Hoof Boot Success at The 2009 Tevis Cup

EasyCare owner Garrett Ford described the The 2009 Tevis Cup as a “sink or swim” moment for the company. Riding a wave of success generated by this year’s release of 4 revolutionary new hoof boot designs, Garrett attended Tevis this year not only to compete, but also to put EasyCare’s name on the line. He and several company representatives were at the staging camp at Robie Flats in the days leading up to the race, fitting and applying Easyboot Glue-On hoof boots for anyone competing in the race, free of charge. The idea was to show the endurance riding world that these new hoof boots were up to the challenge of what is regarded as the toughest endurance race in the country, if not the world. In all, 19 horses were fitted with Easyboot Glue-Ons.

 The Tevis Cup is a 100-mile endurance race that takes horse and rider through some of the most breathtaking and rugged terrain on the planet. The course starts before dawn at Robie Park, high in the mountains above Lake Tahoe, and finishes 100 long miles away in Auburn, CA. The fastest riders finish around the 17 hour mark, with riders coming in throughout the night and well into the morning hours.

Because the race is so hard, and because the vet checks set up at regular intervals along the race course are so strict in ensuring the horses’ health and well-being, the average completion rate for Tevis over its 50+ year history is around 54%. Yes, that means that only about half of the riders that enter actually end up finishing the race. Most are pulled at a vet check because their horse doesn’t meet the many stringent requirements for heart rate, soundness, gait, etc. Others simply can’t complete the grueling course before the 24-hour cutoff time expires.

Of the 19 horses that were fitted with EasyCare Glue-On boots, 14 finished the race, including two top 10 finishes: Tennessee Mahoney and Salty came in 6th, and Megan Doyle and Kanga Roo finished 8th. Garrett and several members of his riding group finished around 30th place. Complete ride results can be found here. The finish rate for booted horses was 72%, well above the 54% average, showing once again that hoof boots have earned their rightful place in the endurance riding world and are here to stay.

About EasyCare, Inc.

EasyCare, Inc. has been a leader in the hoof boot industry for years, beginning with the invention of the Easyboot back in the early 70’s. Since then, the need for boots has grown tremendously as more and more horse owners see the healthy advantages of pulling shoes and switching to natural hoof care. EasyCare is excited about being part of this growing trend. For more information about hoof boots or natural hoof care please call EasyCare, Inc. at 1-800-447-8836, e-mail: [email protected] or visit our website at www.easycareinc.com.