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[RC] Easyboots in big races - rides2far@xxxxxxxx

I don't think the additional weight of the easyboots would be such a 
problem *without* the mud. When mud is sticking all over the outside 
of the boot and building up that would be more additional weight, 
plus the horse's muscles are having to combat the sliding.

A the 1995 North American Championship the westerners up front had 
easyboots on. It came a rain and I believe they removed them at the 
last check. At Vermont in 2001 Heather had them on Red until the last 
check about 3 miles out...then they pulled them because they were 
afraid he'd have to race in on grass and it would be slick. When I 
was deciding what would absorb concussion most I put some shock 
absorbing pads & an easyboot on concrete and hit them with a hammer. 
You could feel the concussion come up your arm but the easyboot 
absorbed the most.

I never fail to make the bad choice on padding for a ride. If I pad, 
it rains buckets. If I don't you get there and the course is hard 
with big gravel...so I use easyboots for pads. I guess I'm lucky in 
that my horses have bell shaped feet and will hold a boot just 
slapped on. They are really slick in mud or on wet grass though so I 
wouldn't want to use them in that situation.

This past weekend we did the GERA 50 in Georgia. This ride has 
several miles of extremely hardpacked gravel road with just a 
smattering of the big logging type rocks scattered over the smooth, 
semi-concrete hard surface. Then the rest is really nice trails. Our 
easyboots were perfect and never moved, but if it had been really 
muddy I would have just gone extremely slow on the gravel rather than 
slip and slide on those trails. If OD was dry I'd probably do what 
Karen does and just leave'em on. She's pretty darned successful there.

If your horse has really bell shaped hooves, it doesn't take much 
extra to keep them on. I didn't believe Cade (Josie's horse) could 
hold them without a heel strap but when it became obvious the strap 
would rub him (he has low heels) I put two really old boots on that 
had broken straps. Just wrapped a bit of vet wrap on, put on the boot 
and did 50 miles with 4 river crossings...no problem. Amazing.

Angie


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