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“I have been using the EasyBoots on two of my other horses, with great success.
I went riding with my friend yesterday, who I have turned on to them, and we were talking about the testimonial, and as it turns out, she said she sent one on me and my horse! too funny
At first I am thinking.. why? But then I realized... yes, it has made a big difference for me too.
My horse fell at a lope, just out of the blue, for no particular reason. I only had him for about 2 months before the fall. To test him and see what he could/would do, we had spent the first two months trail riding, doing all my favorite obstacles out on the trail. Crossed old wooden bridges, deep water crossings, jumps up 4 ft ravines, down hills, up hills, down hills with sharp 90 degree turns and a tree right in the middle, through mud, through all kinds of stuff. He always passed with flying colors.
Then one weekend, it was too wet to ride our favorite spots, so we hit the Katy Trail instead. It is mostly chat, well drained, they hadnt had much rain there either. It is an old rail system that was converted to a hiking/bike trail, and one section is also a horse trail.
We mostly walked, but at one point we decided to do a nice slow rocking chair lope. It felt great, things were going good, I was just so happy with my new trusty steed.
Then about that time, I could feel him falling. And it wasn't the feeling of dropping to their knees but they catch themselves? It was an oh...#$#%!! he is not going to catch himself, this is not going to be pretty.
So he sent me catapulting through the air. I remember thinking this could not be good. I guess I also thought I could put my arms out and catch myself. Needless to say, I broke my arm, the big bone, whatever that is called. My horse somersaulted and landed next to me. He got up, shook himself off, and then started eating grass along the trail. The ambulance had to come down the trail to get me, and I had to have surgery that evening. I should take this opportunity to add that I was wearing a helmet. I know my head bounced a few times leaving cracks in my helmet, and the force bent the horn on my saddle completely down.... so it could have been so much worse.
The only thing I could think of that caused the fall, was his hooves. The bikes didn''t scare him, it was straight and flat, no logs, no ditches, no rocks, no nothing.... the lope just felt so good and then about that time -- it just went so bad.
So I took him to my farrier, and one hoof was about a half an inch longer than the other.
Since then, I just had to keep in on a 5 week trimming, which meant a trim and reset on the shoes. Which means the expense can really add up.
Because of the fall, it took me a long time to regain my confidence and trust in him. He was kind of young too, 5 at the time, so by the time I started riding him again, it was Spring. So between worrying about the Spring Stupids, and worrying whether or not he was going to fall again, it was just more than I could handle mentally. I hadn't been riding long as an adult anyways, and anytime he would try to build up any kind of speed at all, even just a faster walk, I would shut him back down. So that just ticked him off, making him act up even more. Never was any of it very serious, but he was not happy and I was not happy.
I was to the point of trading him. I mostly only ride on the weekends. I am not very experienced. I am not a trainer. My riding time is very limited. I needed a horse that I could just get on and go. I know... you should spend riding time during the week, but realistically I just can't. And I just could not worry about him acting up, or worry about falling... all of the time.
So we started the Natural Hoof Care. The tripping stopped. Since the tripping stopped, my anxiety about falling was not constantly on my mind, so then I could focus on his behavior. So then I gained my confidence about dealing with his behavior, and then that was not a big deal anymore. As my confidence improved, his behavior improved..... imagine that.
Each ride, I would worry less and less about falling. I just decided that if I am going to ride, I need to just accept the risk and move on. This was last year in '05. We spent the entire year getting over issues. And most were in my head, I know this, but they were real to me none the less.
This past spring, he turned 7. He did not give me one bit of trouble with any spring stupids. It has been 2 years since the fall. This past year in '06, we had just the best time together. I really just love this horse to pieces.
And my friend telling me yesterday that she wrote about me, just reminded me of how far we have come together, me and my horse, and how close I was to letting him go. And it wasn't until writing this email, that I realized that during the 2.5 hours we rode yesterday, I never once, not ONCE thought about him falling. That just occurred to me and that is truly amazing, since I was so overwhelmed and obsessed with it at every given moment.
Had she not mentioned that she wrote about me.... after I told her that I wrote about Sailor, I didn't really realize what a success story I am with my own personal riding horse as well. My friend told me yesterday... Timid rider my foot
Ok, so anyways, more than you wanted to read I am sure, but I love this horse, and I would be so empty without him, and it is because of my farrier and the trimmings and the boots, that it has all clicked for us once again, and I just can not imagine my life without him.
I might also add, that in addition to trail riding, we love to do parades also. And either going barefoot or with the boots in the parade, really makes all the difference. Everyone else with shoes, are ice skating with their horses. I am relaxed and calm because I know he is not going to slip, and therefore I am able to really enjoy the parades. My goal this year was to carry the United States Flag. I have always wanted to carry the flag, but this year it was extra very important to me, as we had one son in Iraq, and my 18 year old son just left for basic training.
We practiced at home with a sheet, so my horse did great with the flag, we weren't ice skating on the asphalt, I wasn't worried about falling or about him acting up... it was a very proud moment for me. When I was first handed the flag atop my horse, I cried. And at times along the parade route, just the since of pride and thinking of my sons, brought tears to my eyes. None of this would have been possible had everything not clicked. I just could not be happier. I really really love this horse... Have I said that already
Ok, I get windy when talking about my horses..."
- Melinda
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