Barefoot Performance: Long Distance & Endurance Riding

Barefoot Arab, TBR Granite Chief+/, Earns AHA 2005 Distance Horse of the Year Award!

Karen Chaton and TBR Granite Chief+/. Karen uses EasyCare Epics and Bare boots on Chief.

Press Release, Feb 17, 2006, courtesy USEF.org:

TBR Granite Chief+/ Earns Distance Horse of the Year Award, By Susan Bavaria

Arabian horse TBR Granite Chief+/ (CF Sorcerer x MI Princessa), owned by Karen Chaton of Gardnerville, NV, has earned the 2005 Arabian Horse Association (AHA) Distance Horse of the Year Award.

The 10-year-old gelding was the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) National Mileage Champion in 2004 with 2,135 miles and has captured that title again in 2005 with 2,245 miles. He has accumulated 4,835 lifetime miles to date and is the only Arabian horse in this century to cover more than 2,000 miles in a single ride season, which he did in both 2004 and 2005.

He also earned the 2004 XP Rides Horse of the Year Wendell Robie Trophy, which is awarded annually in memory of the founder of the Tevis Cup and the modern sport of endurance riding. Chief completed all XP Rides in 2004 and 2005, covering 1,060 miles in three five-day/250-mile rides and two three-day/155-mile rides.

“I am so honored to receive this award. I think it is great that AHA is recognizing a distance horse that has excelled and not necessarily based on speed. I am very fortunate to have a horse like Chief. He is one of a kind,” says Chaton.

As the AHA Distance Horse of the Year, TBR Granite Chief+/ will have his name engraved on a perpetual trophy designed by Joe Staheli and donated by the Arabian Horse Owners Foundation (AHOF). Chaton will receive a plaque with a facsimile of the bronze sculpture.

The AHA Distance Horse of the Year Award recognizes significant accomplishments of an Arabian, Half-Arabian or Anglo-Arabian horse in the distance sports. Any AHA member can nominate a horse as long as it’s registered with AHA, the Canadian Arabian Horse Association or the Canadian Partbred Arabian Register.

Click here to read Australian endurance rider/barefooter Jen Clingley's articles:

JEN’S SECRETS TO BAREFOOT ENDURANCE SUCCESS – Part 1

Jen's Secrets to Endurance - Success Part 2

International endurance rider Darolyn Butler has been promoting and riding barefoot horses for years! Please click here to visit her website.

Above: Brittany Dial (daughter of world class endurance rider/barefooter Darolyn Butler) on barefoot horse DJB Cielo during the 100 mile Foxfire ride in 2002.