I’m almost done reading Spank the Bank and should have a post up in the next few days! Interesting read!
I’ve also been riding a lot lately. Getting my old gelding back into regular work after weight loss (long story). Yesterday I asked him to carry himself like the 1st level dressage horse he is and he was able to start to do it again. It was brief, given he’ll need to get stronger, but I’m proud of him. I’m also riding a variety of other horses that belong to other people. We’ve got a Morgan gelding, ex-saddle seat horse, who is drop dead gorgeous and whip-smart, but anxious. We’ve got a pretty half-Morgan mare who is learning to use her topline correctly. And a young OTTB mare who is still learning how to turn off of seat aids and to trust the reins while she also develops her balance for ring work after a life on the track.
I do enjoy green horses. But I’ve still never worked with a totally unstarted one. What if I have too much fear to do it?
Continue reading “Book Review: What It Really Takes to Start and Run a Horse Business pt 2”
This is an overview book that is packed with ideas about how to capitalize your horse business and in contrast to the “what it really takes” book reviewed previously, it covers a lot more than just a boarding barn.
I recently purchased the second edition of this book, without realizing that I already owned the first addition so I’ll be able to compare and contrast the two editions.
From the cover:
Marketing strategies, money-saving tips, and profitable program ideas, including how to:
- Manage a riding school
- Direct a horseback camp
- Operate a boarding stable
- Breed and sell horses
- Run a carriage-driving business
- Host money-making events
- Open a tack shop
- Reduce veterinary bills
Continue reading “Book Review: Starting & Running Your Own Horse Business”
Hello!
This post is just to announce that we started a Patreon! So if you prefer to support that way please do so.
For those not familiar with Patreon this is a long term support system where you pledge to pay X amount per post/per month. You can always decline to pay when the post comes around and, as ours is set up as a per post type, you can set a limit in case I post more than you expect and Patreon will automatically not charge you for anything beyond that limit.
Currently, the rewards for Patrons is participation in a horse fiction book club, which will start once we reach $15/post. There is already a poll up on Patreon to pick the first book. We could start with a classic like Justin Morgan Had A Horse or National Velvet. But I also have a handful of horse related mystery novels by Dick Francis and others. It’s up to you!
Please become a patron today! You’re only charged for full legnth book reviews or detailed science posts. My random thoughts and updates don’t count.
A new book for review has arrived! Spank the Bank: THE Guide to Alternative Business Financing.
This book appears to cover some business basics in section 1, section 2 touches on more traditional sources of financing, and finally, section 3 appears to have the goods!
The book review on this one will be scheduled at a later date.
Ignoring your passion is slow suicide. Never ignore what your heart pumps for. Mold your career around your lifestyle and not your lifestyle around your career
-Kevin Claiborne
This post is a bit more personal. It’s about my past, my current, and what I hope for in my future. This post is about why I think I want to do this and my fears. I opened with that quote because in many ways it summarizes part of why I want to do this.
This post as a LOT of great information in it. And books to add to my list. Plus a list of important cautions to keep in mind.
I have a lot of breeder friends, both pro and amateur, and can’t seem to stop obsessively following all things sporthorse breeding-related. Our trip to Belgium last year to visit farms and watch the sBs stallion show will forever be one of the highlights of my life… I was in heaven. So, ya know, I guess you could say that sporthorse breeding is a subject very near and dear to my heart. Having worked at a breeding farm in the past and been involved with the breeding industry in some capacity for many years now, I have made a lot of observations along the way. I have certainly learned a ton in the decade since I first embarked on the journey to create my first homebred – much of it by trial and error.
Since breeding Sadie this year for what will be my second homebred (because yes, even having seen all the terrible things that I’ve…
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I’m almost done reading What It Really Takes to Start and Run a Horse Business and I’m drafting the pt 2 and final review (see part 1 here)
I’ve skimmed Starting & Running Your Own Horse Business and have started outlining the review before reading more in depth
I’ve started Storey’s Guide to Raising Horses. This book is very dense and will take some time to complete. I may do a “first impressions” post coming up
For the full list of books I recently purchased and plan to review click here
I attended the Minnesota Horse Expo a few weeks ago and intend to put a post together with some of the things I learned there. Keep your eyes peeled for that post.
ag·ri·tain·mentˌaɡrəˈtānmənt/noun
I had a meeting with my insurance agent this week. This was one of those annual check-ins that are more about the agent trying to sell you more services than anything else. My agent was my neighbor growing up and the company he works for tries to be a one-stop shop for farmers. After discussing my current insurance (auto, renters, etc) we diverted into talking about my future hopes for a horse business and he gave me a GREAT idea.
sporthorsestartup.com 