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Filipe Masetti Leiti Rode a Horse 16,000 Miles. This is What he Learned.
“I’d never ridden more than 3 kilometers.” That’s what author, filmmaker, and Long Rider Filipe Masetti told me after riding 16,000 miles across North and South America. That quote will give you hope you can do whatever you’re dreaming of doing.



Interview With Filipe… Continue reading
The Hoof Boot Review: 3 Hoof Boots, 32 Days on the Trail

What’s the best kind of hoof boot for your horse or mule? My wife Julia and I rode from North Carolina to Virginia and back with three brands of hoof boots. This hoof boot review is what we… Continue reading
Adjusting Pie’s Hoof Boots (Part 3 of the 3 Part Series on Transitioning to Hoof Boots)
How do you adjust a pair of new hoof boots?

In today’s post, I’ll show you how I’m adjusting a pair of hoof boots to fit my wife’s pony Pie. To get you up to speed, here are the first two parts in this three part series.
- Off With Her Shoes (Part 1 of 3)
- Measuring Pie for Hoof Boots (Part 2 of 3)
Off With Her Shoes (Part 1 of the 3 Part Series on Transitioning to Hoof Boots)
A while back my wife Julia and I pulled the steel horseshoes on her pony Pie’s front feet. I thought you’d be interested how we’re transitioning her (Pie, not Julia) to bare feet. From here on out, she’ll go barefoot. For extra protection Pie might need on rocky trails or abrasive surfaces like asphalt, we’ll slap on a pair of hoof boots.


Knocking on Doors
When my mules Brick and Cracker and I set out on our latest journey from North Carolina to Idaho, we did so with minimal planning. We had no chase crew, sponsor or person lining up places for us to stay. We just went.


How Hoof Boots Work in the Snow
This week we had our first snow of the season. It wasn’t a blizzard. We only got about five inches of snow. Still, it was fun taking Cracker and Pie for a spin in the white stuff. If you’ve ever wondered how hoof boots work in the snow, this post will interest you.

About Hoof Boots and Me
None of my wife Julia’s or my horses or mules wear steel shoes. We ride… Continue reading
Is a Mare Mule or Horse Mule Better?
A lot of folks I know that have experience with mules prefer mare mules over horse mules. A mare mule is a female mule, also called a “molly” mule. A horse mule is a male mule and is also called a “john” mule. So what’s better for you, a mare mule or a horse mule?

Mare Mules Compare to Horse Mules
In general, a mare mule is… Continue reading
“Trash to Triumph” Book Update

A little over two years ago, I finished riding mules Brick and Cracker from North Carolina to Idaho. I am currently working on the third draft of the book. The title of the book is “Trash to Triumph”.
Writing the first draft… Continue reading
In Praise of Salamander Water: Part 1: The Dry Tap
“There’s no water in the kitchen sink,” my wife Julia told me recently and I knew it was one of two things. Our water comes from a spring behind our cabin. Either a salamander or a crayfish had gotten stuck in the plumbing or the cistern that gathered the spring water was empty.


Happy New Year 2022
Happy 2022. Here are a few photos from ’21 that made me smile. I wish you all the best in the New Year.
Bernie
