I have been an amateur horse rider since the early 1990s and started riding endurance in 1994. Since then I have accumulated more than 6,000 competition miles throughout Canada and the US.
I was raised in England and then spent 19 years in Canada before moving to Arizona in 2004. I ride because it is the most freeing thing I have ever experienced. I live to ride.
I pulled my horses’ steel shoes and started using Easyboots in May 2009 because I was concerned about the way my horses’ feet were evolving. I wanted to take a more active role in assuring the long term health of my small herd.
I’ve kept a weekly blog of the challenges and successes of my barefoot experiment since pulling the shoes. The ultimate test was successfully completing the Tevis 100 mile race in August 2009 using Easyboots on a barefoot horse. I remain fascinated by the changes I see in my horses since I transitioned them to barefoot: I’ve never looked back.
My personal core values are evolution, exploration and integrity. I believe there is much to be gained from the strategy of using booted protection for horses. And that is true no matter what job you choose for your equine partner.
