Transition Tuesday Week 5

This is the fifth 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!

Catch the Wave!

Easyboot Glue-Ons at the Descanso 50 in San Diego County

View from the trail at Descanso.

I finally got to take Far to his first 50 in the Easyboot Glue-Ons on Saturday. This was to be the biggest experiment so far in the five-week transition. It was a resounding success: my ride this weekend confirmed this set-up as one that works well - even for a layman like me.

Far tries his Easyboot Glue-Ons at a race.

We had some challenges during the glue-on process on Thursday night because we ran out of tips to apply the Equi Pak glue around the top of the boot. It was a simple case of thinking there was another bag of tips in the box, when there were actually none left. The result was having to use our fingers to apply the bead of glue around the top of three boots. It worked just fine, but it did not look as professional.

Descanso is a six hour drive from home and is located in the mountains 45 miles east of San Diego at an elevation of 3,400 feet.  We arrived at base camp early Friday afternoon; let the horses eat and drink for a few hours before vetting in, then prepared the two out check bags for ride day. The Glue-Ons were staying on nicely, but I was apprehensive about being caught out on the trail with a lost boot. The race was one long loop out of camp with three out vet checks, two of which were in the same location. Since Far wears a different sized boot on the front versus the hind, I packed two spare Easyboot Gloves in my saddle pack and two additional spares in each of the two out check crew bags. I would not need them, as it turned out.

This marks the start of our climb up into the clouds.

The 6 AM start time came early the next morning, and we were a few minutes late leaving. That made for a stress-free start and an open trail that would let us ride at our own pace. Far was moving out nicely – stretching out further at a trot than he has before. Both horses seemed happy at 10.5 or 11 mph – this is about 1.5 mph faster than Far preferred when he was in steel shoes. The trail rolled its way along through oak woods and started climbing up into high plains: the views were stunning. I quickly forgot about the boots.

Climbing across the high plain – we will eventually go up and over the mountain on the horizon.

It took us 1h40 to get to the first vet check which the GPS told us was at 14 miles. The boots were looking good: they had not moved at all. I was surprised at how much interest there was in the Glue-Ons at the vet check. People have been reading up on the new technology, and were full of questions about the process. One lady had stories of how she transitioned her mare with contracted heels to barefoot with great success. She said the horse now moved across rocky terrain without ever flinching. Others were talking about moving their horses to barefoot. It really seems like there is a wave of people making the move right now, and lots of interest in how best to make the transition. I have found it much easier than I had anticipated.

The Glue-Ons at 12 miles – you can see the finger painting glue.

Far looking fresh at the first vet check.

Far (in boots) and Redford (in shoes) at the first 20 minute hold.

Ride manager Terry Woolley Howe, her army of volunteers and head vet Fred Beasom put on an incredible ride. I had the good fortune to go to the Warner Hot Springs ride a couple of years ago and was amazed at the hospitality. This ride was no different. There are hospitality stations set up at the vet checks and at various places along the trail where the horses can enjoy three different types of hay, oat mashes full of carrots and abundant water. Riders can enjoy fresh-cut fruit, home-baked cookies and refills of water and Gatorade. On hot years, they even provide popsicles for the riders out on the trail. Amazing! 

There were lots of places for the horses to drink.

The 20 minutes passed by very quickly, and we were soon back out on the trail, crossing a series of high pastures with a fair amount of climbing and some rocky, technical trail that required horse and rider to pay attention. We crossed water, went through rocky outcroppings, rode along sandy trails, and took some challenging single track along the sides of steep climbs. Far did not take even one tentative step, and he just flew along over the varying terrain as we climbed and dropped up towards the second vet check.

There was very little flat trail on the ride. Redford(in steel shoes) was happier in the front and seemed to trip less.

It was cold at the second vet check – particularly for horses and humans used to the Arizona heat! We had shed our coats at the first vet check and were now regretting it. The horses were cooler than we wanted them to be, and the hour hold seemed to drag by. We were mounted and ready to leave four minutes before our time was up!

The second vet check at 24 miles.

We set off across a marsh and past a lake full of birds. We crossed the road and started our way up and over the mountain. As we climbed, we literally rode through the clouds: the air was cool and damp and the mist wafted past us as we trotted up and up and up. 

A birder’s paradise: crossing the marsh before climbing the mountain.

Heading into the clouds.

The boots in action: starting the climb up and over the mountain.

Climbing.

The GPS quit some time during this loop at about 25 miles. We had already climbed 5,000 feet by then. The trail was an improved jeep road that had a good dose of rocks and challenging footing. Far was gliding along the road as if he was wearing Nike Airs! Redford’s steel-shod steps were much louder on the hard ground- you could hear the difference in concussion between the two horses. We would have to slow for him across the rockier sections – particularly on the downhill. His shoes were at four weeks and there was lots of toe that seemed to be causing him to trip a fair amount. He did better when he was leading, but those toes just seemed to be getting in his way. I’m really looking forward to pulling his shoes on Wednesday.

The boots at 38 miles.

The boots held up very well in the rocky footing.

We got back down off the mountain – the loop was much longer because of our slower speed, taking us almost 3 ½ hours to get into the 38 mile hold. The last few miles into the vet check were particularly fun – it was like riding on a rollercoaster, constantly rising and falling up and around with knee-banger trees and a good dose of rocks hiding in the sandy single-track trail. Redford was in front for most of this section, and Far would not always see the rocks below the billowing dust. He stumbled here and there, but the boots stayed put – even with all the water crossings we went through.

The boots look unscathed at 38 miles.

We set back off towards home after a fleeting 20 minute hold. The trail was even more like a rollercoaster as it darted up and around a verdant valley. The horses flew along the trail: I could have ridden like that for weeks and never have been bored. It was so nice to ride and not worry about losing a boot or taking a miss-step on the rocks.

The experiment was a success. We arrived at the finish line in just over 7 ½ hours – a little slower than I had planned, but the horses were in good shape and the Easyboot Glue-Ons looked as fresh and solid as they had at the beginning of the day. I love these things: you should seriously consider catching the wave if you have not already done so. Surf’s up!

Removing the boots by wedging a large flat-head screwdriver between the boot and the hoof.

Separating the boot from the hoof.

Far’s RF looking good.

The boot removed.

Keep up the boot legging!

Kevin

Comments

[Dawn Carrie]

Good job Kevin and Far! Sounds like the Glue-ons were a solid "10." Does it look like you'll be able to clean them out and use them again, or are they going to be "single use" as the Easy Care website suggests?

Dawn

[Kevin Myers]

Dawn,

I think these boots will be done. If I were planning to do use them again, I would have tried the glue with tape instead.

I could have done more days with them if I had left them on.

Kevin

[Susan Gill]

Hi Kevin, your rides sound awesome - make the ones I do in Australia feel very tame indeed!
I bet you can't wait to pull the shoes off Red asap :) I enjoy reading Transition Tuesdays - Susan.

[Kevin Myers]

Susan,

I pulled Red's shoes today. He has a case of white line disease, so there is some separation of the hoof wall. I'm pleased he's barefoot now - looking forward to seeing the changes in his feet and gait!

Keep in touch!

Kevin