Introduction

Welcome to the new EasyCare Customer Help Blog!  We are here to answer your questions about using our products.  Feel free to ask questions and we'll do our best to respond the same day.  We'll keep you updated on new products and their availability.  Please visit our website for more detailed information on our products. We also have other bloggers -- be sure to check out Garrett's Blog From The Horses Mouth where you can read about new product testing and other Company news, and also Karen's Blog where she talks about endurance riding and all things EasyCare.   

You can also email us with questions or give us a call at: 800-447-8836.

Comments

[Kathy Veder]

Hi,
thank you for sending the catalog. The information that you snailmailed did not include pricing. We need pricing to determine if our appliance built into your boot will be cost effective.

Thanks,
Kathy Veder
Horizon LLC
937-456-6060
[email protected]

[Natalie Herman]

Hi! Figured I would try to use this Blog thing to throw out an idea I have and how many other ppl have thought of it and agree it is needed...
About myself first: I am a farrier on the North Coast of CA and have been delving into barefoot trimming. I also ride endurance and have used easyboots for yrs as a "spare tire" and over shoes as an alternative to pads. I have been expermimenting with one of my endurance horses this year, trying to transition her to barefoot riding. I still need to used four boots on her on rides with rough footing, but she is doing well. This leads into my idea...
On her front hooves she does just fine with Epics (though we occaisionally run into rubbing problems with the gaiters, even the new rolled-top ones) and on the hinds I have started using Bares (which I LOVE so far). The problem is, she "twists" her hind feet on take-off (due to being a little cowhocked/toed out in back) and even with the smallest boot that will stil fit and on the tightest setting (tried Easys, Epics, and Bares), the boot turns on her foot just enough, that the "edge" of the boot (or the "teeth", though that was solved by hammering,grinding, and taping the teeth down) cuts into her coronet. This is also due to her having VERY low heels and her coronet near her heels being right down by the boot edge. It has led to us pulling at our last ride becuase it cut fairly deep.
So, here is my question/idea....with horseshoes, their are both front pattern and hind pattern shoes to fit the slightly differant shapes of those feet...would it be possible to make a "hind pattern" easyboot?? I am pretty sure, that if my mare had a boot that would be more form fitting on her hinds, the boot would not be able to shift on her foot anymore (like an egg in a round bowl, the boots work now, but...close, but no cigar). Has anyone else thhought of this? Is it even feasable to make boots like that (differant feet shapes are maybe harder to fit than a "round" foot)??
Anyway, just a thought. Also...any ideas on how to prevent the twist? I already have pads inside the boots and that made only a minimal differance. Not enough to prevent cuts.
thanks,
natalie

[DDerby]

Hi: My name is Donna and I work for EasyCare as a Customer Service Rep.
First I want to say that I am so sorry for not responding to your blogs sooner than this. This is kind of new to me and took a little to figure out. We have also been extremely busy these last couple weeks, as I mentioned in the post above. Spring is here!

[DDerby]

Some horses fit into one style boot better than another. It would be almost impossible to make boots for every hoof size and shape, you would be custom making them, which would be very expensive as you would need a special mold for each hoof.....but EasyCare keeps trying!!!

[Natalie Herman]

thanks for the reply! I think I finally found a solution, though one that is a bit pricey and takes a bit of effort. I tried pads, cutting down the edges, vetwrapping, etc...
What finally worked to stop the rotation/make a "custom" fit: Vettec's Equipac (the clear pad filler, not the darker, harder materials)
I put the boot on (with a pad in it and sides cut down), then apply vaselin to the coronet band and hair just above (so the goop won't stick there),then have someone hold up a front foot (so hte horse doesn't lift her leg up or move, as the vettec sets up FAST and there is NO room for mistakes...) and then use a screwdriver to pry the boot back from the hoofwall to make room for the vettec nozzle...Then squirt goop in til it comes over the sides (coming over the sides also makes for a "cushion" between the rough edge of the boot and the coronet)...I work the nozzel fore to back in the quarters area of the boot. Then do the same for the other boot. Once the goop sets, it kinda glues the boot in place and also fills in hte gaps in the boot to make a tight 'custom' fit...
After the ride (on a multi-day I just leave the boots on for several days and check visually for rubs under gaiters, etc...I do loosen the gaiters when not riding though) the boot pops off fairly easily (if it sticks a little, just use a screwdriver to lever the boot away from the hoofwall). I clean out the goop stuck to the boot, and am ready to go for the next ride.
I imagine one could use something cheaper, like the silicon stuff from the hardware store or something, but not sure...have only tried the vettec. One tube of it lasts for two rides, though once I get the method down pat (am "spilling" a lot right now still), I ought to get four rides out of a tube..
Feel free to pass this idea on to anyone else having problems with their boots rotating..I have yet to test it at an endurance ride, but it worked on a 3-day training ride/campout really well! If anyone has further Q's on what I do with the boots, email me :)
Natalie

[DDerby]

EasyCare is working on a much less complicated solution to this problem and you should see it soon, but I think it's great that there is so much dedication to making boots and barefoot work for the betterment of our equine friends. Thanks for all the effort that so many folks put into this.
Donna

[Natalie Herman]

Well, If you ever need a tester for something like that, I am more than happy to be a "guinea pig"...I have about 5 actively ridden horses of differant sizes/breeds, incuding gaited (my mare being the most "difficult" to make the boots work on) and I am a farrier and also do barefoot trimming. I have quite a few clients that I am trying to talk into the boots (am thinking of signing up as a dealer with you guys...could you email me info on that?) And since I ride endurance as well, the boots and any modifications would get a very good run through with me...
Natalie