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EasyCare realizes that most everyone at some point finds themselves alone on the trail with their horse. Having some knowledge in self defense while horseback could save your life. Hoof Care Practitioner, Cindy Sullivan of Clayton, GA sent in this eye opening clip from retired mounted police officer and self defense trainer Scot Hansen.
Photo by MICHAEL GALLACHER/Missoulian
It's taken years of training to prepare Jay DeHart for his career in natural barefoot hoof care for horses. DeHart believes that horses can survive quite well without horseshoes.
STEVENSVILLE - A couple of years back, Jay DeHart decided he wanted to learn how to shoe his own horses. So he signed up for classes with a certified farrier in Bozeman and began to study the craft.
The more he learned, the less sense it all made. DeHart's 20 years as a mechanical engineer probably had something to do with that. He knew a thing or two about physics, energy conversion and fluid dynamics. And as he learned how nature had intended a horse's hoof to expand and contract to absorb its weight as it moved across the landscape, and that movement was vital for its circulatory system, the idea of confining the hoof within a metal shoe seemed strange. A horse's hooves are meant to act as shock absorbers. Putting a constrictive metal shoe around the hoof is about the same as putting a board in the springs of car, DeHart said. The hooves can't absorb that force when they're shod, especially with a rider, he said. Mechanically, it just didn't make any sense to me. I thought there had to be another way. DeHart's search led him to a Missoula bookstore where he discovered a book by natural hoof/horse care guru Jaime Jackson. After years of studying wild horse hooves - which, of course, aren't shod - Jackson developed techniques to mimic what he'd seen. Now, horse lovers like DeHart and his wife, Q, are embracing the idea of letting their mounts go barefoot.
The couple's three horses - an Arab, a draft/quarter horse cross and a miniature - are all without shoes these days. Q takes her Arab on long rides into the rocky Bitterroot Mountains without even the protective rubber boots that are recommended for the newly barefoot mounts. My horse goes everywhere barefoot,Q said and her feet look beautiful. The more riding you do, the tougher they get. It takes some time for a horse's hooves to readjust to their shoeless environment but that doesn't mean horse owners have to give up their trail rides or hunting trips. While a horse's hoof is getting stronger through regular trimmings, diet and exercise, its owner can outfit it with rubber boots when it ventures out of the pasture. The shoes cost about $100 a pair. The DeHarts have found that front hooves are usually the ones that need the most protection.
It does take some time and patience to make the switch, Q said. Horse owners can also help their mount's hooves adjust with a diet low on sugar (put that sweet feed away), making sure they get plenty of exercise, and adding about 4 inches of pea gravel around the water trough. The gravel stimulates the hooves and the horse's feet respond. Pea gravel works wonders, DeHart said. DeHart is currently working through the intensive two-year process to become a certified natural hoof practitioner through Jackson's America Association of Natural Hoof Care. I've almost completed all my training, he said. Working with mentors and peers, I've learned how to trim a horse's hooves to resemble the wear patterns of wild mustangs.
Through mostly word of mouth, DeHart has been finding work around Montana. Every horse presents a different challenge. DeHart's first visit includes a mustang trim and sometimes some advice on how a horse owner might be able to improve the living conditions of their steeds.
A horse's hooves mirror what's going on above, he said. Trimming is only about 10 percent of this. I often can offer some information that will help steer owners in the right direction for improving their horse's environment. The cost for keeping a horse barefoot is comparable to shoeing, he said. While every horse is different in how often they'll need to be trimmed, DeHart said the average is about once every five weeks. Right now, he charges $40 a trim.
Horse owners who want to learn more about natural hoof care might want to circle March 29 on their calendar. The DeHarts will host a workshop that day at the Bitterroot Valley's Sapphire Event Center in Corvallis. The cost for admission is $30 in advance, $40 at the door. We're planning on offering a lot of information to people, he said. Hopefully people will get interested. For us, it's all about having healthy horses. That helps everyone in the long run.
Performing dissections is an excellent way to learn hoof form and function. Being able to "see" inside enables both Hoof Care Professionals and horse owners to trim and boot their horses more effectively. EasyCare Dealers and Hoof Care Professionals Laura Florence of Holistic Hoof Care; Kennett Square, PA and Carrie Christiansen of Browns Mills, NJ presented a hands on anatomy and dissection workshop this past December. All proceeds from the clinic went to benefit HorsePath a sanctuary and rehabilitation for horses with hoof related ailments. Carrie reported a fantastic turnout and sent these pictures of the event.
They're new, they're universal (Western or English) and they're here at EasyCare!
Made of a waterproof and breathable rip-stop nylon shell, with a fleece lining that extends from edge to edge. The weighted corners allow for the best stay-put rump rug in the endurance world. Elastic drawstring cinch cord on each side also allow for easy roll-up and storage while riding. These new rump rugs are easy to cinch up and easier to attach to your saddle. They measure front to back 31" and side to side 50 1/2".
Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain. The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life. What is it you would let go of today?
Okay, Now that your horse is barefoot and you now own a nice pair or even several pair of EasyCare hoof boots, what use do you have for iron shoes? Bill Campanelli, an EasyCare Hoof Care Practitioner Dealer and owner of Hoof Tech of Fair Haven, VT had an idea....
According to AOL, the average American checks e-mail at least five times per day. Wouldn't you like to be part of a relationship-based e-mail strategy that leads to sales? If an e-mail campaign is done correctly, it can lead to as much as a 5 to 10 percent sales rate. If you are looking to achieve that level of success, one of the best sources is email-marketing-reports.com. The following in an excerpt from their website:
Why should you do an e-mail marketing campaign?
According to research conducted by the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing generated an Return on Investment (ROI) of $51.58 for every dollar spent on it in 2006. The expected figure for 2007 is $48.56, and the prediction for 2008 is $45.65. As such, it outperforms all the other direct marketing channels examined, such as print catalogs. According to research conducted by the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing generated an ROI of $51.58 for every dollar spent on it in 2006. The expected figure for 2007 is $48.56, and the prediction for 2008 is $45.65. As such, it outperforms all the other direct marketing channels examined, such as print catalogs.
In a December 2007 survey of Internet marketers by MarketingSherpa, email to house lists beat paid ads in terms of ROI, with 42% describing email as having "great ROI - outperforms other tactics." Only SEO and behavioral targeting (which you can also do with email) scored higher. In a December 2007 survey of Internet marketers by MarketingSherpa, email to house lists beat paid ads in terms of ROI, with 42% describing email as having "great ROI - outperforms other tactics." Only SEO and behavioral targeting (which you can also do with email) scored higher
A 2007 survey of over 1,000 advertisers by Outsell Inc. put email as the second-most effective online marketing tool after the company's own website.
Marketers responding to a July 2007 global survey by McKinsey put email second only to paid keywords in terms of online marketing efficiency.
Sound good? Visit our blog next Monday for tips on how to put together your own campaign.
Battle, Hayward and Bower ltd, located on a five acre site in Lincoln, is the United Kingdom's leading manufacturer and largest wholesaler of equine, animal health and pet products. They are EasyCare's exclusive distributor in England (they distribute product to tack stores and hoof care practitioners) and were first established in 1832. Battles was incorporated in 1933 has over 170 years of experience!
Battles manufacturers over 1,000 products ranging from hoof oil, saddle soap, herbs, supplements & more! On the wholesaler side they have 7,000 items in their product line with items ranging from wormers, to grooming, to supplements and much more! They take pride in their next day delivery service and their cutting edge systems.
I had the pleasure of meeting a number of the Battles employees while at BETA in February of this year. 
We are expanding our international presence, and they have been very instrumental in getting the EasyCare name known in the UK. Thank you, Battles!
Chris Freeman, International Dealer Rep
EasyCare's Marketing Manager, Karen Chaton and Hoof Care Practitioner Dealer Rep., Debbie Schwiebert attended the Association for the Advancement of Natural Horse Care Practices, (AANHCP) symposium in Reno, Nevada, this past February 24th-26th. The symposium titled "Symposium for the Humane and Natural Care of the Horse" was open to horse owners and professionals for an extraordinary three day forum featuring Jaime Jackson and a lineup of experts sharing new and cutting-edge information vital to a horse's well being. Debbie and Karen were on hand to discuss EasyCare's line of hoof boots, Comfort Pad options and dealer programs available to hoof care providers. Karen was included in the list of guest speakers talking about her adventures in endurance and keeping competitive endurance horses barefoot and the value hoof boots have played in keeping her horses sound for over 7,000 miles! To see some great pictures from the event put to music visit EasyCare HCP dealer, Nancy Naill Frishkorn's website. Enjoy!
As I am sure you are aware, the EasyCare website has a ton of useful information. Some of the most helpful information are our educational videos. We have shot a number of videos covering everything from fitting to a movement demonstration. Check out the video below, it shows how to fit our most popular boot, the Easyboot Epic.
We have a great tool posted on our website. It's a boot calculator! If you have the measurements of your customer's horse you can plug them into the designated spots and it will tell you what size boot, in which styles, will fit. Bookmark the link on your computer or keep it in a document on your desktop. It will save you from having to look up the boot sizes that will fit. As a double-check you may want to talk to the customer about sizing. If the customer will also be putting comfort pads inside the boots and the horse is at the top of the size chart, you may want the customer to go one size larger.
Here is the link: www.easycareinc.com/calculator2.aspx
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