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As some of you know, I have been competing with my barefoot horse for the 
past three years in endurance 50s, and in favor of extending our barefoot 
limitations and advancing the current technology, I have been testing the 
various hoof boots on the market under competition conditions, and willing 
to sacrifice a few completions for the knowledge gained. Ultimately, I had 
settled on the Boa boots as being the most reliable and  horse-friendly on 
the market. However, they are still not ideal for endurance because they 
come up over the coronet band, and in deep, soft footing, debris can settle 
and rub at the hairline. But the Boa Boots have gotten us through two days 
of Cuyama XP, all but one section of the Malibu 50, where one of the 
original-style knobs self-released and we lost a boot,  the Fireworks 50, 
and recently, the first half of the National Championship 50. But at 
NC,there was too much deep sand, and by the lunch check, my horse developed 
a dime-sized rub behind his RF pastern (other three legs were fine). So I 
had to remove the boots and completed the last half barefoot. So the Boas 
work for most rides, as long as you monitor them and clean them out 
periodically (each vet check). And they are still great for conditioning 
rides because you are not out so long.

However, this past weekend I had the pleasurable experience of testing the 
new EASY BOOT EPICS  on my barefoot horse for a fast 25-mile conditioning 
ride through the Malibu hills. I was going to wait until after using them at 
the Bonita Turkey Trot next weekend to post this, but I am too excited.   
Yeeeha! I feel like we finally have 100-mile feet! (and one less excuse for 
not doing Tevis :-)

EasyCare has put together the best features of the Boa Boots and the 
traditional Easy Boot to come up with the EPICS.  They are all one piece 
like the Boa, but lightweight and less bulky, like the Easy Boot, so they 
stow well. They are easy on and off, and it does not take a two-page 
instruction sheet to make them work for barefoot - no foam, vet wrap or duct 
tape needed!! They are cut below the hairline like the Easy Boot, but they 
STAY ON through everything and do not rub, even in the heel or pastern area, 
and do not collect debris.
And EasyCare is already in the process of setting up production of the 
New-and-Improved Version of the EPICS!  In fact, Garrett Ford of EasyCare 
has so much confidence after extensively testing these last  two prototypes 
for many months that he confided to me he has permanently removed the shoes 
from all of his five horses.

If you could put boots on your barefoot horse in the dark at 5 a.m without 
grunting and guessing, and travel 100 miles over any kind of terrain without 
worrying about your horse's feet, would you not say that the industry is 
making progress?  Well, hang in there, I am sure we are on the cusp of a new 
era!

Terry
"May the Horse be with you"

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