Horse Business

farm freebies Do you have questions about how to safely and efficiently run your horse business? Of course you do! But Riding Instructor University is here to help. In this section you will find all our articles on adopting sound business practices and policies for your horse business.

RIU is Back

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It’s been a couple months since my last post. Unfortunately, personal circumstances have prevented me from keeping up with the site, but 2012 is a new year (full of new advice for horse business owners).

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Equestrian Professionals: How to Cope with Allergies

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After spending the last week and a half with a wicked case of the flu, I’ve got runny noses, watery eyes, fatigue, and sneezing fits on the brain. Although my illness wasn’t related to allergies, the symptoms sure are similar.

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How to Name Your Barn

After talking about serious subjects over the last couple weeks, I thought we’d jump the tracks a little and talk about something more fun: Naming your barn! It’s a decision you’ll have to live with for quite some time, so it takes serious thought. The name of your horse business is the first impression you [...]

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When You’re Away: Leaving the Barn in Good Hands

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All horse business owners need a break once in a while, and you can’t be at the barn every single day of the year. Whether you’re taking a much-needed vacation or traveling to horse shows, it helps to have a strategy for leaving the barn in good hands.

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How to Even Out Horse Business Revenue

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The above graphic is not an uncommon representation of horse business revenue. Your income changes from month to month depending on your clients’ needs, and that continuous fluctuation can wreak havoc on your finances.

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Happy Valentine’s Day…

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I’ve never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day. I’m not a big-displays-of-affection type of girl, and I think most of the V-Day traditions are pretty silly. That said, Valentine’s Day is supposed to remind us of love, and who do we love more than our equine pals?

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Reducing Employee Turnover in the Horse Business

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It takes a lot of work to find reliable employees in the horse business. You’ve got to advertise, review applications, interview prospects, and make what you hope is an informed decision. And if you have high employee turnover, you encounter this monstrous task more frequently than you’d like.

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Taking a breather…

We all need time to relax, recharge, and prepare ourselves for future creative effort. That’s my long-winded way of saying, “I’m taking a break for a week, and it’s not ’cause I’m lazy.”

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Resolving Business Partner Disputes

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Today’s question comes from Tim in Oklahoma:

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Dangerous Horses in the Horse Business

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Despite what you might have heard, dangerous horses do exist. They might have been made dangerous by the ways in which they’ve been treated, but that doesn’t make them any less of a threat to your horse business.

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You Tell Me:
How is your horse business faring in this economy?

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No matter where I go, I’m constantly hearing about the economy’s impact on the horse industry as a whole, and on individual horse businesses. My clients are suffering from the economic climate, some more than others, and I’m curious about you guys out there who are in the grind every day.

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Happy 200!

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A horse is the projection of peoples’ dreams about themselves—strong, powerful, beautiful—and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence. —Pam Brown Today marks the 200th post here at Riding Instructor University. It’s hard for me to believe, as it seems like just yesterday I sat down at the computer and [...]

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How to Deal with Client Criticism

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It happens in the horse business just as often as—sometimes even more than—it happens in other industries. Your client stops you in the middle of work to tell you you’re doing it wrong. And you want to snap the guy in two because, hey, who is he to criticize you?

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Packing Your Horse Business Go Bag

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You wake up in the morning, brush your teeth, wash your face, get dressed, pour a cup of coffee, and hope you get out the door with everything you need. Maybe the morning news is still weighing on your mind, or perhaps you’re still trying to sort out the dream you had about horses on two legs serving your meal at a local restaurant. Mornings are full of distractions.

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Safety Words for the Horse Business

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A safety word or “safeword” is a word or phrase used in certain sports to indicate someone is in trouble. In professional wrestling, for example, a performer might utter the safety word to tell his opponent that the match has gone too far. You can also use safety words in the horse business—in fact, I highly recommend it.

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Coping with the Physical Strain
of the Horse Business

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Just about everyone suffers some type of physical injury or malady as a direct result of his or her involvement in the horse business. It might be minor—an ache here, a sprain there—or it could be more serious: broken bones, deep lacerations, head injuries.

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Farm Freebies: Payment History template

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If you don’t keep meticulous financial records related to your horse business, it’s easy to drop the ball. Last week I published a payment record template to help you keep track of incoming payments (accounts receivable) from multiple clients, so this week we’re focusing on individual clients.

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The Simple Pleasures of the
Horse Business

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Your horse business might be suffering right now. Perhaps you owe a lot of money to the bank, or maybe you’ve lost a fourth of your clients to the economic downturn. Sometimes the horse industry starts to look bleak.

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Farm Freebies:
Payment Record template

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Lost checks, misplaced cash, unfilled invoices. If you don’t have an airtight organizational system, collecting, processing, and recording payments can become a nightmare.

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How to Beat the Recession in 2011

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The way I see it, we’ve got two options. We can sit around and mope and gripe about the state of the economy. Or we can thank the Lord for our blessings (no matter how meager) and make something of ourselves regardless of how the economy is faring.

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How to Use Your Equestrian Professional Planner

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Did you download your Equestrian Professional Planner just before Christmas? If not, go visit that link and download your copy. I’ll wait.

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How to Attract Long-Term Horse Business Clients

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There are so many benefits to finding long-term horse business clients that I couldn’t possibly list them all here. Consistent source of income, anyone? How about brand loyalty? And here’s a good one: You get to work with people you know.

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Selling Horses:
Talking to Buyers Part 4—The Follow-Through

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Selling horses is no easy task, and the end of your meeting with a buyer is one of the most important moments in the process. This is the time to close the deal or send the buyer on his way, whichever is most appropriate.

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Selling Horses:
Talking to Buyers Part 3—The Demonstration

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After the initial meeting and the introduction, the next step in selling horses is the demonstration. This is where the buyer gets to see your sale horse in action, which in most cases means under saddle.

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Selling Horses:
Talking to Buyers Part 2—The Introduction

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When meeting someone who might be interested in buying one of your horses, professionalism is the key to fostering a healthy, mutually beneficial relationship. If your buyer doesn’t think you are a professional, the sale is already lost.

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Selling Horses:
Talking to Buyers Part 1—The Initial Meeting

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If you want to successfully run a horse business in which you offer horses for sale, you must develop the ability to talk to people. This is an area where I struggle because I communicate most effectively through the written—rather than spoken—word. When faced with an actual human being in front of me, I find myself tongue-tied, red-faced, and completely out of my element.

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You Tell Me:
Do You Negotiate the Price of Sale Horses?

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You’ve put ads in the paper, you’ve spread word of mouth, you’ve spammed every web site on the Internet, but no one’s biting. We’re talking about sale horses this week, and I’m curious how RIU readers handle this part of the horse business.

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Thank You

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No regular post today, just a message of heartfelt gratitude to all the veterans who have valiantly served the United States as members of the armed forces. Thank you for your service.

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Selling Horses:
Get Your Sale Horse Noticed

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Some horses sell within a couple days, while others stay on the market for months (or even years) without so much as a low-ball offer. We can’t assume that every sale horse that gets snapped up in record time is just so phenomenal that no buyer can resist him, so perhaps it has more to do with how he’s sold.

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Selling Horses:
Which Qualities to Highlight in a Sale Horse

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If you’ve been selling horses for any length of time, you know that all buyers are different. One might be concerned primarily with the outer appearance of the animal, while another focuses on his physical abilities, and still another wants to know about his personality.

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Selling Horses:
How to Prepare a Horse for Sale

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Placing an advertisement in the local paper is not the first step in selling a horse. It’s important to get the word out, but not before the animal is prepared for sale.

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You Tell Me:
What Scares You?

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In honor of Halloween, I’m asking all you horse business owners out there to tell me what keeps you up at night. You’ll feel better if you get it out in the open, I promise.

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Are you a good neighbor?

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In an ideal world, you might want to own a horse business located in the middle of nowhere, but most of us don’t have that luxury. It makes sense to build barns near major metropolitan areas so we can take advantage of the larger client pool. The problem is that populated areas mean close neighbors.

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Why a Recession is Healthy for
Horse Business Owners

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Everywhere you turn, someone is talking about the economy. It’s doom and gloom all over the news, and it’s hard not to think about it. But what does a recession mean for horse business owners?

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Mystery Shopping for the
Horse Business

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Sometimes horse business owners need to take the lead from other industries. If you want to find out how well your employees are performing on the job, mystery shopping is one of the best places to get objective, empirical information.

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Sharing the Load

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Running a horse business is no easy task—it takes considerable strength, skill, and energy on a daily basis. This is why many horse businesses run by single individuals often fail. You’ve got to learn to share the load.

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Apology for the Hiccup

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Yesterday you might have noticed that Riding Instructor University was unavailable (I got several e-mails to that effect—thank you all for your concern!) and it’s only been back up in the last half hour or so. No thanks to my web host, I finally stumbled across the right succession of maneuvers to repair the database.

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The Role of the Telephone
in the Horse Business

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The telephone is one of the most important tools a horse business owner can have in his or her arsenal. It serves a variety of purposes, not the least of which is to summon help in an emergency. It is important for horse business owners to use their phones wisely and to always have a phone on the premises.

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Scaling Back:
An Announcement and a Tip

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Some of my regular readers might have noticed that I’ve been somewhat absent from the blog these last couple weeks. Part of that is because I’ve been sick (some sort of evil upper respiratory bug that just won’t die), and part of it is because I’ve had to re-evaluate my priorities when it comes to blogging for RIU.

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Starting a Family-Owned Horse Business

Striking out on your own in the horse business might sound a bit too scary for contemplation, but what if you had a partner? Family-owned horse businesses fair extremely well because of the shared responsibility and creativity, but there are a few landmines you need to watch out for.

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How are You Training Your Horse Business Customers?

Every interaction between a horse business owner and his or her clients is an opportunity. You are communicating something about yourself and your business each time you send an e-mail or initiate a conversation over the water trough. And that information gets filed away in your client’s mind for future reference.

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Should Riding Instructors Let Students Ride Outside Lessons?

E very so often a Riding Instructor University reader sends me a question about his or her horse business. Last week I received the following query from a riding instructor and horse business owner named Kiran, who hails from Minneapolis, MN:

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Hiring Horse Business Employees
Part Three—The Interview

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Most of us have been on one side of the interview process—in the chair across from the hiring manager—but sitting in the other chair is a whole different ball game. Interviewing potential horse business employees might sound like a cakewalk, but you must treat this process as more than a formality.

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Hiring Horse Business Employees
Part Two—The Application Process

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There are few things in the world more boring than poring through a collection of employee applications, but it must be done. If you want to hire the right professionals for your horse business, the application process is your first opportunity to find gems—and to weed out non-contenders.

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Hiring Horse Business Employees
Part One—The Advertisement

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When trying to attract horse business employees, a strategically-placed advertisement is the best tool in your arsenal. It gives you the freedom to give whatever details you deem appropriate, and if placed properly it exposes your open position to a wide variety of potential employees.

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Keeping Kids Safe at the Barn

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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Dealing with Aggressive Horsemen
in the 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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What’s Your Story?

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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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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The Power of Incentives
in the 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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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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Horse Business Owners are Salespeople

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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You Need a Day Off

Everyone deserves a day off. Make it a priority instead of a luxury.

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Creating a Horse For Sale Video

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If you want to sell a horse, pay careful attention to the video you post online or send to buyers. These tips will help you capture the perfect horse for sale video.

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3 Proven Ways to Get People Talking in the Horse Business

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Worried that your horse business is fading into oblivion? Generate some word of mouth by getting people talking.

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Five Easy Tips for Managing
Finances in the Horse Business

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Wallet feeling a little thin? Having trouble balancing the checkbook? Horse business owners can regain control over their finances with these five simple tips.

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Farm Freebies: Accident Report Form

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Farm Freebies offers free templates and forms for horse business owners. This week: Free Accident Report Form.

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Interview Questions for
Horse Business Employees

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Stumped on what to ask potential horse business employees during an interview? Here’s your inspiration! We’ve got plenty of sample interview questions for general horse business employees, riding instructors, horse trainers and stable managers.

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Interviews for Horse Business Employees

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Ready to hire horse business employees? Hone your interview skills with these helpful tips you can use before, during and after each interview.

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How Well Do You Know Your
Horse Business Clients?

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Getting to know the people who support your horse business is a good idea. Follow these tips to get to know your clients on a more personal level.

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Why Write a Horse Business Plan?

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Explore the reasons for creating a horse business plan, and who will best benefit from this type of structure.

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Horse Business Plans 101:
Products & Services

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Learn how to write the products and services section of your horse business plan.

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Horse Business Plans 101:
Management Plan

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Learn how to write the management section of your horse business plan.

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Horse Business Plans 101:
Operational Plan

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Learn how to write the operational section of your horse business plan.

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Horse Business Plans 101:
Marketing Plan

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Explore marketing solutions for your horse business plan and learn new ways to approach marketing and advertising.

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Horse Business Plans 101:
Market Analysis

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Learn how to identify and profile your target consumer for the market analysis of your horse business plan.

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Horse Business Plans 101:
Competitive Analysis

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Learn how to analyze the competition in the competitive analysis section of your horse business plan.

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Horse Business Plans 101:
Industry Analysis

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Learn how to write the Industry Analysis from your horse business plan, including what questions to answer and how to design the document.

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Horse Business Plans 101:
The Mission Statement

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The mission statement for your horse business plan boils down your goals, objectives and desires into one simple concept. Learn how to create a mission statement and view samples of mission statements created by other horse business owners.

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Horse Business Plans 101:
The Objective

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When writing a horse business plan, the Objective provides a comprehensive overview of goals. Learn how to establish goals, determine action steps and set methods for quantifying results for your horse business.

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The Horse Business Office

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Every horse business needs a barn office. This is where you handle those boring tasks that don’t involve horses, but how do you set it up? Read on for tips.

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Become a Horse Boarding Concierge

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Take your horse boarding business to a new level of service my modeling a concierge. These suggestions will help you attract and retain clients.

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Horse Boarding Amenities

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Step up your game in the horse boarding business by adding amenities that will draw new clients your way and keep existing customers happy. These examples and strategies can be of enormous help in high-competition areas.

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Are You Too Friendly
with Your Students?

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Every riding instructor needs to establish professional relationships in the horse business. But what happens when you cross the line into friendships with clients?

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Screening Applicants in the
Horse Boarding Business

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Review these tips for screening boarders who might be moving into your barn. This will protect your horse boarding business and ensure a smooth transition.

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The Worst Mistake in the
Horse Boarding Business

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What is the worst mistake you can make in the horse boarding business? And how can you avoid it? This tip will help you maintain the integrity of your business.

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How to Minimize Liability
in the Horse Business

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Horse business owners need to protect themselves and their businesses from legal action. Use these tips to cover your bases and ensure you are legally sound.

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Kiss Unpaid Bills Goodbye

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Tired of staring at unpaid invoices? There are ways to collect payment for your horse business that won’t feel sleazy or desperate.

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The Horse Business Guide to
Getting Paid

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Are you tired of waiting three months to get paid? Horse business owners can improve their collection efforts with these tips.

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Why Faking It is Dangerous

The world is full of phonies. You’ve got C-list actors who blog about their A-list lives, supposed real estate gurus selling how-to guides for ninety-nine bucks, and eighteen-year-old college students trying to get into night clubs with false identification. What they don’t seem to realize—but will one day discover—is that faking it is dangerous. This [...]

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How to Partner with Other Horse Business Owners

If you’re ready to partner up with other horse business owners, follow these tips to help get everything on the right track.

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Teaming Up
in the Horse Business

Have you considered teaming up with your competitors in the horse business? If so, this might be the perfect time.

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When Your Horse Business
Just Isn’t Working

Your horse business has a better chance of succeeding if you fix problems early on. Use these tips to diagnose issues that might be stopping you from achieving your dreams.

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50 Ways to Use Your Horse Business Web Site

If you’re having trouble deciding what to include on your horse business web site, this list will get you started in the right direction.

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Horse Jobs:
Find Your Equestrian Skill

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Use this unique exercise to help you find the perfect horse jobs for your personality and expertise. If you can identify your best equestrian skills, you can find the perfect career path.

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One Easy Way to Earn Trust
in the Horse Business

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Learn the secret to building and maintaining trust with your clients in the horse business. Hint: It’s neither expensive nor time-consuming.

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Customer Service
in the Horse Business

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Tips to improve customer service in your horse business through communication and transparency. Customer service is just as important to equestrian professionals as to other business owners.

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Helping Your Clients Buy Horses

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Did you know you can make money helping clients buy horses? It isn’t as easy as it sounds, but with these tips you’ll be well on your way to a great new career in the horse business.

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How to Stop Theft at the Barn

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Everyone pays for barn theft, and preventative techniques can save both money and your reputation. Follow these tips to keep your employees, clients and possessions safe from thieves.

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Conquer the Horse Business

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You need neither tons of money nor buckets of influence to conquer the horse business. All it takes is dedication to your craft.

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