As a little background, before I started doing natural hoof care, I labored as a farrier for over ten years. During the summer I spent a lot of time in the mountains on rocky terrain. Every four weeks I was re-shoeing horses because their shoes were so thin that I had no choice. I fought all manner of hoof issues including nail holes, cracks, thin walls, and flares. Almost every pack trip we would loose at least one shoe due to nail clinches, sucking mud, shoes caught under rocks, and pack horses pulling the shoes off of their lead horses hinds. Hesitantly, I promised a friend that I would read her book on Natural Hoof Care. I became totally addicted to the natural way of riding. All fifteen of my horses switched to booted barefoot backcountry riding. They are all healthier, happier, and I know they are all going to live longer.
We constantly do thirty mile pack trips with at least ten happily booted horses. We have had NO sprained ankles, NO pulled suspensory ligaments, and NO chronic hoof ailments, since we switched to booted riding and trimming. We can efficiently forge rivers, bog through knee deep mud, scale rocky mountains, bushwhack over dead fall, and run through high country meadows, all without loosing our Glove boots. After my clients observed these benefits, most of them switched to bare foot also. I have been doing Natural Hoof Care now for five years and love booted backcountry riding with family and friends.
Name: Tamera Arnold
City: Roosevelt, Utah
Equine Discipline: Trail
Favorite Boot: Easyboot Glove
