Kat Smith has had her horses barefoot for more than two years now. Her previous mare, Jasmine, was able to ride on short rides without her boots. But on cavalcades she used Epics.

“They worked well for the first day,” says Kat. “They held on through mud and bog and the conversations with the other riders often started with comments about the boots and why I had them on instead of metal shoes on the eight hour ride over Otapiri Gorge. I talked about how 12 days before a cavalcade in 2010, the day after I had her shod for an upcoming cavalcade, she cleaved the flesh off the inside of her back left fetlock down to the bone!”

Kat Smith & Jasmine

This is one of our favorite photos: look at the wonderful momentum in this shot – and check out those Epics!
Nice job, Kat.

Kat said she was in shock when she saw the injury, and that the guilt was enormous as she had been unshod for nearly two years at that point. “I had only shod her because it was stipulated in the rules of the event. So this was the first time I had gone to a cavalcade with my boots.”

Kat had her share of challenges on the second day, including losing boots that had been strapped to the breastcollar. “Now when I attach boots to the breast plate I use string and double knots!”

Kat & Tim

Kat does not own a cavalcade horse at the moment, but when she gets her young thoroughbred fit enough, she plans to use Easyboot Gloves.

Name: Kat Smith
Location: New Zealand
Favorite Boot: Easyboot Glove

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