Karen's EasyCare & Endurance Musings

Happy New Year from DVE & Easyboot Edge Testing Results

We had a really great ride this year at Death Valley!  The weather was absolutely perfect.  I rode Granite Chief 100 miles (2 days) on days 1 and 3, and Tigger 100 miles in two days on days 2 and 4.  Today was New Year's Eve so our horses wore party hats today.  The horse to the right of us in the photos is Thunder, ridden by Dave Rabe.  Thunder did 200 miles in four days using the new Easyboot Edge boots on his front feet.  Tigger used the Edge's on his hind feet, and Chief used them on all four feet.  So I had a set do 200 miles and so did Dave, plus one other rider I think did that hasn't finished today's ride yet.  The boots did really great and held up extremely well!  Other riders used the boots for a day or two.  Everybody is in love with the boots!  It was so great, I used the boots for all 200 miles and didn't use vetwrap and didn't have a single rub anywhere on either horse - the new gaiters on these work great.  I'll post more later, right now it's time to go join the New Year's party!  Happy New Year everyone!!! 

January EasyCare Trivia Contest

Starting on January 1, 2008 - EasyCare is going to have a new Trivia Contest!  There will be several winners who will receive a pair of the new Easyboot Edge hoof boots!  The best way to find out about the contest and how to enter is to subscribe to the EasyCare Newsletter, or visit the EasyCare 2008 Trivia page.   Good luck to those that enter!

Patches the Pony

Gift ideas for the horse person

Here is a fun idea for a gift for a horse person.  A custom made braided horse hair bracelet made out of their favorite horses tail hair.  Now is the time to plan ahead for the next special occasion. 

Quote of the day

Drive-in banks were established so most of the cars today could see their real owners.  E. Joseph Cossman

It's the little things that make us happy

Here is an article from the M.A.P. Maker blog on what makes us happy. 

It's so true - for example today the best part (besides getting the last piece of pumpkin pie and getting to sleep in) was getting to watch my horses play and interact together.  They all have such distinct personalities and it's fun watching them do silly things and also knowing to some degree how they are going to react to each other in different situations.  The weather is cold and breezy today and that invariably makes the boys all very frisky!  The two horses going to Death Valley tomorrow (Chief and Tig) are the most energetic and were rearing and jumping in the air the most, spinning and galloping in circles around Rocky and Zenos.  I'm definitely happy to see them all having fun and am excited and looking forward to getting to ride this next week. 

We got Tigger's feet trimmed up yesterday (and Chief the day before).  This time was probably the best that Tig has been with his feet and I don't recall any raised voices or bad language. ;^)  Time and patience is paying off and we are making great progress!  Sometimes you don't realize how good you've got it (with horses that are all excellent about their feet being handled) until you get one that isn't.  I've got Tig and Chief's boots already packed, all broken in and with dome comfort pads in that are also broken in.  The new gaiters are working out fantastic too, Tig has not had any rubs from them (we aren't using vetwrap because he wouldn't cooperate real well - but turns out, he doesn't need it). We are so ready for this ride! 

This time of year is difficult with the shorter daylight and winter weather to do as much outside, so getting away to a warmer (for us) climate for a few days is always something to look forward to.   Here is a photo of Chief taken from a previous Death Valley ride, on the 31st of December - he gets to celebrate too by wearing a party hat.  As usual, I'm bringing the party hats for the horses so if anybody is going and wants one, come and see me!  Chief wants to wish all of his equine buddies a Happy New Year!  He hopes they all stay healthy and sound and get to enjoy life's little pleasures in the coming year! 

I am horses video

Getting ready for the Death Valley Encounter

Today was a perfect day weather wise to get out and get in a ride on Chief.  We've been making sure his boots and dome pads are all broken in for Death Valley.  I can't use new pads in his boots on an actual endurance ride, or the boots will turn.  It's funny that happens, as the boots won't turn without the pads, or after they've been broken in some. 

I'm glad that I have nice weather for packing the trailer!  I still have quite a lot to get done.  The horse tack (that can be) is in the dishwasher right now, or in the washer.  I've already got the horse trailer pressure washed inside and out, and all of the LQ bedding and other stuff washed and put back.  Still gotta make the bed in the goosneck, and get the fridge packed.  Can't fill up water until before we leave or else it'll freeze.  Tire pressures and fluids everywhere have been checked, so we should be good to go vehicle wise.  Only last maintenance check will a trim on Tigger's hooves - Chief got his done yesterday.

Death Valley starts on December 28th.  I'm planning on doing the 50's all four days, for 200 miles total and alternating Chief and Tigger.  Here are some photos from a previous year.   This ride marks the start of the 2008 AERC ride season for us. 

The Christmas Eve Myth

This is great!

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas :). 

What's your New Year's Resolution?

I just have a short list. 

1)  Spend more time on the back of a horse.  For a lot of reasons, it keeps me healthy and fit (and the horses too).  The best ideas I ever get come from the back of a horse and not from the inside of an office. Like this one. 

2)  Make new mistakes.  Once I've made a mistake I need to get over it and learn from it, then go see what else I can learn by making a totally new and different mistake.  I figure that based on all of the mistakes I"ve made so far and will likely continue making that someday I'm gonna be pretty smart.  ;)

3)  Keep in touch more frequently with friends and family, especially the ones that don't have email.  Might as well use up more of those free night and weekend and mobile to mobile minutes! 

4)  Don't take things too seriously.  Life is short.

Here is a great list from the Career Counselor:  Ten New Year's Resolutions to Improve Your Career and Boost Happiness. 

Quotation on Ideas

Great ideas often look identical to stupid ones right up until the moment they work.   Scott Adams

Do you use instant messaging at work?

Here is an article from Sales Team Tools on 10 reasons to use instant messaging.   While it is directed towards sales, I find that it is really a useful tool for me at work.  Since I am a remote employee, it enables me to keep up at the home office and really does speed up our efficiency and reduces the amount of emails and phone calls.  We use Google Talk.  It also allows images to be sent back and forth which I love because they go into a google talk images folder versus into my over bulging email attachments folder.

Click here to view the 2008 EasyCare catalog and brochure.  They contain some of the images that we send back and forth through GT. 

Movies, books

I recently added my Netflix movie queue in a side column.  It is pretty cool how Netflix works.  You can select movies that you want to see, and they send them to you.  Watch them, send them back and then they send the next one in your queue.  Everybody at work got a subscription, so we have been trying it out.  It has been working pretty well, with the only flaw being human error in choosing sucky movies now and then :^).  If anybody has any good movies to suggest, leave a comment and let me know.  For now I'm letting Dave pick them out, since my track record isn't so great.  But then, I have to admit to not having a long enough attention span to watch one all the way through if it doesn't get my attention.  I can't stop myself from going out to the barn, or picking up the laptop, or the phone rings...  We just saw this one, which wasn't too bad but Dave actually fell asleep and I had to tell him what happened! 

I've also been keeping my book list fairly up to date.  I don't always remember to put all the books in the list that I read or listen to, but I get most of them.  I'm always looking for more recommendations, especially audio books.  I get most of my audio books from the library, and from audible.com.  I love to read and would rather do that than watch a movie, so I would love to hear some recommendations of good books too. 

The Essentials of Backcountry Horseback Riding

Here is a good article titled "Getting Prepared for the Ride of Your Life - The Essentials of Backcountry Horseback Riding.

Christmas Lights Gone Wild

XP Year End Results

2007 Year End Ride Results and Stats are completed and on the XPrides.com website.

2007 Rider Mileage

2007 Ride Statistics

Let me know if you see any errors.  Congratulations to all of the riders and horses!  There were no Gold Medal horses in 2007. 

New adverse effects found in commonly used horse drugs

Commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflamatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as "Bute" can retard the healing of damaged tissue in the gut, US researchers have discovered.  Click here to read the rest of this article.

Team Easyboot Selections Made

Here is info with a list of Team Easyboot members for 2008!

EasyCare Hoof Boots & AERC National Mileage Results for 2007

Congrats to everybody who did well in this years AERC and AERA ride seasons!  Unless an error is spotted somewhere in the results, these will be the final standings.  Looks like we had three riders who are competing bare-booted finish in the top ten in the AERC National Top Ten mileage standings.  That is pretty cool!  These riders used Easyboots, Epics or Bare hoof boots all season long. 

Those three are:

Karen Chaton

W

Granite Chief+/

Arabian

G

1370

	Dave Rabe	W	Lightning Strike	Arabian	G	1120
	Terri Tinkham	W	Oliver Twist	Tennessee Walker	G	1120

To learn more about EasyCare's $10,000 hoof boot contest, click here!  Enter now for the 2008 season - you never know what you could end up winning in the way of cash and prizes.   

I won something on horsegirltv.com!

Today was my lucky day!!

I won this in the Holiday Wish List Giveaway at horsegirltv.com!  Here is a link to the horsegirltv blog. 

If you want to sign up for your chance to win stuff, you can do that here. 

I'm thrilled that I won something - and am sure that the horses will no doubt enjoy the treats!

When is dead grass safer to graze?

Click here to download entire article in .pdf

 

Do you try this hard?

Check out the rest of the photos of this determined snail!  Do you put out this much effort to get the things done that you want to accomplish? 

Death Valley Encounter, December 2007

Death Valley is fast approaching!  I updated the SRR website tonight with the most current information on the ride.  If you are going, check out the ride info page.  If you haven't already, please submit a ride entry application here.   Here are some photos from a previous year.

The course will essentially be the same as last year; the camps will all be the same with most of the trail being the same.  It will be slightly different on the last day.  There will be a New Year's Party with a live band! (versus a dead band? hmmm....)  Anyway - what better way to ring in 2008 than by partying all night (or, like many....zzzzzzz....ing by midnight!) -- after riding 50 miles every day for four days!  Yah! 

NEW RIDE - for those of you planning your 2008 ride schedule, there is a new 2 day ride in the Pacific South region.  This one is called Bar H and is near Ontario, California and is a 50/50 on February 2 and 3, 2008.  If you would like info on the ride please email Grit. 

Ten Tips on How to Fit Your Dome Comfort Pads Into Your Easyboot Epics

This also works for fitting EasyCare Dome Comfort Pads into other EasyCare hoof boots and should go very well in Old Mac G2's; they will also fit with trimming into original Old Mac's, Boa Horse Boots, and EasySoakers.  These pads may work in other manufacturers boots too, like Cavallo's Simple Boot, or Davis Soaking boot, possibly a Marquis hoof boot - if there are any others, let me know.  These dome comfort pads will soon be available in a size 1 which will fit the most common size Easyboot.  Easyboot sizing is the same for regular Easyboots, Epics, Bares, Grips and the Custom boot.  More information on pad sizing can be found at the bottom fo this post. 

TEN TIPS FOR CUSTOMIZING DOME COMFORT PAD FIT INTO AN EASYBOOT, EPIC, BARE, GRIP, OR CUSTOM EASYBOOT 

Horse Quotation

When you're young and you fall off a horse, you may break something.  When you're my age, you splatter.  ~Roy Rogers

Caring for horses in winter, and "dang I forgot to drain the hose and it froze!"

Here is an article on winter horse care.  Equisearch also has a nice collection of articles on winter horse care.

I have a bad habit of forgetting to drain the water hose on the nice days.  Then the weather changes and lo and behold - frozen water hose!  Ughhh.  Last night I had to bail a couple of buckets of water into the big trough to keep my fish happy.  Fortunately I have two large water troughs - but for some reason the horses like to drink out of the trough with the fish in it.  The other heated trough was about 7/8 full.

I managed to get all of the troughs topped off today, and the hose drained.  I'm going to be in Tucson for work for the next few days and I am certain that my husband wouldn't have appreciated having to fill up troughs with buckets because the hose was frozen.

It has been staying cold enough here that the snow still has not melted.  The horses all have thick coats this year. It's great for keeping them warm, but makes conditioning them in the winter time a challenge.  If I bring them in as the sun sets and they wet with seat I'll put a polarfleece blanket/sheet on them followed by a warmer insulated blanket.  I'll feed and then in about an hour or two they are usually dried off enough that I can slip the bottom fleece blanket out and leave the other one on them overnight if the temps are low.  I like to try and curry their backs and sides to get the hair to fluff back up as well. 

EasyCare History - Hoof Boots Have Come a Long Way Baby!

I mean that literally!  If we were to say that hoof boots have been ridden a million miles, it would be a huge understatement.

Read more about EasyCare here, including the Company Mission Statement.

This photo is of EasyCare, Inc. owner Garrett Ford, and Neel Glass -- the inventor of Easyboots.  To learn more about EasyCare History click the link below.  The article is from April, 1995.

Where in the World IS Bernie Harberts and Mule Polly?

Bernie and Mule Polly are traveling from Mexico to Canada.  Click here to read Bernie's website for more information on where they are and their most recent adventures!  www.riverearth.com

Look below to view a video of Bernie and Polly visiting a drive-in theatre!  Bernie uses Easyboots on Polly - you can find information on his website with photos showing how he modifies them to work on mule feet.  It looks like they are having a lot of fun, and isn't Polly beautiful?  Be sure to check out Bernie's new book "Too Proud to Ride a Cow".

Educational Articles relating to horses and endurance riding

I have a page of links to a lot of information relating to endurance and rider education.  Click here. 

Here is an example of one of the articles that you can find there.   It is about worming, something we all need to be aware of if we have horses. 

I try to worm my horses on the first of every other month.  Sometimes it doesn't work out that way due to the competition schedule.  I don't like to worm a horse within two weeks of a competition.  That can make it rather difficult at times!

I also like to do a Panacur purge worming on them once a year.  Or on any new horse.  Some horses really flourish after having it done. 

You can see in many of the recent photos I've been posting that my horses carry good weight.  I think having a good worming and health maintenance schedule for them contributes to that.

Easyboot Grips Photo Album

I put a lot of the photos that my husband took today of us riding in the snow into a photo album.  So check it out!  I'm riding Granite Chief (who is grey), and Dave R. is riding Tigger (who is bay) - we had a great time playing in the snow.  The horses were both really amped up and really full of energy. 

We did do a lot of hill work, some of it pretty steep which is hard to tell in the photos.  Both horses were really confident going up and especially down - the Easyboot Grips definitely helped with that! 

This photo shows Dave and Tigger going up a hill.  Chief and I had already gone up and come back down it.  This is great experience for little "t", and he handled it all very well.  I love any horse that can stay upright in these conditions!

If  you have similar conditions that you ride in, check out this post showing how another user installed boot studs on their Easyboot Grips.  If you do go out to ride in slippery conditions, be extra cautious and careful.  Some horses take longer than others to learn how to go through challenging footing - regardless of what kind of hoofwear they have on.  Even if a horse lives at high elevation and lives in mud and snow conditions that doesn't prepare them for handling carrying a rider over challenging terrain. 

Today I could feel that Chief was very confident coming back down the steep hills (why walk when you can trot?) - partly due to his experience but also because the boots help with his traction.  Even Tigger who is relatively green seemed to be quite confident and did well with no slipping.  I still know that he doesn't have the experience in mud and snow that Chief has, so will be extra cautious with him until he does.

I'm not qualified to tell anybody how to ride, especially in challenging conditions but I can tell you to take a deep breath and try to stay calm and relaxed when you do get into technical footing.  If you aren't confident enough, get off and lead.  If your horse does fall, better to do it without you.  Sometimes getting off will help your horse calm down a little (mine does).  If your horse slips, and stays upright consider it a learning experience - until a horse actually DOES slip and slide in multiple situations, they haven't yet mastered how to go through that kind of a situation.  Horses (and people) can slip and fall (and do) all the time in perfect conditions, with perfect footing. 

 

Chief and I got to ride in the clouds today!

We had a great ride in the snow today.  We got to ride with our heads in the clouds!  It was such a great day to ride in the snow, with a bit of mud here and there.  The horses both did great, they got a good workout with all of the hill work we did.  You can see some of the photos the clouds that later we are above, in the top photo.  Chief and Tigger both wore four Easyboot Grips, which work super great in these conditions.  Neither horse slipped anywhere.  I like the Grips in these conditions because they work a lot like snow tires.