Karen's EasyCare & Endurance Musings

Book Review - Soul of a Horse

I recently read a pre-release copy of The Soul of a Horse: Life Lessons from the Herd by Joe Camp.  It comes out on April 29, 2008, and can be pre-ordered.  Click here for more information.

Joe does a great job telling a story and if you didn't know it already, once you read this book you'll know (even if you aren't a 'horse' person) how much these incredible animals can affect our lives in so many wonderful ways.  Plus you'll come away with a new way of looking at how what we do affects them especially when it comes to building a solid foundation (training), healthcare, hoofcare and living conditions. 

It was great to re-live the "new to horses" feelings all over again.  Especially through the eyes of somebody that does such a great job letting us feel all of the emotional excitement, drama, reward, fear and other emotions and feelings that we all get from our horses.    

The book is a mix of fact and fictional tales - both of which will keep you reading until the very end.  I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anybody who likes animals, especially horses.  It would make a great gift too.  I can't imagine anybody reading this book and not both smiling, laughing, and shedding a tear or two. 

Listen to any music you like - for free!

Here is a fun website - online radio that will let you listen to anything you want, online.  You can choose by artist, song, genre, etc.   http://www.pandora.com/

AERC Convention News: Get your Easyboots fixed and help AERC Trails at the same time!

If you are going to be attending the AERC convention and tradeshow in Reno February 29-March 1, 2008 please stop by the EasyCare booth and visit with us!  Chief and I will be there and will be able to answer your questions and show you all of our tricks and tips on using EasyCare boots.

If you let us know now what parts you need, we will be happy to repair your Easyboot, Epic, Bare, Grip or Custom boot (2005 and newer models, so no riveted/older boots).  All we ask is that you make a donation to the AERC trails fund.  Keeping our trails open is very important and we need to do everything we can to help make a difference.

Ride Across the Americas - An Epic Journey with Easyboots!

We just received a letter from Vladimir Fissenko about the movie that is in the works and will be released in several film festivals in the US.  He also included a DVD for us to see.  The movie is about their expedition.  He finishes the letter with this note:  "Thanks to Easyboots our expedition was so much easier and relaxing.  Best regards, Vladimir"

For more information on long distance horseback riding treks, check out the Long Riders Guild.

Louis Bruhnke & Vladimir Fissenko            

In January of 1988, Louis (American) and Vladimir (Russian) began their voyage on horseback starting from the Tierra del Fuego and finishing 29,000 km farther in mid-September of 1993 on the edges of the Artic Ocean in Alaska (Prudhoe Bay).

At least one Criollo made the trip with them. It is interesting to note that during the trip, they used Easyboots rather than traditional horseshoes. They had excellent results with the Easyboots, and thus avoided dependance on local horseshoers.         

Vladimir is, to our knowledge, the only long-distance rider to come out of Russia.

Team Easyboot

I'm thinking of setting up a way to qualify riders to ride on "Team Easyboot" for one of the next upcoming point to point endurance rides.  I'm just starting to plan it out now, for 2008 and 2009.  If you have any ideas, suggestions, or recommendations of riders who are using our products successfully and would be interested in this let me know. 

Suggestions:  we could do one team, or more than one team.  It could be based on riders in certain regions, or with certain breeds of horses, shod, or unshod.  Riders making the team would be eligible to receive benefits of being on Team Easyboot such as having their ride entries or other expenses covered. 

Interested in a career in natural hoofcare?

Now is your opportunity!  All students entering the Equine Sciences Academy will be eligible to apply for an EasyCare Scholarship in the amount of $1,000.00. 

Airborne

Click here to get a free sample of Airborne.  I use this when I travel and think it's great. 

Lighting the Torch - Horse wearing Old Mac's :)

Horse in dramatic stunt at Asian Games opening ceremony -- using EasyCare Hoofboots!

Click here (or view below) to read the press release on: Horse in dramatic stunt at Asian Games opening ceremony.  Specifically this part:  The horse, with specially adapted shoes for extra grip, slowed momentarily halfway up the ramp, but continued on to complete the stunt.

These photos came with a comment from Steven Jeffrey: "beyond a shadow of a doubt, Old Mac does the job"!

Yes that's right - the horse was wearing EasyCare Old Mac's G2 boots!  Click to enlarge photos.

   

Horses, Boots, Equissentials, riding

Had a nice ride today on Zenos.  I started out riding him in some competitors hoof boots.  To make a long story short, let's just say that Z was not impressed.  They didn't hold up very long and I ended up putting regular old Easyboots on him, which stayed on even when we galloped on the trail.  They fit him well.  I'm sure the other boots have their place, but they aren't going to hold up to the kind of use I would put them through. 

I just got a pair of riding tights from Equissentials.  They are awesome!  Below are some photos of them, with me riding Zenos in the arena.  Very comfortable, and I love how they zip on the side to go over the top of my boots.  I also really like the leather seat. 

Custom Easyboots Available

Click here to read more about the new Custom Easyboots.  It's pretty cool that you can order your horses hoof boots any way you want them!

Happy Anniversary to me! (and EasyCare)

Wow, can you believe I've been working for EasyCare for a whole year already!  Time flies when you are having fun!!  We've accomplished a lot in the last year but for me the most exciting part is that I think we have so much more potential and opportunity ahead of us. 

Just as soon as I get a few more things taken care of this morning, I'm going to celebrate by going out and riding a horse for a couple of hours this afternoon. 

God Jumps

Click below to continue reading.  This is really good.

What a performance!

Last-Minute Procrastinators Gift Guide

The Ultimate Procrastinators Christmas Shopping Guide

Great Photo of where NOT to be!

Check this out.

Other Horse Blogs

Here is a link to another blog about barefoot hoofcare, check it out!  If you know of links to any other horse related blogs that are interesting, please feel free to post their links in the comments section here. 

EasyCare has a few blogs that some of you might find interesting -- Dr. Tomas Teskey on the topic of natural hoofcare (feel free to visit the blog and email Dr. Teskey with questions), Garrett Ford's "From the Horse's Mouth -- lots of inside scoop stuff there, and the Customer Help Desk blog, another place you can go if you have questions about using EasyCare hoof boots.

Best Inventions of 2006

TIME Best Inventions 2006

Angie's Book is now available

You can order your copy of The Lighter Side of Endurance Riding and have something to laugh about next week!  This book will also be a great gift for any horse person that competes in a distance sport or trail rides.

Hoof Care Clinic

Click here to download a .pdf with info on the January 2007 Hoof Care Clinic featuring Pete Ramey and Dr. Robert Bowker. 

Or click on this link. 

Just for fun....

Free Horse Health Resource at Your Fingertips

www.TheHorse.com has just made all articles on the site available free to registered users.  After completing the registration process, you can read any of the nearly 7,500 articles on the site.

Death Valley - I'll never look at it the same way again!

At 86 meters (282 feet) below sea level, Death Valley, California, is one of the hottest, driest places on the planet.  On average, the area sees only about 5 centimeters (1.96 inches) of rain a year, and summer temperatures routinely soar above 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).  At night, temperatures drop considerably, and many animals in Death Valley are nocturnal as a result.  Plants and animals living in this punishing environment have had to adapt to extremes of temperature and aridity.

This image is compiled from observations by the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus sensor on the Landsat 7 satellite on June 11 and July 20, 2000.  In this image, green indicates vegetation, which increases with altitude.  The peaks of Death Valley National Park sport forests of juniper and pine.  The dots of brilliant green near the right edge of the image fall outside park boundaries, and probably result from irrigation.  On the floor of the valley, vegetation is sparse, yet more than 1,000 different species eke out an existence in the park, some of them sending roots many feet below ground.  The varying shades of brown, beige and rust indicate bare ground; the different colors result from varying mineral compositions in the rocks and dirt.  Although they appear to be pools of water, the bright blue-green patches in the scene are actually salt pans that hold only a little moisture.

Image credit: NASA    

Pucker Point at Tevis

I found this video at youtube.com   I'm going to try and embed it here - if that doesn't work for you here is the link.  There are also a lot of videos at youtube.com on using hoof boots.

Riding in Regular Easyboots -- and trying a new saddle!

I have to admit I'm a little surprised that Chief's Easyboots have stayed on.  I'm trying a new FreeForm Saddle on him (it's pretty comfy, and I think it fit him perfectly!), so got him out on the trail again tonight.  I had left his boots on last night and while he was turned out today.  When I rounded him up he had been in the muddy pasture and came out with his boots still on, and covered in mud past his pasterns. 

He  home from our ride tonight with the boots on -- wouldn't be a big deal but this horse previously could not keep a regular Easyboot on!  When I took them off the one with the cloth tape seemed to be stuck a bit more than the carpet tape (both tapes are 2-sided).  I am sure the heat helped with melting the glue to the boot and the hoof.  I am looking foward to riding the other horses and seeing if the boots stay on them with the 2 sided tape, and also seeing how the FreeForm works on them.  Chief is the one that has to give final approval if it will work though, he has the shortest back, and will probably continue to be ridden the most.

The Lighter Side of Endurance Riding

Pre-orders are being taken now for copies of Angie McGhee's new book.  If you've read her articles in EN or Trail Blazer you know this will be a great read -- and will also make a great gift.

Beet Pulp Safety Warning (aka the famous squirrel story)

This story is great!  Written by Susan Garlinghouse, DVM -- about her squirrel William (who was a she). 

EasyCare is looking for photos!

We're putting together a 2007 Calendar and are looking for a few good photos!  If you've got a good photo of your horse or horses and your horse is using our hoof boots, or perhaps you are riding in our EZ Ride stirrups -- please submit it to us for consideration!  It needs to be horizontally shaped like the photo below.  This photo is of Carol Layton from Australia. 

Photo by Main Event Photography

There goes the entire EasyCare advertising budget!

Here are a couple of questions to ponder.....

• Will anybody notice that the horse in this photo with Paris Hilton is wearing Easyboots?
• How many will even notice the horse (the one wearing Easyboots)?
• Would Paris be embarrassed if she knew the horse was wearing 'last years model' Easyboots?  Oh the horror!

Anyway, I found this on google and thought it was too good not to share. 

Boa Boots in use

Here is Luke and Duke, from Spirit Horse Escape, in Custer, South Dakota--working in their Boa Boots! 

Luke and Duke also happen to be pasture buddies with Weaver :)

Hoofboot Upgrade Program

We have a great new program worth kicking our heels up about!  You can trade in your old non-EasyCare brand hoofboots and get a new pair of Easyboots, Epics, Bares, Old Mac's, Old Mac's G2 or Boa Hoof Boots for 50% off! 

Here are the details

This is a link to the form you'll need to fill out if you'd like to take advantage of this special program.

That Which Does Not Kill You...

You can run.  You can hide.  But into every life a little mayhem must descend.

Outside Magazine has some great adventure stories at this link.

It helps to put things into perspective.  Especially when you have horses, things aren't always going to go as planned.  It does really make you appreciate when things go right though, doesn't it?

Aztrek - 800 Miles on the Arizona Trail

Wouldn't this be fun! 

"What will it take for two 55-year-old women to ride 800 miles of the most diverse and perilous trail in the lower 48?  To ride day after week after month, keeping riders and horses mentally, metabolically and mechanically sound to complete the journey?

It will take courage, commitment, cunning, and a spirit as wild as the Arizona trail.

The only way we can finish this journey is if we have the best horses, the best equipment and supplies, the best support crew, a very calculated plan, and the support and prayers of all of our families and friends."