Death Valley and Easyboot Edge report

Here are a few photos from the Death Valley endurance ride.  Click to enlarge.  I will work on a photo album of the entire trail so everybody can see what we rode through.  This ride does have a lot of good footing but it also has a lot of really rocky footing.  I used four Easyboot Edge prototype boots on Chief for 100 miles, and two EE boots on Tigger for 100 miles (the same two did all 200 miles).  I also used two regular size 2 Epics on Tigger as the prototypes are only available in size 1 right now.  These photos show a little of the trail and scenery.  There is one of Chief rolling after finishing (the sand was too irresistable!), and some of the boots.  I used EasyCare dome comfort pads, size medium trimmed down to fit for all four days (same pads) and had used them ahead of time on training rides to get them broken in.  The new gaiters worked very well on both horses - 100 miles each with no rubbing anywhere!  The boots all stayed on 100% of the time, and had no modifications made to them.  We had several Team Easyboot members at the ride who also helped test these boots for us and so far the feedback has  been very positive! Karen

Comments

[Tami Rougeau]

Hi Karen,

Thanks for the update on the Edge, we are very much looking forward to trying them out. I have a couple of questions though:

1. Did you use the comfort pad only because of the terrain or are you using them for other reasons? Fancy spent 3+ weeks in boots with the wedge pad and then I had to take them off when the weather got wet (yes, I definitly need to get some grips). We were hoping to put them back on today as everything was dry but now we have to see what this latest storm brings. I really want to keep her barefoot this year so we need to give the boot/wedge combo a good three months or so and see what the x-rays show then. Thom has agreed to help me get the boots back on her "one time only" so I don't want to use it up too soon.

2. On one of the other posts there was comment made that the straps on the gators were too short. Did you have that problem? They are always too long for the princesses and I have to cut/modify accordingly so shorter is better for us.

Glad to see so many faces out there we really wish we were there instead of being locked in the house. Next week I get to try to walk on my rebuild - YEAH!!!

Tami

[Karen]

Hi Tammy - Since starting to use the dome comfort pads I've come to love them in the boots and use them all the time now. They were especially beneficial on this ride, with all of the rocks. I just like being able to give my horses the benefits of as much concussion reduction as I can. They are going to have a (hopefully) busy ride season coming up.

The prototype (because they were on the Edge boots and are shaped slightly different than regular Epic gaiters) gaiters I used were somewhat shorter in length than regular gaiters are - for size 1 boots. They were shorter than the current gaiter design, just by a little bit, and need a little adjusting.

Can you send me a photo of your horse with the gaiters on and let me know what size it is?

I got the entry today for Rides of March - can't wait to see the new camp! I hope to make it this year.

I hear a lot of Reno is out of power right now - we are getting snowed on heavily right now, after it rained this afternoon and flooded the streets. Stay safe!

[Dawn Willoughby]

On using Domes. I like them if the horse has any concavity. One quasi adaptation...I trim well into the bottom of the pad and nothing from the top so that the pad under the heels is thick. Suggest manufacturing them way. The wear is really on the heels.

[Karen]

Hi Dawn - I recently put together some photos showing how I trim the dome comfort pads for my boots: http://easycareinc.typepad.com/karen/2007/12/ten-tips-on-how.html

Soon the size 1 pads will be in so less trimming will be necessary.