In 1871, a 23-year-old Earl, armed with several bottles of his father's horse liniment, joined with his brother Foreman in St. Louis, Missouri, where Foreman was engaged in the buying and shipping of horses. This time period immediately following the Civil War marked the heyday of the horse in American life. Consequently, the Sloan liniment formula was in great demand. For about twenty-five years, Earl and his brother peddled their remedy from farm to farm, and also worked the horse fairs and carnivals.