EasyCare Customer Help Desk

Hiking in Arizona

This past Saturday, several of EasyCare's staff members got together and hiked one of the many beautiful trails in our nearby mountain range. The Santa Catalina Mountains offer some really great scenery and challenging hiking.

We started in the Catalina State Park and headed to the Romero Canyon Trail. This would take us to Romero Pools. For some of us, this was a first time adventure.

The trail was beautiful as we had gotten enough rain for the vegetation to still be vibrant and green! We even met up with a desert tortoise crossing our path on the way back down.

The trail starts out on the desert floor and then climbs steeply over the rocky north side of Montrose Canyon. On top, the views are beautiful, there are some great rock formations, and it really took some effort to get there! Then the trail winds down the other side to reveal some very pretty and inviting pools with water.....yes, water in the desert!

On the way up and back down, we met several hikers, young and old. If you decide to go, leave at sun up, take lots of water and take a camera!

Soft Touch Natural Horse Care Clinic

Are you planning on going barefoot in the near future, or have you already gone barefoot and need some training on trimming your horses? If so, here is a clinic you don't want to miss. It is being held in Astoria, Oregon on Oct 25/26 2008 with Instructor Phil Morrare, pictured here underneath a client's horse! Hello Phil, from EasyCare! Phil has been working with horses for 40 years or better and in 1991 he discovered natural horsemanship methods, and the rest is history.

The Abrasive Trim Clinic for barefoot horses is done in two days with either day being optional.  The first day is an introduction to natural trimming guidelines, lecture and discussion followed by a demonstration.

The second day each participant will have the opportunity to trim their own horse or a borrowed one under Phil's close supervision.

For details please contact Linda Brim at (503) 325-1562 or 503-325-0916 and for more information on abrasive trimming visit Phil Morrare's website www.softouchnaturalhorsecare.com. Happy Trails!

Why Barefoot Horses?

Joe Camp has created different 3 minute videos and this is just one of these videos which pertains to the barefoot horse and why your horses should be barefoot.   If you are new to barefoot horses, review these previous blogs on "Horses Dancing Barefoot" and Joe Camp's Book.   

Joe Camp is just one of the many individuals who has transitioned to the barefoot regime.  Read all of the educational blogs posted to EasyCare Inc's website and other materials on going barefoot.  If you are New to Boots, you can always contact us for additional information and answers to any of your questions.

One of our most important educational links, is "Which Boot is Right for You".   This link will help you make that decision in regards to the style of boot for you and your riding partner. 

"New Strategies for Going Bare" from Horse & Rider

The link below is to a very informative article entitled "New Strategies for Going Bare", that was published in the August issue of Horse & Rider magazine.  The article talks about several options available to horse owners once they decide to go barefoot and pull their horse's shoes.  The options range from casting to new innovations in hoofboots. Garrett Ford, president of EasyCare and Pete Ramey, a leading expert in the field of natural hoofcare, talk about the exciting new products coming soon from EasyCare such as a new hoofboot with a lighter weight and streamlined profile,  a glue-on boot option; built-in padding; and a range of traction variations.   To keep up to date on upcoming products from EasyCare, check out Garrett's blog From the Horse's Mouth!

If you would like to subscribe to Horse&Rider click here.

ABC Barefoot Trimming & Hoofcare Clinic Nov 7-9

EasyCare is happy to spread the word about a barefoot trimming and hoofcare clinic coming soon!  It will be held in the Eureka, CA area and presented by Cheryl Henderson and Laura Vaughan of ABC Hoofcare on November 7-9, 2008.  Participants will learn anatomy, discover how to trim the hoof by understanding the internal structures, and how the capsule can affect them.  They will also learn tool handling and trimming techniques, as well as getting hands on education.  If you would like more information regarding this clinic, please find information at their website by clicking here.

Riding in Old Mac's and Bares

These great photos were sent in to us by one of our Hoof Care Practitioners, Vickey Hollingsworth of High Performance Hoof Care in Clintonsville, Wisconsin.

These pictures are of Vickey and some friends on a 16 mile ride in the beautiful woods of Wisconsin. These horses are wearing their hoof boots and enjoying the adventure.

Happy Trails from High Performance Hoof Care!!!!

Old Mac Boots Prove They Work!

                                                                  

Hi All,

I run a horse program for at-risk and disabled kids. I started using Old Mac's about 12 years ago, when not very many people even knew about them. I ride alot and I ride hard, my horse gives me 100 + 10%. She is also a Foundation Appaloosa and has very bad feet and thin hair. I tried everything to fix the cracks and pain she was having on the trail, and even in shows. I spent hundreds of dollars on therapeutic trims, special boots, pads, ugh! I would look at her in the pasture and wish I could put a pair of good hiking boots on her. I just knew that would help her and fix her feet problems. Then, in the back of an old magazine, I saw this little ad for Old Mac's. BINGO! I saw the price and cringed, but, after all the money I'd thrown away on farrier "fix-its", I was willing to take the chance. All my trail buddies laughed at my horse in the fat, black shoes. She even walked like a Tennessee Walker for a few yards, but in one ride, these boots told me all I would ever need to know about their quality and healthful benefits to the horse.

I am now going for my B.A. in Equine Science and can clearly see the healthfulness of the boot. Metal shoes do not let the hoof flex as it hits the ground, Old Mac's do. Metal shoes cause irritation, concussion and all sorts of unnatural issues which lead to navicular, rotated coffin bone, and so much more. I use Old Mac's on every horse on my farm, and I have nine. I teach the benefits of Old Mac's and being able to remove them when not in use. I sent a picture of me and my first pair of Old Mac's, which I can honestly say have logged more than 10,000 miles. There is no better hoof covering on the market for your pocket book, or your horse's health.

Sincerely,

Yvette Ludwar, Owner and Operator of Native Horsemanship, Sequim, WA.

P.S. all my trail buddies who used to laugh at me...they all wear Old Mac's now!

Photographer: Terry Ludwar

 

A Helpful Tip From Our Warehouse

Have you ever gotten back from a ride, removed the boots and wondered how to clean the Velcro? Our warehouse personnel have been using a simple cat brush (their own Velcro Cleaner) on the Velcro to remove grass, hair and whatever else is stuck. They use it on both the hook and loop sides of the Velcro. This can also rejuvenate that loop side as well.

If you have seeds or small sticks still stuck in the Velcro, try using a steel brush. A little metal brush just a bit bigger than your toothbrush works wonders as well.

So go to your local pet shop and pick up your cat brush to clean your Velcro.  You can use it on the gaiter for the Easyboot Epic, Easyboot Bare, and Easyboot Grip. The best one to use it on however, is the Old Mac or Old Mac G2. Don't forget that the Ice Boots and the Stowaways also have Velcro and this helpful tip can be used on them as well. 

The Good,The Bad And The Gaited

Here's some great information for all you Tennessee Walking Horse fans and/or owners.  Log on to www.pleasuregaits.com where you will find a world of information about this great establishment that promotes the Tennesse Walking Horse in Europe where,unlike the USA, it is a rare breed to find. That's where Sandra van den Hof, Centered Riding Instructor, comes in. Sandra is one of the few TWH breeders in Europe. Based in Belgium, Pleasure Gaits promotes, imports, breeds, trains and sells TWH's with old bloodlines for which they are originally bred for. Sandra is a strong advocate for humane treatment of horses and has spent most of her life caring for animals in need of special attention or care, and is a strong supporter of the barefoot horse. For complete information on available workshops and clinics, which begin with the introduction to TWH's, Balance and Understanding, to name a few, be sure to visit their website.

The beautiful pictures of Pleasure's Pot o' Gold show barefoot and brideless. All of their Walking Horses are barefoot, and as you can see, they gait up a storm!

Click on to EasyCare's testimonials for gaited horses, barefoot or using EasyCare hoof boots, for some great reading!

Brenda Lee and Her Boa Boots

If you have ever wondered about the functionality of boots on large draft type horses, just watch this video on the use of  Boa boots on a Shire mare. The boots are actually helping her with comfort because of an incident that occurred from steel shoe use.

To see how awesome Brenda moves with the boots on, is very exciting! She wears a size 7 Boa boot, and that is a really large boot. The largest size that we make at this time is size 8 in the Boa boot style. These success stories are what keeps EasyCare striving to come up with styles and sizes to accommodate the large variety of equine sizing out there.

Thank you Brian Reid and Brenda for sharing your success!

Analyze Your Hay or Hair for Nutritional Content

Have you ever wondered how nutritional your hay is? Check out this site and all the offerings to find out what your hay contains and what it is missing. If you buy your hay from the same supplier, this is a great test to do twice a year. That way you can gauge the consistency of your supplements in your feeding program.

They also have a hair analysis that you can do to find out what your horse needs or doesn't need. The hair analysis tells a lot about your horse and what is going on with his body. The old saying "you are what you eat" certainly pertains to horses.

Both of these tests can help you to determine what minerals are lacking or in over abundance. Very helpful to get your feeding program in line with the needs of your equine partner. Who knows, it may help with an ongoing issue that your horse is having where he/she is getting too much or not enough of a very needed mineral.

There are many more educational bits of interest for you to view at this site.

Texas Horse Evacuation Alert

CALL 211 TO FIND OUT WHERE TO TAKE YOUR HORSES AHEAD OF HURRICANE IKE

Horse owners evacuating for Hurricane Ike should call 211 for the latest information on available facilities open for emergency sheltering for livestock and pets.

• "The 211 operators assist evacuees with other information, and operational animal shelters are another important piece of information the operators can provide evacuees," said Dr. Matt Cochran, Emergency Management Veterinarian with the Texas Animal Health Commission, the state's livestock and poultry health regulatory agency.

The operators will have information on which sale barns, expo centers and show grounds can shelter livestock, including horses, during emergencies. 

The Texas State Animal Resource Team work with animal care organizations to assist local communities to provide emergency shelters for companion animals such as dogs and cats. 

Equine-guided Education

Created by a Utah horseman named Greg Kersten, equine-assisted learning is a relatively new therapeutic process.  Equine-guided Education, also known as equine-assisted learning and equine-assisted professional development, is a relatively new field of experiential learning for corporate, professional and personal development.

Businesses are always looking for ways to have their employees improve their teamwork, creativity and especially communication skills.  The use of horses serve as metaphors for personal obstacles and challenges. 

Depending on what company is providing the education, each exercise is aimed at using teamwork to solve problems.  Also individuals attend these to help solve their own personal problems.  Why are they using horses?  They say horses are good at reflecting human behavior.   It is like looking at a huge mirror.  When the horse responds, the individual is really looking at their own emotions.   The things that go on in the arena parallels life itself.

According to the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association in the last six years, the practice has become increasingly popular and is spreading  throughout the world.    This organization provides education standards, innovation and support to professionals who offer the therapy.  In the last year, more than a thousand people have become members of the association. 

Does your own horse reflect you and mirror your actions?  Take a step back and see if your problems handled today may have been handled differently before you became a horse owner. 

House Plants and Your Health

House plants do more than just brighten up a room with color and living energy, they bring real health benefits to your body.

By decorating with 15 to 18 "good sized" house plants in 6-8 inch diameter containers for an 1,800 square foot house, you can remove 87% of air toxins in 24 hours.

The following plants are most effective in removing potentially harmful chemicals  including those in paints, varnishes, dry cleaning fluids, car exhaust fumes and tobacco smoke from the air in your home.

Any of these will dramatically do the job.... Dragon tree, Ivy, Ficus, Philodendrons, Spider plants, Peace Lilies, Ferns, Chrysanthemums and Palms.

September Website Sale!

Are you in need of some new Easyboot Bare boots? Or a great gift idea? Check out this month's special at our EasyCare website.

Buy 1 Bare boot and get the second boot for 1/2 price! That is 50% off of your second boot. You can get up to 2 half price boots in this special. Just follow our easy instructions on the front page of our site for how to enter the promo code BARES at checkout.

This special is good until September 30th, so hurry to participate in this great offer.

Hope to see you out on the trail.......Happy Riding!

Authors Wanted!

EasyCare is looking for people interested in being contributing authors to our newsletter and blogs!  We are looking for hoof care practitioners or experienced boot users who would like to answer booting questions.

If you are interested, please drop us an e-mail at [email protected].

We can't wait to hear from you!

How to Keep your Barefoot Horses Sound

Well, you have pulled the shoes, decided which boot to get from EasyCare during the transition period, and read all of the educational material you could find on having your horse go barefoot.  Now that he/she is barefoot, how do you keep them sound on different terrains?  How do you get that rock crunching hoof you read about? 

The answer:  By creating the same conditions in their everyday living and just like the wild horse, have the domestic horse move more often.  Standing at the water trough or just hanging out at the fence will not get a sound Barefoot Horse.

Jaime Jackson has written a book called: "Paddock Paradise" Paddock Paradise provides a new paradigm for managing the spaces we lock horses into. It's not so much the "space" provided, per se, as how we arrange and manage that space to "trigger" behavioral responses in the horse's mind. --Jaime Jackson

Successful Natural Horse Care has a great website on setting up your own track and this method works for those that want to keep their barefoot horses sound.  The advantages of the track is that it allows the horses to continually move in the track and this is essential for the development and maintenance of the hooves.  Also, this allows companionship as the track is suitable for more than one.  You also get back the center of the field for possibly making your own hay or just for riding. 

Food, water, and shelter are in different places and this will encourage them to move all the time.  Wild horses do not remain in one spot to graze, socialize or play.  They are constantly on the move and this creates the sound barefoot horse. 

Their article "Paddock Paradise Grazing" has alot of interesting facts and ideas about how to start and maintain your own track.   

Remember until your horse is sound on all terrains, extended rides or for protection,  EasyCare Inc has the boots for whatever your needs, terrains or hobby. 

Parade With EasyCare Boots

Here are some great action shots of EasyCare Epics, Bares, and Old Mac G2's at a Memorial Day Parade (Pungo Strawberry Festival in Virginia Beach, Va.)  Hooray for the red white and blue!  They were submitted by Hoof Care Practitioner Kim Vaughn and her beautiful mare Summer Breeze . Kim has had some great experiences with our boots for the barefoot horse and so have her mates! Thank You Kim from EasyCare! 

Tips for Booting Mules

Since there are a lot of mule lovers out there, we have included the article below in our September newsletter on tips for booting your mules.  There is also a special page on our website for all you "long ear" lovers.  It includes tips, photographs and special links that can answer your questions about hoof care. You can click here to see our new mule page.

Mules typically have longer feet than horses, as measured from the toe to the heel buttress.  In addition, they also have steeper angles and larger heel bulbs.  The three biggest challenges that you will face when booting are; sizing the boot, getting the gaiter to fit over the heel bulbs and determining what you can and cannot adjust.

1.  Of all the boots we offer, Bares and Epics work the best.  We have heard success stories with Old Mac's (when used with inserts) but not to the extent of the other two boots.

2.  Proper fit, of course, is of the utmost importance.  (We will talk about the gaiter later.  Later Gaiter!)  Know how to measure and do it twice right after a fresh trim.

3.  Look carefully at the size chart.  The upper end of the measurement on the chart is the actual physical dimension of the inside of the boot.  For example, a size 1 Epic/Bare boot is 4 7/8" wide and 5 1/8" long.  The boot will be too wide if your length exceeds your width by more than one size on the chart.  If this is the case with your mule, we do not recommend the boots.

Riding for Breast Cancer to the Extreme Mustang Makeover 2008

Las Vegas, Nevada, horse trainer, Matt Replogle will be riding 1,200 miles  on his yet un-named Mustang to the Extreme Mustang Makeover in Fort Worth, Texas.  He is inviting other trainers and fans to join him on his journey. 

He not only wants to show the capabilities of the mustang, but he also wants to bring awareness about breast cancer.    Matt said "My goal is to set a new record and in the process demonstrate to the American people how limitless our reach is when we come together as a whole, as in we the people of the United States."

Contributions are being accepted, which includes bids to name the mustang that is taking him to the Extreme Mustang Makeover of 2008.  To follow his trek or contribute to his cause, please visit www.mattreplogle.com.  He currently has a map that shows where he is at the moment.  Take the time to read his blog and learn how he got bitten by a rat that was being eaten by a snake!  Also find out how the mosquitoes are making him look like a body builder. 

If you'd like to contact Matt and ride with him, email him at [email protected] , or call 702-372-8827.  Contributions for the Mustang Heritage Foundation are being accepted, as well as donations to the John Wayne Cancer Institute.