July 2010

Keeping Kids Safe at the Barn

horse business

We’ve been talking this week about getting to know your riding lesson students, but you also need to know as much as you can about your adult employees and clients. Keeping kids safe at the barn means putting them in a secure, threat-free environment.

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Questions to Ask Your Students

horse business

A reader named Lisa left a particularly insightful comment on my article about dealing with hyperactive students. She said, in part:

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Dealing with Aggressive Horsemen
in the Horse Business

horse business

You have the right to decide what activities go on at your barn. If a client or employee makes you uncomfortable with his treatment of people or horses, you can ask him to leave. It’s that simple.

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Farm Freebies: Horse Boarding Equine Evaluation Template

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Most horse boarding business owners check out their human clients before allowing them to move in. But what about your equine customers?

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What’s Your Story?

horse business

This web site is all about developing a solid horse business and letting it take off. It’s about finding your passion, your reason for living, and making money with your skills. It’s about solving problems and improving solutions, and preventing catastrophe.

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When to Remove a Student from His
Horse in Riding Lessons

horse business

Bad behavior, failure to follow direcftions, and injured horses are all reasons to remove a student from his horse in riding lessons. Read on to learn how to handle the situation.

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How to Structure a
Horse Business Payment Policy

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Horse business owners are as entitled to payment as any other entrepreneur. If your clients don’t pay on time—or at all—you cannot continue to offer your services. Everybody loses.

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Farm Freebies: Gift Certificate

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Yesterday we talked about incentives in the horse business, but today I want to take it a step further. You can generate interest in your horse business services without actually offering anything for free.

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The Power of Incentives
in the Horse Business

horse business

Everyone enjoys a good incentive now and again. When you go to the grocery store, do you clip coupons for your favorite products? If a restaurant is offering a free drink with your meal, are you more likely to eat there than an establishment where you will have to pay two bucks for a Diet Coke?

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Communication in Horse Training

horse business

In response to last week’s article, Why Horse Trainers Shouldn’t Advertise Natural Horsemanship, I received several e-mails accusing me of prejudice against natural horsemanship. I invite you to go back and re-read the article, specifically the last few lines.

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Happy Fourth of July from RIU!

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Yes, yesterday was Independence Day, but since most people get today off in celebration of the holiday, I won’t be publishing a normal article. I just want to leave you with this thought: Our forefathers gave of themselves to ensure our freedom, and for that they are recognized each fourth of July. But let’s not [...]

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Why Horses Trainers Shouldn’t
Advertise Natural Horsemanship

horse business

When potential clients call, do you tell them that you practice natural horsemanship in your horse training business? If so, you could be making a huge mistake.

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Horse Business Owners are Salespeople

horse business

All horse business owners are salespeople. If you don’t believe me, your business probably isn’t growing the way you’d like it to.

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