Easyboot Gloves and Glue-Ons excel at the Strawberry Fields Endurance Event!

It had been raining for weeks and the forecast called for more rain!

Carla Richarson standing in the rain at the finish

I departed Durango early Thursday morning in route to Strawberry Fields Forever.  I’d heard great things about this event and many say it’s the most beautiful endurance event in the country.  In route I ran into two Global Endurance rigs, one driven by Dian Woodward and one by Christoph Schork.  The three of us caravan the rest of the way and arrived at a sloppy muddy base camp a little after 1:00 pm.

After unloading the horses and getting set up I bumped into Dave Rabe and Kevin Waters.  Dave was a bit bummed out because it had been raining on and off for the last week and Dave didn’t get a chance to apply his Easyboot Glue-Ons.  Kevin Waters was in the same boat.  We discussed the situation and I suggested that we go through the glue-on process and use these wet conditions as a test.  Both of Dave’s horses and Kevin’s horses had been standing in water and mud, the feet were soaked.  I told both of them to grab their horses and head over to my trailer. 

When Dave came down to my trailer with his horses I knew we were in for a challenge.  His horses had mud up to the fetlocks and they were saturated with moisture.  I pulled the rubber mats out of Christoph’s trailer and lined them up for the horses to stand on.  We then thoroughly cleaned all the feet, we used a wire brush, we used rags, used anything we could find.  We then sprayed the feet in denatured alcohol and followed the alcohol with a heat gun.   We sprayed again with alcohol and used the heat gun one last time on all feet before applying the Easyboot Glue-Ons.  We don't recommend denatured alcohol but with all the moisture we thought this step was necessary. 

Dave, Kevin and I worked as a team on the 12 feet and we were all happy with our work.  We all felt comfortable that the boots would stay in place but we had no idea how muddy it was going to get.  

I didn't bother with the Easyboot Glue-Ons and wanted to use the wet, sloppy conditions as a test for the Easyboot Glove.  I planned to ride Cyclone the first two days in prep for the Tevis.  Everyone kept asking me if I really thought the gloves would work in the conditions.  I knew they would but told them only time would tell.  In the back of my mind I knew the Gloves would excel and the nasty conditions would make people take notice.

Day #1 was fairly dry.  We had a couple sprinkles but the trail was still wet and there were to many bogs and stream crossings to count.  The Easyboot Glue-Ons and Easyboot Gloves both did awesome.

Heading out of base camp in the morning.

Kevin Waters and I did most of the first loop together.  Kevin's horse has been doing great in the Glue-Ons and has many Best Conditions finishes using the product.  Kevin and I did a bunch of running and had a great time!

Cyclone and I on day #1.

The mud and bogs were challenging for both horse and rider and made the trail very technical.  I looked down at the Gloves after the first couple nasty bogs and they were in place and true.  I couple more looks in the deep stuff and I stopped looking down.  We didn't have an Easyboot Glove twist or come off all day. 

Cyclone and his Easyboot Gloves at the finish.

Easyboot Gloves and splint boots removed as I get Cyclone ready for BC judging.  

Results for Day #1

Top Ten

3rd Place- Christoph Schork in the Easyboot Glue-Ons.

4th Place- Tennessee Mahoney in the Easyboot Glue-Ons.

5th Place- Dian Woodward in the Easyboot Glue-Ons.

6th Place- Garrett Ford in Easyboot Gloves.

Best Condition Garrett Ford and GE Cyclone (yes in the Easyboot Gloves that many people didn't think would work in the wet conditions)

Outside Of Top Ten

Kevin Waters in the Easyboot Glue-Ons.

Dave Rabe in the Easyboot Glue-Ons.

Carla Richardson in the Easyboot Glue-Ons

There were a couple of others in Easyboot Glue-Ons, Easyboot Gloves, Easyboot Epics and other Easyboot products but I can't remember exactly.

Cyclone and I head down the trail. We kept a good pace all day and really put the Gloves to the test. 

I was super impressed with the Easyboot Gloves!  The conditions were bad and they had no hint of failure.  I did help one rider who lost a Glove on a rear foot.  I jumped off and helped her put it back on and told her it would keep coming off because it was a size to big.  I replaced it with a size smaller and her rear boots stayed in place the remainder of the event. 

I ended up finishing in the early afternoon and other riders started showing up at the trailer for fitting.  Many of these riders were using other hoof protection that just didn't work in the conditions.  I helped fit them in Gloves and didn't ask for payment.  I asked them to give the Gloves a good test the following day and if they stayed on in the nasty conditions I wanted a testimonial about the success story. 

Comments

[Cheryl Miller in Pa.]

Just wanted to let you know that I tried Easyboot Bares for the first time yesterday. I have a 1/2 Arab, 1/2 SSH, that is gaited, and I have decided to go barefoot with him.
My biggest concern was that he would overstride and pull one off, or trip himself. Nope. They stayed on perfect and didn't twist. We did 10 miles on gravel rail road bed, and some black top. Lots of gaiting, trotting and cantering. I was impressed when I pulled them off that there was no gravel in them. Just some water from all the puddles.
My decision now is wether to buy the Epics, or the Bares. But with your posts about the Gloves, now I have three choices!
(I have a friend who let me borrow her Bares for my test ride.)
LOVED the Bares!

[Natalie H.]

I really would use Gloves for a gaited horse, Cheryl....I think the Bares can be a bit bulkier and the weight (esp if you end up only using a front set on easy/training rides for any reason) can sometimes make the horse gait differently...but the Gloves are SO light weight and low profile, they work AWESOME on gaited horses...I am going to be starting a KMSH stud soon and he is going to go in Gloves for sure... The Gloves also get a tighter fit, as Bares are a bit harder to get right, with that bungee being so tight...If you need any booting advice with regards to a gaited horse, let me know...I have fitted a good number, now and my endurance partner has ridden thousands of miles now on a gaited horse and barefoot/booted...

[Cindy Nelson]

What is used under the glove gaitor on Cyclone ?

[Garrett Ford]

Cindy- Nothing. That is actually part of a new gaiter design I'm working on. It has a second neoprene unit that is attached to the gaiter. The two layers move independently but are still attached. They are working very well!

Garrett

[Becky]

I have an aged TB who is very flat footed and ouchy on his back feet. I have had him bare foot but being TB and having all the TB foot issues, barefoot just hasn't worked for him. I am looking for a shoe alternative. Something that does not have be taken off and put back on all the time. Does easyboot have anything in this department?

Becky
Yakima, WA