James & I have been huge fans of top level endurance rider Darolyn Butler for 2 1/2 decades now. She was such an integral part of the early barefoot movement at the turn of the century. She simply got to work, diligently applying every principle of natural horse care in the management of her high level athletic horses. She has been a true leader, demonstrating the practical success of barefooting! She wrote over a dozen articles for The Horse’s Hoof Magazine and was featured in so many issues. Her Cypress Trails Ranch, located in Humble, Texas, became a barefoot horse paradise.
We met Darolyn in person at barefoot clinics, events and conferences back in the early 2000’s, but had not seen her since then. In all these years, and despite planning on it, we had never visited her ranch in Humble, Texas. Now that we have located to Texas only 2 1/2 hours away from her, of course, it was time to meet up with Darolyn once again!
I can’t even express how amazing the experience of Cypress Trails Ranch is! It is located in a now very urban area, just north of Houston. However, the city vanishes as soon as you drive in. You are surrounded with a park-like setting, and peaceful, happy horses living naturally everywhere. This is an incredibly uplifting place!
Above and below: The beautiful ranch house has a home on the upper floor, and full barn, tack rooms, and barn office on the bottom floor. It is hard to believe that during the big Houston flood of 2019, flood waters went up well onto the 2nd level and nearly destroyed everything. However, the house was saved and rebuilt, and is gorgeous!
There are about 100 horses on the ranch, and 60 of them belong to Darolyn. Every single horse is BAREFOOT! Most of the horses are used for their instructional trail rides, which take place on the adjacent County parks, riding shaded forest trails along Cypress and Spring Creeks on this public land. Darolyn said there are often 100 rides going on the weekends! You can read more about their instructional trail rides here: https://cypresstrailsranch.com
Above and below: Happy horses living out naturally in carefully created living environments. There are “hay huts” everywhere with round bales inside, protected from the weather. At the front of these pics, you can see the small feeding stalls (brown wood), set up to feed horses individual meals as needed. The horses live naturally in groups, with free choice hay, and plenty of room to move. There are a variety of breeds and types, from Arabs to large drafts. Most horses also receive frequent trail riding exercise on a variety of ground surfaces, including crushed granite and sand.
With this system, Darolyn has been very successful rehabbing many rescue horses with hoof problems, as well as off the track horses with bowed tendons. The late Dr. Robert Anthony “Doc” Beecher, DVM visited Darolyn’s ranch and told her that he had never seen that many horses together in one location, all with hooves that were that good!! The power of natural hoof care principles at work in the real world!
Above: Before & after of one of the big guys! This draft showed some of the common problems that can develop with draft hooves.
Above: Before & after of a smaller horse. This Arab has some high-low going on, which is fairly common for that breed. Each hoof is trimmed individually; consistent trimming will encourage much better balance over time.
Darolyn said that so many people have told her, these are the happiest horses they have ever seen. If you ever have the opportunity to visit or ride at Cypress Trails Ranch, know that it will be a truly unforgettable experience. Especially for those who love barefoot horses and natural horse care, this place is a genuine joy.
For more about Darolyn Butler:
Barefoot Endurance with Darolyn Butler
by Yvonne Welz and Darolyn Butler, published in The Horse’s Hoof Magazine Issue 5, Fall 2001; and Issue 6, Winter 2002
Behind the Bridle: The Untold Story of Cypress Trails Ranch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG6D7VsId5g
Darolyn Butler’s links:
https://cypresstrailsranch.com
https://www.instagram.com/cypresstrailstx/
https://www.facebook.com/CypressTrails
See the full content listing of all issues of The Horse’s Hoof Magazine! We also provide instructions on how to read the issues for free on Hoof Help Online.
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James Welz is now scheduling barefoot trimming customers in Central Texas (NW Houston area is good).
Contact us!
Voicemail: 623-935-1823
Text: 623-256-4762
Email: jim@thehorseshoof.com
Read more about James here.
