New Equine Podiotherapy Course Down Under

The Search for more Barefoot Trimmers and Natural Hoofcare Practitioners continues...

EasyCare receives hundreds of e-mails and calls every month from horse owners that are looking for barefoot trimmers or natural hoof care practitioners in their area. These horse owners have read about natural hoof care and are now ready to give it a try.

The problem comes when they can't find a trimmer in their area or all the trimmers in their area are booked solid. The current number of trimmers can't keep up with the demand of consumers who would like to have one or more of their horses trimmed in a barefoot style.

We continue to hear great things about a professional trimming course offered in Australia, and wonder what we can do to get them to host a class here in the States.

Read More...

PETE RAMEY IS AT IT AGAIN!

Pete and Ivy Ramey played an instrumental role in the development of the Easyboot Glove and are now utilizing this economical hoof boot to help save horses.
Pete Ramey is at it again!

That’s My Horse #2 DVD Set is now available. Watch as Pete takes you through the management of the navicular horse. This video will take you through a series of steps including the fitting of both Easyboot Epics with Comfort Pads and Easyboot Gloves.

Pete's previous DVD release, the Under the Horse Series, is considered a prequel to the That’s My Horse series. Watch them both and you'll learn more than you ever imagined about natural hoof care!

NEW FOR 2010!

A new year and product updates go hand in hand. EasyCare has made some modifications and additions to the product line.

For 2010, every Easyboot Glove hoof boot will ship with a Power Strap preinstalled. All of our gaiters will be updated with a new technical neoprene and a cutting edge two layer pattern that contours to the horses lower leg. We're also delighted to announce that we will once again be offering the Hi Tie trailer tie system, a fantastic product for keeping your horse safe and secure around your trailer.

These products will be available in the early part of 2010!

Dealer of the Month

Jerry Huntsinger | Owner - JC Farrier Service | Battle Ground, Washington

Jerry has been trimming for nearly 14 years. “My grandfather got me started. He did his own farrier work and I was always in the way, so he put me to work!”

Huntsinger initially started out as a traditional farrier. It was only a matter of time before he began researching better methods. “I knew there was something better; I just wasn’t sure how to get there,” says Jerry. He was already familiar with EasyCare and the product line. He began to read about Pete Ramey’s success, and the rest, Jerry says, is history.

Read More...

If you have any questions about our products feel free to call our friendly staff at 1-800-447-8836, e-mail: questions@easycareinc.com or visit our website at easycareinc.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter! Please let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions on how to make it better.
See you on the trail,

The Staff at EasyCare
EasyCare, Inc.
email: admin@easycareinc.com
phone: 800-447-8836
web: easycareinc.com

Hoof Boot Success Continues at Moab Canyons

2009 continues to be a huge year for EasyCare hoof boot success at endurance rides. Our hoof boots prove themselves ride after ride, showing the equine world that the movement towards natural hoof care and hoof boots is no fad. It is a fast growing trend that is here to stay, simply because in the end it means a healthier horse.

There is no arguing with the results we're seeing with horses wearing our boots at endurance races. At the Moab Canyons Endurance Ride over the past weekend, horses wearing Easyboots dominated the event, finishing in first place all 3 days and receiving best condition awards 2 of the 3 days. Read the whole story at hootbootnews.com.

dealer of the month

November 2009 :: Valley Vet Supply

Valley Vet Supply has been selected as our November Dealer of the Month. Located in Marysville, Kansas, they are celebrating their 25th anniversary. "Our direct marketing business began in 1985. Therefore, we are making this a year-long celebration!" says

Valley Vet's Merchandise Manager, Julie Haggard. In 1973, Dr. Arnold Nagely opened Valley Veterinary Clinic near the current Marysville location. Dr. Ray Shultz joined the mixed practice in 1976. The direct marketing business evolved as a way to serve customers' needs over a greater distance. Read more...

If you have any questions about our products feel free to call our friendly staff at 1-800-447-8836, e-mail: questions@easycareinc.com or visit our website at easycareinc.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter! Please let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions on how to make it better.
See you on the trail,

The Staff at EasyCare
EasyCare, Inc.
email: admin@easycareinc.com
phone: 800-447-8836
web: easycareinc.com

Bigger Easyboot Gloves and Easyboot Glue-Ons coming very soon

We have completed bigger molds in both the Easyboot Glove and Easyboot Glue-On. We will be adding two larger sizes to the EasyCare range (#3.5 and #4) very soon. Visit the Hoof Boot News blog for updates!

Side Dominance of the Musculoskeletal System & Hoof Form

by Ute Miethe

I would like to expand a bit more on the excellent article that was recently published in The Horse’s Hoof (Issue 31), “Biomechanics to a Better Barefoot,” written by Leah Hinnefeld. As a human and equine massage therapist, I specialize in horse and rider imbalances. Becoming a natural performance barefoot trimmer was simply an inevitable progression for me as a massage therapist, and it helped me to connect many of the dots, so to speak.

Horses are side dominant, just like humans. It puzzles me somewhat that this is still a rather little known fact among horse owners and horse professionals, yet many are aware of the main symptoms:

• Difficulty turning into one direction
• Horse prefers one canter lead over the other
• Horse is stronger on one side, weaker on the other
• Horse braces more on one side versus the other

Unfortunately, riders and trainer often label such symptoms as resistance, and assume the horse is wilfully being difficult. In reality, it can be very hard for a horse to perform certain movements, depending on which side is dominant, and how uneven the horse’s muscle development is side to side. Asking an owner to write 10 times “I love my horse” with their non-dominant hand—and nicely too, please—usually puts these unrealistic (and unfair) expectations into perspective for most humans. However, frequent reminders are often needed. Read more... (PDF)

dealer of the month

October 2009 :: Evergreen Holistic Veterinary Care Inc.

Evergreen Holistic Veterinary Care has been selected for our October Dealer of the Month. Located in Monroe, Washington, they have been in business for nearly 5 years.

Dr. Hannah Evergreen and her team are a very busy group. They take a holistic approach in caring for their patients. Their full service mobile equine clinic offers an integrative approach to veterinary medicine utilizing both western and alternative medicine, taking into account all the patient’s behaviors, past and present health problems, diet, environmental stress and toxins, genetics, and exercise. Evergreen Holistic also has a small animal clinc run by Dr. Brad Evergreen. Read more...

If you have any questions about our products feel free to call our friendly staff at 1-800-447-8836, e-mail: questions@easycareinc.com or visit our website at easycareinc.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter! Please let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions on how to make it better.
See you on the trail,

The Staff at EasyCare
EasyCare, Inc.
email: admin@easycareinc.com
phone: 800-447-8836
web: easycareinc.com

Dealer of the Month

September 2009 :: Hoofgroove | Zurich, Switzerland

Hoofgroove is EasyCare’s September dealer of the month. Located in Zurich, Switzerland, they have been in business for nearly nine years. The journey began when a friend brought owner Sibylle Krieg a pair of Old Mac’s from the US. “It was the first boot that didn’t get lost during a ride!” says Krieg. It was then that she applied to become a distributor in Switzerland. “This was my start into the interesting world of the hoof boot business.” Read more...

If you have any questions about our products feel free to call our friendly staff at 1-800-447-8836, e-mail: questions@easycareinc.com or visit our website at easycareinc.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter! Please let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions on how to make it better.
See you on the trail,

The Staff at EasyCare
EasyCare, Inc.
email: admin@easycareinc.com
phone: 800-447-8836
web: easycareinc.com

WATCH FOR US AT TEVIS

As many of your know, the Tevis Cup is the most famous of all endurance rides, and challenges even the best of riders. Numerous competitors will be riding in EasyCare brand hoof boots this year, including the 2007 winner, Jeremy Reynolds. While many riders have successfully competed at Tevis in hoof boots, EasyCare believes this will be the largest field of booted horses ever. This is the 54th annual running of the Tevis which will take place August 1 in Auburn, CA. Stay tuned for how the booted horses placed.
The following EasyCare staff will be at the ride: President Garrett Ford, Sales Manager Brian Mueller, Hoof Care Practitioner Rep Debbie Schwiebert, and Graphic Artist/Photographer Gabe Luethje.
If you are riding the Tevis in hoof boots, please contact us at marketing@easycareinc.com and tell us about your ride!

ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THOSE GAITERS?

Do you really know how the gaiters on your hoof boots should be adjusted to avoid rubbing? Look at the photos here and see if your gaiters look like these!

TRAIL-RITE PRODUCTS

EasyCare's Dealer of the Month for August, 2009
Here’s something some of you might be able to relate to; Adversity. Long distance riders learn to overcome it, and Tammy Robinson is no different. What Tammy learned about pressing on served her well when her business burned down in the California fires and when the economy started to go south.
Tammy has almost 17,000 recorded AERC miles and really knows her market. “Going to rides, talking face to face with customers about what they want and being supportive of endurance has really helped me over the years,” she says. “Also, really knowing the products is imperative. We don’t sell anything we haven’t used. Customers want to hear your experiences, and want you to be honest and upfront about the products you sell. They know when they come to me that I will give them the pros and cons. It keeps them coming back and keeps returns down.” Read more...

If you have any questions about our products feel free to call our friendly staff at 1-800-447-8836, e-mail: questions@easycareinc.com or visit our website at easycareinc.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter! Please let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions on how to make it better.
See you on the trail,

The Staff at EasyCare
EasyCare, Inc.
email: admin@easycareinc.com
phone: 800-447-8836
web: easycareinc.com

THE THOUGHTFUL HORSEMAN

Maria Siebrand is EasyCare's dealer of the month.
Hoof Care Practitioner Maria Siebrand is one busy lady! She began trimming about seven years ago when she decided to take her own horses barefoot. Unable to find someone to help her locally, she sought out the help of Marjorie Smith of Barefoot for Soundness. After that she picked up a rasp and dove in. She’s been trimming ever since.

“It’s important that trimmers convey information other than just trimming,” says Maria. She works very hard at educating her clients. “I think it’s extremely important that people understand what I do and why, and have all of the information they need to make educated and informed decisions regarding the care of their horses,” she says. There are many keys to being a successful trimmer. Maria says that hoof care is not about the trim alone. A good trimmer should be able to guide the horse owner in every aspect of growing a healthy hoof, including proper diet, adequate movement, appropriate terrain, hygiene, and selecting and fitting boots. She feels it’s not just about her reputation as a trimmer, but instead about the credibility of the barefoot movement in general. Read more...

TIPS FOR BOOTS AND PADS

Maria Siebrand of The Thoughtful Horseman has a website, a newsletter and a blog.  Here are some tips from her about booting. Click here.

If you have any questions about our products feel free to call our friendly staff at 1-800-447-8836, e-mail: questions@easycareinc.com or visit our website at easycareinc.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter! Please let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions on how to make it better.
See you on the trail,

The Staff at EasyCare
EasyCare, Inc.
email: admin@easycareinc.com
phone: 800-447-8836
web: easycareinc.com

Transitioning to Barefoot – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Transition Tuesday is written by Kevin Myers of Scottsdale, AZ and documents the transition from iron shoes to barefoot hoof care and hoof boot use. Kevin’s horses, Rocky and Far, are both seasoned endurance horses and have been in iron shoes for several years.

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. Kevin will detail the good, the awesome, the not so good, and what happens along the way from one horse owner’s perspective. Enjoy!

Blog Feeds Right to Your Email

Now you can get the most up-to-date information on hoof boots through your email. Go to our blog and sign up for Hoof Boot News (research and development), Customer Help Desk (tips and fun horse stuff) and EasyCare News (press releases, media stories).

All you have to do to subscribe is enter your email address and verify that you want the feed once you get an email in your inbox! It’s that simple.

It’s Parade Season!

It’s not too early to start thinking about preparations if you are riding or driving a horse in a summer parade. Steel horseshoes are slick on pavement and concrete and are dangerous.

Don’t risk slipping or scrambling that could leave you and your horse injured! Our boots provide great traction and Easyboots can be worn over horseshoes. We’ll help you determine the right size for your horse and you will really notice the difference! (We promise, or we’ll give you your money back.)

We want you to have a fun, and safe, parade. Pass this along to a friend who might benefit from riding or driving in boots.

June Dealer of the Month: Long Riders Gear

Long Riders is a unique company.  All of their employees share a passion for horses and you can often find them at events riding side by side with their customers.  They don’t just sell products… they use what they sell.  Not only do they pride themselves on service, but they give back to the animals and community as well.

The gals at Long Riders Gear often spend their free time volunteering with the state parks, Coast Mounted Assistance, various animal rescue organizations and their local emergency horse evacuation organization, HEET.   [read more...]

If you have any questions about our products feel free to call our friendly staff at 1-800-447-8836, e-mail: questions@easycareinc.com or visit our website at easycareinc.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter! Please let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions on how to make it better.
See you on the trail,

The Staff at EasyCare
EasyCare, Inc.
email: admin@easycareinc.com
phone: 800-447-8836
web: easycareinc.com