But I was still not 100%...my wifes' father, a respected horsemen in the Navajo community, was not buying it, and convinced me to try another farrier. We drove 200 miles to Cortez and had Chance Tate shoe Princess...yes, everyone cringe! While he is a great farrier and has a wonderful T3 Stables, Princess threw a shoe on the first barrel and running on three shoes and 11 vertabrae out according to our chiropractor. I was angry! I was so angry with myself for not trusting what I felt for our horse. I vowed after causing her the additional pain because of my stupidity that she would not wear shoes again period!

During our 2006 rodeo season, Princess competed in both Pro and Indian rodeos. Her best finish in the pro circuit was 10th in Clovis, New Mexico. She also qualified for the INFR and won Triple JJJ Rodeo in Chinle, Whiteriver Rodeo, Northern Navajo Rodeo in Bluff, Central Navajo Fair in Chinle, Bylas Mt. Turnbull Rodeo, Western Navajo Fair Rodeo, SWIRA Champion Barrel Racer 2006 and was fourth in the average at the Navajo Nation Fair. Yes, all without horseshoes!

Why didn't she win the Indian National Finals Rodeo this year? Again, my self confidence and stupidity! I allowed our farrier to trim her before we raced the final two races! He trimmed her too close and I was against the trim but my wife's father went ahead with it anyway! Now I really need to either learn to trim or find someone to trim our horse!

I am currently under intense pressure from her father to have her shoed! Guess what? I just smile and say I respect your "old school thoughts" but how can you argue with six first place finishes? We want to be the only winning PWBR (PRCA) Barrel Racing shoeless horse on the Turquoise Circuit! We hope to preach the gospel of shoeless horses and have already won one convert...Claudia's best friend and Breakaway Roper Savannah Begay!

jlors@hotmail.com

I wrote about all this in - and for more info...

http://thehorseshoof.com/barefootperf_western.html

I took my horses barefoot last year. Pulled the shoes at Thanksgiving as usually but didn't put them back on when spring came. I don't compete, I just trail ride and some pretty rocky places.

One gelding didn't do well barefoot at all.  I suspect we trimmed him just a touch too long. He showed soreness after rides, so I put him back in shoes for the rest of the summer.  We will try him again this summer and correct our trim.

The other horses surviced the summer. But I did notice they got tender if I rode them for 4-5 hours on rough trails.  They slowed down their gaits, No more "Charging " down the trail. They would walk on the side of the trail as opposded to down the middle. Much more observant of where they put their feet. But no persistent soreness after they got off the trail.

I'm not sure I could have rode those horses for 2-3 days straight on rough trails. But given a day off, they did fine. A fellow I occassionally ride with,  who is a vet and was a farrier earlier in his carreer has gone barefoot for the last 5 years. He horses do great with it.

For 2007 we hope to continue barefoot. We hope they have toughened up their feet and can go 5+ hours or multiple days with out showing any tenderness. My farrier and I have both learned a lot about how to properly trim a barefoot hoof. I alternate trims with my farrier. I do a trim at 4 weeks and the farrier comes and "Trues Up" my trim every 8 weeks.

My advice (for what it's worth with one years experience) is that some horses do fine, some don't. The proper trim is critcal.  Just like if your fingernails get long they have a tendency to get dirt under the nails or to break off, the same is true for the hoof. keep them trim frequently and to correct shape. And yes it takes some time for horses that have been shod for a long time to convert over.

Riding on Red Mountain near Bryce Canyon

Rocky trails up deer & Elk hunting in October. Horse did great.

A November ride, almost 1 year since starting barefoot.

Aweome Pictures! Thanks!!

Yep, all but one of our 6 are barefoot, so I concur on some horses just do not hold up...

Our key to healthy hooves has been Formula 707 Biostride = I am always skeptical of supplements but what a difference!

Pictures are quite as far south as you. But you probably rodeo'd by some of them.

So what kind of a difference are you seeing?  Faster growth, stronger hoof walls. Tougher frogs?

I'm getting plenty of growth with no suppliments. In fact my problem is with keeping the hooves trimed back so I don't get any leverage on the white line. My horses get a little tender in the sole of the foot when traveling on pebble sized gravel. But I'm not seeing any chiping or excessive wear of the hoof wall. I'm hoping this second year barefoot will show some tougher feet.

Congrates on your winning season.

Princess is a hard keeper - especially her hooves...they grow at a snails pace but are brittle and prone to crack or in one instance split up the center...hence the hotshoe.

Her hooves are more pliable not as dry and the cracks are healing with proper maintenance. Her hooves are growing in more rapidly. And all around they look better...I don't know how to say it but darker healthier hooves.

 http://www.formula707.com/707/hoof_health.htm