How Can This National Champion Be Barefoot?

Katie is only eighteen years old but what follows, in her own words, is from the heart and mind of a young lady much wiser than we might expect from one with so few years under her belt.

This is why we do what we do.

Rarely a day passes that doesn’t bring emails or posts heralding happier, healthier horses who have left their stalls, shoes, and sugars behind and are living the Wild Horse Model as closely as circumstances allow. Horses who now trust and forge relationship by their own choice, not ours. Unsolicited stories from people we did not know before they wrote. And they are the fuel that drives us ever forward, learning and writing, to make a difference for horses everywhere. After reading just a few Kathleen said to me, “When you first contemplated writing that first book, when you told me how important you felt these discoveries were and how much you believed that we should make an effort to get this word out, you said, ‘If just one horse-human relationship could be changed for the better, if just one horse could be living a happier, healthier life then the all the effort would be worthwhile.’” She paused for a long moment and wiped away the beginnings of a tear. “Congratulations my Sweetie,” she said. “Mission accomplished.”

I hope you’ll open your heart and listen to what this horse and horsewoman have to say.

“I have been using an AANHCP certified trimmer on my pony jumper in New Jersey because we read your book The Soul of a Horse and never looked back. My pony is now the 2012 National Pony Jumper Champion because she managed the only round without fault against the top pony jumpers in the country at the national finals and was the only barefoot horse of all the pony jumpers, so I must thank you for opening my eyes to the ignorance and nonsense that trainers preach about the incredible powers of metal shoes.

“My pony is Wicked, who is blind in one eye, and her trimmer is Cindy Ross. Thanks to Cindy I can always count on Wicked’s perfect hooves to turn tighter, gallop faster, and jump cleaner than my shod competitors. She is not only ranked number one in the United States, USEF National Pony Jumper Championships, but is the 2012 USEF National Horse of the Year and the USEF Zone 2 Horse of the Year for the Pony Jumpers. She is the number one pony jumper in the North American League and with our recent victory at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show for the 2012 North American League National Finals Wicked earned the title of the 2012 National Pony Jumper Champion. Wicked has won at every local show she has ever been to and took home a blue first place ribbon at the 2012 Devon National Horse Show against the top pony jumpers in the country. This success was made possible through natural trimming, twenty-four hour turn out, limited sugar intake, and ignoring everything my trainers have told me when it comes to proper horse care.

Wicked and Katie on a jump that is surely taller than her pony!

“Wicked was a terrible stopper when I first got her, she would refuse every jump over 3′. But as her hooves transitioned to barefoot with the wild horse model, and she got more exercise, a healthier diet, and 24/7 turnout her refusing came to a halt and she became the 2012 national pony jumper champion.

“I, unlike many others, win to prove a point, not to move on to the finals or get another blue ribbon. Wicked being barefoot peaked a lot of competitors’ interest. This pony can do anything, make anyone smile, and teach anyone to love because she absolutely loves life, competing, and just having fun with her very own rider since she did not have a rider that loved her for 13 years. She is the best thing to ever happen to me and she will always be my all time favorite horse.” – Katie Pontone

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The story of our journey with horses (to date) is told in the two books that follow: the national best seller The Soul of a Horse – Life Lessons from the Herd and its sequel Born Wild – The Soul of a Horse.

And what a story it is as two novices without a clue stumble and bumble their way through the learning process so that hopefully you won’t have to. If you haven’t read both of these books already please do because with that reading, I believe, will come not just the knowledge of discovery but the passion and the excitement to cause you to commit to your journey with horses, to do for the horse without waiver so that your relationship and experience will be with loving, happy and healthy horses who are willing partners and who never stop trying for you. Horses like ours.