"Shades Lucky Fool" (AKA April) when she was 3, we took home all those ribbons and the All Around Championship that day.  We compete in Western Classes, English Classes, and the Gymkana Class.

Owner:"Mom" aannese@houston.rr.com

This is a photo of our 13 year old registerd Welsh Pony, Jubilee.  This picture is from hunter over fences but he also competes in western pleasure and trail classes as well as english pleasure and halter classes at breed shows.  He is currently competing in the Large Pony Hunters is Texas and will be going to Lexington, Kentucky for the USA Equestrian Pony Finals 2002 in August.  He shows extensively on the "A" circuit.  Jubilee is 13 years old, 14.1 1/2 hands, and has never had shoes on in his life.  He has nice, wide feet and rides at home in a sandy ring with a clay base and also rides in grass rings at shows.  He has also never (knock on wood!) been lame since we bought him in 1994.

Barefoot Hunter
"El Lobo" Owner/Rider- Tara Smithmyer

El Lobo and Tara.  In this picture they placed 5th out of a class of 38. Note from Tara: A brief history: Lobo is a Reg. QH of "Doc Bar" blood lines. He was barefoot the whole time I owned him, (About 3 years). We did cross country, hunter classes, and lower level Dressage. We also rode the mountain trails around the farm HARD. He was shod when I purchased him, he had poor quality feet, they of course, grew in beautifully when the shoes were removed.

"Intrepid"  Owner - Shantal Rosales belgianjumper32@yahoo.com

We bought "Intrepid"  as a yearling and have kept him barefoot all 7 years of his life. Intrepid competes in eventing and hunters over fences very succesfully. He is very, very sound and I believe that is mostly due to being barefoot. We also practice much of the "natural living" philosophy outlined on Tribe Equus. Intrepid is an incredibly kind and well mannered stallion as a result of being allowed to lead a more normal life.

"Happy"  Owner - Pam Gray - Tomball, TX  Dareacres@aol.com  Rider: Olivia Geirman

Happy is a 7 year old TB that I have had for a little over three years.  I have never had shoes on him and he has always been very sound, with nice wide heels, and good feet, which is supposed to be rare in a thoroughbred.  I hope to never have shoes on this horse. He has shown up to 3 feet in a few A shows in the Children's Hunter and at home he has jumped four feet a few times on natural ground, sandy soil with grass, and he has never made a lame step.  He broke a bone in his leg two years ago after being kicked below the stifle.  He was naturally lame for some time during his recovery but his feet have always been great.

Barefoot Jumping

  "Bella"  Owner/Rider - Sylvia Terese Moe - Norway  svankild@hotmail.com

I am a norwegian girl at the age of 24 and my name is Sylvia. I have a Danish Warmblooded mare wich is barefoot! We compete in jumping. 110 and 120 cm. I bought her in oct -03, from Denmark and she had been shoeless her whole life! In norway we have quite tough winters, with a lot of ice and snow, so I had to put shoes on her. As the winter went along I started to collect information on barefoot horses, and as soon as spring arrived, I had my shoer remove her shoes, and trim her hoofes. And now, two months later, she is as healthy as ever! I have to say, I did not think it was going to work!! Because the conditions we have up here is quite challenging for horses hoofs! Very rocky, plus I have to ride about 10 min along an asphalted road to get to the riding hall. But surprisingly, it has been a sucsess so far! We have attended a couple of competitions to, without shoes, and the result was very pleasing, 2nd and 4th place! I'm not quite sure what to do when winter arrives yet, but I will definetly try keeping her shoeless as long as possible!

Barefoot Gaming
Owner/Rider-  Andy Smithmeyer

	Andy and his Pony Shadow, they compete in the "Gaming Classes"

Gemara Farm Fox Trotters has had all their horses barefoot with the natural horse trim for  the last two years and is very pleased with the  results. Baron's Final Star H. is our 1997 MFT stallion who is being shown as well as trail ridden in a variety of terrains barefoot. Despite folks telling us that we can't ride certain trails without shoes, our horses have covered them with no problems. The DQPs at the shows are surprised  at first  when they see our horses barefoot, but they have nothing but compliments for the condition of the horses' feet. Update: October 2006 We have now had all of our horses shoeless for six years and love it. I bought a pair of old Mac boots about three years ago and they still look almost new. We just haven't had need of them.   --   Bonnie Martin, Gemara Farm, Barnesville, GA   Visit us at www.gemara.homestead.com

My 8 yr. old Arab gelding, EBey has never had shoes and has never been lame, so far. This year he completed four LDs (25 -35 mile) endurance rides (top-10 on two). Now he  just completed his second 50-miler, (the first one, we got lost and ended up doing 65 miles before completing). This second one, which was in Tecopa Hot Springs, was on hard, rocky Mojave Desert, Calif. area, and he finished 6th out of 26. Several shod horses were pulled for lameness issues. The vet and the ride manager could not believe completed the ride without using his boots. I have the Swiss boots, but have never needed to wear them. However, I will begin using them, at least on conditioning rides, in order to keep his hind feet  wearing more level.   UPDATE: 4-7-03 now have completed a total of four 50-mile endurance races

13 year old Arab was shod for 7 years, until he "went natural" 2 1/2 years ago. It's taken some patience but has paid off.  He has competed for the last two seasons barefoot, and so far this year in his first three rides, he has Top 10'd twice, the second time placing 4th and was runner-up for Best Condition.  This last ride was at Leatherwood Mountain, in the rocky hills of North Carolina. When the ride was over, he didn't have so much as a chip out of his hooves. All together he has done three 50 milers, and five 25's "au natural".  In May of '04, he will go to the Biltmore in NC and do 50 miles there. I make it a point to let everyone know he is barefoot.