Staying afloat with your small horse boarding business
Horse businesses are fraught with cash flow challenges. Economic fluctuations can dramatically affect both prices and demand for equine related offerings. Now, more than ever, we’re challenged with circumstances beyond our control. That makes staying afloat with your small horse boarding business a challenge. You can’t always predict big downturns. What we’re experiencing as a […]
Is keeping the horse you love a struggle?
Horses aren’t just recreational vehicles to be sold off as commodities when times are tough. They’re pets and partners representing ‘me time,’ emotional bonds, spiritual enrichment, psychological stabilizers and confidants. Before you decide you can’t afford a horse anymore, consider the real costs – and try to get creative about how you may be able to hold on.
Do horses want a job?
When I was a kid, I dreamed of living among horses in the wild, free as they were to do as I pleased. I figured that unfettered lifestyle would make me happy. Of course, I also imagined I could talk to horses like Dr. Doolittle. It was just me and that herd bonding, sharing and […]
Planning for horse care before you can’t be there
When you own a farm or are the primary care taker at a horse facility, one of the toughest things to do is to leave. I’m not talking selling the place, I’m talking a vacation or even a celebration day or two with family. Unless you have reliable staff that’s supporting day-to-day operations, finding someone […]
Maybe dogs and horses aren’t so different
I’m not a big fan of tricks for treats. I was steadfast in my resistance to this with horses through all the “new and improved” training techniques over the decades that heralded food as a “positive training” motivator. That’s good for creating muggers and distracting the horse from what you’re trying to communicate, but not […]
Horse bill of sales aren’t just for big operations
I must admit, my horse bill of sales paperwork has been shabby. As the daughter of an attorney, I should know better. I’ve spent decades in the business world operating mostly on the ill-advised handshake, so tend to be a lot more casual than I should with transactions. While I do provide a bill of […]
Do you know your Western boots?
Geoff Hineman, Marketing Manager for Lone Star Western Décor, approached me about a month ago asking me to post a western boot infographic on the Horse Sense and Cents blog. Frankly, I don’t have a lot of experience in the Western world (a bit of team penning – now that’s fun! – and a Wyoming […]
How horses teach us what therapists can’t
Thanks to Ash Stevens for providing this guest post. Find out more about her at the bottom of this article. Enjoy. Winston Churchill said, “No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.” And don’t we know it. Much of the world has forgotten about the power of the horse with the […]
Don’t want to say goodbye to your horse? 9 horse care cost reduction tips
Sometimes, a little creativity can reduce your horse costs dramatically. We all face unexpected challenges that cause us to start considering the worst when money problems surface, but there are some easy ways to keep your horse happy and healthy without breaking the bank. Consider these nine horse care cost reduction tips before you decide […]
Sometimes saying goodbye to your horse is the right thing to do
When I was a kid, I had a pony. She was my second. The first was banned from Pony Club games and ultimately riding where he was boarded. We donated him to an elite private school (would have enjoyed seeing the first day they threw one of the little darlings aboard). Bittersweet was incredible. She […]