From The Horse's Mouth

Auburn University Update

Can Natural Hoof Care Reverse Laminitis? 

Debra R. Taylor DVM, MS, DACVIM at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine thinks it’s possible, and is doing the research to prove it.  EasyCare, Inc has helped by providing funds and encourages those who have an interest in natural hoof care to do the same.  EasyCare’s donation helps fund intern Adam Cooner. Dr. Taylor is recording and studying the results of natural hoof care on chronic laminitis cases. Hoof care practitioner Pete Ramey is currently traveling to Auburn every three weeks to expand the preliminary study- hopefully to include 50 horses. The study has consistently shown rotation reversal, increased sole thickness and profound improvement in levels of soundness. Several case horses have also demonstrated reversal of distal descent of P3. The goal is to publish this data as a scientific paper; it would be the first time a successful method of reversing chronic laminitis has been published. If you have a laminitic horse you would like to add to the study (and can haul to the University) please contact Dr. Taylor at the vet school. Boarding is available at nearby farms.

"Here are a couple of pictures Dr. Taylor wanted me to send you. These were taken last Monday, when I shadowed Dr. Taylor and her ambulatory students as they followed Pete Ramey to check in on some of his rehab patients (I'm the one decidedly overdressed for ambulatory rounds). They show Pete Ramey reminding us of some hoof anatomy, using the dirt as a chalkboard and his hoof pick as chalk.

-Adam

Dr. Taylor has begun additional studies to prove out the clinical relevance of the research findings of Robert Bowker VMD, PhD.  This summer she will use ultrasonography, cadaver dissection, histology, radiography, MRI and CT to establish parameters for evaluating lateral cartilage and digital cushion development. This preliminary cadaver study will pave the way for a planned study to track the caudal foot development in live horses over time using radiography, ultrasonography, MRI and/or CT.  Currently, there are a limited number of veterinarians in the field that recognize the significance of internal foot development, and its ramifications to the horse’s longevity and soundness.  Experts in the field of hoof imaging, rarely address the anatomy, structure or health of the lateral cartilages, the digital cushion or heel depth when interpreting MRI results on horses with heel pain- in other words, half of the total volume of the foot is rarely taken into consideration.  This study linking Bowker’s cadaver studies to MRI, ultrasound and radiographic parameters should become critical to the future of lameness treatment and prevention.

Click here to see radiographs of two of the cases from a study.

 

Easyboots at the three days of Owyhee

Lots of Easyboot action at the three day Owyhee Endurance Events held by Steph Teeter and gang. 

Christoph Schork from Global Endurance held an Easyboot Clinic that was well attended.  He demonstrated the Easyboot Glue-On application and answered many hoof boot questions. 

Easyboot results for the weekend of racing were frequent and many.  To name a few.

Tennessee Mahoney and her lovely mare Pearl finished the FEI 100 mile event in great shape.  Pearl and Tennessee continue to impress at the FEI events and we have our fingers crossed to make the USA squad!

Tennessee and Pearl.

Christoph Schork and Dian Woodward brought ten horses to the event and had results on all three days.  Horses were ridden by Dian, Christoph and clients.  Global endurance results in Easyboots include 1st, Best Condition and several top tens.

Chris Martin's horse Monk had an impressive finish in the FEI 75 mile event with a second place finish and high vet score.  Chris has been applying Easyboot Glue-Ons with a unique glue called Goober Glue.  Goober Glue sets very nice and gives the horses great cushion and reduces concussion.  Read more about Chris, Monk and Goober Glue here. 

Lindsay and Monk.

Easyboot Glue-Ons with Gorilla Glue and Athletic Tape Removal

I pulled the Easyboot Glue-On shells that I applied with athletic tape and Gorilla Glue.  The whole idea behind the athletic tape and Gorilla Glue is to find a less expensive method to apply shells and also a method that doesn't require any special tools.

The shells were on Flash for roughly a week of very wet conditions.  We did two short rides with Flash and both front boots showed no signs of failure.  When I removed the shells the Gorilla Glue bond was still very solid and I believe would have held the boots for several more days.  The bond does seem a bit less flexible than the Vettec products. 

The Gorilla Glue technique may be a great solution for a long conditioning weekend or a 50 mile event.  I'm not sure if it will work for a 100 mile event, multiday event or week long pack trip.  The tape and Gorilla Glue clean up well and leave the shell ready to apply with less elbow grease.  I'll continue testing.

Here is a quick video showing the removal today. 

EasyCare Endurance Ride in the Durango Colorado Area?

I'm contemplating putting on an endurance event in the Durango, Colorado area in the future.  The single track trails in the area are some of the best in the world and I believe people would return home in awe.

The idea would be to have an EasyCare sponsored event.  An opportunity for EasyCare to support the sport of endurance.  Free or very minimal entry fees, free meals, seasoned vets, great base camp, awesome awards, and incredible trails.  I'll look into bringing it together and possibly including some of the other manufacturers who support AERC.     

I took my mountain bike out yesterday and did a short portion of the Colorado Trail that runs 500 miles from Durango to Denver.  Take a look at the short video I took from my mountain bike.  Imagine riding 50 miles of similar trails on your horse.

Transition Tuesday Week 2

This is the second post of a weekly series called "Transition Tuesday".  Transition Tuesday is written by Kevin Myers and documents the transition from iron shoes to barefoot hoof care and hoof boot use.  Rocky and Far are both seasoned endurance horses and have been in iron shoes for several seasons.  Transition Tuesday's weekly blog posts will document the process and learning curve involved in the transition to natural hoof care.  Feet will change shape, boot fit will improve as feet change and the learning curve will decrease.  The good, the awesome, the not so good, and what happens along the way.  Enjoy!

The Stuff That (Endurance) Dreams Are Made Of

3 Days; 16,000 feet of climbing; 45 miles

There are a few fleeting moments in life when everything comes together just right. This weekend was one such experience. Our ride plans changed mid-trip and we enjoyed a challenging three-day test experiment at Groom Creek in the mountains near Prescott, Arizona.  I’m pleased to report a perfect ten for the glue-ons: I’m convinced.

We had the first rain in Arizona in months for the two days leading up to our departure. The trimmer came out the day before we were to apply the boots to get the hooves looking nice and balanced. For Rocky, the rain and the trim would make him too sore to ride. Far would have no issues with tenderness.

The rain stopped long enough to prepare Far’s feet for the glue-on boots. This horse is now at almost three weeks since his shoes were removed and has adapted nicely to barefoot. His hoof wall is breaking out a little where the nail holes are, but there is nothing that concerns me. The rain seemed not to soften his feet that much, and we set about drying his feet out by using the heat gun on the sole and around the outside of the wall. You can tell when the feet begin to dry because they change color.

The trick is to have everything at hand. Here is a photo of the materials we used to apply the boots.

We cleaned the sole with a wire brush and then used the rasp on the hoof wall. We were not aggressive with the rasping because the trimmer had just been out the day before. These photos show drying the foot with a heat gun and then cleaning it with a wire brush.

This photo shows us rasping the hoof wall.

We followed the EasyCare preparation and glue instructions. One of the things that has prevented me from trying barefoot is my perception of the work involved. I really don’t know why I waited so long. The instructions are easy to follow, and although we were not as efficient with the EquiPak application as Garrett is in the video, I was surprised at how easy it is to do. This photo shows liberal application of the EquiPak Adhere to the inside of the boot.

This photo shows us using a rubber mallet to make sure the boot is snug. The mallet may be overkill, but it is reassuring to know that the boot is completely snug. Once we are more proficient, I suspect a couple of controlled twists to the boot will suffice.

Once the boot was attached, we applied a seal of EquiPak Adhere around the top of the boot and then injected Equipak CS into the base of the boot.

We arrived at the horse camp just before lunch and set off on a ten mile loop up to 7,700 feet. I made sure I stayed in the lead so my riding buddies could let me know when the boots came flying off. It would prove to be a great strategy to be up front for three days, but none of the boots would come off. My only regret was having to slow down for the other two horses who were not in boots: they became foot sore on the rocky trail.  Here are some photos of some of the trail footing and the obstacles we came across.

On Day Two we rode 25 miles across mountain ranges; through shale, across rock, through creeks, mud, sand and roots. We even got lost, and I was wondering if we would make it back to camp, but that is another story. I could not believe the boots stayed on in such challenging terrain, but they did. Here are some photos of more trail obstacles and rocky footing.

This is the view from the look-out tower at 7,700 feet.

I really like how light the boots are – Far was extending out nicely and his breakover was early and easy. The boots are so small and tight-fitting that it was difficult for my riding buddies to tell whether or not the boots were on. Far did not take one sore step on the rocks over the three days

On Day Three, Far’s legs were not stocked like the two shod horses and we rode nine miles at a fast clip. He stretched out more than he had done on the first two days. Some of the trail was sand forest service roads and Far’s hoof print was harder to find than the  prints of the horses with shoes. The prints suggest the boot spreads the weight out more evenly than a shoe does.

I was surprised at how little wear there was on the boots – I will feel very confident trying them at a five-day. Here is a picture at 45 miles of very rocky terrain.

Removing the boots was much easier than I expected. I simply used a flat head screwdriver between the boot and the hoof. Starting at the back, I worked my way around the hoof to the other side. You can hear the glue pulling away from the hoof wall as you work your way around. I then pried the boot off and cleaned out the glue from the sole. Each boot removal was less than seven minutes and I bet I will do it faster with practice. Here are a couple of photos of the removal process: starting by prying the screwdriver between the boot and hoof.

I took a video of removing one of the boots. I think a slightly larger flat-head screwdriver would be even better. The feet seemed fine after four days of being booted. The frog peeled away nicely after removing the boots and the sole still seemed quite hard. Some water had penetrated the boot, but the EquiPak product had kept the boot snug against the hoof wall and sole.

The following photos show the foot once the boot is first removed, and the removal of the remnants of the EquiPak CS & EquiPak Adhere.

This is the boot after removal – you can see there is actually not very much glue left in there, which is why I might try using these boots again.

Here is a photo of the front feet with one boot removed: you can also see how little wear the other boot sustained.

I was surprised at how nicely the feet looked under the boot – Far’s frog was peeling away easily, exposing a concave sole and healthy frog.

I really like the way his feet are looking. Here are the front feet after the boots have just been removed. Note the lack of glue build-up and the nice mustang roll on the toe.

We climbed more than 16,000 feet over the 45 miles. We hand-galloped, loped, trotted and walked. We went through water, mud, rock and sand – the boots did not even budge. I’m really looking forward to our next multi-day – these boots seem perfectly designed to meet the challenge. I’m thinking I might even use the same boots again.

Keep up the boot legging!

Kevin

Sangre Cristo endurance event day two in Easyboot Gloves

It rained all night after day one!  My mom and I discussed the conditions and decided that if it was still raining in the morning we would take the day off.  We didn't want to get a horse hurt in the boggy fields.  In addition we both weren't very excited about riding in the rain all day.

We woke to an overcast sky but no rain.  I saddled Spyder and fit him with a couple different versions of Easyboot Gloves that are in the testing stages.  Different gaiters, some with power straps, one without a power strap, etc.  It was the day to test some stuff out so I used four different Glove versions we have in testing.  My mom saddled Cyclone for day two who was still wearing the Easyboot Glue-Ons. 

At the start line my mom started getting off Cyclone and looked white as a sheet.  The altitude really bothered her the day before and was really making her sick now.  She lost her breakfast and really felt faint.  We decided that she better not start and get some rest now.  Spending the day at over 8,500 feet wouldn't be smart when you're already not feeling well.

Off I went on Spyder in the Easyboot Gloves.  In addition to testing the Gloves in the wet, muddy conditions it was a great opportunity to get Spyder over his water fear.  In fact Spyder didn't really have any choice.  The first creeks were jumped, crashed through and denied.  Then, after the first wet and muddy field he didn't know where to step, everything was wet and soggy.  He gave up on the water issue and started going through the creeks like a gentleman. 

I was impressed with the results from the Easyboot Glue-On on day one but even more impressed with the Easyboot Glove on day two.  The Gloves went through mud and water all day and never, never had a problem.  No buckles, no hardware, the Gloves are awesome.  If the boots are fit super snug per instructions there is just no opportunity for mud and grit to get into the Gloves.  In addition there is nothing to grab when the horse in going through mud. 

These boots really amazed me over the weekend.  With a couple last little tweaks that we have in the works I think we are getting very close. I believe Spyder and I finished 5th on the day.  Successful day.  Both Spyder and the Gloves got a real water, mud test.

Photos of the Easyboot Gloves at vet checks and after the event.

Sangre Cristo endurance event day one in Easyboot Glue-Ons

The wet conditions leading up to the Sangre Cristo two day endurance event were perfect testing to prepare and glue on Easyboot Glue-Ons hoof boots in wet conditions.  I hadn't had the opportunity to go through the preparation and glue procedures in wet conditions and then see if the glue bond would hold in a tough, muddy event. 

I didn't know that the rain would continue to come down as we traveled to the event and sprinkle on and off during the event.  The three days of rain made the creeks run, fields boggy and muddy roads slick.  The horses were in and out of water all day.  If the Easyboot Glue-Ons were going to fail this was the event.  

The Easyboot Glue-Ons not only worked extremely well but there was no sign of the glue bond weakening at all from the wet conditions.  Traction was also very good in the wet sloppy conditions.  The test has given me total confidence in the Easyboot Glue-On product in all conditions.  If hoof EasyCare preparation and glue instructions are followed I believe that the Easyboot Glue-On hoof boots will stay on for any 100 mile event, any 5 day endurance event or any pack trip into the wilderness. 

My Mom ended up 4th on Cyclone and I ended up 5th on Inferno. 

Here are a couple photos of Inferno's and Cyclone's feet after the event.  The boots are a one to one fit and hard to tell they are even on the horse.  Can get much closer to a bare hoof!

The short video below shows the water and moisture in the high mountain fields were rode through. 

Easyboots at Sangre Cristo Scenic two day endurance event

My mom and I headed up to the Sangre Cristo endurance event outside of Westcliff Colorado.  It rained for two days straight before the event and all the way over to the event.  After arriving at the event it rained off and on Saturday and Sunday.  I knew the conditions would be tough and great to test hoof boots.

Here is a photo of my mom and I hauling the horses over Wolf Creek Pass.  Rainy and cold.

On the first day my mom rode Cyclone and I rode Inferno.  Both horses were fitted in Easyboot Glue-Ons and they sailed through the muddy conditions with no issues.  We crossed stream after stream.  The fields were full of water, boggy conditions and deep mud. 

The trail was beautiful.  The base camp was on a private ranch over 8,500 feet in elevation.

I'll post more tomorrow about how well the Easyboot Glue-Ons worked on day one and how well the Easyboot Gloves worked in the same conditions on day two.

Lots of Easyboots were used at the event.  I saw horses in original Easyboots, Epics, Bares, Gloves and Glue-Ons. 

Easyboot Glue-On application in wet conditions

It's been raining steady in Durango for the last two days and I'm heading to an endurance event.  The horses have been standing in mud and wet grass for 48+ hours.  I plan to use a new Easyboot Glove with a sweet new gaiter design on one horse and Easyboot Glue-Ons on two of the other horses.

The wet conditions finally give me an opportunity to apply glue-on hoof boots in wet conditions.  I tried two techniques to dry out the feet before the glue-on application.  I'll let you know how the different techniques work after the event.

Here are the wet muddy feet after pulling the horses out of the pasture.

The first technique I used to dry the feet was to load the horse in the horse trailer with shavings.  I let the horse stand in the shavings for 30 minutes to soak up the moisture.  I then glued the boots using the standard Easyboot Glue-On instructions.

The second technique I learned from Jeremy Reynolds.  I cut up some rags and put them inside EasySoakers.  I then applied the EasySoakers and let the dry rags pull out the moisture in the foot.  I then glued the Easyboot Glue-On shells per the standard instructions.

Easyboot Glue-On Hoof Boots and Hoof Condition

One of my favorite things about using Glue-On hoof boots, is that they help me maintain my horses feet.  Immediately after removing a set of glue-on hoof boots, I take a hoof knife and trim the hoof.  The flaky false sole is easy to see and it's very apparent what should go and what should stay.  The glue-on hoof boots are especially helpful in dry environments where false sole starts to build and is hard to remove.  Glue-On application on a monthly basis helps me remove this false sole and keep nice concavity. 

I've discussed this topic with several hoof care professionals around the country and they are seeing similar results.  Yes, the hoof may contain more moisture when hoof boots are removed, but after 10 minutes it's hard to tell the horse ever had boots on.

Question for all you hoof care professionals out there, are you seeing the same thing? 

I just pulled two Easyboot Glue-Ons off one of my horses.  The boots were applied using Goober Glue and were in place roughly 2 weeks.  I pulled the boots and immediately removed the flaky material from the hoof and the areas of the frog that were ready to come off.  Feet are in great shape.  The material on the outside of the front hoof walls is Goober Glue, not mud.

I'm not a hoof care professional but I'm getting more comfortable doing maintenance trims and keeping my horses feet groomed between visits.  The Glue-Ons really help me keep nice concavity and see what to remove. 

This was my first full test with the Goober Glue and I'm impressed.  It fills the voids in the sole very well and has a great cushion feel to it.  Nice stuff. Two weeks of tough conditions, lots of water, lots of mud.  The bond was great but the boots were still easy to remove. 

Photo of the hoof after removing flaky sole.

Photo of the hoof several hours later.  Hoof still needs to be trimmed but you can see the condition of the hoof after wearing boots for two weeks.  I bought this horse 5 months ago and took him out of shoes when I purchased him.  His feet are coming along and are getting better and better. 

Easyboot Glue-Ons with Gorilla Glue and Athletic Tape Take #2

I removed the Easyboot Glue-Ons that I applied with Gorilla Glue and athletic tape on Tuesday.  As I anticipated the bond between the boot and tape was super solid, the bond between the tape and hoof was not as solid.  The boots stayed in place well but I would not trust the technique for a tough mountainous event or a 100 mile event.  The nice thing about the application method is the boots clean up easy.  The tape pulls the glue away from the hoof wall and the boot is ready to go again.

After I removed the boots I decided to give the technique another try with a little twist.  I applied Gorilla Glue to the hoof first in hopes of increasing the bond between the tape and hoof.  Here is what I did.

1.  Clean up the hoof well. 

2.  Apply Gorilla Glue to the hoof wall.  Use a brush to apply a thin coat.

3.  Wrap the hoof with athletic tape.

4.  Dampen the athletic tape.  I use a grooming brush that has been dunked in water. 

5.  Apply Gorilla Glue to the athletic tape. 

6.  Apply the Easyboot Glue-On shell and let the horse stand still for 30 minutes.  The Gorilla Glue will expand and set.

I'll let you know how this technique works.  It's easy to apply and very cost effective.  Time will tell.

In my opinion the Vettec products are still the best adhesives to apply an Easyboot Glue-On.  The application methods with Adhere and Equipak CS work outstanding.  The Gorilla Glue and athletic tape may be a cheaper alternative.  Chris Martin's Goober Glue is also a great solution.  I personally like to test all options and give EasyCare consumers a variety of choices. 

Transition Tuesday

This is the first post of a weekly series called "Transition Tuesday".  Transition Tuesday is written by Kevin Myers and documents the transition from iron shoes to barefoot hoof care and hoof boot use.  Rocky and Far are both seasoned endurance horses and have been in iron shoes for several seasons.  Transition Tuesday weekly blog posts will document the process and learning curve involved in the transition to natural hoof care.   Feet will change shape, boot fit will improve as feet change and the learning curve will decrease.   The good, the awesome, the not so good, and what happens along the way.  Enjoy! 

Change Management – Anticipation is Always the Worst

Two of our four horses are making the transition from shoes to no shoes. I’ve got good news for all those of you who may have been resisting like I did: it appears to be a no-brainer!

It has now been ten days since we pulled our steel shoes with pads – a set-up we have been using on these young horses in the Sonoran desert for more than two years without ever pulling the shoes and letting their feet rest. Rocky has been showing signs of under-run heels and they were not getting better. Far’s heels were beginning to look unnaturally high – I just did not like what I was seeing. Nor was I enjoying the rising cost of regular re-sets.

The temperature in Arizona is already well into the triple digits by mid-May. Once Rocky’s shoes were pulled he showed signs of being a little tender out there on the decomposed granite we call home. Far seemed not to notice. There is no grass down here in the Valley of the Sun, and the dryness in the ground takes its toll on shoed feet. Nail holes crack and splinter and the false sole gets tougher and less concaved with each shoeing. Pads help keep a little moisture in the foot, but the hoof wall really suffers.

We measured the horses’ unshod feet; then we measured them again; then we had the barefoot shoer come back and measure them again. We transcribed our measurements and used the table to determine the size of boots we would need. The Gloves arrived in a big box – with the very reassuring Fit Kit to confirm one last time which size of boot we would need.

The boot shells in the Fit Kit proved which size was right for each set of feet, and we set about fitting the boots onto each foot. The process was simple – the boots slid on easily; a slight controlled two-hand twist here and there was needed to get the bare hoof completely into the boot and the gaiter wrapped around the pastern. Surely the gaiter would rub? 20 miles of testing would prove this not to be the case.

On Friday morning, only eight days after the steel shoes had been pulled, I set out on my own for a five mile ride from the house with four shiny new Gloves on Far’s feet. His break-over seemed easy and early; there was little sign or sound of weight or clunkiness. He moved out easily and freely as we wound our way along the sandy washes and single track trail heading north and west from the far northeastern reaches of Scottsdale.

I set out slowly and skeptically, gradually increasing speed and changing gait until we made it up to a full canter. The horse was happy, and so was I: this was easy.

At about the third mile mark, Far did a little scooch and both hind boots came off his feet: the gaiters stayed gripped around his pastern. He let me know immediately – the gait changed and he did a couple of bunny hops. I did my own hop – right out of the saddle; re-fit the boots and hopped back on board. A simple application of athletic tape around the hoof would fix that problem on my next ride, but I was hesitant for the next mile or so, and built speed back up slowly, wondering if the boots would pop off again. They did not.

We added Power Straps to the boots last night to get ready for a challenging 15 mile training ride up in the mountains two hours north of here. The straps straddle the split in the front of the boot, preventing the split from opening much at all. I’ve summarized the application of the straps at the bottom of this report.

I’m not convinced we really needed the straps – almost certainly not on the fronts, at least. I was actually more interested in going through the process of installing the strip for the experience. It involved using a hole punch on two places on the front of the boots, then punching holes on the power straps, then screwing the straps to the boots. It took no longer than five or six minutes per boot for the installation process.

We set off from Scottsdale this morning at 7 AM with Bill Bennett to meet our friend, Julia Lynn Elias in Prescott. At 5,000 feet, Prescott is at least 15 degrees cooler than the Phoenix valley, and there are some challenging training trails with good elevation gain and a generous serving of rocks. This would be the perfect location to test our new Gloves in varied terrain with good climbs, rocks and water.

 

We arrived at the trailhead near Lynx Lake at 9:30 and set about fitting the boots onto the two horses. I used athletic tape to ensure a snug fit on Far’s hinds. Rusty tried the tape on Rocky’s hinds, but found he could not fit his tight-fitting boots over the hoof so elected to ride without any tape under the boots.

We climbed and trotted and cantered walked and climbed and trotted and cantered and walked. The hills were long; the views were breathtaking; the rocks were prolific and the trail was everything we had hoped for. The horses glided along the rocky trails – quickly realizing they did not have to avoid the rocks in the same way as with shoes. I did not feel one tentative step – not even one sudden head bob when they hit the sharpness of the flint rocks on the trail. Sweet.

At the halfway point, as we began the descent back down towards the trailhead, I pulled opened the Velcro and pulled the gaiter down so I could investigate for the inevitable rubs around the pastern. Surely there would be a rub? There was not: the skin and hair showed no sign of any friction whatsoever. I could get to like this.

 

We wound our way down – mostly at a trot – still with no signs of the rocks giving them any sore steps. We came to a creek that was beginning to dry out: the horses drank and we made sure they stood in the water. The next test was about to begin.

We followed the shrinking creek for a half mile or so; letting the horses stop to drink in the deeper parts and enjoy some of the rich grass along the bed. We set off back up a long climb and whoosh – Far’s right hind boot popped off completely. I re-applied athletic tape around the hoof and slid the boot back on. I suspect I had not tightened the gaiter enough when we started – I was too worried about rubs on the pastern. I checked the left hind and noticed that the gaiter was looser than when we had left at the beginning of the ride. I tightened it and we were off again. Far would not lose a boot again.

Rocky would lose each of the hinds within the next few minutes: each definitely a victim of not having any athletic tape around the hoof. With the addition of tape, neither of the boots would come off for the rest of the ride. Lesson learned: athletic tape is a must on the hinds. I think added thrust of the hind legs changes the dynamic of the boot. The resulting torque is quite something.

We finished our 15 mile training ride without issue – we were a little over-heated once we got back to the trailers, but the horses did not seem phased. There was no rubbing on their feet; no build-up of mud or sand in the boot, and the hoof walls remained completely unscathed by the boot.

Good deal! Next stop: the Easyboot Glue-On for the Ride The Divide 50 in New Mexico.

Easyboot Glue-Ons with Gorilla Glue and Athletic Tape Update

I did a tough ride over the weekend and another today in Easyboot Glue-Ons applied with Gorilla Glue and athletic tape.  The boots are still securely in place and show no sign of failure.  I plan to pull them off tomorrow and see how the bond compares to the Vettec products.

The Gorilla Glue post has really got people thinking and testing.  I've received 20+ e-mails regarding glues and methods people are going to test and report back.  Yes, the Vettec products work very well but many consumers are looking for a cheaper alternative.  I personally think the Vettec products are still the #1 choice.

Here are a couple photos of the Easyboot Glue-Ons shells today.

Weekend Hoof Boot Testing

I had a great weekend of hoof boot testing.  I was able to put some long hard miles on a new gaiter version, athletic tape with Easyboot Gloves, Easyboot Glue-Ons with Gorilla Glue and Easyboot Glue-Ons with Goober Glue.  I got some awesome photos today in rough muddy conditions.  Only problem is I lost my camera up at the top of the mountain and I can't share any photos, crap.  I'm heading back up tomorrow with some other horses to look for the camera.

Here is the area we went today.  From the house we gain 3,500 feet in roughly 6 miles.  The steep conditions are very hard on boots and make it very easy to see what works and what doesn't.  These photos are at roughly 9,500 feet, we live down in the valley floor at the bottom.  The second view in the opposite direction shows we can climb a couple thousand more feet. 

Easyboot Glue-Ons with Gorilla Glue and Athletic Tape

I tried a new Easyboot Glue-On application technique with Gorilla Glue and athletic tape.  I got the idea one night as Jeremy Reynolds and I discussed boots and different application techniques.  Jeremy was talking about Gorilla Glue and I thought it may work with the athletic tape.  If it works, it would be a low cost alternative to the other adhesives. 

Here is what I tried today.  I glued the Easyboot Glue-On shells in place using the technique below.  I have not ridden in them yet but I believe this technique may work.  I'll keep you posted.

First.  Clean up the hoof walls and rough with the rasp.

Apply the athletic tape to the hoof where the boot will fit.  Two or three wraps works well.

Dampen the athletic tape with water.

Apply the Gorilla Glue to the athletic tape.

Apply the Easyboot Glue-On shell.

The Gorilla Glue reacts to the moisture in the tape and starts to set and expand.  It foams as it sets. 

Let the horse stand quiet for 30 minutes. 

I have a big ride planned for the weekend.  I'll let you know if the technique works.

Easyboot Gloves and Glue-Ons at Mt Carmel three day

Easyboot Glue-Ons and Easyboot Gloves were well represented at the Duck Mt Carmel Three Day.

Day One.

1st Place- Christoph Schork and DWA Powerball
2nd Place- Tennessee Mahoney on DWA Millennium
3rd Place- Deborah Whorf on DWA Trinity

The gang is pictured below.  Christoph left, Tennessee middle, Deborah right.

Day Two

1st Place- Christoph Schork on Double Zell (Pictured below)

Day Three

1st Place- Christoph Schork on DWA Powerball

2nd Place- Dian Woodward on Salty

3rd Place- Deborah Whorf on DWA Millennium

 

Kevin Waters, Tennessee Mahoney, Dave Rabe and several other riders used a combination of Easyboot Gloves and Glue-Ons.  Great results for EasyCare hoof boots at this very competitive event.

Back to the hoof boot testing grounds

Over the past 5 summers I've been spending the majority of my time in Durango Colorado.  Durango is much cooler than Tucson and allows me to do a great deal of boot testing and R&D over the summer months.  The 100 degree days in Tucson are just not conducive to afternoon rides and the mountainous country around Durango are perfect for tough R&D rides.

We made the nine hour migration to Durango on Monday morning after several days of 100+ degree heat in Tucson.  I loaded up all five horses in a sweet new 6 horse trailer that I purchased from Dean Jackson. Thanks for the trailer Dean, It pulls like a dream and was an incredible deal.

The horses had the day off Monday but I did get the opportunity to take out two horses today and test several new hoof boot items.  EasyCare has some good stuff in the works.  Hoof Boot Cuffs, Gaiters, Glues, etc.  The cooler weather should give me more opportunity to test these new items and get them to consumers quicker. 

The horses are adjusting to wide open spaces of our Durango property.  I looked out the back window and checked out the happy gang this afternoon. 

I looked out the front window to check out the other gang the horses share pasture with.  The Elk and horses are many times in the same pasture and graze 20-30 feet from each other.  It's pretty fun to watch them interact.  Most of the horses don't care but Cyclone gets after them.

Jenny Moncur continues to have success with Easyboot Gloves and Easyboot Epics

Quick update from Jenny Moncur after the Toongabbie ride Australia.

The bay mare is Mullungdung Promise ridden by Nadine Harte - winner of junior And Best conditioned. Promise wearing Easyboot Gloves on her front feet and Easyboot Epics with Easy up buckles on hind feet.

 

I am riding Bellawongarah Sage on a 40 km ride which we completed happily for Sage's second ever outing. Sage was wearing Easyboot Epics with Easy ups all around. I love the easy up buckles! They just stay put when done up and there are no worries with them.

 

Off to the State Championships this weekend - Nadine and Prom are attempting their first hundred miler!!

The Heart of Business

Tucson Lifestyle did a nice story about my father called "The Heart of Business".  Take a look at the complete article here. 

He's been an incredible mentor!

Happy Mother's Day!

"It's not easy being a mother.  If it were easy, fathers would do it." 

Easyboot Glove Success

The Easyboot Glove has now been out on the equine market for a bit over four months.  The boot has been a huge success and has given EasyCare a great platform for future boot models.  The lightweight, streamline design has set a whole new standard in the equine industry. 

Initial Glove feedback has been incredible and I'm now working on some minor tweaks that will take it to the next level.  The tweaks will include some minor mold revisions, some improvements to the gaiter and some accessory options. 

I added a couple photos of what an injection mold looks like.  The mold below is for one of the Easyboot Edge sizes.  Each size boot has it's own mold.  These hunks of steel are lifted into an injection machine and then pump out the hoof boot shells.

Can't wait to show the industry what's coming!

 

EasyCare Hoof Boots and mounted police units

The May/June issue of Western and English Today has a nice article about mounted police units and how retailers can target these groups to increase sales.  The article is titled "Mount Up For Group Sales". 

EasyCare supplies many of the mounted units in the world with different brands of hoof boots.  Read more about the article here. 

Two years ago I attended the BCS College National Championship Football game and all the horses used Easyboots.  Take a look at the photos below.

Natural Hoof Care success story with Steve Karshner and Boa Horse Boots

The Bakersfield News just ran a nice story about Steve Karshner and a horse named Chance that he brought back to performance after the horse was diagnosed with navicular syndrome.  

Steve and Chance.

The link to the story with video can be found here.  Steve pulled the shoes from Chance, used Boa Horse Boots for six weeks and eventually got the horse back to a high level of performance.

Steve has a great website that documents Chance's recovery.  Steve also offers a nice selection of clinics for horse owners.  He teaches about the natural foot, natural hoof care, hoof boot fitting and rehab methods for navicular and founder. 

Great job Steve, keep up the good work!

Dave Rabe and Easyboot hoof boots

Back in the early 90's I had the opportunity to ride with Dave Rabe at one of Dave Nicholson's XP events.  Dave was riding an incredible horse named Porta Kol that now has over 9,000 miles.  I was immediately impressed with Dave, Dave's equitation and Dave's horse.  He's one of those horse people that has the gift. 

Over the years I've gotten to know Dave better and respect him even more now.  He's a true ambassador to the sport of endurance and never shys away from helping another rider.  In addition to the help he gives many riders, he ends up with hard to handle horses that people give up on and turns them into seasoned endurance horses. 

Dave has also been a great ambassador for EasyCare.  Dave rides many of his horses in EasyCare hoof boots and has been competing in Epics and Glue-Ons for the 2009 season.  He's quick to help other riders with hoof boots during, after and before events. 

Dave is a class act and one that will end up in the AERC Hall Of Fame.  Dave, thanks for all you do for the sport of endurance. 

Dave Rabe is pictured below during one of the many 2009 events.  Dave now has 965 miles in 2009 and 44,115 career AERC miles.  Check out the Easyboot Glue-Ons on his horse.  Low profile and 1/3 the weight of an iron shoe.

Another great photo of Dave using Easyboot Epics in the snow.

Carol Layton and Sqig rack up the miles in different Easyboot hoof boot models

Rob and I are very pleased with how Sqig went in his EasyCare hoof boots in this challenging 80 km ride.  The ride is in a dry and rocky part of NSW in Australia with a lot of the course resembling a dry creek bed with large rocks everywhere.  I have been riding in Easyboot Gloves and was particularly impressed at the earlier ride, Kiwarrak where we came 1st Lightweight and BC but since we didn't have dome pads for the Gloves I went back to the good ole favorites for endurance - Epics and Bares, that is before the Gloves and Edges.  I've got Edges on order so hopefully I'll be one of the lucky first ones in Australia, the first shipment is about to arrive.   Sqig has now completed 2080 km, barefoot and booted in his endurance career over 3+ years. 

It was a beautiful day for riding at Tooraweenah with a light cool breeze and clear conditions.  Now if only I can talk the photographer into heading into the more scenic part of the course.

Photo 1 - Omani Mr Sqiggle and Carol Layton, 2nd Lightweight
Photo 2  - Warrumbungle ranges, NSW Australia