Susanne & Joey

Dear Barefoot team!

I got my Barefoot Arizona for more than a year now and are extremely satisfied with it.

I used to do dressage and jumping, the Arizona was intended for my mother, my English saddles were too uncomfortable for her. I tried the saddle once and was hooked, couldn’t get away from it anymore.

I actually wasn’t all that enthusiastic about Western riding, Western saddles were too big for me, too heavy and clumsy. By now, I’ve come to believe that it doesn’t matter if you ride ‘English’ or ‘Western’. Both styles of riding have positive sides, but both can quickly get hard on the horse or even abusive.

Through the Arizona I’ve gained an entirely new ‘feel’ for riding. I had been riding bareback frequently before, but to feel secure AND to be able to ‘feel’ the horse under me, that is unsurpassed! :)

I don’t really ride Western, more like a blend of everything that seems logical to me, or that works well for my horse.

And just to mention my horse:
Joey is a 7 year old Shagya Arab. He lets me do a lot with him, but still does have a mind of his own. And that’s exactly what I like about him, he can’t be forced, or made to conform to a mold, but he works willingly and does everything I ask of him, as long as I don’t put him under pressure. Then he becomes your typical, ‘nervous’ Arab. And this is why the Arizona is such a perfect fit for us: It adjusts to the horses’ back, no unnecessary force or pressure is created.

Joey loves to jump, we used to do smaller courses, now it’s more single jumps, but with our Barefoot. This saddle can simply handle anything and everything! Last weekend we were at a riders’ meeting, where the photos were taken.

Keep doing what you do!!!

Best regards from Linz, Austria,

Susanne & Joey