Hannah lives in the Midwest of Western Australia with her three equids Digit, King and Sydney.
She grew up in Kalbarri with the Big River Ranch at her doorstep and from the age of 10, horses were simply part of life. Long afternoons at the river, dusty boots, sunburnt shoulders and the kind of childhood that revolved around four hooves!
Hannah spent five years working as a veterinary nurse before eventually stepping into running her own horse training business. But her passion has always been slightly different from the traditional path. For her, the horse isn’t something to control, they are a partner. That belief has shaped everything about how she lives and rides today.
At home, her herd reflects that philosophy.
Digit is her retired thoroughbred mare, who has been by her side for 12 years since finishing racing as a 7yr old. Sweet and wonderfully kind, Digit now thrives in clicker training and liberty work. She’s the quiet teacher of the group - soft, honest and endlessly patient. Hannah tells us that she owes everything she has learnt to Digit; who has taught her so much.
King is her 6-year-old OTTB who she bought as an almost 3 year old and he is her only ridden horse. Cheeky, athletic and full of personality, he keeps life interesting. He’s the one you’ll find striding out in his Renegade hoof boots on gravel roads or cantering down bush tracks with his ears pricked and ready for the next adventure!
And then there’s Sydney, the once-feral donkey turned paddock Prince. Oh so clever and very affectionate, earning Sydney’s trust and learning how donkeys learn has been one of Hannah’s most rewarding journeys.
Together, they live barefoot, exploring Western Australia’s bush tracks, beaches and back roads, doing life a little differently and always as a team.
Hannah has been using Renegade Hoof Boots for about a year and a half
Living in Western Australia means riding on a variety of terrain including gravel roads, sharp stones, dry summer ground, and beach access tracks. Keeping her horses barefoot was important to Hannah, but she also wanted them to feel comfortable and confident wherever they went.
She first heard about Renegade Hoof Boots through other barefoot riders, specifically from her friend, Simon from the Green Broke Horseman and on Instagram, Rachel from @myhorsewillow. They weren’t just riding in the arena, they were out there exploring. That mattered. The moment Hannah set her eyes on them, she knew she had to get a pair of hoof boots!
Once she tried Renegades, she realized hoof boots didn’t have to be bulky or unreliable. They could be secure, lightweight and performance-ready.
Hannah uses Renegade hoof boots mainly for adventures with her horses
Bush tracks, beach rides, gravel roads, liberty fun and just exploring new places with her horses - because in Renegade hoof boots, they can.
Renegade Hoof Boots are essential when riding on Western Australia's gravel or rocky ground. Instead of tip-toeing or shortening their stride, Hannah says her horses can move out confidently in hoof boots. It means Hannah doesn’t have to choose between keeping her horses barefoot and exploring new places. The hoof boots go on no matter the terrain, which sets the horses up for the adventure ahead!
The biggest thing for Hannah is how secure the Renegade hoof boots feel
Once fitted correctly, the Renegade Hoof Boots stay put, even in muddy conditions or at speed. They are lightweight, which she loves, because they don’t interfere with the natural movement of the horse's hoof.
Hannah has never felt comfortable about the idea of steel shoes so naturally, hoof boots were very appealing to her. Both of her horses are off the track thoroughbreds and had steel shoes placed when they were just over a year old. Hannah believes there’s too much damaged caused by shoeing – her horses had no heels, their hoof walls were cracked and they were always landing toe first.
When her horses became apart of her family, she pulled the steel shoes off and immediately transitioned her horses back to barefoot.
The process was long and Hannah learned that barefoot isn’t just about pulling shoes and hoping for the best. It’s about conditioning, nutrition, frequent (natural) trimming and gradual exposure.
Hannah trims her own horses and has done so for about 10 months. She absolutely loves it as it means that her horses can be a on a 1-3 week trim cycle, mimicking natural wear. Being involved in hoof care has made her more aware of how her horses move and what they need.
For Hannah, barefoot ultimately means stronger hooves, better proprioception and a more natural way of moving. It’s all connected - training, movement, environment, hoof health.
Hannah loves having Renegade hoof boots ready to put on whenever the adventure arises
On a recent beach ride with her gelding King, Hannah had left his hoof boots at home thinking that they weren’t required. There’s a long gravel road down to the beach and she noticed King slowing down and carefully placing his hooves tenderly on the ground. King usually canters along this road but without his hoof boots on, he was reluctant and his confidence had decreased - He didn’t have his boots on! This was a big revelation for Hannah, that the hoof boots gave her horses the inner confidence to walk over any terrain.
For her, hoof boots are about freedom. Freedom to keep her horses barefoot while still saying yes to any adventure thrown in their direction.
With horses, Hannah has learned that you can’t fake connection
She says "Horses don’t think like humans, the aren’t worried about titles or experience. They care about how you make them feel, the feeling you hold inside of you. They live in the present moment and often, as humans, we spend too much time living in the past or future."
Hannah didn’t want her horses to 'tolerate' going out for a ride but instead, she wanted them to want to be there, to feel safe, to enjoy being with her. That’s when she began learning about how horses learn and the way of liberty.
She lives by the motto;
"If you make them feel safe, they’ll follow you anywhere."
Hannah loves the versatility and effectiveness of clicker training with her OTTB’s – she almost always has some treats on her, some even end up as mash in her pockets when they go through the wash. 🙈 Some of her favorite things to do are:
- Liberty sessions just for fun
- Untacking at the float without a halter
- Sitting in the paddock, just being present with the horses
- Napping with the horses in the sand pit
Hannah says that hoof boots are not a ‘less than’ option
"Properly fitted Renegade hoof boots are a serious tool for barefoot horses who live active lives" says Hannah; "They’re not bulky, they’re certainly not unreliable and they’re not just for horses who can’t cope. They are for all horses who explore. A simple innovative solution for horse owners wanting to add a layer of protection to their barefoot horses."
Hannah says one guarantee is that the hoof boots will never fall off if fitted correctly.
Hannah's big goal for her horses
Hannah told us that her main goal for the future with her horses is to to keep building a life where her horses feel safe, understood, confident and genuinely happy. She sums up with "More kilometers, more beach rides, more dancing with my horses and more quiet afternoons in the paddock. Less pressure and more partnership."
Follow Hannah and her horses on their adventures here:
Instagram: @hannah.read.horses
Facebook: Hill River Equestrian
