind boot, then invest in a pair of Power Straps. They help keep the boot snug and offset the additional challenges of booting a hoof with flare or imbalances.

Keep up the bootlegging!

Kevin

The caption sent in with the photo says it all.  "There is nothing better than the times when you can truly see that your friend is enjoying your company and efforts :)"

Emilie Aakerberg wins the third week of the Easyboot Facebook photo contest.

Week #4 for the Easyboot Facebook Photo Contest is underway.  We are looking for the best photo of EasyCare hoof boots in action.  The fourth week winner will also be determined by the largest number of "Likes, will be determined by you and will also receive four Easyboot Gloves.

Help EasyCare spread the word about hoof boots and barefoot horses.

If you have a gift for writing and are passionate about barefoot horses and hoof boots send us an e-mail at admin@easycareinc.com.  We will get back to you and discuss a relationship that will work for both EasyCare and you. 

I've been working on some support straps that go over the gaiter.  The straps help absorb the force and really make boots stick, even in extreme uphill gallops.  Jeremy Reynolds was one of the first to help test the straps and he was thrilled with the results.

One of EasyCare's early 2000 patent applications had a similar strap that attached and pivoted in the same way.  This concept is still in the R&D stages but looking very good!

Easyboot Glove on the left and the gaiter support strap on the right

Applying the support strap

The strap in place.  Ready for the hills at speed.

I continue to be impressed by the knowledge and expertise of endurance riders and horse people in general.  At the last couple events, I've had the opportunity to install Easyboot Glue-Ons and Easyboot Gloves with some smart people.  During the installation process the dialog has opened my eyes to several things EasyCare can do better and ways we can better instruct consumers.

One of the people I had some great dialog with was David Shefrin.  David spends summers in Oregon and winters in Arizona.  I first met David at this years' Tevis Cup and then again at the Moab Endurance Event.  David is the kind of guy who really thinks about a process and product and then asks questions that most don't even think about.

Prepping the hoof for an Easyboot Glue-On in the dark.

David and I had a great conversation as I applied Easyboot Glue-Ons in the dark.  We talked about glue, where the glue goes after you slide a boot on the hoof and how do you know if you have enough or too much glue.  The conversation was a good one and David asked if we could do a clear boot.  I said yes and we discussed what a great tool it would be and how great it would be to really see where the glue is going.  We did a clear medicinal boot in the past and it will be no problem to do some Easyboot Glue-Ons in a clear urethane.

A photo of an Easyboot Shell made in clear urethane.  The shell is a bit dirty but it's easy to see through the material.

David and I also discussed the importance of having the horse bare his full weight inside the boot immediately after the glue has been applied to the shell and the shell is applied to the hoof.  This weight bearing process disperses any extra glue in the sole area and eliminates any possible bruising.  If the hoof and boot are held in the air as the glue dries it is very difficult to eliminate glue lumps and sole bruising can be an issue.

We discussed how important the grooves are inside the Easyboot Glue-On shell.  The grooves give any excess glue a place to go. 

Grooves inside the Easyboot Glue-On

I stressed the importance of keeping boots clean before the glue-on process.  Keep the Easyboot Glue-On shells clean and dry before application.  Keep them in the plastic bag, don't let people handle them and contaminate them with oils from fingers and hands.  Use a "Fit Kit" to determine the proper size and use new, un-applied boots straight from the plastic bag for gluing.

Easyboot Glue-On staying clean in plastic

The EasyCare product line, application methods and testing methods continue to change and improve because of our great customers.  If you have ideas for improvement we would love to hear from you.

Cathie Hook, Debbie Schwiebert, Brian Mueller and Garrett Ford work a booth in past years.

If you're an East coaster and are heading to the event over the weekend please stop by our booth and chat about hoof boots and your experiences.  Make sure you take a look at the Easyboot Glove.  The Glove is our best hoof boot and will be improved again in 2010.

Easyboot Glove doing what it does best.

If You Think Peripheral Loading Is

A High Carb Diet For Athletes:

Think Again

Natalia Magnicalballi and dancers of Ballet Arizona. Photo^© Rosalie O’Connor.

I’m fascinated by the mechanics of the foot. Take the photo above and imagine the forces exerted on the foot while it is on pointe. The career of a ballerina is usually over before she is 40 and a lot of it has to do with the kind of pressure her feet and ankles are subjected to. And her feet are ruined in the process.

The effects of a steel shoe are also interesting – especially when you think about how much pressure is placed onto the hoof wall. When you load weight onto the perimeter of the foot, you stress the mechanics of the foot and you prevent blood flow, much like the ballerina standing on pointe. Without blood, there is less growth and less capacity for shock absorption.

We’ve all had horses who seem sore when they trot down the road. I wonder how much of it is due to the compromised mechanics of the foot. Compare this to a Geisha whose feet are bound to prevent expansion and proper growth. One thing is sure: my horses have never felt as good as they do now they are barefoot.

Far on a training ride last weekend. He feels sound and happy.

The video below from Swedish Hoof School

is not for the faint of heart, but it is definitely worth seeing. I guarantee it will make you think.

I recently put Far back to work after a ten-week layoff following Tevis. It was his first rest in two years and I think he is better for it. I am surprised that the shape and structure of his feet have changed very little since Tevis. His heels still seem a little high and they are still a little contracted. It is interesting that his feet have not evolved as much as Redford’s. I suspect much of it is due to the lack of work.

You can see that Far’s heels are still a little high by the line above the boot.

Far’s front left foot: there is still room for improvement.

If you keep off the peripheral loading your horse might be better for it.

Keep up the bootlegging!

Kevin

Submitted by Duncan McLaughlin

Submitted by Amanda Washington

Submitted by Erika Morup

Submitted by Frances Hughes

Submitted by Miriam Rezine

Dian and Christoph from Global Endurance

October 14^th was the day for the biggest endurance event in North America the North American Endurance Championship. Serving at the same time as the pre ride for the 2010 World Equestrian Games and World Championship, this was a prestigious and important race. Riders needed to qualify to enter and needed an invitation to attend. The USA was represented by 5 Teams of 6 riders each, one team for each time zone, with the exception of the Pacific time zone, which was allowed two teams. Christoph Schork, who co-owns the Global Endurance Training Center with Dian Woodward, was invited to represent the Mountain Zone. Riders from 23 countries all over the world were also invited to enter either the 100 mile Championship race or the 75 mile Kentucky Cup race. Riders from North America were not allowed to enter the Kentucky Cup race.

On October 7^th, Christoph left sunny Moab Utah with 5 horses to start his 1600 mile drive to Kentucky.  Upon entering Missouri the torrential rain forced a full day layover in Warrenton. Within a 36 hour period, Missouri received between 8 and 10 inches of rain, countless roads being flooded and closed as a result. Once the rain eased a little, we continued the journey. It is important to arrive early after a long trailer haul, to give the horses several days to recover from the travelling stress. This gave Christoph ample time to equip his horses with Easyboot Glue-On boots, that were studded, especially manufactured by EasyCare, Inc, for conditions like we would encounter in Kentucky: Lots of wet grass with mud everywhere.

A close up shot of the studs.

The boots were glued on with Vettec Adhere at the hoof wall and Goober Glue for the sole of the hoof. Because of the wet conditions, Christoph was applying the boots in a dry barn, taking especially good care of drying the hoof walls thoroughly with a heat gun.

Easyboots in place before the mud.

The morning of the race, the rain pelted the riders relentlessly. 40 degrees temps and rain without end. The trails were flooded and mudded over in no time. Christoph started the 100 mile race on TC Mounshine, a horse already now qualified for the WEC next year. Other GETC horses entered were:

DWA Express, ridden by Nikolay Melbard from Russia

Stars Aflame, ridden by Leo Steinbruch from Brasil

DWA Millennium, leased to a rider from Japan. She did not start because of the conditions.

.Salty did also not start, because the rider from France was a no show.

The rain intensified and the conditions were so bad, that Ride Management decided to shorten the course for the well being of the horse from 100 mile to 75 mile. A very smart decision.

Heading out on another muddy loop.

In the end, Christoph ended up in 10^th place for the Championship race, 9^th among the North American riders. The Mountain Zone Team won the Bronze Medal, Third Place in the Team Championship. Among the Mountain Zone Team riders was Doug Swingley from Montana, also riding his horse with Easyboot Glue-on studded boots. Stars Aflame ended up in 8^th place in the Kentucky Cup race, first American horse. The horses ahead of her were flown in from the UAE. She also wore studded Glue-ons. Another Top Ten rider with Glue ons was also Farzad Faryadi, riding for the East Zone.

Miriam Rezine in the Kentucky Mud.

The studded Easyboot Glue-Ons really made a difference. Where other riders were slipping, the studs gave the necessary traction for the horses. What an excellent idea to add the studs to the glue ons. We also had some Gloves equipped with studs and carried them on our saddles, in case we would loose a boot. We thought that the relentless rain might loosen a boot. We did not need to worry. The boots held extremely well, we did not loose any boots. The Vettec Adhere really works well to keep these boots on the hooves, no matter what the ambient conditions. As long as we follow the recommended glue on procedure, the boots stay on.

Only 6 horses of all the starters had their hooves equipped with EasyCare Glue-On boots, and 4 ended up in Top Ten position. In a race with a completion rate of only 40% and 50 % respectively and a really tough competition and very difficult footing conditions, that is an incredible result for the glue ons. The glue on boots again provided results that speak for themselves.

Christoph and TC Mounshine on the way to a 10th place finish.

Dian Woodward & Christoph Schork

www.globalendurance.com

The majesty of Moab.

Moab has long been used as a location for films, TV programs and commercials: many of John Wayne’s movies were filmed there. You can see some of Moab’s majestic vistas in Rio Grande; The Comancheros; Cheyenne Autumn; The Greatest Story Ever Told; Once Upon a Time in the West; Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade; and Thelma & Louise. Moab was also used as a backdrop for images in the Marlboro Man campaign.

Looking east towards the La Sal Mountains.  Utahs’s second highest mountain range with six peaks rising above 12,000 feet.

The third annual Moab Canyonlands Endurance Ride was hosted very capably last weekend by Sheri Griffith and her plucky team of volunteers.  A winter storm kept many of us away for the first day of the three day ride, bringing the number of riders on the first day down from the 135 who had pre-registered to less than 100.

Stunning trails.

Redford crossing some of the Slickrock.

I confess I cringed for the first five miles on Day 2. There was more deep sand than I had anticipated and I did not know if Redford would get rubbed by a build-up of the powdery sand in the gaiters. I stopped on the trail at about five miles and pulled back all four gaiters to check for abrasion: there was none.

I used these four Gloves for the two 50 mile races. They are only just getting broken in.

This was my second time to use Easyboot Gloves at a race: this time I used them as they were designed to be used. I have been trying out the Easyboot Glue-Ons at all the other races and they have worked so well for me that I was hesitant to try anything else. I rode Redford 100 miles over two days in the Gloves and the variety of trail conditions were a great test. We did many miles of deep sandy wash trails, Slickrock and gravel roads. The boots worked really well – there was practically no rubbing by the 100^th mile, and the boots hardly look like they have been used.

As Julia Lynn pointed out during our 19 hours in the saddle together over the two days, endurance is like several sports all in one. Not everyone has the same goal; some of the riders are out there to savor the miles and use every hour allotted to complete the course. I was one such rider this weekend: the scenery deserved all the attention it could get. I enjoyed being witness to some stories from some of the high mileage riders at the back of the pack.

Carol and Robyn Wadey.

MR Ladybird’s Easyboots.

Carol Wadey and daughter Robyn drove three days from their home town of Edson, Alberta, Canada to attend the event. Carol rode her 20-year old Spanish Mustang mare, MR Ladybird. She rode all three days in Original Easyboots. “I just love them” said Carol, “I only use Gloves when there is mud. The rest of the time I just use regular Easyboots and I never have a problem.” Carol and Robyn looked quite the part in their witch costumes.

Kerry Redente and Bountyful Prince.

There was Kerry Redente riding her gelding, Bountyful Prince, to become the 2009 National High Mileage Champion. She is well clear of the 1,800 mile mark with him for this year alone. You’ve seen Kerry’s smiling face in some of the EasyCare publications.

Carla Richardson knows how to crack a joke.

I had the pleasure of riding several hilarious miles with Carla Richardson on Day 3. She is definitely one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. Carla is originally from Texas and now lives in Delta Colorado.

Carla completed her first 50 mile race in 2008 and was immediately hooked. She and her gelding, SS Kharady Khid, have completed 1,430 miles together in 2009. “I had noticed so many endurance riders using glue-ons, and I was intrigued. After Color Country I went over to Christoph's and he put on Glue-Ons. I've used them on every ride since then, except for Virgin Rim when I used Gloves. My tough little energizer bunny Khid did beautifully in the Gloves, even through the clay, mud and volcanic rocks of the Rim ride. He didn't get any rubs at all.”

Dave Rabe and White Cloud.

Dave Rabe was out there too with White Cloud who looks like he will take second place in the National High Mileage standings. White Cloud has more than 1,400 miles this year, all of them in Easyboot Glue-Ons. Dave will probably clear 46,000 career miles before the year is over and is one of the most gracious people you could ever hope to meet on the trail.

Mari Ural at the start of Day 2.

And there was Mari Ural, who is about to cross the 20,000 career mile marker. Mari was there with her gelding Psyches Quest. She used Gloves all three days and her horse looked fantastic.

There are some good lessons to be learned at the back of the pack. And if you’re looking for ease of use, the Gloves could not be simpler to use.

Keep up the boot legging!

Kevin

Christina Kramlich Bowie and Zeal ride through Forest Hill during the 2009 Tevis Cup. The horse is booted but super hard to tell!

Rebecca Wyatt and Cherokee. We love the bond in this photo.

Erika Morup booting a horse. Erika is a professional trimmer and rides her own horses in Easyboots.

The Easyboot Facebook Photo Contest for week #2 is underway.  We are looking for a photo that shows the perfect hoof.

Christoph Schork and Garrett Ford watch the best condition judging after day #1.  Christoph and Power Ball were first place.  Garrett and Cyclone were fifth place and Cyclone received Best Condition.

A severe winter storm and cold temperatures made travel to the base camp slow and dangerous.  There were many riders counting on EasyCare's help to apply Easyboot Glue-Ons and Easyboot Gloves before the event.  The only problem was the cold temps and light snow.  Despite the conditions and lack of light we made sure all the riders were taken care of before the event.  We were concerned about gluing shells in the freezing temps but decided to use the temps as a great research and development opportunity.  We applied 20 Easyboot Glue-On shells with Vettec Adhere in the dark and cold on Thursday night.

Applying Easyboot Glue-Ons in the dark.  Temps were below freezing.

Applying Easyboot Gloves in the dark. 

Despite the tough application conditions all the Easyboots performed well.  On the first day of the event the first five horses across the line were in Easyboots.  Christoph Schork was first place, Miriam Rezine was second place, Dian Woodward was fourth place and Garrett Ford was fifth place.  GE Cyclone was awarded Best Condition.  Cyclone was one point away from high vet score (good thing we didn't get it because we would have won a pair of Renegade boots.  That would have been ironic).

Christoph Schork and Power Ball take first place in Easyboot Glue-Ons.

The four lead horses at the 30 mile point.  All the riders are in Easyboot products.

GE Cyclone and Easyboot Gloves get another Best Condition.

The second and third day of the event were much the same as day one.  Christoph won day two and day three.  Tennessee Mahoney won Best Condition and high vet score on day two. 

I'll post more about how we applied the Easyboot Glue-Ons in the cold and snow.  All boots that were applied in the cold performed well and did not come off.  I'm actually surprised how well they worked given the conditions that we faced.  We continue to learn!

Thank you to all the riders in Easyboots.  Thanks for the support and helping EasyCare make better products. 

If You Guys Only You Knew…

Five Things You Should Know If You Are Thinking of Pulling Shoes

Rocky. Photo © Merri Melde.

When I decided to make the transition to barefoot I made a commitment to stick with it for six months. As that date approaches, there are five things that stick out as some of the most important lessons along the way. It has not all been wine and roses: two of the five horses at our place went through some sore weeks. Both cases were due to human error.

Rocky’s sole.

1. The role of the sole

Rocky was the first to get tender: we were merrily soaking his feet every couple of days and then carving out his false sole with a farrier’s knife. We thought we were going to accelerate the process of exfoliation and make the transition faster. Obviously that was the worst thing we could have done: he went from being sound to being tender footed. We quickly changed our strategy and it took him a couple of weeks to be pain free.

Redford’s sole.

2. Even professionals can make mistakes

Redford was the horse who seemed to be suffering the most from the effect of shoes: his hoof walls were separating from white line disease. The first few weeks with him barefoot were mostly problem free. He was moving around fine without boots, but he was a little sore in the heel area which prevented him from landing heel first. I had his feet trimmed a couple of days before I was supposed to leave for a ride. The trimmer left most of the false sole and trimmed the hoof wall down below the level of the sole.

By the time I got home that evening Red could hardly walk: he was really sore. I had another trimmer come and give me a second opinion a few days later: it was decided there was too much sole and it was creating pressure. It was as if he was walking on snow balling up under his feet. The second trimmer brought the sole down to the level of the hoof wall and Red was instantly much more comfortable. He was sound again within a couple of days.

Maintaining a mustang roll.

3. Add hoof maintenance into your schedule

Take a rasp to your horse’s feet once a week – especially if you are working them. Help prevent the hoof wall chipping away by keeping a nice mustang roll around the base of the foot. Regular rasping will also help bring the toe back and can offset a flare if the hoof seems predisposed to flaring.

Pick the feet out regularly: horses can get thrush even in the driest of climates.

Riding Far last weekend with Gloves on the front and barefoot in the back.

4. Ride without boots

Find a trail with soft footing where you can take your horse and ride without boots. It really seemed to speed up the adjustment period for the two tender-footed horses when we started riding them a few miles each week completely barefoot.

Riding the Tonto.

5. Ride with boots

I have had practically no rubbing problems with gaiters over five months of a heavy riding schedule. But a friend of mine took a horse on a 50 a couple of weeks ago and used Gloves for the first time and the horse got rubbed from the gaitors in the pastern area. I suspect this could have been avoided if the horse had been ridden a few times to get used to the gaiters.

Rain – his first ride outside the roundpen took place last weekend.

Success awaits

I took these short videos of the horses at our place yesterday morning after the first cool night of the year. None of the horses were warmed up before filming and they were all worked over the weekend. You decide if going barefoot has been a success for us: I’m off to Moab Utah with a couple of them.

Keep up the bootlegging!

Kevin

Here is how to participate and enter a great photo.

1.  Join Facebook if you are not already a Facebook member.
2.  Become a fan of Easyboot on Facebook.
3.  Upload your photo in the Easyboot Facebook fan photos section.
4.  We will announce the week #1 winner on Friday 10/30/09.
5.  If you don't win in week #1 submit another good photo the following week.

I've added one of my favorite horse photos below.  Lisa Ford and Flash in Durango, Co.  I love the blur, the action in the photo and the colors.  And the best part "The focus in on the horse".

Although hoof boots and natural hoof care have been around for years, both concepts are really starting to gain momentum.  EasyCare is excited about the future.