Don't Look Back

Cancelled Horse Shows and the Economy

Troubling news about declining horse show sponsorship due to the weak economy circulates the industry.  Click here  to see an article about the Beacon Hill show in New Jersey.  

Local shows, whose success is less dependent on drawing nationally or regionally, could benefit from larger shows being canceled.  The local shows may benefit from the cancellations with increased attendance due to fewer venues and the exhibitor's real or perceived  need to curb their horse show budgets this season by limiting their travels and overnight expenses.

Those with perceived needs to limit showing due to the general economic situation are cheating themselves out of the pleasure of horse ownership.  There is nothing inexpensive about owning a top show horse.  Considering  the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in their horses, it makes no sense to not enjoy your investment and the full show season.

Unless your personal economy has changed, enjoy your horse and the competition community!  The money you spend contributes to healing our lame economic situation.

Dust Control For Indoor Riding Arenas

You've probably been riding in or have been visiting indoor riding arenas that have given you the dust bowl blues. You know what I'm talking about.  Dust so thick you can't see the other end of the indoor.  The same dust coats your hat, helmet, hair and glasses. You cough, the horses cough and your eyes burn. It's depressing stuff.

One simple solution is to add water on a regular basis to the footing with a spray nozzle attached to a garden hose or use a lawn sprinkler paying careful attention to move the sprinkler regularly to avoid saturating the footing. 

A trailer mounted water tank with a gravity fed boom for spraying the footing works too.  Sprinklers and sprayers help get the dusty footing under control, but only with the help of your labor or paid labor.

The same labor that needs to be doing other things than watering a seedless garden with a roof over it. I spent many hours watering my own indoor.  At first with a garden hose and nozzle followed by a lawn sprinkler and eventually followed by a "DougBuilt" 250 gallon tow behind waterer. 

The process was frustrating, labor intensive and too frequently needed.  There had to be a better way.

And the better way found me through word of mouth from friends.  They had invested in MAG Flakes for dust control in their indoor.  They told me MAG Flakes hold water moisture attracted from the air in the footing particles.  An investment of less than $800 solved my dust control problem!

Harvested from the Dead Sea and shipped to the U.S. by MeltSnow.com MAG Flakes are amazing for indoor dust control and take the labor headache away.

   

I like the product so much, I became a dealer.  E-mail me by clicking here and let me know about your indoor footing dust problem and I'll tell you how MAG Flakes can help. 

Check out this youtube video made by a MAG Flakes fan click here:    

How to Hire Good Help For Your Horse Business

Reading a promising list of work experience and skills on an employment application is a huge plus for a candidate applying for the job in your horse business.

However, more important than considering skill and experience, is your evaluation of the applicant's attitude.  Attitude is the one thing we can’t change in employees. You’ve got a good attitude or you don’t. Attitudes can change, but only at the discretion of the employee. 

Given adequate ability and desire to learn, everything else can be taught to employees with good attitudes.

I have tried many times to teach good attitudes and have come to the conclusion it is about as easy as making a mud fence.

Runaway Horse Show Costs?

HITS on the Hudson offers its own economic stimulus with some rolled back prices.  Press release here:
Horse showing is still expensive, but this is a good move by HITS management.

I wonder if other large shows(all disciplines and breeds) will be offering monetary relief to exhibitors this show season? 

Don't Look Back

Click and listen why looking back is a waste of your time unless it's a sentimental journey with a photo album.

Newsletters for Horse Boarding Farms

You may be actively marketing your services like boarding, lessons and training as you search for new business, but do you neglect your current customers in your efforts for new customers?

You may recall that it's your current customer list writing you the checks you use to buy feed, pay for bedding and make the mortgage payment.  They need marketing attention, too.

Think about a monthly electronic (don't even think about snail mail) newsletter for them.  Something simple with photos and announcements of upcoming events and general chatter about the barn community and the regional horse community.  They'll love you for staying connected with them and you'll strengthen your relationship.

If you don't have time or perhaps the skill set, more than likely you can find an "editor" for your newsletter that'll do it for free or close to it.

Heard By The Riding Instructor

Susan, a riding instructor, has heard many things over and over from students during decades of teaching. 

Originality still launches a new comment from time to time.  Lesson horse, named Malve (a flower) was in the eyes of the young student, especially threatening and unkind to her.

She told Susan, " and Malve is so mean she showed her teeth and growled at me!"

Time Management for Professional Horsemen

Horse Boarding Business Teleseminar

 

Teleseminars are  common these days in most industries, but not so much yet in the horse business.  I've attended my fair share of both free and paid fee teleseminars to avoid travel time and travel expense necessary to attend live programs.  Granted, being there is best for education, but a teleseminar is a viable alternative for getting help with growing a business.

When Maureen Gallatin of www.InspiredByHorses.com and I first talked of joint venturing a teleclass about the horse boarding business last fall, we had no idea if it would be accepted.  But, the only way to find out was to saddle up and give it a try.

We just finished our third of four sessions last night and I'm delighted with the comments we've gotten from the participants.  We've been able to promote thinking and discussion about why professional horsemen are in the horse business, how to measure the monetary profit and the lifestyle that goes with working with horses and people and how to focus on the parts of the business you love.

The work for more advanced teleseminars has begun.