business plan for a horse riding school

How to Start a Horseback Riding Lessons Business

A horseback riding business offers lessons to people of all skills, from someone who has never been near a horse before to the experienced rider who wants to improve on a skill or learn a new skill, such as a different style of riding.

Learn how to start your own Horseback Riding Lessons Business and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services .

Start a horseback riding lessons business by following these 10 steps:

• Plan your Horseback Riding Lessons Business
• Form your Horseback Riding Lessons Business into a Legal Entity
• Register your Horseback Riding Lessons Business for Taxes
• Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
• Set up Accounting for your Horseback Riding Lessons Business
• Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Horseback Riding Lessons Business
• Get Horseback Riding Lessons Business Insurance
• Define your Horseback Riding Lessons Business Brand
• Create your Horseback Riding Lessons Business Website
• Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your horseback riding lessons business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What will you name your business?

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?

How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Horseback Riding Lessons Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability .

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your horseback riding lessons business?

Business name generator, what are the costs involved in opening a horseback riding lessons business.

Opening a horseback riding business is a costly venture. You'll have to buy land if you don't have it, and you’ll have to build stables if you don't have them. You could expect to spend $3,000 and up per acre for good flat land, and about $100 square foot for stables and indoor arenas, depending on your location. Additional costs include:

• Any licenses and permits, including a certificate of occupancy and a sales tax certificate. These fees vary from county to county and state to state.
• Liability insurance.
• Horses that are fit for giving lessons. Prices for horses range from under $1,000 to well over $10,000, depending on bloodlines and previous training.
• Horses that are fit for trail riding;
• Fencing required to build rings and paddocks. Depending on the type of fencing you build, this could run anywhere from $20 a linear foot to over $40 a linear foot.
• Tack for each horse. Tack varies on brand and quality. In this case, you do get what you pay for.
• Inventory if you are selling tack and accessories.
• Horse feed.
• Watering troughs.
• A truck and trailer. You'll need a minimum of a 2500 HD full size pickup, but should preferably have a 3500 HD pickup. You could expect to spend upwards of $50,000 or more for a good truck.
• Tractor (optional – this comes in handy while mucking stalls). You might find a good used tractor with low hours for about $15,000 to $20,000.
• Indoor and/or arena(s).
• Utilities for the barns and arenas.
• Payroll for help if you are not running the operation by yourself.

What are the ongoing expenses for a horseback riding lessons business?

The ongoing expenses are high for a horseback riding business and include:

• Mortgage payments on land and barns
• Maintenance
• Liability insurance
• Additional horses
• Tack for your horses – you'll need different sized saddles for kids and adults

Who is the target market?

Customers my range from the very young to elderly. Experience may vary from none to years of riding experience. Your customers may be well off and prefer to pay for all of the services you offer for boarding and more, or you may have customers that prefer mucking their own stalls, using their own vets, and feeding their own food, whether for financial reasons or because they are used to caring for their own horses.

How does a horseback riding lessons business make money?

A horseback riding business makes money in several ways; though the largest stream of income comes from giving lessons and boarding horses. Other streams of income include doing special parties, trail riding, selling tack and feed, and training.

The national average for horseback riding lessons ranges between $45 to $60 an hour, depending on your location, the student's skill, and what you need to charge to cover your overhead.

How much profit can a horseback riding lessons business make?

Profit is dependent on you. You need to figure the costs of running the business for a year and then divide that by 12. Subtract boarding fees that you receive. That will tell you how much you need to make with lessons, training, and retail to make the profit you envision. If your overhead is $36,000 per year, or $3,000 per month, you will need to sell 60 lessons at $50 to break even.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Make your business more profitable by keeping expenses low, adding more stables for boarding, marketing your operation to sell more lessons, and building up your retail store, if you choose to have one.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC) , and corporation .

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your horseback riding lessons business is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services . You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website . If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history , which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a horse stable. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits .

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .

Release of Liability

To avoid liability and potential lawsuits, horse back riding businesses should have their clients sign a release of liability. Here is an example of one such form.

Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional release of liability form for your business when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.

Certificate of Occupancy

A horse stable is usually run out of a large outdoor space. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO).  A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

• If you plan to lease office space :
• It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
• Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a horse stable..
• After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
• If you plan to purchase or build office space :
• You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
• Review all building codes and zoning requirements for you business’ location to ensure your horse stable will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Horseback Riding Lessons Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Horseback Riding Lessons Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a horseback riding lessons business

Find out what type of clientele is in your area. Are there more who want you to care for the horses or more who prefer to care for their own horses? If you find there is a mixture of both, you might have two separate barns: one where you provide services such as vet services, shoeing services, feeding, and cleaning; and one where the customer provides all of that for a greatly reduced boarding fee.

If you just give riding lessons, consider hosting riding birthday parties, holding clinics, and offering trail riding sessions. And, if you have the space, add more barns for boarding or a retail store, or offer nutrition courses for the horse owners.

How to keep customers coming back

Make sure you understand your customers' needs and provide what they want. Even if you have to have two ranges of pricing for the different services you might offer. Be sure that you know how to give lessons. Knowing how to ride and imparting that information to another are two different things. You've got to have the communication skills. Keep the barns warm and dry and the horses well-cared for, and you'll find that you have customers for life.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

• All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
• Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
• Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .

Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

The perfect person to run a horseback riding business is someone who loves horses, doesn't mind working outside regardless of the weather, and is physically active. Other factors include being able to work with customers, having business management experience, and having stable management experience. Depending on the side businesses you may want to add retail management knowledge and some knowledge in horse nutrition.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a horseback riding lessons business?

Most days will be spent doing several activities. Some of these, you may do less frequently and will depend on the type of business you will be running in conjunction with a horseback riding business.

• Mucking stalls
• Feeding and watering horses
• Turning out horses
• Giving riding lessons
• Going on trail rides
• Cleaning the barn
• Caring for the turf in areas
• Ordering inventory
• Customer service
• Planning birthday parties if you offer birthday party rides
• Training horses
• Breaking green horses and/or training problem horses
• Keeping fields and courses mowed and maintained
• Ensuring watering troughs don't freeze
• Cleaning feed buckets and watering troughs
• Slinging hay
• Preparing for horse shows
• Maintaining any special equipment you might use for therapy riding
• Maintaining tack
• Trailering horses to and from your facility, whether for shows or to help customers get their horses to your facility
• Vehicle maintenance, including trucks, tractors, trailers and landscaping equipment.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful horseback riding lessons business?

You may be really good at riding and training horses, but you also need to be able to teach others how to ride or how to get ready for a show. You'll also need horse training skills; basic medical skills to help horses in an emergency; retail, marketing, and customer service skills; and business management skills.

What is the growth potential for a horseback riding lessons business?

The growth potential is unlimited if you have the space to expand and if you are boarding, training, and giving lessons. If your facility gives only lessons, the growth potential is high. Lessons are usually an hour long and many stables offer lessons for a person once or twice a week. Adding other businesses on the side, such as boarding, selling tack, and training horses significantly increases your growth potential.

Not sure if a horseback riding lessons business is right for you? Try our free Business Idea Generator and find your perfect idea.

TRUiC's YouTube Channel

For fun informative videos about starting a business visit the TRUiC YouTube Channel or subscribe to view later.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor.

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a horseback riding lessons business?

Insider tips include knowing your horses and planning ahead to make it easier to expand. Instead of starting with a barn with a few stalls, if you plan on expanding, build the barn with 30 stalls right away. You'll end up saving money in the long run.

Knowing your horses is an important part of starting a horseback riding business. Some horses are great for trail riding but not so great for giving lessons to people who have little to no experience.

Also, be sure to have all of the equipment needed to clean stalls and care for the horses. Have a vet that will come to your facility lined up for emergencies. You may not be able to get a sick horse into a trailer. For boarders, be sure to have a contract that has been reviewed by an attorney ready to sign before you allow a horse to stay one night in your stables.

How and when to build a team

If you find yourself running out of space, you may want to add more barns and more services. If you are considering adding more barns, you should have the income to hire paid help. Be sure to thoroughly vet each person you consider hiring. Remember, not only are thousands of dollars at stake with liability and the value of the horses and equipment, but a horse's life could be at stake if you hire someone who doesn't have experience.

Useful Links

Industry opportunities.

• Franchise Opportunity
• American Riding Instructors Association
• Certified Horsemanship Association

Real World Examples

• Michigan business
• Georgia business
• Florida business

Further Reading

• Tips for Starting a Stable
• Other Tips and Helpful Links

Have a Question? Leave a Comment!

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Horse Training Business Plan Sample

SEPT.21, 2014

Horse training business plan for starting your own business own

A business plan for horse training is very important for the success of a venture as specialized businesses like this require not only significant investment for finance but also for land, equipment, and trained personnel. It can also be hard to make sure that the business ends up as a success as it has a relatively smaller target market.

Folks who are naturally drawn to the horse training business are often animal lovers that want to turn their passions into a business. However, this business requires much more than a person’s ability to care for a horse. Hence, you must develop a comprehensive business plan for angel investors who would offer funds for the startup.

You may use this horse training business plan sample designed for Majestic Gallops as a reference point. It will address your queries about starting a horse boarding business plan .

Executive Summary

Majestic Gallops caters to the needs of different horses through specialized training and breeding programs through which the horses can get maximum benefit. In this horse training business plan template, you will find tips related to starting and running a horse business.

2.1 The Business

Majestic Gallops began as a part-time interest and effort while Brianna Holland, the owner, completed her studies side by side. Focusing on horse breeding and training, Majestic Gallops will try its best to fulfill client requirements for top training of their favorite equines.

2.2 Management of horse training business

Because of changes in Pennsylvania’s thoroughbred racing program, the demand for quality services has increased dramatically. Developing a business plan helps a business owner to think about the business in more overall terms concerning finances and logistics as well. This horse training schedule template highlights the importance of strategic planning, documentation, and specialization, which are the keys to a horse training business’s success.

2.3 Customers of horse training business

Irrespective of whether you have a business consulting services company or a working on a business plan for pet photography , you need to know who your target audience is. Majestic Galloping has the following customer groups as its target market:

• Horse Owners
• Riding Clubs
• Horse Buyers

2.4 Business Target

The long-term objective of the company is to be included in the best 10 horse training facilities in both the US and Pennsylvania. Defining goals for the business will answer most of the questions regarding how to start a horse training business, as it will help you analyze what steps you need to take to meet those goals.

Company Summary

3.1 company owner.

The owner Brianna Holland, being formally educated in equine science, has also worked within the equine industry for over 20 years.  Majestic Galloping was officially formed as a thoroughbred facility two years ago.

3.2 Reason For Starting the Business

A horse training business can prove to be very lucrative provided that you love equines with a passion to train them. A lot of people own horses but don’t have the time or skill needed to train them. Since Brianna spent her childhood in the countryside and also has a great love for equines, starting a business catered to horses was a natural step for her.

3.3 How the horse training business will be started

Compiling a horse training facility business plan is the setting stone for a company. It requires an analysis of all the available and needed factors of production. It highlights the steps necessary to start a business, listed below as a part of the horse training business plan sample.

Step1: Organize your ideas

Your horse training business plan should look atthe startup of the business through a minimum of five years of projections to consider all income and expenses your business will create. This helped Majestic Galloping to set up successfully and present its plan to its stakeholders such as lenders, attorneys, financial advisers, etc.

Step2: Define your Mission Statement

A mission statement highlights the inherent values of a company as well as the goals it wants to achieve, both short-term and long-term.  For instance, a pet hotel business plan would have a mission statement to provide utmost care to the pets their owners are boarding. This is not something crucial to the legalities of a business but it is an essential part of a company’s brand identity. Majestic Gallops’ mission statement is to provide top-notch training to every horse on board.

Step3: Brainstorm ideas for your Marketing plan

To develop a marketing plan that fulfills all the requirements of your business, you will need to understand both your target market and all of your competitors. In this horse training business plan sample, you will find the marketing strategies developed for Majesty Gallops that will last the business at least for the next five years.

Step4: Establish a Web Presence

Today, having a web presence as one of the sales strategies in your horse trainer business plan is essential. Web presence will help Majestic Gallops’ business connect with horse owners and buyers from different demographics and increase sales potential.

Step5: Build your resources

Another important item that you should focus on while developing a new business is to find helpful resources which can help with business logistics such as an accountant or a lawyer.

This sample business plan for horse training gives an overview of personnel management that will guide you on how to sort your resources.

Services of horse training business

Before starting a horse business, you must streamline the services you are planning to offer. This helps position your brand correctly and effectively reach out to potential customers. Under this sample business plan for horse training, Majestic Gallops will provide the following services:

• Boarding Facilities

Under its horse training and boarding business plan, Majestic Gallops aims to provide a trusted center where you can leave and take your horses anytime. Free transportation will be provided to transport horses from your location to our center. The facility will charge its customers based on the number of days they want to board their horses.

• Breeding and raising horses

Equine breeders plan horses’ mating or assisted reproduction in improving or maintaining specific breed characteristics over several generations or produce offspring with desired traits, like speed, strength, color, or behavior.

• Horse Training

Using a comprehensive horse trainer business plan, Majestic Gallops will hire the training experts to assist horse owners. Horse owners usually love riding their equines but have neither the patience nor the skill to actually train their horses. Thus, they need a business to cater to this need.

• Consultancy services

Majestic Gallops will offer consultancy services for new owners or those returning to the joy of horse ownership later in life. Consultancy services will focus on developing and managing horses to optimize health, well-being, and safety.

Marketing Analysis of horse training business

Excellent work.

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5.1 Market Trends

The horse industry forms a huge part of the US’s economy as it engages 4 million people and there are about 9 million horses in the US alone that needs care and training regularly. A few decades ago, only the affluent and wealthy could afford horses. However, now, even people with an average income of $60k-$70k own horses. Given the market trends, the idea to start a horse business is a good idea.

5.2 Marketing Segmentation

Common characteristics of a market segment include interests, lifestyle, age, gender, etc. It is essential to identify them to determine your target market. In this sample equine business plan powerpoint, the following are the customer groups that are identical to those identified while starting dog training business plan :

5.2.1 Horse owners

Majestic Gallops will target horse owners who lack the expertise needed to train their horses. Our professional staff will help train the horses that are fit for riding and are accustomed to listening to the owner’s command. We use a equine business plan that is holistic.

5.2.2 Riding Clubs

Various riding and saddle clubs in the city will purchase their horse from our horse farm. We will be well-known for having top-notch breeds available at our boarding facility. We will negotiate with these clubs while starting an equestrian business

5.2.3 Sportsmen

All those who want to do horse riding by profession will come to us for consultancy services. We will offer comprehensive advice on what sort of breeds suit them the most and what steps they need to take for the well-being of their horses – that will lead them to win the races.

5.2.4 Horse Buyers

Regardless of their profession and interests, horse buyers from various areas visit to check out the crossbred and pure-bred horses we have in our boarding. We will advise them on what breed suits them the best and then help them purchase amongst the best options. Horse buyers are important customer groups for equine business plans.

5.3 Business Target

• Expand our boarding facility by 15% in 2 years
• Acquire resources for various cross-breeding techniques within one year of business operations
• Capture 25% of the market share within two years of operation
• Sign contracts with all of the leading riding clubs in the city

5.4 Product Pricing

To gain the needed customers for the first few months of our business and increase attention, equestrian center business plan employs an introductory pricing strategy. But time, pricing will adjust with the market rates.

Marketing Strategy of horse training business

Marketing is the backbone of every business as it is the thing that generates the finances needed to run the business and scale it. Since marketing is vital to the survival of a business, Majestic Gallops will take multiple routes towards the use of this asset.

To engage the market, Majestic Gallops will analyze its customer base as well as its competitors to gain insights into the best ways to penetrate the market. This will help the business do well not just in Pennsylvania but also in the general equine market of the US. These details will be a part of the horse training business plan for Majestic Gallops.

6.1 Competitive Analysis

• As per this equine business plan sample, Majestic Gallops will invest in employees that put customer satisfaction at the top.
• Our programs are specialized for each horse so that they can get the best support and training for the best results.
• Our expanded facility will offer world-class amenities in a conveniently accessible location for local and East Coast regional commutes. Our location is our equestrian facility business plan’s USP.
• We will provide excellent customer support to engage in a long-lasting business-customers relationship. We will also try to cater to all of our customer’s requirements in the best way possible.

6.2 Sales Strategy

This horse training business plan sample includes the following sales strategies:

• Ensure that the business has exposure in the horse training industry
• Ensure that the customers can easily find the business on the web and in other directories
• Engage in direct marketing
• Advertise the business on social media, through posters, newspapers, magazines, etc.

6.3 Sales Monthly

6.4 Sales Yearly

6.5 Sales Forecast

Personnel plan of horse training business

Since the business requires trained personnel to care for horses, Majestic Gallops will either hire competent people who can adequately train horses or train employees themselves for the best service. Hiring trained employees comes at a cost, as mentioned in this horse business plan, but the business will try to achieve a balance.

7.1 Company Staff

Under this business plan for horse training, these positions will be hired for:

• Training Instructors
• Barn Farriers
• Customer Care Executives

7.2  Average Salary of Employees

Financial plan of horse training business.

As per this horse training business plan sample, Majestic Gallops will build on its profits by scaling up the business. One way of expansion would be to offer more services in the current business. Another way is to open more branches of Majestic Gallops across the US. Majestic Gallops currently only provides services so it can also be expanded for more revenue by including inventory and long-term care services.

This information on the horse training business plan helps financial investors decide whether they want to invest or not. Majestic Gallops horse riding business plan is quite like a business plan of dog walking .

8.1 Important Assumptions

8.2 break-even analysis.

8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

8.3.1 profit monthly.

8.3.2 Profit Yearly

8.3.3 Gross Margin Monthly

8.3.4 Gross Margin Yearly

8.4 Projected Cash Flow

8.6 Projected Balance Sheet

8.7 business ratios, other ideas for revenue generation.

Besides animal instruction and selling tack and suppliers, stable owners have other options for increasing revenue. For example, some owners buy and sell horses, in addition to instructing riders. In that case it is important to identify the breeds and sources, and where they will be sold.

Another option is to train the animals, as well as riders, for recreational riding or for participation in equestrian events. To earn extra money, there are also trainers who travel and personally compete in events for money, and they use the experiences to enhance marketing. Being professionally recognized is valuable to the marketing efforts. Customers must put a certain amount of trust in trainers and like knowing the trainer has been recognized by others as professional and competent.

It is important to consider each operational detail with great care when preparing the marketing strategy for horse training. How much insurance is needed? Who will manage the website design and maintenance? Who will maintain social media sites? Is there room for expansion in a few years? Who will provide the veterinarian services in the event an animal develops a medical issue?

• How do I start a horse training business plan?

Becoming a horse trainer usually requires specialized training or a degree related to equine care and sciences. Once you fulfill this requirement, you can work on your business plan for horse training with the help of a business consultancy firm. Its like starting a doggie daycare business plan .

• How to write a business plan for a horse training?

This horse training business plan sample gives an idea of what headings to take care of while writing a plan. You may refer to a business plan writing expert to take care of the details.

Download Horse Training Business Plan Sample in pdf

OGSCapital’s team has assisted thousands of entrepreneurs with top-rate business plan development, consultancy and analysis. They’ve helped thousands of SME owners secure more than $1.5 billion in funding, and they can do the same for you.

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Horseback Riding School Business Plan Template

Document description.

This horseback riding school business plan template has 36 pages and is a MS Word file type listed under our business plan kit documents.

Sample of our horseback riding school business plan template:

Horseback Riding School Business Plan [YOUR NAME] [YOUR TITLE] Phone: [YOUR PHONE NUMBER] Email: [[email protected]] [YOUR WEBSITE ADDRESS] [YOUR COMPANY NAME] 1.0 Executive Summary 1 Chart: Highlights 2 1.1 Objectives 3 1.2 Mission 3 1.3 Keys to Success 3 2.0 Organization Summary 4 2.1 Legal Entity 4 2.2 Start-up Summary 4 Table: Start-up 5 Chart: Start-up 5 3.0 Services 6 4.0 Market Analysis Summary 6 4.1 Market Segmentation 7 Table: Market Analysis 7 Chart: Market Analysis (Pie) 8 4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy 8 4.3 Service Providers Analysis 8 4.3.1 Alternatives and Usage Patterns 9 5.0 Strategy and Implementation Summary 9 5.1 SWOT Analysis 9 5.1.1 Strengths 10 5.1.2 Weaknesses 10 5.1.3 Opportunities 11 5.1.4 Threats 11 5.2 Competitive Edge 11 5.3 Marketing Strategy 11 5.4 Fundraising Strategy 12 5.4.1 Funding Forecast 12 Table: Funding Forecast 12 Chart: Funding Monthly 13 Chart: Funding by Year 13 5.5 Milestones 14 Table: Milestones 14 Chart: Milestones 14 6.0 Management Summary 15 6.1 Personnel Plan 15 Table: Personnel 15 7.0 Financial Plan 16 7.1 Start-up Funding 16 Table: Start-up Funding 17 7.2 Important Assumptions 17 7.3 Break-even Analysis 18 Table: Break-even Analysis 18 Chart: Break-even Analysis 18 7.4 Projected Surplus or Deficit 19 Table: Surplus and Deficit 19 Chart: Surplus Monthly 20 Chart: Surplus Yearly 20 Chart: Gross Surplus Monthly 21 Chart: Gross Surplus Yearly 21 7.5 Projected Cash Flow 22 Table: Cash Flow 22 Chart: Cash 23 7.6 Projected Balance Sheet 24 Table: Balance Sheet 24 7.7 Standard Ratios 25 Table: Ratios 25 Table: Funding Forecast 1 Table: Personnel 2 Table: Surplus and Deficit 3 Table: Cash Flow 4 Table: Balance Sheet 5

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How To Start Your Own Horse Riding School From The Ground Up

Starting an equestrian riding centre is a dream for many horse lovers, but it can be challenging to get off the ground. You will need a good head for business and finances, along with a love of horses and riding, to be successful. The cost of keeping horses is high, so you will need to find creative ways to earn money and keep your school viable.

Here are some of our top tips for anyone wanting to start a horse riding school from the ground up.

Get Advice 

The first step to building any business is to get the right advice. For example, you could talk to organisations aimed towards helping start-up businesses or get in touch with equestrian specific governing bodies like the British Horse Society (BHS) . Talking to start-up organisations will give you all the advice you need for getting your business up and running, and equestrian organisations will be able to provide you with advice tailored towards horse specific business requirements.

You should discuss your plans with your chosen organisations and give them your full business plan to assess. It is important to listen to the advice you are given to have the best chance of success.

Select A Suitable Location

You will need a location that allows you plenty of room for stables, outdoor and indoor arenas and grazing paddocks for the horses. You will also need to be close enough to built-up areas to make your business easy to access for your customers. It can be challenging to find a sufficiently rural location while also staying close to built-up areas, so be prepared to spend some time searching for the ideal spot.

Work Out Your Finances 

You should make a budget of the costs you will incur. This should include the initial costs of purchasing land, supplies to build stables and arenas, buying horses, food and tack, and hiring staff. You should also consider your monthly costs, including insurance, horse food and maintenance, farrier bills, utilities, and a cushion for any unexpected expenses.

Once you have worked out how much you will need, you should consider your funding options. Many start-up loans and grants are available, but the amount you will need for a riding school may exceed even the most generous of grants. It may help to talk to investors for additional funding and consider bank loans to help cover costs.

It would be best if you considered hiring an accountant early on to get the best ongoing financial advice. For a riding school to be profitable, you will need to keep a close watch on your finances and ensure minimal waste. An accountant will give you expert advice on what you need to do to remain viable.

Consider What Sets You Apart

All businesses need a unique selling proposition (USP). You should consider how you can make your horse riding school stand apart from other riding schools. This could be by offering unique classes like horse yoga or making your stables a horse therapy provider. It is essential to factor in the costs of hiring professionals who can safely provide these lessons and finding horses that will be suitable for the practices.

Make Best Use Of Your Assets

Once you have set up your riding school, you may find there are times throughout the week where your riding custom is quieter. Typically, the peak times for riding lessons are weekends and after 5pm on weekdays, meaning your arenas will be sitting empty for the rest of this time.

You should consider what kind of services you could offer that will be taken up throughout the week. For instance, you could provide training services for individuals hoping to start a career working with animals or partner with a local training college.

You should also consider the animals in your care. All your horses will have to earn their keep, and a horse with behavioural issues may end up costing too much for you to keep. You should select your horses carefully when setting up your school to ensure that they will all be a good fit as educational animals.

Consider The Aesthetics

The aesthetics of your stables are crucial to attract and retain customers. Your stables should be clean and tidy at all times, and everything should be organised and in good condition. It may help to look at your stables and buildings with a critical eye and have family and friends visit to get their opinions.

One excellent way to make your steel arenas look their best is by having some attractive cladding fitted. Take a look at this advice on choosing the right cladding for your steel building from Kit Buildings Direct. Cladding can not only make a building look its best, but it can also provide much-needed insulation for the winter months.

Utilise Marketing

To get your riding business seen, you will need to utilise marketing. Marketing is a broad area to cover, so it may help to use the services of a professional marketing agency. You typically need to market in traditional ways like word of mouth and paper advertisements, as well as digital marketing.

It may also help to get active on social media. You could create profiles on the major platforms and ask customers to follow and share your business with their friends and family. Content is crucial for good social media engagement, so you should start coming up with ideas for engaging content straight away. For instance, you could post a series of “Meet The Horses” posts with images of the different horses in your stables.

Find The Best Insurance

Insurance is crucial for a horse riding business. You should have insurance that will cover you in case of serious accidents or major events that disrupt your business. It may help to do some research into the different types of insurance available to find the best deal and coverage for your school.

Hire The Right People

Most riding instructors are in it for the love of horses rather than monetary gain, but you should still offer an attractive salary to find the best people. It may help to find instructors who have extensive experience training riders of all ages and abilities. When first starting, it may help to begin with one or two instructors until you have started building up a decent customer base.

Set Up A Business Website

In today’s world, every business needs a good quality website. If you don’t have experience building websites yourself, you should consider hiring a professional to do the work for you. Your website should include details of all the services you provide, your contact details and customer testimonials.

You will need a website that is intuitive and easy to use, with an attractive interface. A professional website is a clear sign to many customers of a professional business , and it is an asset that no company can go without.

The Bottom Line

Opening your own horse riding school will take a lot of hard work, planning and dedication. You should be 100% certain you are ready for it and the ongoing challenge of keeping your business viable. A love of horses is as essential as a good head for business. You should ask for help when you need it and heed any advice you are given.

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How to write a business plan for a horse training school?

Writing a business plan for a horse training school can be an intimidating task, especially for those just starting.

This in-depth guide is designed to help entrepreneurs like you understand how to create a comprehensive business plan so that you can approach the exercise with method and confidence.

We'll cover: why writing a horse training school business plan is so important - both when starting up, and when running and growing the business - what information you need to include in your plan, how it should be structured, and what tools you can use to get the job done efficiently.

Let's get started!

In this guide:

Why write a business plan for a horse training school?

What information is needed to create a business plan for a horse training school.

• What goes in the financial forecast for a horse training school?
• What goes in the written part of a horse training school business plan?
• What tool can I use to write my horse training school business plan?

Having a clear understanding of why you want to write a business plan for your horse training school will make it simpler for you to grasp the rationale behind its structure and content. So before delving into the plan's actual details, let's take a moment to remind ourselves of the primary reasons why you'd want to create a horse training school business plan.

To have a clear roadmap to grow the business

Small businesses rarely experience a constant and predictable environment. Economic cycles go up and down, while the business landscape is mutating constantly with new regulations, technologies, competitors, and consumer behaviours emerging when we least expect it.

In this dynamic context, it's essential to have a clear roadmap for your horse training school. Otherwise, you are navigating in the dark which is dangerous given that - as a business owner - your capital is at risk.

That's why crafting a well-thought-out business plan is crucial to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of your venture.

To create an effective business plan, you'll need to take a step-by-step approach. First, you'll have to assess your current position (if you're already in business), and then identify where you'd like your horse training school to be in the next three to five years.

Once you have a clear destination for your horse training school, you'll focus on three key areas:

• Resources: you'll determine the human, equipment, and capital resources needed to reach your goals successfully.
• Speed: you'll establish the optimal pace at which your business needs to grow if it is to meet its objectives within the desired timeframe.
• Risks: you'll identify and address potential risks you might encounter along the way.

By going through this process regularly, you'll be able to make informed decisions about resource allocation, paving the way for the long-term success of your business.

To maintain visibility on future cash flows

Businesses can go for years without making a profit, but they go bust as soon as they run out of cash. That's why "cash is king", and maintaining visibility on your horse training school's future cash flows is critical.

How do I do that? That's simple: you need an up-to-date financial forecast.

The good news is that your horse training school business plan already contains a financial forecast (more on that later in this guide), so all you have to do is to keep it up-to-date.

To do this, you need to regularly compare the actual financial performance of your business to what was planned in your financial forecast, and adjust the forecast based on the current trajectory of your business.

Monitoring your horse training school's financial health will enable you to identify potential financial problems (such as an unexpected cash shortfall) early and to put in place corrective measures. It will also allow you to detect and capitalize on potential growth opportunities (higher demand from a given segment of customers for example).

To secure financing

Crafting a comprehensive business plan for your horse training school, whether you're starting up or already established, is paramount when you're seeking financing from banks or investors.

Given how fragile small businesses are, financiers will want to ensure that you have a clear roadmap in place as well as command and control of your future cash flows before entertaining the idea of funding you.

For banks, the information in your business plan will be used to assess your borrowing capacity - which is defined as the maximum amount of debt your business can afford alongside your ability to repay the loan. This evaluation helps them decide whether to extend credit to your business and under what terms (interest rate, duration, repayment options, collateral, etc.).

Similarly, investors will thoroughly review your plan to determine if their investment can yield an attractive return. They'll be looking for evidence that your horse training school has the potential for healthy growth, profitability, and consistent cash flow generation over time.

Now that you understand the importance of creating a business plan for your horse training school, let's delve into the necessary information needed to craft an effective plan.

Writing a horse training school business plan requires research so that you can project sales, investments and cost accurately in your financial forecast.

In this section, we cover three key pieces of information you should gather before drafting your business plan!

Carrying out market research for a horse training school

Carrying out market research before writing a business plan for a horse training school is essential to ensure that the financial projections are accurate and realistic.

Market research helps you gain insight into your target customer base, competitors, pricing strategies and other key factors which can have an impact on the commercial success of your business.

In particular, it is useful in forecasting revenue as it provides valuable data regarding potential customers’ spending habits and preferences.

You may uncover that potential customers are looking for more affordable horse training courses that they can complete in a shorter amount of time. Additionally, people might be interested in training courses that offer more hands-on experience with their horses.

This information can then be used to create more accurate financial projections which will help investors make informed decisions about investing in your horse training school.

Developing the sales and marketing plan for a horse training school

As you embark on creating your horse training school business plan, it is crucial to budget sales and marketing expenses beforehand.

A well-defined sales and marketing plan should include precise projections of the actions required to acquire and retain customers. It will also outline the necessary workforce to execute these initiatives and the budget required for promotions, advertising, and other marketing efforts.

This approach ensures that the appropriate amount of resources is allocated to these activities, aligning with the sales and growth objectives outlined in your business plan.

The staffing and equipment needs of a horse training school

As you embark on starting or expanding your horse training school, having a clear plan for recruitment and capital expenditures (investment in equipment and real estate) is essential for ensuring your business's success.

Both the recruitment and investment plans must align with the timing and level of growth projected in your forecast, and they require appropriate funding.

A horse training school might incur staffing costs related to paying trainers, as well as costs for office staff and other administrative support. In addition, they may incur costs related to purchasing and maintaining equipment, such as saddles, bridles, bits, halters, lead ropes, grooming supplies, and riding helmets. They may also need to purchase and maintain horses, tack, and other necessary supplies.

To create a realistic financial forecast, you also need to consider other operating expenses associated with the day-to-day running of your business, such as insurance and bookkeeping.

With all the necessary information at hand, you are ready to begin crafting your business plan and developing your financial forecast.

What goes into your horse training school's financial forecast?

The financial forecast of your horse training school will enable you to assess the profitability potential of your business in the coming years and how much capital is required to fund the actions planned in the business plan.

The four key outputs of a financial forecast for a horse training school are:

• The profit and loss (P&L) statement ,
• The projected balance sheet ,
• The cash flow forecast ,
• And the sources and uses table .

Let's take a closer look at each of these.

The projected P&L statement

The projected P&L statement for a horse training school shows how much revenue and profit your business is expected to make in the future.

A healthy horse training school's P&L statement should show:

• Sales growing at (minimum) or above (better) inflation
• Stable (minimum) or expanding (better) profit margins
• A healthy level of net profitability

This will of course depend on the stage of your business: numbers for a startup will look different than for an established horse training school.

The projected balance sheet of your horse training school

Your horse training school's forecasted balance sheet enables the reader of your plan to assess your financial structure, working capital, and investment policy.

It is composed of three types of elements: assets, liabilities and equity:

• Assets: represent what the business owns and uses to produce cash flows. It includes resources such as cash, equipment, and accounts receivable (money owed by clients).
• Liabilities: represent funds advanced to the business by lenders and other creditors. It includes items such as accounts payable (money owed to suppliers), taxes due and loans.
• Equity: is the combination of what has been invested by the business owners and the cumulative profits and losses generated by the business to date (which are called retained earnings). Equity is a proxy for the value of the owner's stake in the business.

Your horse training school's balance sheet will usually be analyzed in conjunction with the other financial statements included in your forecast.

Two key points of focus will be:

• Your horse training school's liquidity: does your business have sufficient cash and short-term assets to pay what it owes over the next 12 months?
• And its solvency: does your business have the capacity to repay its debt over the medium-term?

The cash flow forecast

A projected cash flow statement for a horse training school is used to show how much cash the business is generating or consuming.

The cash flow forecast is usually organized by nature to show three key metrics:

• The operating cash flow: do the core business activities generate or consume cash?
• The investing cash flow: how much is the business investing in long-term assets (this is usually compared to the level of fixed assets on the balance sheet to assess whether the business is regularly maintaining and renewing its equipment)?
• The financing cash flow: is the business raising new financing or repaying financiers (debt repayment, dividends)?

As we discussed earlier, cash is king and keeping an eye on future cash flows an imperative for running a successful business. Therefore, you can expect the reader of your horse training school business plan to pay close attention to your cash flow forecast.

Also, note that it is customary to provide both yearly and monthly cash flow forecasts in a business plan - so that the reader can analyze seasonal variation and ensure the horse training school is appropriately funded.

The initial financing plan

The initial financing plan - also called a sources and uses table - is an important tool when starting a horse training school.

It shows where the money needed to set up the business will come from (sources) and how it will be allocated (uses).

Having this table helps understand what costs are involved in setting up the horse training school, how the risks are distributed between the shareholders and the lenders, and what will be the starting cash position (which needs to be sufficient to sustain operations until the business breaks even).

Now that the financial forecast of a horse training school business plan is understood, let's focus on what goes into the written part of the plan.

The written part of a horse training school business plan

The written part of the business plan is where you will explain what your business does and how it operates, what your target market is, whom you compete against, and what strategy you will put in place to seize the commercial opportunity you've identified.

Having this context is key for the reader to form a view on whether or not they believe that your plan is achievable and the numbers in your forecast realistic.

The written part of a horse training school business plan is composed of 7 main sections:

• The executive summary
• The presentation of the company
• The products and services
• The market analysis
• The strategy
• The operations
• The financial plan

Let's go through the content of each section in more detail!

1. The executive summary

The executive summary, the first section of your horse training school's business plan, serves as an inviting snapshot of your entire plan, leaving readers eager to know more about your business.

To compose an effective executive summary, start with a concise introduction of your business, covering its name, concept, location, history, and unique aspects. Share insights about the services or products you intend to offer and your target customer base.

Subsequently, provide an overview of your horse training school's addressable market, highlighting current trends and potential growth opportunities.

Then, present a summary of critical financial figures, such as projected revenues, profits, and cash flows.

You should then include a summary of your key financial figures such as projected revenues, profits, and cash flows.

Lastly, address any funding needs in the "ask" section of your executive summary.

2. The presentation of the company

As you build your horse training school business plan, the second section deserves attention as it delves into the structure and ownership, location, and management team of your company.

In the structure and ownership part, you'll provide valuable insights into the legal structure of the business, the identities of the owners, and their respective investments and ownership stakes. This level of transparency is vital, particularly if you're seeking financing, as it clarifies which legal entity will receive the funds and who holds the reins of the business.

Moving to the location part, you'll offer a comprehensive view of the company's premises and articulate why this specific location is strategic for the business, emphasizing factors like catchment area, accessibility, and nearby amenities.

When describing the location of your horse training school, you may emphasize the potential for growth in the area due to its close proximity to other businesses and amenities. You could highlight the fact that the area is well-connected with a strong public transportation system, making it easy for potential customers to access the school. Additionally, you might mention the presence of a vibrant equestrian community in the vicinity, which could lead to increased interest and new customer prospects.

Lastly, you should introduce your esteemed management team. Provide a thorough explanation of each member's role, background, and extensive experience.

It's equally important to highlight any past successes the management team has achieved and underscore the duration they've been working together. This information will instil trust in potential lenders or investors, showcasing the strength and expertise of your leadership team and their ability to deliver the business plan.

3. The products and services section

The products and services section of your business plan should include a detailed description of what your company offers, who are the target customers, and what distribution channels are part of your go-to-market. 

For example, your horse training school could offer services such as private lessons, group clinics, and online courses. Private lessons can provide individualized attention to help riders of all levels improve their skills. Group clinics can offer riders the opportunity to learn from professional trainers and make connections with other riders. Online courses can offer riders the flexibility to learn on their own schedule at their own pace. All of these services can help riders learn the basics and advanced techniques for horse handling, riding, and training.

4. The market analysis

When you present your market analysis in your horse training school business plan, it's crucial to include detailed information about customers' demographics and segmentation, target market, competition, barriers to entry, and any relevant regulations.

The main objective of this section is to help the reader understand the size and attractiveness of the market while demonstrating your solid understanding of the industry.

Begin with the demographics and segmentation subsection, providing an overview of the addressable market for your horse training school, the key trends in the marketplace, and introducing different customer segments along with their preferences in terms of purchasing habits and budgets.

Next, focus on your target market, zooming in on the specific customer segments your horse training school aims to serve and explaining how your products and services fulfil their distinct needs.

For example, your target market might include equestrians with busy lifestyles who are looking for a reliable and experienced horse trainer to help them improve their riding skills. These customers might be looking for a professional school or trainer that offers a variety of services, such as horse training, riding lessons, and horse care. They may also be looking for a school that offers a convenient schedule and is located close to their home.

Then proceed to the competition subsection, where you introduce your main competitors and highlight what sets you apart from them.

Finally, conclude your market analysis with an overview of the key regulations applicable to your horse training school.

5. The strategy section

When you write the strategy section of your horse training school business plan, remember to cover key elements such as your competitive edge, pricing strategy, sales & marketing plan, milestones, and risks and mitigants.

In the competitive edge subsection, elaborate on what makes your company stand out from competitors. This becomes especially important if you're a startup, aiming to carve a place for yourself amidst established players in the marketplace.

The pricing strategy subsection should demonstrate how you plan to maintain profitability while offering competitive prices to attract customers.

Outline your sales & marketing plan, detailing how you'll reach out to new customers and retain existing ones through loyalty programs or special offers.

For the milestones subsection, outline your company's achievements to date and your main objectives for the future, complete with specific dates to set clear expectations for progress.

Lastly, the risks and mitigants subsection should address the main risks that could affect your plan's execution. Explain the measures you've put in place to minimize these risks, assuring potential investors or lenders.

Your horse training school could face a variety of risks. For example, you might experience financial losses due to unforeseen circumstances or changes in the market. Additionally, you could face liability risks if an injured student brings a lawsuit against your school. It is important to keep these possibilities in mind and to create a plan to protect your business from potential losses.

6. The operations section

In your business plan, it's also essential to provide a detailed overview of the operations of your horse training school.

Start by covering your team, highlighting key roles and your recruitment plan to support the expected growth. Outline the qualifications and experience required for each role and your intended recruitment methods, whether through job boards, referrals, or headhunters.

Next, clearly state your horse training school's operating hours, allowing the reader to assess staffing levels adequately. Additionally, mention any plans for varying opening times during peak seasons and how you'll handle customer queries outside normal operating hours.

Then, shift your focus to the key assets and intellectual property (IP) necessary for your business. If you rely on licenses, trademarks, physical structures like equipment or property, or lease agreements, make sure to include them in this section.

You may have key assets such as professional equestrian training facilities and proprietary curriculum. You could also have intellectual property such as educational materials and research that you have developed about horse training. These may be used to create a competitive advantage and provide a unique experience for students.

Lastly, include a list of suppliers you plan to work with, detailing their services and main commercial terms, such as price, payment terms, and contract duration. Investors are interested in understanding why you've chosen specific suppliers, which may be due to higher-quality products or established relationships from previous ventures.

7. The presentation of the financial plan

The financial plan section is where we will present the financial forecast we talked about earlier in this guide.

Now that you have a clear idea of what goes in your horse training school business plan, let's look at the solutions you can use to draft yours.

What tool should I use to write my horse training school's business plan?

In this section, we will be reviewing the two main solutions for creating a horse training school business plan:

• Using specialized online business plan software,
• Outsourcing the plan to the business plan writer.

Using an online business plan software for your horse training school's business plan

The modern and most efficient way to write a horse training school business plan is to use business plan software .

There are several advantages to using specialized software:

• You can easily create your financial forecast by letting the software take care of the financial calculations for you without errors
• You are guided through the writing process by detailed instructions and examples for each part of the plan
• You can access a library of dozens of complete business plan samples and templates for inspiration
• You get a professional business plan, formatted and ready to be sent to your bank or investors
• You can easily track your actual financial performance against your financial forecast
• You can create scenarios to stress test your forecast's main assumptions
• You can easily update your forecast as time goes by to maintain visibility on future cash flows
• You have a friendly support team on standby to assist you when you are stuck

If you're interested in using this type of solution, you can try The Business Plan Shop for free by signing up here .

Hiring a business plan writer to write your horse training school's business plan

Outsourcing your horse training school business plan to a business plan writer can also be a viable option.

Business plan writers are experienced in writing business plans and adept at creating financial forecasts without errors. Furthermore, hiring a consultant can save you time and allow you to focus on the day-to-day operations of your business.

However, hiring business plan writers is expensive as you are paying for the software used by the consultant, plus their time, and their profit margin of course.

From experience, you need to budget at least £1.5k ($2.0k) excluding tax for a complete business plan, more if you need to make changes after the initial version (which happens frequently after the initial meetings with lenders or investors).

You also need to be careful when seeking investment. Investors want their money to be used to grow the business, not spent on consulting fees. Therefore, the amount you spend on business plan writing services (and other consulting services such as legal services) needs to be negligible relative to the amount raised.

The other drawback is that you usually don't own the business plan itself: you just get the output, while the actual document is saved in the consultant's business plan software - which makes it difficult to maintain the document up to date without hiring the consultant on a retainer.

For these reasons, outsourcing the horse training school business plan to a business plan writer should be considered carefully, weighing both the advantages and disadvantages of hiring outside help.

Ultimately, it may be the right decision for some businesses, while others may find it beneficial to write their business plan using online software.

Why not create your horse training school's business plan using Word or Excel?

Using Microsoft Excel and Word (or their Google, Apple, or open-source equivalents) to write a horse training school business plan is not advisable. Allow me to explain the reasons.

Firstly, creating an accurate and error-free financial forecast on Excel or any spreadsheet demands technical expertise in accounting principles and financial modelling. Without a degree in finance and accounting and significant financial modelling experience, it's unlikely that the reader will fully trust your numbers.

Secondly, relying on spreadsheets is inefficient. While it may have been the go-to option in the past, technology has evolved, and software now performs such tasks much faster and more accurately.

The second reason is that it is inefficient. Building forecasts on spreadsheets was the only option in the early 2000s, nowadays technology has advanced and software can do it much faster and much more accurately.

And with the rise of AI, software is also becoming smarter at helping us detect mistakes in our forecasts and helping us analyse the numbers to make better decisions.

Moreover, software offers ease in comparing actuals versus forecasts and maintaining up-to-date forecasts for clear visibility on future cash flows, as we discussed earlier in this guide. Such tasks are cumbersome when using spreadsheets.

Now, let's address the written part of your horse training school business plan. While it may be less prone to errors, using software can significantly boost productivity. Word processors lack instructions and examples for each section of your business plan. They also won't automatically update your numbers when changes occur in your forecast, and they lack automated formatting capabilities.

In summary, while some entrepreneurs may consider Word or Excel for their business plan, it's far from the best or most efficient solution when compared to specialized software.

• Having an up-to-date business plan is key to maintaining visibility on your future cash flows.
• A business plan has 2 parts: a financial forecast highlighting the expected growth, profitability and cash generation of the business; and a written part which provides the context needed to interpret and assess the quality of the forecast.
• Using business plan software is the modern way of writing and maintaining business plans.

We hope that this guide helped you to better understand how to write the business plan for a horse training school. If you still have questions, do not hesitate to contact us.

Also on The Business Plan Shop

• How to write a 5 years business plan
• Business plan myths

Know someone who owns or wants to start a horse training school? Share this article with them!

Founder & CEO at The Business Plan Shop Ltd

Guillaume Le Brouster is a seasoned entrepreneur and financier.

Guillaume has been an entrepreneur for more than a decade and has first-hand experience of starting, running, and growing a successful business.

Prior to being a business owner, Guillaume worked in investment banking and private equity, where he spent most of his time creating complex financial forecasts, writing business plans, and analysing financial statements to make financing and investment decisions.

Guillaume holds a Master's Degree in Finance from ESCP Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Business & Management from Paris Dauphine University.

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How to start a horse riding business

Table of Contents

Decide the kind of business you want to start

Riding instructor , trekking , hiring out horses, setting up your business, clients and marketing, horses , things to consider, expenses , what to look for, managing your business finances with countingup.

People have been riding horses for hundreds of years, and horse riding businesses have been around nearly as long. Today it’s an enormous industry, with people spending millions of pounds on horses and the costs associated with keeping them. 

Maybe you have some experience riding or breeding horses as a hobby, and are now looking to turn that hobby into a career. This article will serve as a comprehensive guide on starting your own horse riding business, addressing many of the core decisions you’ll need to make before starting your company.

We’ll look at a number of different topics, including:

• Decide on what kind of business you want to start
• Managing your business finances

Although you may want to make preparations for your horse riding company immediately, it would be smart to come up with a more specific business idea first. 

There are many different business ideas related to horse riding, and it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to do all of them all of the time. We’ve provided a few of the more common types of horse riding business for you to consider.

If you’re an experienced rider looking to make some money from your expertise, becoming a riding instructor is a good idea. You would need to understand how to be a tutor as well as how to ride if you were to start this kind of business, so take that into account when you’re deciding.

Starting an equestrian school is a similar business idea, but on a much larger scale. An equestrian school would own a number of horses and employ several instructors to provide riding lessons. 

If you want to be a freelance instructor, you might use the horses provided by an equestrian school and pay them part of your profits, but still operate as your own business instead of an employee. 

Horse trekking is a very profitable enterprise but is heavily dependent on where you are based. If you live somewhere scenic or rural, horse trekking might be a good business idea. Essentially, a trekking business would have people (usually tourists visiting the area) tour various sites while riding horses, led by yourself or a qualified employee. 

Much like being a riding instructor, this requires more than riding expertise. You’ll need to have a good knowledge of the surrounding area and its points of interest, as having a trekking business means being a kind of tour guide.

If you own several horses and can’t ride them often, consider hiring them out to interested parties. This business idea may be a good way of both making money as well as keeping your horses fit and mobile.

Running this sort of business would mean frequently interacting with other horse riding businesses — for instance, you might hire horses out to riding instructors so they can teach lessons, or to trekking businesses if they need a number of horses for a particular tour. 

If you’re capable enough, you might consider hiring horses out as part of your business, as well as offering one of the other services we’ve looked at.

There are highly specialised things you need to consider when setting up a horse riding business, but much of your business will be very similar to any other company. For example, you’ll need to register your company and get a business license when you’re setting up.

As well as a business license, check with your local authority to find out if you need other licenses for the particular business you’re looking to start. Specifically, any horse riding business will require a horse riding establishment license . 

If you’re looking for more general information on starting a business, read our guide on how to start a small business . While this article is specific to horse riding, the one we’ve linked provides more general information for anyone interested in creating a startup.

Marketing is something that you’d need to research before starting any business , and horse riding is no different. Your customers and clients are the foundation of your business, and without them, you’ll run into some serious income problems. 

To start, try using social media for your business marketing . It’s free, and an excellent way to advertise your business to many people very quickly. Posting consistently and maintaining the quality of your social media content is a little harder, but social media is one of the best ways to inform people of the benefits of using your business.

If you’re already involved in horse riding to some degree, you may have some contacts that know of potential customers. Horse riding is a very close-knit community, so remember to let your friends know about your new business . If your business is in a specialised industry like horse riding, marketing through word of mouth can be hugely influential, as your clients will likely know other potential clients. 

It might seem strange, but you don’t need to own a horse to start a horse riding business. As mentioned above, if you’re a riding instructor, you might use the horses provided by an equestrian school.

But while some horse riding-related businesses don’t require you to own a horse, many others do. If you’re looking to start a horse riding business and need to buy a horse, you’ll need to put a lot of thought into the purchase and the costs it’ll create afterwards. It’s wise to consult a horse breeder and do thorough research if you don’t already have a good idea of what you’re looking for in a horse, and what you’ll need to do to keep them healthy. 

We’ll provide a few topics for you to research and list expenses related to keeping horses, but owning a horse is a complex situation that requires a lot of specialised knowledge. Make absolutely sure you know what you’re doing before you buy a horse.

The first thing to think about is what you plan to do with your horse. You’ll need different kinds of horses for different tasks — for instance, a large horse with an active temperament might not be ideal for teaching beginners, as it would be difficult to control.

There are many different factors to consider when buying horses, but try to look into these aspects as a priority:

• Temperament

All of these will affect how the horse will behave, and the success of your business might rely on picking horses with the right kind of behaviour.

If you’re looking to start a business based on horse riding, your horses should be at the core of your financial planning . It costs a significant amount of money to keep a horse healthy, and ensuring that your horses are healthy might be the difference between the success and failure of your business. 

The first cost you need to consider is the initial price of the horse. Compared to the monthly expenses the horse will create, this may not be an enormous cost. It’s still smart to make sure you’re getting the best price for the horse or horses you’re buying, though, so consult an expert or do thorough research beforehand. If you think it’s possible and necessary, you may even be able to haggle the price down.

Food is one of the biggest consistent expenses that a horse will add to your business. Horses will graze in a grass field, but also require consistent meals to stay healthy. Buying food is similar to keeping a product inventory — work out how much you’ll need in a given period, but try to always have slightly more than that in case your calculations are wrong. 

Try to strike a balance between quality and price when buying food, so that you’re not spending too much, but your horses are still eating well.

Vet bills will also form a big part of your business expenses when you own horses. There are consistent costs, like monthly or yearly checkups, but you may also need to call a vet out in case of emergencies. 

For this reason, it’s a good idea to always keep a significant emergency budget in case your horses need urgent medical care. If you don’t, and your animals become ill unexpectedly, it could cause enormous financial issues for your business.

As with horses, you may not need to invest much into property, especially if you don’t own a horse yourself. You may be able to rely solely on using others’ property to run your business. 

Having (or renting) your own property to operate your horse riding business out of can be more convenient, though. On top of this, having a space specifically for your business allows you to expand it more easily.

There are a few different types of facilities you may need for a horse riding business. If you own one or more horses, the absolute minimum is an appropriate stable for the horses to live in. Make sure you know the space requirements for your horse and consider additional space for food and bedding storage.

An open field is the next addition if you can expand beyond a stable. This will allow the horses to graze, and you can use a field for riding practice. If you are hoping to focus your business on trekking or hiring horses out, these are the only two spaces you’ll need for your business.

If you are looking to teach riding and are considering opening an equestrian school, you might want to look into getting a riding arena. This is a large open area for people to practice riding, and may have a roof to allow training in all weather. Importantly, the arena must have level, consistent ground to ensure safe riding.

In addition to these, consider storage areas for riding equipment, separate fields for different horses, and an office for company admin. 

Purchasing all this property can be immensely expensive. Starting an equestrian school can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds in property alone. Renting the space you need can be much cheaper, but ensure that it meets your needs before agreeing to anything.

As well as the cost of the property itself, stables will have a consistent cost in the form of straw bedding for the horses. This is essential to keep them comfortable and in good health.

While looking into the property needs for the horses and horse riding, don’t neglect the needs of your business. You will still need an office to do the various administrative and accounting tasks involved in running your company. Luckily, this might be something you can do from home instead of spending large amounts on a specific business office.

A lot of the topics we’ve covered in this article are closely related to your financial management . 

Countingup is the business current account with built-in accounting software that allows you to manage all your financial data in one place. With features like automatic expense categorisation, invoicing on the go, receipt capture tools, tax estimates, and cash flow insights, you can confidently keep on top of your business finances wherever you are. 

You can also share your bookkeeping with your accountant instantly without worrying about duplication errors, data lags or inaccuracies. Seamless, simple, and straightforward! 

Find out more here .

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Horse Training Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business ideas » Agriculture Industry » Livestock Farming » Horse Breeding

Are you about starting a horse training business? If YES, here is a complete sample horse training business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE .

Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a horse training business. We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample horse training business marketing plan template backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for horse training businesses. So let’s proceed to the business planning section.

A horse training business is a lucrative business to start especially if you love horses and have a passion for training one, this is because there are people who own horses but do not have the skill, time or will to train the horses. However, becoming a horse trainer is a hard business because most horses have to be broken and trained properly before they can be used for riding.

Also, you would need to be sensitive to the kind of horse you are about to train, because horses differ, as there are docile, raging and wild horses and also know when it is right to use spurs and reins in training your horse.

However, while you might have the passion for training horses; if you intend to turn it into a business, you should know that it is a different ball game altogether. It would be necessary to hire a business consultant who would look at your business concept and determine if it would be worthwhile for you to go into this business.

The business consultant would also proffer the right strategies that would help set you apart from others in the same business.

The business consultant would also be in the best interest to know if your business will be successful. Another important factor that is necessary before starting this business is to write a business plan. Below therefore is a sample horse training business plan for you;

A Sample Horse Training Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

The horse industry has a great impact economically on the united states of America especially as there are about 9.2 million horses across the federation with close to 4.6 million people being tagged as horse owners, employees, caretakers, service providers as well as volunteers.

The direct impact on the economy is estimated at $39 billion and other factors that are termed indirect because they are from spectators’ spending and suppliers amount to $102 billion. Globally, the horse industry is led by the North Americans.

The horse industry is facing a huge challenge which is the cost of ownership especially when it relates to matters such as feeding. According to the US Departments of Agriculture, Commerce and Energy, there has been over 200% increase in stress factors regarding the feeding of horses

Texas has the highest horse population with 1 million horses, while California comes second with 700,000 and Florida third with 500,000. The number of horse owners in the United States is estimated at 1.8 million. Out of this amount, 85% are regarded as recreational riders, while 30% participate in competitive sports. Only 7% are professional trainers.

The downturn in the economy had a huge impact on the horse industry and the industry which is slowly recovering will stay in that slow mode for as much as 10 years. There has also been a decrease in breed transfers between the period of 2012 and 2013 as the percentage decrease was pegged at 11.8%.

The United States of America has about 2.72 million showing horses, with about 840,000 registered as racing horses. Every 1 in 3 horses registered is an American Quarter Horse, with Thoroughbreds following closely behind.

2. Executive Summary

Saddles Training School, LLC is located in Devore Heights – California and intends to offer our various services to horse owners and lovers, who seek a quality and well-run quality instruction and horse training school. The horse industry is not only stable but is said to be progressing as more people are showing interests either in learning to ride a horse or owning one for whatever reasons they might think is possible.

Our strategic location here in Devore Heights has many potential clients especially as the area is attractive to many new homeowners due to its proximity to land that is not only public but suitable for horseback riding. Also, the public land frequently holds horse shows and competition, which gives us the edge we need over our competitors, especially as there are only few of our kind that offer the same services as we do.

The services we intend to offer at our riding school is at a rate that is competitive against that of other training and riding schools here in Devore Heights – California.

Some of the lessons and trainings we will offer will come from outside trainers, who we will work out an arrangement with and have them pay facility usage fees, that way we attract more customers to our riding school. However, our major trainings and instructions will be done by our owners, George and Rebecca Samson.

Our plans are to advertise our riding school business through various conventional and unconventional means such as via our website, offline directories such as yellow pages, tack stores, Facebook page, pasting of flyers at local feed stores, as well as other avenues where horses are being dealt with.

Because we take our business structure very seriously, we intend to go the extra mile in ensuring that we hire only those who are competent and professionals to handle all the various roles and services that would be offered by our riding school here in Devore Heights – California.

Also, our employees are committed and understand our core values and are willing to ensure that we attain our desired goals and objectives.

We intend to ensure that our employees have great welfare packages better than those in similar start-ups such as ours in the industry. We know that ensuring that our employees are well paid will allow them become more committed to ensuring that we achieve our intended goals and objectives.

Also, our employees will work in an environment that is conducive and easily accessible. We also intend to ensure that they go for continuous training that will not only enhance their skills and make them better than their peers in the same industry but it will also improve the productivity rate and grow our business.

Finally our owners, George and Rebecca Samson own and run the riding school equally at 50% each. Rebecca is the Chief Executive Officer and makes all the decisions that affect the riding school.

George is the chief training instructor and is in charge of the school’s curriculum. Both have over 30 years of experience in the horse industry and have several certifications and qualifications that will ensure that the business attains its desired goals and objectives.

3. Our Products and Services

At Saddles Training School, LLC, we are engaged in offering our different customers the core service of training horses from our farm which is our permanent location, here in Devore Heights – California.

Because we intend to create multiple sources of income in order to boost our bottom line, we will add other services to our core service here at Saddles Training School, LLC. Our intention of generating revenue and making profit will be according to the permissible laws of the United States of America. Therefore, some of the services we intend to offer are;

• Breeding and raising horses
• Horse riding lessons
• Medical care
• Consultancy and advisory services

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to ensure that we become amongst the top ten horse training schools in the United States of America and the most preferred training school here in Devore Heights – California
• In order to achieve our vision, we intend to build a solid business structure by hiring the best trainers in the industry as well as other competent employees that are committed to ensuring that we achieve our intended goals and objectives here in Devore Heights – California as well as round the United States of America as well

Our Business Structure

Because we intend to run a business that is not only up to standard but that succeeds in the near future here in Devore Heights – California, we have made plans to build a business structure and won’t mind going the extra mile by ensuring that we get competent and hardworking employees to come and work for us at our riding school.

We intend to get those that are committed and willing to put in the needed effort into ensuring that our business attains its intended goals and objectives.

We will get employees who have the experience, who are professionals and competent and understand the business thoroughly knowing what will be needed to ensure that we attain the desired vision and mission that we have planned out.

Due to the fact that we intend to offer different services here at Saddles Training School, LLC, we would not be employing the conventional number of employees needed to run the business, and so we would need to employ more in order to be able to run our business successfully. Therefore, below is the business structure that we intend to build at Saddles Training School, LLC;

Chief Executive Officer

Training Instructor

Accountant/cashier

Barn Farrier

Marketing Team

Customer Care Executive

Security Guard

Truck Driver

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

• In charge of drafting policies that will affect the direction of the training school
• Reviews already drafted policies and ensures that they are align with company’s core policies
• Meets with high level clients on behalf of the training school
• In charge of preparing all the instruction manuals that will be used at the training school
• Works with different levels of clients to achieve their training purposes
• Reviews and updates training instructions depending on the trends in the industry
• Prepares all the financial statements and information concerning the training school
• Ensures the budget drafted is fully implemented
• Ensures that the books of the training school are reconciled with that of the bank
• In charge of all the administrative tasks and duties in the farm
• Sources for and ensures that the right staff is being employed by the riding school
• Ensures that the policies of the riding school are implemented and adhered to
• In charge of evaluating the gait, conformation and hoof balance of the horse and also make adjustments where necessary
• Must be skilled in iron work and be able to make custom shoes
• Must be able to use a variety of tools to trim and shape the hooves of a horse
• Drafts effective marketing strategies on behalf of the training school
• Conducts a thorough marketing research in order to find out new markets and gain new clients on behalf of the training school
• Conducts direct marketing to gain clients on behalf of the company
• Answers all inquiries and requests on behalf of the training school and also ensures that all complaints are promptly resolved
• Ensures that they remain updated about industry trends and company policies so that customers could get the correct information
• Ensures that the database of the customer is accurate and updates on behalf of the training school
• Patrols the premises and ensures that the training school is safe from intruders and predators
• Ensures that all the horses and property in the training school are safe and secure
• Carries out any other duties as determined by the manager
• Ensures that needed supplies are made available at all the time at the training school
• Carries out light maintenance and repair on the truck when necessary
• Ensures that accurate routes are taken to and fro the training school when delivering and taking supplies
• Ensures that all the facilities in the premises are kept clean
• Ensures that cleaning supplies are always in stock
• Carries out any duties as determined by the manager

6. SWOT Analysis

Due to the fact that we intend to run standard horse training business, we have decided to carry out due diligence by hiring the services of a reputable business consultant here in Devore Heights – California that would look into our business concept and help us know if the business we intend going into would be worthwhile, and know if the attributes we possess will enable us compete favorably against our competitors here in Devore Heights – California  as well as round the United States of America.

In view of this, the business consultant we hired was able to take stock of our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and use this to determine what we are likely to face here in Devore Heights – California and if e are likely to survive in this environment. Below therefore is a of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Saddles Training School, LLC;

Our strength lies in the fact that we would be offering various services in addition to our core service in order to meet the various needs of our customers. These services will not only bring in the much needed revenue that would boost our bottom line, it will also ensure that we are able to compete favorably against our competitors here in Devore Heights – California.

Another advantage in our favor is the fact that Devore Heights has a lot of public parks that have been approved for trainings and riding lessons especially for clients who would like to try new and different terrains. Also, our ranch is accessible to all our clients, which makes our location more than strategic.

Finally, due to the solid business structure that we have built, we have hired employees who are not only very competent and professional but also have the necessary commitment required that will allow us achieve our intended goals and objectives.

The fact that California is the second city in the whole of the United States of America here there are a high number of horses and horse owners mean that the market is saturated which might make it a bit hard for us to break into the market

Also, the fact that we are just starting off means that we are running on a budget that will not allow us advertise our business as we wish or get the number of employees we would need in order to run a standard business.

• Opportunities

There are several opportunities that are available to us in this industry and that is the fact that there are loads of people from novices to professionals in the industry who would require trainings either to better their craft or to learn something new.

Also, the fact that we would be networking with other service providers mean that we would be opening up our business to prospective clients in our target market.

Every business faces threats every now and then and we are no different. Some of the threats that we are likely to face in the course of running this business are the fact that there might be the arrival of a major competitor here in Devore Heights – California offering the same services as we would be doing.

Also, even though there are people that would not mind spending when the economy is bad, it will however reduce the number of customers we would likely receive in the event of an economic downturn.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

The horse industry has a great economic impact on the United States of America and this is due to the fact that there are more than 9 million horses and more than 4 million people directly engaged in this industry.

It was previously thought that only the wealthy should own horses but this has changed as more people with a median class income of $60,000 are now owning horses. Also, these set of people have come to see their horses as more than investments but as pets and companions.

Texas is the number one city in the United States of America with 1 million horses closely followed by California with 700,000 horses. This makes the horse business very viable in not only these two states but all over the United States of America especially as almost every state has a commercial horse industry.

Even though most people owned horses, they rarely had time to train with these horses and as such needed someone who was a professional to help train and offer the right information about these horses, which makes the horse training business a very lucrative one.

8. Our Target Market

The horse industry trend is such that there will always be customers who demand services such as ours and so this means a boost for our industry.

In truth our target market cannot be restricted to those who just love riding horses especially due to the various services we intend to offer. In truth, our location which is very strategic has kept us in the best position where our target market can easily access us.

In order to however correctly determine our target market, we have conducted a thorough market research so that we would have an idea of what to expect from our target market and what they in turn would be expecting from us.   From our research, we therefore are in business to deliver our services to the following groups of people here in Devore Heights – California.

• Local families
• Horse owners
• Horse buyers
• Owners of show horses
• Boarding facilities

Our competitive Advantage

There are several advantages that are available to us at saddles Training School, LLC especially as we intend to build and run a standard and successful horse training school here in Devore Heights – California. Our aim is to ensure that we are the preferred horse training school here in Devore Heights – California and that we are amongst the top ten in the whole of the United States of America.

In order to achieve our intended goals, we intend to come up with competitive strategies that will allow us have an advantage over our competitors as well as compete favorably against them in the horse industry.

The first competitive advantage we have over our competitors is the fact that our facility is up to standard and is easily accessible to all our clients. Also, the environment is one that is highly conducive to our employees and allow them to be better productive in handling all the tasks they are given.

We have highly competent and professional employees here at Saddles Training School, LLC who not only understand their jobs but are attuned to our vision, policies and objectives and are committed to ensuring that we attain them.

Finally, we take good care of our employees by ensuring that they have a great welfare package that is the best within similar start-ups such as ours in the horse industry here in the United States of America. We believe that this will motivate them into becoming more than willing to put in their best into ensuring that we achieve our corporate goals and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Saddles Training School, LLC, has been established with the aim of maximizing profit in the horse industry here in the United States of America, and due to this we are going to ensure that we do all it takes to offer our various services to all our different kind of customers in the target market. Some of the services that we intend to offer in order to generate income at Saddles Training School, LLC;

10. Sales Forecast

The fact that more Americans are owning horses and having less time to learn with these horses means that there will always be a high demand for horse training schools.

California is the second state with the highest number of horses in the United States of America, and so the facts point that it would be easy for us to generate the intended revenue we seek and even make a little profit in our first year of business.

After carrying out a critical examination of the horse industry in order to decide our chances, we came up with the following sales forecast, which came from gathering data from similar start-ups such as ours in the industry. Below therefore are the sales projections we intend to use at Saddles Training School, LLC based on certain factors and assumptions;

• First Fiscal Year-: $220,000
• Second Fiscal Year-: $380,000
• Third Fiscal Year-: $500,000

N.B : It should be noted that the above projections were done based on what was obtainable in the industry and that should there be any change in the factors used, it might cause an increase or decrease in the sales figures projected.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

Marketing is a very important part of any business especially as this is the aspect that generates the much needed revenue that will sustain and grow the business. We know how vital it is to market our business and so we are pursuing different relevant routes.

First, we would engage in a thorough market survey in order to understand the kind of target market we intend to serve and know how best to penetrate the market in order to not only build our business but to also be able to compete against our competitors here in Devore Heights – California as well as round the United States of America.

We intend to get a reputable marketing consultant who understands the industry and has helped similar start-ups and growing businesses such as ours draft the right strategies that would allow us become a force to be reckoned with.

We have also empowered our marketing executives to draft the right marketing strategies that are in tune with our company policies and will deliver our corporate sales goals. Below are the ways we intend to market Saddles Training School LLC;

• Ensure that we introduce our horse training business to industry stakeholders
• Throw a grand opening party to create awareness about our business
• Advertise our horse training business in local newspapers, equine magazines as well as on local radio and television stations
• Ensure that our horse training business is listed on online and offline directories
• Engage in direct marketing
• Pass out handbills and fliers

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Having the right amount of publicity is very necessary for our kind of business and due to this we will take this aspect of our business seriously. Publicity not only creates awareness for a brand thereby boosting revenue for the company, it also ensures that a brand’s image is positively communicated to the target market.

We intend to hire a brand publicist here in Devore Heights – California who thoroughly understands the horse industry well and how best we can penetrate the market in ensuring that we gain a huge share of the market. Some of the platforms we intend to use in promoting and advertising our horse training school are;

• Ensure that we place adverts in local newspapers and horse magazines as well as on radio and television stations
• Ensure that we engage in and sponsor relevant horse related events in the community
• Use our social media platforms such as Facebook page, Twitter and other horse related forums to promote our business
• Ensure that we distribute our handbills in strategic locations
• Install our billboards in conspicuous and strategic locations here in Devore Heights – California
• Create an official website and carry out massive promotion there

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Deciding on what to charge our customers will depend on a whole lot of factors such as what our running and overhead expenses are and what our competitors are offering. We will make sure we carry out intensive research before deciding on our prices so we would not give a price that is too low or too high.

However, because we intend to attract as many customers as possible to our business, we would lower our rates for the first six months of business. Even though we would be running at a low profit margin during this period, we wish to assure our stakeholders that we would not be running at a loss.

• Payment Options

Due to the various services we intend to offer at Saddles Training School, LLC, we are offering our diverse customers different payment options so as to be able to cater to various requirements. The payment options we intend to offer our customers are as follows;

• Cash payment
• Payment via credit card
• Payment via check
• Payment via online payment portal

The above payment options were carefully chosen by us and will work for all our customers without any hitches.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

In starting up and running a standard horse training school here in Devore Heights – California, there are certain aspects where one is expected to send the bulk of the capital on.

Leasing or buying a facility is very important if you intend to run a standard training school also, the bulk of the capital will go into paying the fees of employees and other running expenses for at least a defined period of time till the business makes money enough to start paying for itself. Therefore the key areas where we intend to spend our start-up capital from are;

• Total fee for registering our horse training school here in the United States of America – $750
• Legal expenses for getting licenses and permits, accounting software as well as other legal expenses that will be incurred during the process of registering the business – $1250
• Cost of hiring a business consultant – $1,000
• Marketing and publicity expenses (for grand opening party as well as general business operations) – $6,000
• Insurance coverage (General liability, property insurance , and workers’ compensation) – $4,000
• Cost of purchasing start-up equipment in bulk (such as saddles, straps, tacks, feeds and  reins) – $10,000
• Cost of purchasing a land and building facilities for the horse training school for at least a year – $30,000
• Operational cost for the first six months of running the business (employee salaries, payment of bills) – $100,000
• Other start-up expenses which includes furniture, stationeries, phone, and computer – $5,000
• Cost of purchasing a light weight truck  – $30,000
• Cost of launching a website – $500
• Cost of throwing a grand opening party – $3,500
• Other miscellaneous expenses – $8,000

From the above detailed analysis, we would need the sum of $200,000 in order to be able to run a standard and successful horse training business here in Devore Heights – California. From the above analysis, it should be noted that half of our start-up capital will go into buying a land and then building the necessary facilities that we would need to run the business to a certain standard.

Also, we would be paying the salaries of our employees as well as certain utility bills for at least the first six months of operations, which will also take a huge part of the capital.

Generating Funding / Startup Capital for Saddles Training School Horse Training Business

Saddles Training School, LLC is a horse training school business that is owned and run by Mr. and Mrs. George and Rebecca Samson with an equal 50% stake each.

The couple who have several experiences running this business are not seeking for external investors that would demand a part of their equity, which is why they have decided to restrict sourcing for capital to three major areas. Therefore, the major areas where the couple intend to source for capital for their horse training school business are;

• Generate part of the start-up capital from personal savings and sale of certain stock
• Source for soft loan from friends and wealthy family members
• Apply for loan from the bank

N.B: We were able to generate the sum of $35,000 from our personal savings and sale of certain stock. Our friends and family members gave us the sum of $25,000. We approached the bank for the remaining sum of money needed in order to run a successful business which amounted to $140,000.

After signing off the necessary papers, we have been told that the money would be credited into our account by the end of the week. The loan from the bank is to be repaid in 5 years at the rate of 2%.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

Due to the fact that we have a strong business concept, we expect to remain in business for a long time and so there are several sustainability and expansion strategies that we have adopted. We have looked at several factors that if when used will allow us stay in business for a long period, make the necessary revenue and also compete favorably against our competitors.

The factors we intend taking into consideration are building a solid business structure, ensuring that we adequately promote our horse training school, and also ensuring that we build a standard facility.

Building the right business structure is very vital to us as a business and so we have gone the extra mile by sourcing for and hiring the best employees that not only are professionals and experienced but also competent to handle their responsibilities in our horse training school.

We intend to ensure that our employees receive continuous training that will ensure that they enhance their skills and also improve productivity for us here in our horse training school. We also intend to pay our employees well and have a well structured welfare package that is seen as the best amongst similar start-ups like ours in the entire industry.

Every business requires the right sort of publicity in which to grow and expand at a determined pace. The horse industry is one where publicity is highly essential if the business intends to succeed and grow. We therefore intend to take our horse business seriously by ensuring that we give it the right amount of publicity so that we can compete favorably against our competitors in this industry.

We intend to bring in a brand publicist that would help us draft the right strategies that would increase awareness for our horse training business and allow us penetrate the market, thereby increasing our own share of customers.

Finally, we intend to build a facility that will be up to standard, easily accessible and convenient for both customers and employees in the industry. Having a standard facility is a must and we will do well to ensure that all the equipment used are always up-to-date.

This, we believe will allow us gain a huge share of the market. We believe that if these three factors are well applied, we will effectively sustain and expand our business.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check: Completed
• Business Registration: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
• Securing Point of Sales (POS) Machines: Completed
• Opening Mobile Money Accounts: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Conducting feasibility studies: Completed
• Generating capital from family members: Completed
• Applications for Loan from the bank: In Progress
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: In Progress
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business both online and around the community: In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement (License): Secured
• Opening party / launching party planning: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with vendors – wholesale suppliers / merchants: In Progress
• Purchase of trucks: Completed

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Homesteading.

Homesteading

The Ultimate Guide To Building An Equestrian Business

August 10, 2022.

Hi, I'm Paige, half of the duo behind Fairway Stables™

This website is the one I've been searching for, for years; a compilation of knowledge on all things horsemanship, including practical advice on how to start an equestrian business. No matter your experience level with horses or homesteading, I hope this is a place you can get lost in, and learn something along the way - we welcome everyone from vets, to lifelong ranchers, trainer, to nonprofits contributing.

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Homesteading equine law equestian living horseback riding.

Starting a business in general is an exciting, daunting, and stressful experience. It’s thrilling to take risks and follow your passion, but you may get anxiety about whether you have what it takes to make a business successful.

This is especially true of equestrian businesses . Many owners get into the horse business for love of horses and the sport, forgetting that they need to run a business properly to succeed. Find out everything you need to know to start your equestrian business off right.

Table of Contents

• Overview of Equestrian Businesses
• Size of Equestrian Industry
• Equestrian Industry Worth

Glossary of Equestrian Business Terms

• Equestrian Business Ideas
• What to Consider Before Starting an Equestrian Business

How to Start an Equestrian Business

Growing your equestrian business.

What Is an Equestrian Business? A Brief Overview

There’s no strict definition for an equestrian business. An equestrian is a person who rides a horse. As an adjective, equestrian can refer to anything related to horseback riding.

A business is an activity or enterprise entered into for profit. Put those together and you get an equestrian business.

Equestrian businesses can be anything that focuses on horses or horseback riding, including businesses that house or train horses, care for horses, show horses, or breed horses. It may also include the businesses responsible for managing facilities, pasture, waste removal, and more.

How Big Is the Equestrian Industry?

In the US, there are roughly 158,000 equestrian businesses and no major companies.

Each business represents a small portion of market share (<5%), While a third of US households have a horse enthusiast, only 1.3 percent own a horse. The remainder participate in horse activities or enjoy horse events.

How Much Is the Equestrian Industry Worth?

The equestrian industry is worth $122 billion and created 1.7 million jobs in the US. There’s not only direct contribution with economic activity that occurs in the horse industry itself, but also the positive ripple effect into other economic activity outside of the horse industry.

Horse Ranch

A ranch is a large farm used for raising animals, such as cattle, sheep, or horses. A horse ranch focuses specifically on horses.

Generally, a stable can refer to a building that houses horses or an establishment where horses are kept and trained.

Equestrian Facility

An equestrian facility is a facility designed to accommodate, train, or compete with horses. Based on their use, an equestrian facility may be referred to as an equestrian center, stables, riding hall, barn, livery yard, boarding stable, or ranch.

A stud farm is a term used in animal husbandry to indicate a facility for selective breeding. While stud comes from Old English and means a “herd of horses or place where horses are kept for breeding,” the modern use of the term refers to a stallion that’s currently used for breeding. Stud farms may be full breeding operations or purely stud service.

Boarding Stable

Also known as a livery yard or livery stable, a boarding stable is a facility that houses and cares for other people’s horses for a fee.

Riding Stable

A riding stable is a facility that houses horses for equestrian activities. Though separate from a boarding stable, the two may be combined. A riding school or academy may also be called a riding stable.

Barn is a colloquial term for a stable or equestrian facility. Barns are located on farms and hold equipment, grain, and sometimes horses or cows, but they’re distinct from a stable.

Farm is a catch-all term for activities related to agriculture. Though technology is reserved for food production, “farms” may include feedlots, orchards, and ranches. Properties with horses aren’t typically referred to as a horse farm (with the exception of a stud farm). The purpose and use of the facility determine which term is preferred.

21 Equestrian Business Ideas

Let’s take a look at several equestrian business ideas that can help you turn your passion into profit.

Boarding/Livery

For many horse owners or enthusiasts, keeping a horse at home isn’t an option. They still want to ride, however, so they look into a boarding or livery facility.

Generally, a boarding stable charges a monthly fee to house a horse and provide for its needs. Boarding stables offer different options for board, and the monthly charge depends on factors like pasture or turnout, location, amenities, on-site trainers and instructors, tack storage, and more.

Typically, boarding stables offer the following fee options:

This includes all the necessities for the horse, plus a stall with full turnout. Full board is the most time- and work-intensive, since owners leave all the work to the facility – they clean the stalls, feed the horse multiple times a day, and take it in and out to pasture. For a busy adult equestrian or the overwhelmed parents of a child rider, this is an ideal option.

Some boarding facilities also offer additional services for a fee, such as lessons with a qualified instructor, access to indoor or outdoor riding arenas, trails, or equipment use. Owners may have to pay for specialized feeds and supplements, grooming, blanketing, and similar services.

Typically, veterinary care and farrier care are the financial responsibility of the owner. Some facilities will maintain the same veterinarian and farrier for the entire facility, while others will allow owners to bring in their preferred professionals. For a new horse owner, having vetted and qualified professionals offers peace of mind, but an experienced equestrian may prefer their own veterinarian and farrier.

Partial Boarding

Partial boarding is essentially a timeshare with a horse. In this situation, the owner shares the use of their horse with another person in exchange for cheaper boarding fees. This arrangement may be used for owners with horses that are docile enough to be “school” horses, or lesson horses, but it may also be beneficial for a busy adult with a horse that’s suitable for another rider.

In this arrangement, both parties split the boarding costs. For example, if board is typically $500 per month, but the horse is used for lessons, the owner will only pay $250. This does involve a contract agreement to ensure that everyone is protected, which may outline how often the horse may be ridden, whether the rider can bring their own equipment, and who is responsible for farrier and veterinarian services.

Pasture Board

Pasture board can be an economical option for an owner and convenient for you. If you have land, you permit the horse to live outdoors year-round with feed, water, and a simple run-in shelter. The work and maintenance is minimal compared to a full boarding facility while giving you income from your land.

Depending on the climate, pasture board may offer additional services like blanketing in cold weather, either included or for a fee. Pasture board also requires you – or your staff – monitor the horses outside to ensure they’re cared for properly.

Pasture board is appealing for its low fees, though horses get less attentive care in this arrangement. This is ideal for occasional riders, retired older horses, horses that prefer to roam, and horses with medical conditions like recurrent airway disease (heaves).

In addition, someone with well-bred show horses or breeding horses typically want minimal turnout alone to avoid potential injuries or blemishes that affect the horse’s appearance, such as bite marks or cuts.

Self-Care Board

Self-care board is basically renting out only the facility and amenities but leaving the actual care to the owner. The horse gets a stall and access to turnout, but the owner must provide their own feed and bedding, muck out the stall, feed and water the horse, and bring it in and out from the pasture. They also handle their own arrangements for veterinary and farrier services.

For people who live near the stable, self-care board is a convenient and economical solution. They get to take a hands-on approach to their own horse’s needs, even if they don’t have land. Sometimes, groups of riding friends will take a self-care board arrangement and handle the care of each other’s horses in shifts to make chores more practical and convenient.

The downside of a self-care board is that owners don’t have schedule freedom or flexibility. They are responsible for their own horse’s care at all times and have to make arrangements for vacations or other obligations. As the facility owner, you can offer care for an extra fee when the owners are unavailable to care for their own horses.

Short-Term Boarding

If you have a facility with extra space, short-term boarding provides accommodation for horses if owners are traveling or moving. Short-term and overnight boarders can add income to an existing boarding facility and make up for empty stalls.

Many boarding facilities offer multiple types of short-term boarding with different fees, such as one-day, one-week, or one-month boarding. The traveler may supply the feed and buckets, but the facility handles the stall, bedding, turnout, and care.

Short-term boarding can be beneficial in many ways and boosts the exposure of a stable, but it’s important to have the right setup. Traveling horses can present a disease or injury risk to the other boarders, which is why owners need to supply buckets. There should be stalls and turnout that are separate from the long-term boarding clients.

Retirement Boarding

In many ways, retirement boarding is similar to a nursing home for elderly humans. Owners who no longer compete or ride – or ride only occasionally – can enjoy the benefits of boarding in a quieter facility than a competition stable. In addition to older horses, these facilities may board horses that have been put out of commission due to injury.

Retirement boarding may be structured as a full-service, partial, or self-care boarding arrangement. All the horse’s needs are cared for, including veterinary and farrier services, but in a low-key environment.

Additional Arrangements

When it comes to boarding, just about any arrangement you can imagine has been done. Some stables may work out reduced rates for owners who are willing to take on some chores, such as mucking out their own stalls. Some may offer work-exchange or working-student arrangements, which is when equestrian students do barn chores in exchange for reduced board or free lessons or training.

If you choose to offer these kinds of flexible arrangements for boarders, it’s important that all the responsibilities of both parties are outlined in the boarding contract. Those who don’t hold up their end of the arrangement will have to pay full board – or whatever the penalty is according to the contract.

Training and Instruction

Often combined with boarding facilities, training and instruction is another option for an equestrian business. Many equestrians will choose a boarding facility based on the option of an on-site instructor or horse trainer.

There are numerous paths to becoming a professional horse trainer or riding instructor. You don’t need a degree or certifications, in most cases, but you do need something to establish yourself as an authority. Typically, horse trainers and instructors have a track record of success in prominent horse show circuits or reputation for training champion horses.

If you don’t want to train or instruct yourself, you can hire an on-site trainer and instructor for your boarding clients. Ideally, the trainer and instructor should be specialized in a discipline, such as hunter/jumper or cutting.

Another option is subcontracting. In this arrangement, you may or may not provide an on-site trainer, but if you get a rider who prefers to work with their own trainer, they can pay for the use of the amenities like the indoor or outdoor arena.

In addition to on-site staff and subcontractors, many boarding facilities will bring in big-name trainers for clinics. The trainer has run of the facility for the time they’re scheduled, and students can book appointments for lessons. This is helpful for the riders, since the trainer comes to them, and they can work in the environment in which they and their horses are most comfortable.

Breeding Operation

Breeding horses is a diverse facet of equestrian business. Not for beginners to the horse world, breeding takes a lot of time, passion, and a gift for selecting solid breeding stock . Like breeding other animals, care must be taken to ensure that the foal crop is free of genetic illness and that the most desirable traits are passed through the generations.

Horse breeders are not “backyard breeders” bringing together their two mutts to sell the puppies. While that may happen, horse breeders usually focus on one pure breed and specialize in specific purposes like barrel racing, flat racing, or show jumping. They know the pedigrees of the stock inside and out, as well as what makes a horse a champion in their respective discipline.

In addition, breeding requires skill and comfort around horses. Both stallions and mares in heat can be difficult to handle, and a lot goes into the care or the breeding stock and bringing up the foals.

There are a few ways to approach a breeding operation, from boutique breeders to studding services to full-scale breeding operations. Many breeders get started by realizing an opportunity with their winning stallion or mare, or simply having a good eye for superior horses.

Full-Scale Breeding Operation

A breeding operation may be full-scale with on-site stallions, mares, and foals, as well as the necessary breeding areas and equipment. This is a big undertaking, since you’re providing land and stalls for your breeding stock and the foal crop.

One of the advantages to a full-scale breeding operation is that you can start small, however. Just a stallion and a few mares with a stable and some land can grow over the years to become dozens of horses on hundreds of acres.

Most full-scale breeding operations have their own breeding stock that’s either already owned or purchased (the latter is more expensive!). Owners may hold back some foals for future breeding, meaning they’re not offered for sale, while the others are sold for profit. These operations may also bring in new mares or stallions to diversify the crop over the years.

Usually, a full-scale breeding operation will use hand-mating and artificial insemination for their own breeding stock. They may offer stud services for artificial insemination, or they may bring an outside mare for studding.

One main difference between a breeding facility and other types of horse facilities is that it’s set up for breeding. There’s plenty of land and space for not only the current horses but the future ones as well. These facilities also have areas for hand-mating and insemination, veterinary equipment, studding, and separate pastures for individual stallions, mares, and weanlings or yearlings.

With purebred horses, there may be an additional registration process with the breed registry. The process can vary, but horses may be eligible for registration and branding that allows them to compete in breed-specific competitions and increases their value.

Some owners maximize profits by studding out their champion stallion, giving them income without running a full breeding operation. When a champion racehorse or show horse finishes its career on a high note, the owner can use that notoriety to offer the horse’s semen for a fee.

They simply offer the material to impregnate the mare, and the mare’s owner is responsible for the rest. Because the work involved in studding is less intensive than a full breeding operation, people may keep and stud a stallion at a riding or boarding facility instead of a dedicated breeding ranch.

Some studs can command fees of thousands of dollars for semen, and a male horse produces enough to pair with over 100 mares. Of course, if the stud produces a bunch of duds, the fee can plummet – it’s a gamble.

Mares have long gestation periods – typically 11 months – which is a long period to be out of commission. Pregnancy also carries risk that can lead to loss of life or loss of use. Some owners who want to breed their mare prefer to avoid this risk by using a surrogate mare, or recipient mare.

The time period in which a mare can carry a foal safely and successfully is also limited. If the mare can’t take time off of showing for breeding, surrogacy allows for multiple pregnancies from different mares in a given year while she continues to show. It also allows the mare’s owner to breed her to multiple stallions at the same time to produce a range of foals.

Reproduction is done through artificial insemination with an embryo transfer, sperm injection, and semen freezing, shipping, and storage. It’s a long process, but comparatively shorter than having a mare out of the show circuit.

The mare’s owner is responsible for the stud fee and associated costs, the cost of artificial insemination, and the veterinary care for the mare.

Also, like a stud, the surrogate mare may be part of a larger breeding facility or simply kept at a boarding or riding stable. For owners of mares that aren’t suitable for breeding or showing at a high level, surrogacy is a way to make use of their optimal breeding years.

Riding Clinics

Riding clinics are intensive training sessions that take place with a qualified equestrian instructor or trainer. Typically, these clinicians have an accomplished equestrian career in a specific discipline that qualifies them to command a high fee for training sessions.

If you’re a trainer or instructor yourself, you can provide clinics on a travel tour. Students would book appointments in advance to ensure that your time, travel, and expenses are worthwhile. In fact, some of the biggest-name trainers often have waiting lists, applications, and cut-off dates to book lessons.

With this arrangement, you would pay for use of the facility and its amenities for your clinic. Often, the students who attend will be from the same facility, but they may also travel to attend. For accomplished equestrians, this can be lucrative.

Conversely, if you own a riding stable or boarding facility, you can offer clinics. It will not only make your facility more appealing to clients, but it gives you an extra source of income. The catch is that you would need to seek and find the right opportunities.

When you bring in clinicians, it’s important that they teach the discipline that appeals to most of your clients. There is some overlap, such as a show jumper participating in a dressage clinic, bringing a clinician in English equitation won’t be appealing to a stable full of barrel racers.

Tourist Ranches

Tourist ranches, also known as dude ranches or guest ranches, are a type of vacation property that has horses for guest use. These are all-inclusive experiences that combine hospitality and horsemanship.

Dude ranches have been around since the 19 th century. Tourists enjoy the pioneer experience and nostalgia without risking their health and welfare. Many began in the West and offered activities to indulge in the “cowboy” life, but now, they come in a wide variety.

Ranches run the gamut from romantic Wild-West cattle ranches to luxurious resorts with top-notch amenities like tennis courts and heated swimming pools and spas. The beauty of them is that you can make the ranch what works best for you and the location.

For example, some ranches offer adventure experiences like hiking, whitewater rafting, cattle herding, target shooting, and fishing. Others operate similarly to a luxurious resort, but include horses and horse-related activities like trail rides. In either case, they include cabins or other accommodation for guests on the property, as well as services like dining and housekeeping.

These destinations are particularly appealing to families with kids. Often, activities are designed to keep the kids entertained, such as campfire sing-alongs and petting zoos. Many ranches have themes that inform the whole experience, such as ranches that allow guests to participate in antiquated activities like churning butter or milking goats.

The different types of guest ranches may include:

Working Dude Ranch

These types of ranches are working cattle or sheep operations. Horseback riding excursions may be reserved for those with experience with cowhorses, though some ranches may offer different excursions based on skills and experience.

This is the most authentic of the ranch experiences. Visitors expect – and want – hard work and hands-on activities. Assisting in herding cattle, grooming horses, and mucking stalls may be part of the experience.

A basic dude ranch of guest ranch caters to visitors looking for horseback riding. These are the more romanticized Wild-West ranches that teach guests the “cowboy” life and allow them to take part in iconic experiences like lassoing, driving cattle, and camping out with horses under the stars.

Generally, visitors are looking more for activities directly related to cowboy culture and fantasy, not necessarily general ranch chores or menial labor. They want to ride and rodeo, not muck stalls.

Resort Ranch

Resort ranches are the luxury ranches that offer upscale accommodations and amenities. The overall style may be frontier or working ranch, but the rooms, amenities, food, and entertainment are more like a luxury resort or cruise.

Typically, resort ranches offer a more diverse array of activities and facilities. Along with the expected ranch amenities, they may have a pool, fitness center, spa, childcare facility, fine dining, a bar, and an entertainment venue. This is more of a “glamping” ranch experience than a true frontier west experience.

Hunting Ranches

Though less common, areas with desirable game may have hunting ranches. They operate similarly to a working ranch or dude ranch, but they include hunting in the activities separate from the horseback riding.

Depending on the location, the hunting may include elk, moose, bears, or deer. Some ranches may offer captive-bred exotic game for trophy hunters, such as antelope. The high tag fee and hunting guides support the care and proliferation of a rare or threatened species.

These are the basic types of ranches, but they may combine elements of each other or offer something unique. Ultimately, the common thread is horseback riding. Whether it’s an organized trail ride, lessons, or a cattle drive, guest ranches center the experience around the horses.

There’s a lot to consider when starting a guest ranch, however. Depending on the location, it may only be able to operate seasonally. You also have to simultaneously run a hospitality business and an equestrian business.

Horse-Related Adult Retreats

Wellness or nature retreats are popular among adults. Whether focused on meditation, yoga, getting in touch with nature, women-only, or any other type of theme, these adult retreats may include equestrian activities.

The retreat may be reserved for experienced riders or beginners, but they have a theme that informs all of the activities. Journaling, meditation, life-coaching training, group therapy, nature walks, creating vision boards, and beach yoga are among the types of activities that retreats offer.

As far as the equestrian activities, it depends on the experience level of the participants. A retreat may teach basic horsemanship for beginners to horse yoga to advanced activities like team penning and barrel racing.

Like running a dude ranch, starting an equine retreat for adults means balancing the demands of a horse business and a tourist experience.

Horse Rescue

A horse rescue is a non-profit organization that cares for abused, starving, or abandoned horses. Like other rescues, horse rescues are often no-kill, volunteer-based organizations that provide a safe environment for horses, care for their basic needs, and educate the public about their welfare.

Running a horse rescue or shelter may be born of passion, but it needs to be approached like a business. Horses are expensive to care for, especially in a rehabilitation environment, and the IRS has specific requirements for non-profit status and donations.

Another aspect to consider is that rescues are run as non-profits, so the profitability isn’t widely known. Generally, these are not lucrative businesses.

Horse Leasing

Horse lovers may dream of having a horse of their own, but it’s not an option for every equestrian. For riders who are just starting out or lack the ability to buy a horse of their own, leasing a horse is an excellent alternative.

If you own a horse suitable for another rider, leasing gives you income for the privilege of allowing your horse to be ridden. You maintain ownership, care, and financial responsibility for the horse, but you’re giving a rider a chance to learn and prepare for eventual horse ownership.

For the rider, they essentially “rent” the horse and take on fewer financial responsibilities – think of it like renting an apartment vs. buying a home. If they decide they no longer want to ride or they move, they’re free of the responsibility of selling or relocating the horse.

This is an ideal arrangement for beginner riders. If they bought a horse, they may outgrow it or lose interest in the sport. Leasing acts as a “stepping-stone” in their riding career.

There are numerous types of horse lease arrangements:

Partial Lease

A partial lease, or half lease, provides the privilege of riding a horse on certain days of the week. The owner still has riding privileges, so both parties are basically “sharing” the horse. With this arrangement, the horse typically remains on the premises instead of being moved to another facility.

Most partial leases offer the ability to ride three or four days a week for a fixed monthly fee. The expenses for veterinary care or farrier services may be split, or they may fall on one party. These arrangements typically run month-to-month, rather than a long-term contract.

With a full lease, only one rider has the privilege of riding the horse. This is the closest to horse ownership for the rider, since they can choose when and how often they can ride without working around another’s schedule.

Some full lease arrangements permit the rider to move the horse to a different facility, while others require the horse stay on the owner’s premises. Full leases also come with more responsibilities and costs, such as veterinary or farrier fees and horse insurance. Still, when it comes to making decisions about care, the owner is in control.

Other Lease Arrangements

Like boarding, leasing can take on many forms. Facilities may work with lesson leases to use horses for students instead of a partial board arrangement. Quarter leases are also an option for casual riders who only want to ride a few times a week and don’t want to pay for unused riding time.

No matter the arrangement, it’s vital that all aspects of the lease are in writing. A lease is similar to other types of rentals, so the arrangement should include the terms to protect both parties.

Stable Merchandising

If you already have a breeding, riding, boarding, or training facility, merchandising is a great way to bring in extra income and boost brand exposure.

Stable merchandise is branded gear with the stable’s logo and brand colors. Prominent equestrian facilities often sell branded merchandise like zip-ups, custom dress shirts, hats, tote bags, notebooks, tank tops, socks, saddle pads, and travel mugs. These products are relevant and practical for the client and promote the facility for minimal cost.

Professional Equestrian

A professional equestrian is an elite career . The competition can be fierce, but a rider with the skill, talent, and qualifications can make a solid income. You can work from your own facility, or your business could be your personal brand.

Professional equestrians are paid to ride and show other people’s horses. If you’ve ever watched a competition, you may notice that some riders compete multiple times or in multiple events with different mounts. That’s because they’re paid to show an owner’s horse.

Owners want the best riders for their horses. They want the horses to get noticed and develop a name for themselves, which comes into play when they try to sell or breed them. Sometimes, older owners no longer ride, but they want their horse to compete and pay a professional to showcase them.

Professional equestrians also train and teach. Usually, a professional equestrian does a combination of all three, but within the same discipline or related disciplines. Professionals also have experience in other aspects of horse care and management.

The biggest challenge with becoming a professional equestrian is building your personal brand. You have to compete at high levels and win to make a name for yourself and cultivate a demand for your riding and training skills.

Horse Transport

Investing in a horse trailer, and a truck to pull it, and learning the ins and outs of driving the outfit is overwhelming to many horse owners. Offering horse transport services can be a lucrative business.

Horse owners may need transportation to shows, but you also have the option of offering long-distance hauls for owners who are moving or showing on the national level. Owners may need transportation to university veterinary hospitals or when they’re transferring to a different facility as well.

Keep in mind that the requirements to transport a horse a few hours away are vastly different from the requirements to transport them across multiple states over long periods. For example, horses on long-distance trips need a trailer with a box stall and frequent stops for water and stretching. You may also need to develop a network of short-term boarding facilities for overnight stops.

Transporting horses doesn’t take as much horse knowledge as some other types of horse businesses. The start-up costs can be significant, however, especially if you’re trying to get multiple outfits. You’ll also need liability insurance and written policies about how horses will be handled, what happens in the case of injury, and how clients will be notified about transportation status.

Local laws and regulations apply to horse transport in a state, city, and county, however. It’s important to speak with an attorney to ensure you’re doing everything by the book.

If you own a riding stable or boarding facility, you can invest in trucks and trailers to transport your clients to shows or veterinary appointments. This is usually an additional fee that can provide extra income during the show season, and you could offer your services to other horse owners in the area.

Professional Grooming

Horses need impeccable grooming for horse shows, and that’s where professional grooms come in. Children and busy adults may lack the time or knowledge to groom their own horses properly and pay for professional grooming services.

Professional grooming may include specific tasks like braiding the mane and tail for shows, but some grooms perform the entire process of bathing, brushing, picking out hooves, and tacking up, only to hand the horse off to the rider. Then, when the ride is complete, the rider hands the horse back to the groom to be walked, untacked, and rinsed off before being put away.

Grooms may also have the responsibility of cleaning tack, packing supplies for a horse show, and assisting riders with barn chores at the showgrounds.

Being a professional groom has many avenues. You can be a dedicated groom for one rider and their horse – or horses – or you can work with clients within the same facility. Owners of riding stables can offer grooming services, either themselves or from hired support staff.

Finally, there’s the option to run your own grooming business. You may begin by grooming on your own, but you can scale your business by taking on more grooms to handle clients and adopting a more managerial role.

Horse Stable Cleaning Services

The chores can add up in a facility with multiple horses. Not all boarding facility owners want to handle all the chores themselves, so they hire horse stable cleaning services.

Horse stable cleaning services may include a variety of tasks, such as mucking stalls, power-washing walls, sweeping or power-washing aisleways, racking arenas, spreading manure, scrubbing feed and water buckets, and tidying up the feed room or tack room.

Similar to grooming, you can take on work for specific clients in one facility or offer your services to multiple facilities. As you grow, you can take on more clients by hiring employees and operating a full cleaning service.

Pasture and Facility Care

Horse turnout and the grounds of a stable need maintenance like anything else. If you enjoy handiwork and landscaping, pasture and facility care is an in-demand service.

Busy stable owners are inclined to pay for professionals to maintain their outdoor areas. Some of the tasks may include inspecting and fixing turnout fences, removing weeds, dragging pasture, removing rocks, and filling holes.

Within the facility, this service may include identifying and repairing plumbing problems, fixing damaged stalls or doors, replacing worn fittings, and fixing cracked or damaged concrete. You may also be asked to update or install features or amenities.

Stable maintenance workers may stay at one facility or they may offer services to multiple facilities in the area. As with grooming and stable chores, you can expand by hiring more people to serve more clients.

Manure Removal Services

Facilities that have neither the land nor equipment to spread manure may hire a manure removal service to take care of waste. This is out of the purview of most local waste management services.

Manure can pile up quickly, so manure removal services are a must for both residential and commercial horse facilities. You can provide regular pickup or on-call pickup to haul manure away.

Along with the business requirements, waste removal may require additional state and local licensing or permits.

A tack shop can be a viable business on its own or a valuable revenue stream for a boarding or riding stable. This is essentially a retail store, so you have plenty of options for how to approach it.

Ultimately, it depends on your clientele. Boutique tack shops with high-end products and branded merchandise can do very well with brand loyalty, while a large and diverse tack shop offers a range of products to suit everyone.

You could also offer used or consignment pieces, such as used saddles and pre-owned show jackets or boots, to help clients save on products and give their old stuff new life.

In addition, you can travel to nearby shows with just a few limited necessities. It’s inevitable that a rider will forget a ratcatcher, hoof pick, or hair ribbon, causing a panic for their parents. Having these basic essentials in stock at the showgrounds almost guarantees sales and builds your brand over time.

What to Consider When Starting a Business in the Equestrian Industry

Like any business, starting an equestrian business is a big undertaking. There’s a lot to consider before you make the leap. You have to act like a business owner, not a horse enthusiast .

Time Commitment

Small business owners work 50 or 60 hours a week . You may be excited at the idea of spending your day around horses, but remember that a lot of the work involved in running an equestrian business won’t actually be spent on the horses.

An equestrian business is still a business. Much of your time will be spent handling work that’s more or less the same with every business – accounting, marketing, etc. Unless you hire or outsource that work, it falls on you.

Then you also have to take on the actual horse stuff. If you open a boarding facility, that means mucking stalls, feeding horses multiple times a day, and filling water buckets. If you open a big facility with 50 horses and minimal staff, that’s a lot of hours and balancing your workload and personal life.

Equestrian businesses need multiple contracts to operate legally. Without them, you and your business may not be protected.

Operating agreements: LLCs need to have operating agreements that determine how distributions and losses are shared, how the business is managed and taxed, and more.

Website contracts: If you have a website, you need these contracts for legal protection – a privacy policy, terms and conditions, and clear information at the footer that links the aforementioned contracts, your copyright symbol, and a disclaimer.

Equestrian businesses may need additional contracts, including:

• Boarding agreement: If you’re boarding animals on your property, you must have a boarding agreement with the animal’s owner that details the timeframe and general terms of the arrangement.
• Liability release waivers: If you allow anyone to ride your horse, whether one time or for a lease or lesson agreement, you need a liability release waiver to protect you in the event of an accident.
• Bill of sale: If you’re selling animals, a bill of sale document is necessary to outline the details of the terms of purchase, the animal’s health, and the terms of the transfer. This is essentially a proof of purchase.
• Breeding contract: If you’re breeding, you need a stringent breeding contract that includes the parties involved, the time of breeding, the fees and expenses, any health or condition guarantees, rebreeding rights, liability clauses, and more.
• Transport: Transporting a horse is a big liability issue. Accidents can occur on the road or a horse can be stolen, and the business needs a contract for transporting animals for someone else.
• Employment: If you’re hiring support staff for your equestrian business, you will need employment contracts for each type of employee.

Cities and counties plan to shape the character of communities with zoning and regulations. There’s no requirement for local governments to have similar land use ordinances or planning processes, even in the same county, so it’s important for you to contact the local offices to determine the laws and ordinances that apply to a commercial equestrian property.

Local zoning ordinances and codes can apply to everything from boarding and riding horses to providing lessons and designing and building stables and buildings. Avoid headaches in the future by doing your due diligence before you get the ball rolling on your business.

Once you’ve mapped out the ideas, starting your business is much simpler. The specifics will depend on the type of business you choose, but here are general steps to starting your own equestrian business.

Know Your Market

It’s not enough to just love horses to start an equestrian business. You have to know who your clients are. Without that, you could approach everything the wrong way for the people you’re trying to attract, and you’re dead in the water.

Marketing research is crucial before starting a business. Before you begin with a business plan, marketing strategy, or shopping for horse property, do some research. Check out comparable businesses in the area and see how they operate and what their clients expect, so you can plan accordingly.

Find Your Profit Motive

Often, people get into horse businesses because they’re pursuing a passion. While that’s not entirely wrong, it’s vital to pursue a business for its profit motive. If you want to “do what you love” without concern for money, you’re talking about a hobby, not a business.

A profit motive is the desire for financial gain and maximized profits. This is motivation to innovate and take risks for economic gain.

Worse yet, if you can’t find a realistic way that you can make money with your equestrian business, you may be viewed by the IRS as a tax shelter. You could be subject to an audit, and if you can’t show how you’ll earn a profit, then it’s a hobby and things can get messy with penalties and interest. Always find a profit motive and you can avoid this hassle.

Develop a Business Plan

Many business owners venture into business without a solid business plan. The business plan may be the most important step, since this can show you if your business is destined to succeed or fail.

The business plan doesn’t need to be overly formal or designed like a presentation with fancy graphics and statistics – unless you’re looking for a significant loan or investor. It’s essentially for you to analyze your business idea, costs, and revenue to see if you can create a profitable business.

Do your research and include information like:

• The size and location of the market
• The competition
• Fixed and variable costs
• Market availability

With these numbers, you can forecast how much money your business can make against your expenses each week, month, and year.

Structure Your Business

All businesses need a well-formed business plan that includes market analysis and evaluation of income potential and likely expenses. Is there a need for your business in the current market? Will you have potential clients? Can you make your business profitable?

The more research and effort you put into this in the beginning, the more stability and security you’ll have moving forward.

You also need to determine what business structure is the best for your needs and protects your personal interests from liability. Whether you choose a sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation will also determine the record-keeping and tax requirements .

Know Your Insurance Requirements

Whether it’s required in your state or not, insurance is a key component of an equestrian business. Horses and equestrian activities are inherently dangerous, and you may need multiple types of insurance to make sure you’re covered.

General liability insurance, or small business liability insurance, provides coverage for claims that result from normal business activities. You may also need commercial property insurance, which protects your business’s physical assets, such as a stable, from fire, burst pipes, storms, vandalism, theft, and explosions.

In addition, you may need liability release waivers . These agreements outline the risk the rider is taking when they ride your horse or ride in your facility. Depending on the type of business you have, these liability waivers may be general or specific to the activity.

Determine Fixed and Variable Costs

At the end of the day, businesses need to be profitable to succeed. Being profitable means you’ve covered all your expenses and you have money left over to pay yourself and continue putting money into the business.

To start, list all the expenses your business will have. This may be trickier than you think, especially when you consider fixed costs and variable costs.

Fixed costs will remain the same regardless of how much you produce. These include your rental or mortgage payments and insurance. Variable costs are costs that change based on the amount of output you produce. So, if you have a boarding facility and bring in more horses, the expenses you’d see change would include labor costs and feed, hay, and water costs.

Identify the Unique Selling Proposition

A lot of businesses fail because they can’t differentiate themselves from their competitors enough to get a foothold in the market. Whatever your business idea is, you have to find a way to be different.

With an equestrian facility, that can be more challenging. You could be surrounded by competitors, so think about what you have to offer that’s different. Maybe your stable caters to a different discipline, or you offer a more down-to-earth alternative to the snobbier, upscale facilities nearby.

Come up with reasons that your company is different from everyone else and why a client should give you their business. Once you have this, it can inform the rest of your marketing strategy.

Develop a Marketing and Branding Strategy

Marketing is a must in the modern business world. No matter how great your equestrian business is , without marketing, no one will know about it.

Marketing strategy starts with a goal. Sure, your overarching goal is to make money, but focus on goals for your campaigns like boosting brand awareness, getting more prospects, or increasing your audience on social media pages.

Then, consider your audience. Think about who they are and what appeals to them. If your audience is diverse, you can segment it and deliver more targeted campaigns. For example, you might take a different approach to attract kids for riding lessons compared to their parents. Creating segments ensures that you’re keeping your message tailored to the audience.

From there, develop ideas for your campaigns that reflect your brand. Start small with just a few marketing channels, such as email, social media, and paid search ads. Test and tweak your campaigns regularly to determine what’s working and find areas for improvement. Once you get the hang of it, you can scale your campaigns to more channels and broader audiences.

Also, consider marketing more than just your business. If you have a riding stable, think about marketing your instructor or trainer as well as the facility. If you’re breeding, you’ll need marketing campaigns for your studs, mares, and foals.

Once you have your business up and running, raking in clients, you can think about how you can grow your business to become more profitable.

Content Marketing

Content is a very useful and versatile tool in the equestrian industry. Horse owners and riders are always looking for information, and there’s so much to choose from.

You can promote content about your business, your background, and your employees. Some equestrian businesses are successful with highlighting professional riders or trainers in features, sharing stories about horses throughout history, or writing humorous articles about success and failure in the competition ring.

For niche businesses, the content can be a little narrower. For example, a professional grooming business could write content with tips and tricks for braiding, the new trends for horse show style, and guides for how to properly body clip a horse.

It’s important to be creative and understand what your audience is looking for. If you deal with beginner riders, it’s best to keep the content introductory and basic to support learning. If you’re working with high-level professionals, avoid simple topics like “how to tack up a horse.”

The way content promotes a business is by putting it in front of the audience in a less intrusive way than an ad. When a client searches for information in Google, such as “things to look for in a professional horse trainer,” they will see your content. If what they read offers value, they may seek out more content from you or look into your site and what you have to offer.

Over time, prospective clients come to view you as an authority. Then, when they need similar services, your business is top of mind.

Social Media

Virtually all consumers expect brands to be on social media, even an equestrian brand. Building an online following takes time and dedication, but it can have a significant impact on your sales and exposure.

Start by creating business accounts on the social media platforms that contain most of your audience. Share content regularly that’s appropriate for the platform, such as short video clips for TikTok and industry-focused articles on LinkedIn.

As people like or comment, be sure to interact with them and answer any questions they may have. You’ll increase the engagement of your followers, encouraging more shares and exposure to a larger audience.

Affiliate Marketing

Content not only benefits you with more authority and exposure, but it’s a wealth of opportunity for affiliate marketing. This type of marketing is performance-based and rewards businesses for traffic or leads they generate.

For an equestrian business, you have numerous products that you can review and promote in your content. For example, talking about a new hoof oil in a blog post about hoof care encourages visitors to click on the link, driving them to the affiliate site and earning you money in the process.

Email Marketing

Despite the rise of other marketing techniques, email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to get your message out there. People subscribe to an email list, so you have the benefit of an audience you already know is interested in what you have to share.

Your email campaigns can include promoted content or helpful tips and tricks for your clients, product recommendations, event reminders, updates, and more – it all depends on your business model.

To gain subscribers, create gated content for your site. This is high-value, downloadable content that subscribers can access by providing their name and email. It has to be something they can’t get elsewhere, however, such as an in-depth interview or case study.

Referral Program

Referral programs work a lot like word-of-mouth recommendations. You set up a program that incentivizes your clients or non-competing businesses to refer people from their network to your business. In exchange, one of both clients get a free gift, discount, or special perk.

While the incentive doesn’t have to be expensive, it must be worthwhile. Branded merchandise, a discount on services for the referrer and the referred, or gift cards are all good incentives to recommend your business to other people.

Diversification

Equestrian businesses are subject to the state of the economy. As a luxury, horses, riding lessons, or extra services may be among the first to leave out of the budget for many people in tight times.

Diversifying or expanding your services creates more opportunities for income streams and gives you some cushion for lean periods. Boarding facilities have a wealth of options to diversify, including offering short-term boarding, renting the facility for parties or events, offering transport for shows, or adding grooming or training services to the offer.

You can get creative when coming up with new income streams. Selling equestrian products, creating your own branded merchandise, affiliate marketing, leasing horses, and horse photography are all options to inspire you.

At some point, your business will grow past the point where you have time to handle everything on your own. You may want that control, but that’s a fast track to burnout and making mistakes that can harm your reputation in the long run.

If things seem overwhelming, consider hiring to support your business’s growth. You can start with stable hands or other support staff, or keep those hands-on activities yourself and outsource your boring business tasks like accounting and marketing.

With businesses like professional grooming or facility maintenance, you can grow easily and accommodate more clients by hiring employees to take on your overflow work. The biggest aspect of this is maintaining your standards across the board. You spent a lot of time building your reputation and client loyalty, so make sure your employees are up to those same standards.

Is Your Business Scalable?

Some equestrian businesses are scalable and others are not. The idea of scalability is that whether your fixed costs are high or low, if you can add a significant number of customers without increasing your costs proportionally, the business is scalable and becomes more profitable as it grows.

Boarding, training, instruction, and breeding are not the most scalable businesses. As you take on more clients, your costs for food, water, etc. will generally increase proportionally. Conversely, a boarding facility can offset these costs by having more paying tenants, which cover more of the cost of the rent or mortgage on the facility itself.

Consider if your business is scalable, and if it isn’t, how can you diversify what you offer to gain more growth potential?

Frequently Asked Questions About Starting a Business in the Equestrian Industry

Is the horse business profitable.

With the right planning and research, any business can be profitable. It’s less about horses than it is about being prepared and educated to develop the most successful business plan.

Where Can I Find Equestrian Businesses for Sale?

Real estate listings and websites often provide both hobby and commercial equestrian properties. You can search anywhere you’re looking to go and compare the information about the land size, existing structures, zoning, taxes, and more.

Are There Equestrian Business Awards?

The United Kingdom has Equestrian Business Awards to recognize small equestrian businesses and their care for animals and contributions to the economy. These awards include veterinarians, farriers, equine dentists, instructors, riding schools, grooms, and any other equine professional.

What Should You Know Before Buying an Equestrian Business?

Few types of property or businesses require as much knowledge as those related to horses. Before you buy an equestrian business, be sure to thoroughly evaluate the property and land to ensure it’s efficient and safe for horses to avoid future headaches.

Are There Equestrian Business Apps?

There are plenty of apps designed to help equestrian business owners succeed. Apps like CRIO help facility owners and managers track boarding, training, and breeding, while the Horse Report System offers performance tracking for equine athletes to monitor body condition, training, and health. Stable Secretary is a helpful tool for barn management and tracks horse health sheets, breeding records, and payments.

What Is the Definition of an Equestrian Business?

An equestrian business is a broad term that includes businesses that focus on horses, horsemanship, horse care, and equestrian sports or leisure activities.

Starting and running a business is no small feat. When you’re starting an equestrian business, you have the added legalities, care, and challenges of horses added to the mix. This may all seem overwhelming, but as long as you have the passion, y ou can make your equestrian business a reality !

Mentioned in This Post

• The Contracts Equestrian Businesses Need
• How Equine Liability Waivers Protect Your Equestrian Business

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Business Plan Guide

$ 48.00

Whether you are thinking about going out on your own or you’re already in business but looking to expand, this guide will help you write a business plan that will be essential to your long-term success.

If you need financing for any part of your business, banks and investors will require a traditional business plan. This guide provides you with the information that lenders want to see.

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STEP 2 of the Stall and Stable Business Planning Toolkit

If you are serious about drawing an income from your boarding, training, or service-based horse business, start with this guide that offers detailed instructions about how to write a business plan that can turn your daydream into your day job.

A long-format business plan is the best way to fully define your business so you don’t waste time, energy, or money as you get started. It will also:

• Make you more confident as a business owner.
• Help you understand both your personal and financial needs from the business.
• Help you manage day-to-day decisions, so that the business part of your barn can run as smoothly as possible, allowing you to focus on what you truly love to do.
• And, if you will need financing to get started, a long-format business plan is required by banks, private investors, and sponsors.

This downloadable, 23-page guide provides detailed instructions and examples for each section of a business plan, including:

• How to write a great Executive Summary that will entice clients, investors, and sponsors.
• Creating a detailed description of your business, including identifying key profit centers around your farm.
• Marketing advice, like how to best position your business to your target market.
• How to plan for employees.
• Financial Projections to help you figure out how much income you can actually make.
• Sample Executive Summary (read all about Arched Arabians!)

To complete your Business Planning Toolkit, our Horse Business Financial Template makes easy work of calculating your projected income and expenses. 

1 review for Business Plan Guide

R Loucks (verified owner) – May 15, 2022

With the Equestrian Business Plan Guide I have been able to modify and edit my business plan to meet the needs of potential lenders and investors. I wish I had this before I met with my local SCORE office, because while they were extremely helpful, they were not knowledgeable of the horse industry. This guide was way more helpful than the folks I interacted with at SCORE. And I didn’t have to drive an hour and a half out of my way. “ 😊

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Turn Your Horse Passion into a Profitable Business

The equine industry is a diverse and vibrant sector, offering numerous opportunities for those of you who want to turn your horse passion into a profitable business. From boarding and training to specialized health services and breeding, each avenue offers unique challenges and rewards. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll delve into various horse-related business models, discussing their advantages, drawbacks, barriers to entry, marketing, and financial aspects in detail.

1. Boarding Horses

• Steady Revenue Stream: Boarding stables provide a consistent source of income, as horse owners pay monthly fees for the care and shelter of their horses.
• Community Building: Operating a boarding facility allows you to build a community of horse enthusiasts, leading to networking opportunities and potential partnerships.
• High Overhead Costs: The initial investment for land, stables, and equipment can be substantial. Ongoing expenses include feed, bedding, utilities, and staff salaries.
• Time-Intensive: Providing daily care for multiple horses is labor-intensive and requires a significant time commitment.
• Excessive Owner Requests: Owners tend to make specific individual requests that sometimes are labor intensive or contradictory to your policies.

Barriers to Entry:

• Capital Investment: Acquiring suitable land and building stables demands a considerable financial outlay.
• Expertise in Horse Care: Knowledge of equine health, nutrition, and general care is essential to run a successful boarding business.

Financials:

• Income Potential: Boarding fees vary based on location, facilities, and services offered. On average, boarding one horse can bring in $200 to $800 per month.
• Digital Presence: Develop a website showcasing your facilities, services, and testimonials. Utilize SEO strategies to improve visibility.
• Social Media Engagement: Regularly post engaging content on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, highlighting daily activities and special events.
• Local Partnerships: Collaborate with local equestrian clubs and vets to gain referrals.
• Open Days: Host open days or free clinics to attract potential clients.

Many people especially those who say, “I’m just going to board a couple of horses to offset my expenses”, soon realize how labor-intensive and demanding this type of business this is. Feeding your own 1 or 2 horses twice a day every day is one thing but then when you and 3 or 4 more it quickly starts to feel like a job that draws your time away from spending time with your own horses. You could hire someone to do the feeding and cleaning up after but after you pay them out of the little bit of board money you are receiving and listen to the owner complaining about how the work is done you start to question if boarding a couple of horses is really worth it.

On the other hand, if you have enough land to raise those boarding numbers to a level that brings in enough money to hire 1 full-time person and you treat boarding like a real business with policies, a business plan with projected financials, and everything else that a real business should have then a boarding business might be worth your time. To do this requires a much higher level of commitment from you.

2. Starting Horses and Basic Training

• High Demand: Many horse owners seek professional training for their horses, whether for basic manners, specific disciplines, or behavioral issues.
• Personal Fulfillment: Training horses can be incredibly rewarding, as it involves developing a deep understanding and connection with the animals.
• Variable Income: Earnings can fluctuate based on the number of clients and the types of training services offered.
• Physical Risk: Working closely with horses carries a risk of injury, which can impact your ability to work and earn. If you get hurt working with 1 horse, you are also not able to work with the rest of the horses.
• Skill and Experience: A high level of expertise in horse behavior, training techniques, and various equestrian disciplines is crucial.
• Building a Client Base: Reputation and word-of-mouth referrals are vital, and can take time to develop.
• Earning Potential: Charges for training services can range from $30 to $100 per hour. Full training packages might cost significantly more.
• Showcasing Success: Create before-and-after videos of training sessions to demonstrate your skills on YouTube and social media.
• Workshops and Clinics: Organize workshops for local horse owners to showcase your expertise.
• Client Testimonials: Use client testimonials in your marketing materials and on your website.
• Networking: Attend horse shows and events to network with potential clients.

Nearly anyone can make a post on social media claiming to be a trainer so the barriers to entry can be low leading but this also leads to low-quality services. You have to have something that sets you apart as providing a quality service. This is why training under a well-known trainer can be beneficial. A successful show career can also be beneficial to set you apart.

If you don’t have any of these and are thinking about providing a service starting horses remember that this business model often leads to injuries which makes doing this type of business long-term nearly impossible for the same reasons I discussed in the article, How Aging Influences Our Horseback Riding and Showing . You should have a plan to pivot your business in another direction as soon as you can.

3. Equine Health Services

• Specialized Niche: Services like equine massage, chiropractic care, and acupuncture cater to a specific market, often with less competition.
• Growing Awareness: There’s an increasing recognition of the importance of holistic care in equine health, expanding the potential client base.
• Certification Requirements: Practitioners must undergo specialized training and obtain certification, which can be time-consuming and costly.
• Market Limitations: Not all horse owners are aware of these services or willing to invest in them.
• Understanding Benefits: Many owners in certain areas don’t understand the benefits of some of these types of care. You may need to inform potential clients about the advantages similar to those demonstrated in the article “ Transforming Crooked to Confident ,” illustrating how such benefits can positively impact their horses.
• Educational Investment: Gaining the necessary qualifications and skills requires both time and money.
• Equipment and Supplies: Starting an equine health service may require purchasing specialized equipment.
• Service Fees: Depending on the service and region, practitioners can charge $50 to $150 per session.
• Educational Content: Produce informative content on horse health and wellness, sharing it on social media and a dedicated blog.
• Collaborations: Partner with horse trainers and boarding facilities to offer your services.
• Workshops: Conduct workshops and seminars on equine health.
• Targeted Advertising: Use targeted online advertising to reach horse owners in your area.

Because of the certifications required for this type of business, the barriers to entry are higher which generally means less competition and higher prices. This type of equine business is a great way to turn your horse passion into a profitable business but this type of business takes long-term planning with a high outlay of money in the beginning.

The rewards of being in this type of business can be high but you must do your homework and planning. All of that time and expense getting the certifications only to learn that your market does not support that type of business is a hard and expensive lesson to learn.

4. Horse Hauling

• Flexible Business Model: Horse hauling can be operated on a part-time or full-time basis, catering to local or long-distance needs.
• Broad Clientele: Services are required for various purposes, including shows, vet visits, and relocations.
• Significant Vehicle Investment: A reliable, well-maintained truck and trailer are essential, representing a substantial initial investment.
• Insurance and Liability: Transporting live animals requires specific insurance coverage, adding to the operational costs.
• Licensing and Regulations: A commercial driver’s license and knowledge of transportation regulations are necessary.
• Vehicle Maintenance: Regular upkeep of transport vehicles is crucial for safety and reliability.
• Charges: Hauling fees typically range from $0.75 to $2.00 per mile, or a flat rate for shorter distances.
• Website and SEO: Create a professional website with an emphasis on SEO to attract organic traffic.
• Local Advertising: Advertise in local equestrian magazines and community boards.
• Referral Program: Implement a referral program for clients who recommend your services.
• Social Proof: Share customer reviews and testimonials on your website and social media.

Many people who go into this type of business underestimate their overhead expenses. Your truck and trailer have a finite life span and you have to build in the cost to replace those every few years. You might already have an appropriate truck and trailer and think, “I can do it cheaper”. Only to realize you have worn out your truck and trailer and did not charge enough to replace them.

Many people start this type of business excited to travel and see different parts of the country only to realize they have a schedule they have to keep and the interstate is all you get to see and that all looks the same. Then adding on top of that being out of town a lot and missing your kid’s events this type of business becomes hard to stay doing long term.

5. Training High Level Show Horses

• High Earning Potential: Successful show horses can command high prices, both in winnings and in training fees.
• Industry Prestige: Achieving success in the show circuit can significantly enhance your reputation and attract high-profile clients.
• Intensive Training Required: Breaking and training show horses demands a high level of skill, patience, and dedication.
• Competitive Nature: The show horse industry is highly competitive, with no guarantees of success.
• What Have You Done Recently: In this business you are only as good as your last show.
• Experience and Skill: Extensive experience in handling, training, and competing with horses is essential.
• Industry Connections: Having a network within the show circuit can be a significant advantage.
• Income Variability: Earnings can vary widely, with top trainers and competitors earning substantial sums per horse.

Marketing Plan:

• Showcase Achievements: Highlight your successes in shows on your website and social media.
• Sponsorship: Seek sponsorship opportunities at horse shows.
• Networking: Build relationships with breeders and other professionals in the industry.
• Quality Content: Create high-quality videos of training sessions and show performances for YouTube and social media.

To determine if you have a training program suited for this business model you should read, Learning from Struggles with ‘End on a Good Note’ & ‘Choose Your Battles’ . This article discusses a fundamental difference in this training program.

This business can bring high levels of notoriety and to some extent fame. Owners who are looking for this type of service only care about what you have done recently and the success is highly dependent on the quality of the horse that is sent to you. One off year of being less competitive and the quality of the horses sent to you the following year will be markedly lower.

The few people who make it in this type of business make it big but this is an, all your eggs in one basket, type of business. It’s like a junior high football player saying they are going to play in the NFL. Some make it but most don’t.

6. Horse Breeding

• Potential for High Returns: Selling well-bred foals or breeding stock can be highly profitable.
• Contributing to the Breed: Breeding offers the opportunity to improve and promote specific horse breeds.
• Long-Term Investment: Breeding requires patience, as it takes years to breed, raise, and train foals to the point of sale.
• Risks and Challenges: The breeding process can be unpredictable and fraught with financial risks.
• Breeding Knowledge: A deep understanding of genetics, horse conformation, and breed standards is crucial.
• Facility Requirements: Adequate space and facilities for breeding, foaling, and raising young horses are necessary.
• Sales Prices: Depending on the breed, lineage, and market demand, sales can range from a few thousand to several hundred thousand dollars per horse.
• Website Portfolio: Develop a comprehensive website showcasing your breeding program, lineage details, and success stories.
• Social Media Showcasing: Regularly post updates, photos, and videos of your horses, especially foals, on platforms like Instagram.
• Industry Events: Attend horse breeding shows and auctions to network and showcase your horses.
• Email Marketing: Keep potential buyers informed with regular newsletters featuring available horses and breeding news.

Everyone hears about the yearling that sells for a record price but you never hear about all those that are sold at a loss. This is a high-stakes business, with lots of capital investment in mares, breeding, and care hoping that you get a baby that will give you a return on your investment. There are many variables that you have little or no control over.

On the other side, every horse owner needs to experience the excitement of breeding their mare and raising at least 1 foal. This is great but it is not a business until you can demonstrate that you can replicate the process and make it profitable.

7. Horse Sales and Flipping

• Quick Turnaround: Buying, training, and selling horses can offer faster financial returns compared to other equine businesses.
• Market Adaptability: This business model allows for flexibility in responding to market trends and demands.
• Market Knowledge: A thorough understanding of the equine market and trends is essential for success.
• Financial Risk: There is a significant risk of financial loss if horses do not sell or incur unexpected expenses.
• Initial Capital: Purchasing horses for resale requires a significant upfront investment.
• Marketing and Sales Skills: Effective marketing strategies and sales skills are crucial to successfully flipping horses.
• Profit Margins: These vary widely and depend on the purchase price, training, and eventual sale price of the horses.
• Online Listings: List horses on popular equestrian sales websites with professional photos and detailed descriptions.
• Social Media Marketing: Use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to showcase horses, sharing their progress and training highlights.
• Video Showcases: Create compelling video content showing the horses’ skills and temperament.
• Networking: Build relationships with trainers and riders who might refer buyers or provide leads.

You can sell a great horse but if the buyer can not ride or has poor judgement in choosing a horse that fits their riding style it will be your fault for “selling a bad horse”. Buyers never take responsibility for their mistakes they always blame the seller. People who have this type of business usually have a poor reputation sometimes deserved, but often not.

8. Horse Riding Lessons

• High Demand: There’s a consistent demand for quality horse riding lessons. People of all ages seek to learn horseback riding for recreation, competition, or personal fulfillment.
• Emotional Rewards: Teaching horse riding can be immensely satisfying. Witnessing the progress and joy in your students can provide a deep sense of accomplishment.
• Passion-Driven Career: If you love horses, this career allows you to combine your passion with your profession.
• Income Variability: The income from teaching horse riding can fluctuate with seasons, the number of students, and economic factors.
• Physical Demands: The job is physically demanding and requires long hours outdoors, often in varying weather conditions.
• Risk of Injury: Working with horses always carries the risk of injury, which can affect your ability to teach.
• Poor Working Hours:  Often the bulk of the lessons will be after school, on weekends and holidays.
• Insurance: Insurance can be high. Certifications help but you will see a large portion of your income going to insurance.
• Lesson Horses: Maintaining a string of quality lesson horses is expensive.
• Certifications and Training: Professional certifications from recognized equestrian organizations can be necessary. This requires time, training, and often significant financial investment.
• Facility and Equipment: A suitable facility with safe, well-maintained riding areas and equipment is essential. This can be a substantial initial cost.
• Income Sources: Revenue primarily comes from lesson fees, which can range from $30 to $75 per hour, depending on your location and expertise. Offering group lessons, clinics, or hosting events can provide additional income.
• Expenses: Costs include facility maintenance, horse care, insurance, marketing, and possibly staff salaries.
• Profit Margins: Profitability depends on managing expenses while maintaining a steady stream of students.

Marketing Strategies:

• Digital Presence: Establish a strong online presence through a professional website and active social media profiles. Share engaging content, student testimonials, and success stories.
• Community Engagement: Participate in local events, horse shows, and community activities to build your network and attract students.
• Referral Programs: Encourage word-of-mouth marketing by offering incentives for referrals from current students.
• Collaborations: Partner with local schools, equestrian clubs, and other related businesses to broaden your reach.

Giving lessons can be a good way to start in a horse-related business and some instructors make a good long-term living doing it but this business is not for everyone. Often the cons begin to outweigh the pros.

9. Influencer in the Equine Industry

• Flexibility and Creative Freedom: As an influencer, you have the freedom to create content that aligns with your interests and expertise in the equine world.
• Low Start-Up Costs: Starting as an influencer primarily requires a good smartphone or camera and a stable internet connection.
• Potential for High Earnings: Successful influencers can earn substantial income through sponsorships, brand deals, and advertising.
• Building a Community: You have the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and build a community of horse enthusiasts.
• Easy To Do: This type of business often requires just documenting what you already do with your horses.
• Time-Consuming: Building a significant following requires consistent content creation and engagement, which can be time-consuming. This can take years.
• Unpredictable Income: Earnings can be irregular and depend heavily on securing sponsorships and brand deals.
• Market Saturation: Standing out in a crowded digital space can be challenging.
• Public Scrutiny: Influencers are often subject to public opinion and scrutiny, which can impact mental health.
• Technology: Successful influencers have a high level of understanding of the technology they use.
• Building a Following: Gaining a substantial and engaged follower base is crucial and can be challenging and time-consuming.
• Content Quality: High-quality, engaging, and original content is necessary to attract and retain followers.
• Industry Knowledge: A deep understanding of the equine industry is essential to provide valuable content.
• Income Sources: Earnings come from sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, brand partnerships, and potentially merchandise sales.
• Potential Earnings: Income varies widely. New influencers might earn only a few dollars per post, while established influencers can earn thousands.
• Content Strategy: Develop a content calendar focusing on various aspects of horse care, training tips, and personal equestrian experiences.
• Engagement: Actively engage with your audience through comments, live Q&A sessions, and community posts.
• Collaborations: Partner with equine brands for sponsored content.
• Consistency: Post content regularly to maintain and grow your follower base.

Many people start this type of business and then realize that it is a lot of work. It’s not just make a post and watch the money roll in. You have to build a following and then monetize that following. Offering videos for sale and virtual lessons are 2 of the ways to possibly monetize a following. The rewards can be high but it takes persistent hard work sometimes for years with little return.

10. YouTube Content Creator in the Equine Industry

• Wide Audience Reach: YouTube’s vast platform allows you to reach a global audience.
• Monetization Opportunities: Apart from ad revenue, there are opportunities for sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and merchandise sales.
• Creative Expression: YouTube provides a platform for diverse content, from educational videos to vlogs and training sessions.
• Community Building: You can engage with a community of subscribers who share your passion for horses.
• High Competition: Standing out on YouTube in the equine niche can be challenging due to competition.
• Consistent Content Requirement: Regular uploading of quality content is necessary to grow and maintain your audience.
• Initial Slow Growth: Building a substantial subscriber base often takes significant time and effort.
• Technical Skills: Basic video editing and production skills are required to create engaging content.
• Content Creation Skills: Skills in video editing, scripting, and production are necessary to produce appealing content.
• Equipment Investment: While starting with basic equipment is possible, higher-quality videos often require investment in better cameras, microphones, and editing software.
• SEO and Marketing Knowledge: Understanding YouTube SEO and marketing strategies is crucial for increasing video visibility.
• Income Sources: Revenue from YouTube ads, sponsorships, affiliate links, and merchandise.
• Potential Earnings: Earnings vary greatly. Smaller channels might earn a few hundred dollars per month, while larger channels can earn significantly more.
• Niche Content: Create content in a specific niche within the equine world, such as training tips, horse care, or equestrian lifestyle vlogs.
• SEO for YouTube: Optimize video titles, descriptions, and tags for SEO to increase visibility.
• Cross-Promotion: Promote your YouTube channel on other social media platforms.
• Community Engagement: Engage with viewers through comments, and consider creating content based on viewer requests.

Similar to an influence this type of business takes time to develop but if you stick with it, it can be a great way to turn your horse passion into a profitable business.

When you are deciding on how you want to structure your business you don’t have to pick just one but you need to have a business structure that makes sense together. For instance, a business where you show high-level horses and offer hauling may not work because of being home enough to work with the show horses. On the other hand, if you show high-level horses and offer professional services like massage or chiropractic, that could work together.

A big hurdle that many face when you turn your horse passion into a profitable business is treating it like a business and no longer a hobby. You should develop a full business plan with financials and projections, proper bookkeeping, and everything else that goes along with a business.

Embarking on a horse-related business venture requires not only a passion for horses but also a sound understanding of the industry, business acumen, and a willingness to face the challenges head-on. Each business model presents its own set of opportunities and obstacles. Success in the equine industry is multifaceted. Once you have settled on a specialty area for your equine business, the next step is to make it grow and thrive. The article, Building a Thriving Horse Training Business will help you with that.

My horse training journey has brought me from winning world titles to now trying to make every horse the best they can be and to help you to improve your equestrian knowledge.

4 thoughts on “Turn Your Horse Passion into a Profitable Business”

Great article! Very thorough.

Thank you for such insight into the different business opportunities. I’ve been asked to offer lessons. Finding one or two quality lesson horses is my challenge. Any suggestions ?

Thank you for the content. I would like to add that taking stock of the resources around you that will help your business is crucial. Feed stores, affordable hay, trails to ride, equestrian facilities, other equestrians with the same interest etc. etc. etc….

Great article thank you. I’ve been training horses and people for a years but just as a hobby, specializing in trailer loading. Your utube suggestion has perked my interest… might be interesting thank you

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Ereidi Farm

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

The Company Ereidi Farm began as a home-based part-time endeavor while the owner raised her young child.  Her many years in the industry made her well suited for the services offered by the farm.  Ereidi Farm functions as a quality thoroughbred breeding and training farm specializing in highly individualized care programs designed for each horse’s needs.  Ereidi Farm has always focused on its clients and their equine investments and genuinely enjoys assisting clients.

Our committment to our clients is long term, our focus has never ended at the point of sale – we are absolutely committed to the success of our clients and we go above and beyond the normal practices when providing our clients with all the information they require to make knowledgeable, informed decisions concerning their bloodstock investments.  Due to the demand for our services, our farm is planning on relocating to a larger facility and is now in the process of incorporating to better facilitate the accounting end of the business management.

The Product Ereidi Farm provides the following services to its market: breaking and training of young racehorses, broodmare care, and rehabilitative care for injured racehorses.  Our programs are individualized and no horse is pushed through a program just to get the job done.  Horses graduating from our programs are confident, fit, healthy and relaxed about the work, they are winners!!  We offer exceptional care for pregnant and foaling mares.  We will except high-risk mares – our farm has had a 100% live foal ratio every single year despite foaling out older and problem mares, we take very good care of these special ladies!  Our rehabilitative services have horses from all states of the region arriving at our farm for post-operative work and therapy.

The thoroughness of our care insures that these athletes recover completely with minimal complications.  All of the horses rehabilitated by the farm have gone on to useful careers, many returning to racing and running in improved form.  Our home-grown sales reflect the owner’s knowledge of equine genetics; horses from the farm’s breeding program have won races at their very first asking and have posted bullet works in training.  They are bright stars and have done a fabulous job representing the farm and their owners.  Most importantly we provide “Full Circle” service for our clients.  Our committment to their success is long lasting and at a depth not found in the racing community at large.  Their success is our success and we are deeply aware of this need within the industry.

The Market The thoroughbred industry continues to grow in the United States.  The racing industry within the state of Pennsylvania is poised for an explosive period of growth within the next year as slot machine legislation is approved and passed.  The demand for Pennsylvania-bred horses is on the rise as is the need to raise and train these individuals.  Pennsylvania is focused on becoming the premier racing state in the country, surpassing all other states in its purse and bonus monies awards, this is attracting large numbers of horses to Pennsylvania and the need for facilities to house them is growing rapidly.

This growth, coupled with the deterioration of traditionally strong racing state programs has caused a flurry of activity as owners of breeding and racing stock within these declining states seek to relocate their investments.  We have targeted these owners as well as brand new investors and Pennsylvania owners looking to upgrade their programs as clients for our expanded farm.  Our marketing programs are focused on promoting using the venues that are commonly used by those in our target market.  These programs are designed to bring potential clients to our farm, the location where sales are most frequently completed.  We realize that technology is absolutely necessary in today’s markets and we have embraced its use happily and with success.

Financial Projections Our farm has started out small for specific reasons, we are now looking forward to an expansion that will allow us to utilize all of our skills.  The owner’s husband is currently the parts and service director at his place of business, responsible for $13.3 million dollars of parts and service sales annually and maintaining a large inventory.  He has 65 employees reporting to him.  He will be mentoring the owner on the financials.

In summary, the financial projections represent the growth that will occur upon the relocation of the farm to its new world class facility.  They represent the planned growth that is possible with the securing of a facility that is large enough to accommodate the ever-growing needs of the marketplace.  We expect profits for two reasons: 1) we are timing our market expansion at a critical time, just as the Pennsylvania thoroughbred industry enters its largest growth phase in its history and 2) our services to clients and their bloodstock is exceptional, it is simply world class.

1.1 Keys to Success

A well-targeted marketing plan utilizing modern technologies as well as traditional formats.

Providing a quality facility that is attractive to our clients.

Following through on delivering the quality of service that our marketing and facility images promise.  Ereidi Farm has built its reputation by exceeding our client’s expectations.  Our attention to detail and our commitment to our clients remains unsurpassed within the industry.

1.2 Mission

The purpose of  Ereidi Farm is to increase our clients’ opportunities for successful thoroughbred investment by providing word class quality, individualized care and training programs at a safe facility which is staffed by caring, experienced personnel.  Everyone at Ereidi Farm has a deep commitment to our clients.  We believe that constant communication, unquestionable integrity and our ability to provide “Full Circle” services are the hallmarks of the success and growth of our farm.

1.3 Objectives

• Secure financing to purchase a turn-key facility that is located on a parcel of land in a developing area.  The facility must represent real value, selling for less than its cost to build and having a location that is targeted for long-term growth and development, thus increasing the value of the land. Land parcel must be suitable for other uses than farming to provide long-term development options.  Interstate access, both locally and regionally must be excellent.  Land must be located in an area that has required support structures in place suitable to a horse farm.
• Close sale on current farm facility to generate approximately $300,000 of capital to reinvest into business expansion.
• Achieve break-even status within one year of relocating to the larger facility.
• Maintain a comfortable net profit into the second and third years.

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Due to changes in Pennsylvania’s thoroughbred racing program, the demand for quality services has escalated dramatically.  After the planned purchase of our new facility is complete, we will relocate to Pine Grove, Pennsylvania.  The farm offers exceptional “Full Circle” services to owners and breeders of thoroughbred bloodstock.  Our specialty is our highly individualized training and care programs with a strong focus on client communications and education.  We are committed to the success of our clients’ thoroughbred investments and go above and beyond the normal requirements to secure the best opportunities for our clients and their horses.

2.1 Company Ownership

Ereidi Farm was formed as a sole proprietorship by its current owner, Heidi Trimbur.  Current growth patterns of the farm have made it prudent to incorporate and its new subchapter S corporation status is now pending.  The business remains a private entity, held by its owner.

2.2 Company History

The owner of Ereidi Farm, in addition to being formally educated in equine science and management, has worked within the equine industry for over 20 years.  Ereidi Farm was officially formed as a thoroughbred facility three years ago.  The farm, despite being a part-time venture at start-up, as the owner’s child was a toddler, held close to the break-even point in its first year.

Second year sales were directly affected by the events of September 11, 2001 as the Fall yearling thoroughbred sales began on September 10th of that year.  Despite this loss, Ereidi Farm came back strong in 2002, generating a profit and sales have been profitable in 2003 with the farm’s largest sales quarter in the Fall.

The need for expansion has become obvious as the farm has had to turn clients away due to lack of space at its current location.  With the pending growth of Pennsylvania’s thoroughbred industry poised to enter an extremely lucrative period, expansion strategy and its timing have become top priorities of the farm.

Ereidi Farm specializes in providing highly individualized services to the thoroughbred racehorse industry.  These services include breaking and training of youngsters with a personalized, non-production line type of focus; broodmare management and foaling, we specialize in high-risk pregnancies and older mares; boarding for youngsters with daily attention and handling; and intensive care, post-operative rehabilitative service for recovering race horses.

Ereidi Farm breeds and sells a few quality Pennsylvania-bred foals per year and offers consulting and genetic services for those new to the industry and/or developing their own breeding programs. 

Market Analysis Summary how to do a market analysis for your business plan.">

Ereidi Farm’s largest market segment will be owners of quality thoroughbreds who do not reside in Pennsylvania.  As racing purses and breeding fund monies begin or continue to decline in several traditionally strong racing states, owners are searching for more profitable venues in which to place their horses.  This coupled with the anticipated growth in purse and bonus monies available to Pennsylvania-breds and in Pennsylvania races, has made this state an attractive possibility for owners relocating their bloodstock to more lucrative markets.

This trend is beginning to reveal itself in statistical data.  Pennsylvania has increased its U.S.  Foal Crop share (2.7%) and is now in the top ten of all producing states.  The average stallion book size has also increased and Pennsylvania now is ranked in the top ten for stallion book size.  Top ten states posting a decrease include:  California, Texas, Maryland, Oklahoma and Illinois, indicating declines in their racing programs.  Neighboring New Jersey has also posted a decline (-38.1%) reflecting the health of the industry within its borders.  Ereidi Farm has received many requests for boarding and foaling services from residents of Maryland and New Jersey reflecting the need of residents from these states to relocate their thoroughbred operations.

Research indicates that today’s thoroughbred owner is most likely to fit the following profile:  male (special note: women thoroughbred investors are on the rise although they usually invest in ownership through partnerships); average age is 45+, lower than previous years supporting overall national salary statistics and many more owners are pooling their resources and forming partnerships; income in excess of $90,500 per year; is a knowledgeable investor and takes a business approach to thoroughbred investing; focus is on quality not quantity and understands and expects to pay for better quality services; over 80% utilize the Internet and its resources.

Pennsylvania provides great opportunity for new or migrating investors as our state’s historical position of thoroughbred production and racing has been one of “low end” quality.  These facts make Pennsylvania an opportunity zone for those with quality bloodstock programs and for those who can offer quality services and facilities to accommodate incoming horses.   

4.1 Market Segmentation

Ereidi Farm has targeted the following markets for its growth strategy:

• Potential clients who are currently breeding and racing their horses in states with declining racing and breeding programs.  These clients are not only looking to relocate, they are used to spending more per horse than the traditional Pennsylvania thoroughbred owner.  States with declining racing programs will have declining Foal Crop share percentages as owners relocate their mares to more lucrative states. Declining US Foal Crop share is present in: California (-26.6%), Texas (-12.4%), Louisiana (-19.0%), Maryland (-35.8%), Oklahoma (-39.6%), Illinois (-35.4%), New Jersey (-38.1%), Virginia (-32.9%).  These figures correspond directly to overall racing programs and conditions within each of these states.  Thoroughbred owners within these states have been specifically targeted by Ereidi Farm.
• Pennsylvania thoroughbred owners who are looking to upgrade the quality of their racing and breeding programs.  Small owners who fail to upgrade their programs within the state will get squeezed out by incoming competition, upgrading will become key to staying in business. Pennsylvania has begun to prepare for the upgrading that slot machines will have on racing purses within the state by bringing in new, better quality stallions.  Pennsylvania is now in the top ten for Distribution of Active Stallions and Mares Bred, standing 103 stallions in 2002, breeding 1,009 mares in 2002 posting an average book size of 9.8% (increasing from 2001’s 8.5%).
• New thoroughbred investors/partnerships represent great opportunities and investors are comparing state programs.  Pennsylvania scores high posting not only increasing purse monies but also substantial owner/breeder/stallion owner awards.  The breeder of any registered Pennsylvania-bred foal earns 20% to 30% (depending on state stallion stands in) residual income from the bonus program if a foal finishes first through third in any Pennsylvania race, not including stakes races. The owner of the horse at the time of racing is eligible for an additional 40% in bonus awards and the stallion owner (if a registered Pennsylvania stallion) receives a 10% bonus – all residual income! Ereidi Farm will specifically market to non-thoroughbred owners with incomes in excess of $90,500 who are professionals with investment backgrounds.  We have attracted several new clients this way including non-U.S.  residents.

4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy

Ereidi Farm provides a high-end type of quality and service within our industry, it is therefore imperative that we define, locate and attract clients who have the funds available in which to purchase our services.  Understanding the historical flow of regional racing is important to client recruiting.

The better regional racing stables traditionally raced on the New York, New Jersey and Maryland circuit.  Horse that could not win in these states were shipped to the “low-end” racing circuits (i.e., smaller purse sizes) of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.  Because horses racing in these “low-end” states did not earn as much money, their owners did not have the means to pay higher prices for services, hence most farms in Pennsylvania (there are some exceptions) focus on price before quality and rely on quantity numbering to reach their quotas.

As our standards for acceptable care are quite different from the traditional Pennsylvania farm, it was most important to define and locate clients who would meet our defined “ideal client” profile.  Our clients are well-educated professionals, they utilize Internet resources to stay current with industry changes and trends.  They expect outstanding service and are willing to pay for it.

Upon securing financing for our expansion, Ereidi Farm is prepared to roll out its marketing campaign.  We will target our client base through the use of:  Internet advertising of sites frequently visited by our clients, our website, print advertising in selected magazines and national newspapers, industry sales, seminars and trade shows, business-to-business contacts, organizational memberships and open houses at our facility.

4.3 Service Business Analysis

The thoroughbred industry in the United States is the largest in the world, offering 55,127 yearly races (2001).  Japan is ranked second with 23,820 races and Australia third with 21,218 races.  Thoroughbred racing as an entertainment choice is growing.  Pari-mutual handle on thoroughbred racing in the United States topped $15 billion for the first time last year according to the statistics contained in the 13th edition of The Jockey Club Fact Book released 02/07/03.  Handle on U.S.  races in 2002 reached $15,062,131,835.  (including separate pool first reported in 2000), an increase of 3.5% against 2001.  This marked the ninth consecutive year of growth in handle.

U.S.  purses, meanwhile, advanced 0.6% in 2002 to $1,074,247,738.  The bulk of the increase was derived from states whose tracks offer expanded forms of gaming, namely Delaware, Louisiana, New Mexico and West Virginia.  Pennsylvania will join this list upon the passing of current slot machine legislation and its purse sizes will increase as will the number of thoroughbreds racing for the increased purse offerings. 

In addition to purse offerings, owners and breeders have another source of income and this income is residual.  The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association (www.pabred.com) manages the Pennsylvania Breeding Fund Program.  This program distributes more money, on a per foal basis, than nearly every other state-bred program now in operation.  Currently, it distributes approximately $9.5 million annually with specific percentages being awarded to owners, breeders and stallion owners.

These specific percentages are awarded to the human connections of the horses finishing first, second or third in Pennsylvania races.  The criteria for qualifying for these residual income awards are simply that the horse must be a registered Pennsylvania-bred foal.  To be a registered Pennsylvania-bred foal, a mare must foal in the state of Pennsylvania and meet residency requirements.  This has increased the demand for quality foaling and boarding facilities within the state.  Awards are based off of percentages from purse monies earned and they are a very attractive incentive to draw clients from outside of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania racing is poised for a lucrative and dramatic growth period, smart investors are positioning themselves within the state, preparing to capitalize on the new purse structure that slot machines will provide.  This has already lead to a shortage of stall space at tracks and farms throughout the state as well as increased demand for quality services and programs.

Ereidi Farm realizes that market entry into any expanding market is always time critical, it is our intention to be properly positioned to absorb the expanding growth as it occurs within our state.  Research indicated that most of the expected growth will occur as outside owners enter Pennsylvania.  These owners have already been targeted as those most desired by our farm, it is our strategy to have completed our relocation prior to this time in order to better provide the services the incoming owners will be searching for.

4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns

Pennsylvania has many small farms operating with a “Price is Vital” philosophy.  These farms were created to service the traditional Pennsylvania thoroughbred owner.  It is not our intention to run our facility in this manner, our focus has always been on exceptional quality care and outstanding customer service.

Pennsylvania does have a few large farms that do market themselves as being full service facilities.  A few of them do attempt to market to our intended client base.  These farms include:  Pin Oak Stud, Xanthus Farm, Reigle Heir Farm, Castle Rock Farm and Swatara Farm.  Of these, only Pin Oak Stud positions itself as a full service facility, the others are focused on the stallion and breeding market.

One of the most frequent comments we hear from our clients is how happy they are with the care their horses receive while at our farm.  We exceed their expectations.  Another frequent comment is how comfortable our clients feel talking with us.  Their focus is on the quality of our programs and our business relationship.  Price has not been an issue for our clientele as they understand the cost of delivering world class care and service.  These are the driving factors our clients consider when making decisions about where to send their horses.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

Ereidi Farm will focus its expansion on the following markets:  Thoroughbred owners and breeders in state racing programs that are in decline, Pennsylvania thoroughbred owners and breeders that realize they must upgrade their current stock in order to remain competitive and new potential first time owners, usually in the form of partnerships.

Attracting these clients will be done using modern technology (i.e., Internet and website resources) as well as specifically defined print advertising.  We will make ourselves more present at public venues where our potential clients gather.  Locations such as public thoroughbred sales, seminars, racetracks and trade shows have been targeted.

Our farm has been built on its reputation for exceeding clients expectations on the care of their horses and providing outstanding customer service.  These are and will remain the hallmarks of our farm.

5.1 Competitive Edge

Ereidi Farm’s competitive advantage is multi-faceted.  We are different from our competitors for the following reasons:

• Our people :  We invest in quality, client-focused people and provide them with opportunities for continued learning and skill utilization.  Our people are well-informed, engaging and embrace the Ereidi Farm “Full Circle” service philosophy. 
• Our programs : Our programs are comprehensive and individualized.  No detail is overlooked and no horse gets lost in a “production line” type of program.  Our intensive management practices have made us a number one choice for difficult youngsters and “high risk” pregnant mares. The results are tangible:  Untrainable horses have gone on to the races and our farm has a 100% live foal percentage for every year.  Our programs consistently exceed our client’s expectations, it is the number one reason our current facility is full to capacity.
• Our “Full Circle” service :  We genuinely love what we do and enjoy sharing with others!  We build long-lasting relationships with our clients through constant communication and our abilities to procure the information and resources clients need to make knowledgeable decisions regarding their thoroughbred investments.  We adhere to a high level of integrity and make sure we deliver as promised.
• Our facilities and location :  Our expanded facility will offer world class amenities in a conveniently accessible location for local and East Coast regional commutes.

5.2 Sales Strategy

Our marketing programs are designed to create a desire for new potential clients to contact us and schedule a visit to our farm as most sales within our industry are closed upon visual inspection of the facilities, personnel and current horses in training.

Our sales strategy therefore is to provide our clients with an immaculate, safe facility, staffed by knowledgeable, service-oriented people that allows them the opportunity to thoroughly inspect the quality of our programs and the health and condition of the horses in our care.  We permit inspections during training hours and our clients are always welcome.  These details, coupled with outstanding references and recorded results make closing the sale at a profitable margin possible and pleasant for all parties.   

5.2.1 Sales Forecast

Sales forecasting is based on the yearly cycle of the demand for each particular service.  Training requests will increase as the Fall months arrive and grow steadily into the Winter when they will stabilize.  Broodmare services will begin to climb as Winter approaches and the foaling season begins (late Winter through Spring).  The boarding of weanlings, yearlings and rehabilitative horses (classified together as Other in the sales charts) will begin to grow as the Fall months commence.

Our home-grown sales always occur during the fall months, it is the time of year when the market is actively looking to buy.  The dramatic rise is sales reflects the expansion of our facility.  Horses require lots of space and our current facility cannot handle a large number of horses.  This expansion will enable us to make our services available to a larger group of clients and we will gain more market share. 

5.3 Marketing Strategy

Our top marketing strategy is an ecstatic client!

Ereidi Farm’s owner has extensive experience in developing marketing campaigns, direct mail campaigns, editing communications and utilizing technology.  Our target market consists primarily of: Thoroughbred owners and breeders based outside of Pennsylvania, currently in deteriorating state racing/breeding programs; Pennsylvania thoroughbred owners and breeders who realize they must upgrade their programs to remain competitive in our state’s changing market; new investors in the thoroughbred industry, usually working within a partnership to minimize cost and risk while realizing a set quality level.

We will rely heavily on technology to generate awareness of our expansion, utilizing the Internet to reach those potential clients who are known Internet users.  Our farm utilizes digital imaging, it was the number one reason for our increased sales in the past twelve months.  Specific Internet sites in which to advertise our expansion have been identified and our farm maintains its own website.

We are building an e-mail mailing list to mass market at high speed.  Selected print publications have been targeted to reach those in deteriorating racing states as well as potential new investors.  We will increase our presence at industry sales, seminars and trade shows, continue to build our-business-to-business network and provide open houses (open farm days) for interested individuals to visit our farm.

5.4 Milestones

The accompanying table lists important program milestones, with dates and managers in charge, and budgets for each.  The milestone schedule indicates our emphasis on planning for implementation. 

What the table doesn’t show is the commitment behind it.  Our business plan includes complete provisions for plan-vs.-actual analysis, and we will hold monthly follow-up meetings to discuss the variance and course corrections. 

Web Plan Summary

The owner of Ereidi Farm built and maintains the farm’s website.  The site was created to provide an Internet presence that represented the farm through digital images and text.  Our farm site provides the viewer with actual images of the horses in our care and gives them a visual comparison, easily accessible when they are shopping for services.

The text gives us the opportunity to share our philosophy on horse care and condition plus supporting our sales photographs.  Ereidi Farm has attracted new clients through its website.  Due to our viewing audience, construction was done with overall ease of use in mind.  We plan on adding digital video to the site in early fall of 2003, just in time for the sales and training seasons.  Our Web address is: www.ereidifarm.net  – Welcome!

6.1 Website Marketing Strategy

As our expansion occurs, the search engines will be reviewed and updated as will direct links to our site from other targeted sites.  As viewers visit our site, their addresses will be utilized on our e-mail direct mail list.

All print advertising will feature the Web address as will all communications.

Management Summary management summary will include information about who's on your team and why they're the right people for the job, as well as your future hiring plans.">

The current management team consists of the owner and her husband.  As expansion occurs we will expand our personnel as required beginning with a training manager to oversee the actual training of the horses.

As growth continues we will need to expand management opportunities into the broodmare, young stock, financial and maintenance areas.  Long-term development might include a Stallion manager as well.  All will report to the owner and the owner will maintain an in-depth contact with all horses on the farm as well as the clients themselves.

7.1 Personnel Plan

The Personnel table indicates the number of employees required during the initial expansion.  This table will grow as the farm fills with client horses.

Additional employees that will be added during the expansion phase will be:  additional grooms, exercise riders, maintenance workers, broodmare specialists and office workers.  A stallion manager and specially skilled stallion grooms will be long-term additions.

Financial Plan investor-ready personnel plan .">

Ereidi Farm is intending to grow its cash profits by expanding to a larger turn-key facility.  Although more expensive to purchase, a turn-key facility of world class quality allows the immediate generation of cash flow at the higher end of the market.  The facility we are purchasing does not require the additional expenditure of capital resources to be fully functional, it is ready for business.

Our farm sells a service and does not maintain an inventory.

We operate on a “Cash Only” basis and choose our clients accordingly.  It is very rare that we except payments of any type although we may do so when selling one of our home-grown foals to a well-known and trusted client.  Our cash only approach allows us to maintain sufficient cash on hand and not waste valuable time and resources collecting amounts due.

At this time, the owner’s husband supplies additional capital as needed from his current job.  He will continue in his current employ.

8.1 Important Assumptions

Important assumptions concerning the thoroughbred market and Ereidi Farm’s targeted market include:

The thoroughbred market industry in Pennsylvania will continue to grow.  The added slot machine legislation will cause a dramatic growth spurt in racing programs within the state, quickly causing an increase in the demand for services within the state.

Statistics will continue to indicate the decline of racing programs in traditionally strong racing states.  Owners of bloodstock within these distressed states will actively seek out new locations in which to relocate their horses and operate a profitable, quality stable.

New owners will invest in the industry, they will be reached by large industry umbrella operations such as the NTRA and TOBA.  (National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association) respectively.

Our targeted markets will continue to post personal income growth despite fluctuating economic conditions.  They will continue to invest in non-traditional “exotic” investments such as thoroughbred racehorses.

8.2 Break-even Analysis

Break-even assumptions are as follows: 

• Per unit cost is based off of one horse with total start up-units equal to 33 horses.
• Variable costs include: salaries, advertising, maintenance and office expenses.
• Fixed costs include: mortgage/loan, taxes, insurance, utilities and cost to keep 33 horses.

Break-even calculations are shown in the following table and chart.

8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

Our planned expansion realizes a profit after total expenses are deducted from gross profit.  As growth occurs, expenses increase accordingly, however our net profit also continues to grow.  This reflects the typical cost of doing business in the horse industry as a whole.

8.4 Projected Cash Flow

Ereidi Farm is a “Cash Only” type of business.  Although we do accept payments for the horses we raise and sell, the rest of our business is cash based in order to increase cash flow and limit the farm’s liabilities.   

8.5 Projected Balance Sheet

The balance sheet in the following table shows sufficient growth of net worth, and a sufficiently healthy financial position.  The monthly estimates are included in the appendix.

Please note that specific variable and fixed expense categories have intentionally been left blank as these expenses are already figured into our “cost-per-horse” expense.

8.6 Business Ratios

Business ratios for the years of this plan are shown below.  Industry profile ratios based on the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code 0752.0102, [Breeding services, horses: racing and non-racing], are shown for comparison.

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Recipe for riding school success

• Riding schools

With spiralling insurance costs and growing layers of regulation, it seems profitable riding schools are as elusive as Shergar. But is this really the case? Philip Clark, owner and general manager of Hinckley Equestrian Centre, thinks not.

Eight years ago he and his wife Jackie bought the run-down centre, and invested an initial £150,000 upgrading the facilities, including the building of a 40m x 20m indoor school. Following a strong business plan, the centre now makes a profit with annual sales of £500,000 from around 450 weekly customers.

So how can a riding school sustain itself? Not all equestrian business owners would relish the prospect of running an operation the size of Hinckley, but, says Anna Jordon, an advisor from Dark Horse Business Consultancy, any yard should run on a commercial basis even if the proprietor is primarily funding their passion for horses. Clark agrees: “There’s nothing wrong with being in business as a lifestyle choice, but if your costs are £75,000 and your revenue is only £70,000, obviously there’s a problem.”

Jordon says it’s crucial to plan your business properly. Often proprietors of equestrian businesses are in the position that they can start a business without the need for a loan (for example if starting with existing stables on their own property), meaning that they don’t have to go through the discipline of putting together a business plan to obtain the cash to implement their ideas. “As a result, equine businesses often have no long-term strategy for a sustainable business,” she says. This is essential for all businesses, new or established.

So what advice is there for equestrian centres who want to rise above the doom and gloom? HHO has collated some common sense tips for success.

Whatever stage your business is at, there is help available. Clark recommends Business Link in England (www.businesslink.org.uk – organisations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have links on the website).

Don’t expect in-depth equestrian knowledge, but they have a remit to give as much advice as possible, on issues such as putting together a business plan, without charging. You will always be told up front if any payment will be required. You can also compile an online “start-up checklist” on their website of the regulations you must comply with.

“There’s tons of free advice,” says Clark. “Our bank manager has also been hugely useful and the British Horse Society has some very helpful departments.”

The BHS (www.bhs.org.uk) has a dedicated free business support line for all its members, offering advice on issues including contract and commercial law, debts and debt recovery, employment and personnel, and health and safety. The Association of British Riding Schools (www.abrs.org) can also provide advice on specific aspects of equine business.

The Country Land and Business Association (www.cla.org.uk) has negotiated reduced rates for its members on services such as insurance, utilities bills and rural finance.

Your product

Sharon Eastwood, also of Dark Horse, recommends reviewing the service you are offering and asking whether you could do anything different to distinguish yourself in the marketplace.

Pen-llyn Lusitano Stud and Riding Centre, N Wales, for example, owned by the Pendlebury family, started life as a trekking centre for passing seasonal tourists. Janine Pendlebury followed her passion for Portuguese horses and classical dressage, and the business diversified into this specialist area along with livery and training. While the family has maintained the trekking side of the business, after 10 years of hard work the change of focus has provided them with a year-round clientele, and an income from giving classical displays around the country.

It is also important to think about your customer needs. In the case of Hinckley, many clients come from non-countryside areas. Clark recognises that his clientele do not want to negotiate bad gates or mud when moving around the premises. He also realised the facilities for parents bringing their children for lessons were very important to make the visit a fun and comfortable experience for all.

Utilise your resources

Riding schools should look to maximise their use of their facilities and (within reason) their horses, says Eastwood. Subject to health and safety, this might include hiring out an indoor school for dog training or riding for the disabled.

At Hinckley, Clark realised that their indoor school was only in use at weekends and from 4pm onwards during the week. As a result they decided to become a horse-care training provider during week days to make full use of the facilities. They went on to win contracts with the Learning and Skills Council and now look after the training of about 100 people.

Eastwood also points out that, sadly, a horse that only works for two hours a week is costing more to keep than it earns. Painful as it may be, she says the businesses which succeed tend to take a more objective view. The cost of that much beloved Thelwell pony needs to be factored into your planning.

Cost control

Do not shy away from working out how much it costs to put on a lesson, or to look after a livery horse etc, and look to cut down on any wastage.

With prices you have got to go with the market, according to Jordon. However Clark reviewed the price structure at Hinckley. They had offered group lessons for up to eight people, but found that these classes were often not full to capacity. In consultation with customers Clark took the decision to offer classes restricted to four riders – and doubled the price. They only lost one customer and now have full lessons and a higher income. His view is that almost all riding schools are undercharging for the level of service provided.

Depending on your market, he feels that you should not be afraid to increase your prices if you are offering a quality service, but make sure this is well communicated to your clients.

Word of mouth is especially important in the horse business so make sure you are building a good reputation. Be aware of the impression you create on the premises and at shows – for example always keep your horses, tack, premises and lorry clean and tidy.

If you are aiming for people who know nothing about horses but want to learn to ride Clark also recommends a big advert in the Yellow Pages, because this is often their first port of call: “Pay the money for it and you will get it back,” he says.

He also recommends investing in a website. It doesn’t have to be all singing and dancing, but should honestly reflect what you are about and contain all relevant information such as the services you offer and prices etc.

You should also be aware who your competitors (outside the show ring) are but remember this isn’t necessarily other riding schools. It may be other leisure or tourism businesses such as bowling or swimming. This will need to be considered when looking at the service you are offering and how to market and price it.

Staff and insurance

High staff turnover is disruptive to business. Jordon points out that staff members in equestrian businesses are there for more than monetary gain. Job satisfaction plays a big part and it’s important to maintain goodwill with your employees.

Insurance is a major and difficult topic for riding schools. Eastwood advises that you should not be afraid to negotiate – a good health and safety record and membership of the BHS or ABRS can all help to reduce premiums.

The Country Land and Business Association has just launched a petition to change the law in an effort to reduce insurance rates. Sign up at: www.cla.org.uk/animalsactpetition.php

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Horse Boarding Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Horse Boarding Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their horse businesses. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regard to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a horse boarding business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What Is a Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your horse boarding business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan

If you’re looking to start a horse boarding facility or grow your existing horse business, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your horse business in order to improve your chances of success. Your business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Horse Boarding Facilities

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a horse business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

Personal savings is the other most common form of funding for a horse boarding business. Venture capitalists will usually not fund a horse business. They might consider funding a horse business with a national presence, but never an individual location. This is because most venture capitalists are looking for millions of dollars in return when they make an investment, and an individual location could never achieve such results.  With that said, personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for horse boarding facilities.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a horse boarding facility.

If you want to start a horse business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The horse boarding business plan template and guide below will help you write each essential section of your own business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of horse business you are operating and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a horse business that you would like to grow, or are you operating boarding facilities in multiple markets?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the horse boarding industry. Discuss the type of horse business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.  

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of horse business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types of horse facilities:

• Full Boarding : this type of horse business will include all the necessities for the horse as well as a stall and full turnout to pasture.
• Pasture Boarding: this type of boarding business focuses on the horse living outdoors in the pasture along with food, water, and a run-in shelter.
• Self-Care Boarding: this type of horse business is where the facilities (shelter and a stall) are provided for the horse owner, but everything else is up to the owner, such as feed, bedding, cleaning, grooming, etc.

In addition to explaining the type of horse business you will operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of customers served, the number of positive reviews, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the horse boarding industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the horse boarding industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy, particularly if your research identifies market trends.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your horse boarding business plan:

• How big is the horse boarding industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your horse business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your horse boarding business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: households with income above $75,000, households with income between $50,000 and $75,000, and households with income below $50,000.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of horse business you operate. Clearly, more affluent households would respond to different marketing promotions than middle-income households, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve. Because most horse businesses primarily serve customers living in the same city or town, such demographic information is easy to find on government websites.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other horse businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes landowners with stables, livestock farmers, and landowners with a large pastures. You need to mention such competition as well.

With regards to direct competition, you want to describe the other horse businesses with which you compete. Most likely, your direct competitors will be horse boarding facilities within a few hours’ drive of your location.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as:

• What type of horse training or boarding services do they offer?
• How many horses do they board at any given time?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regard to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide services competitors don’t offer?
• How often will a horse be examined by a veterinarian?
• What service plans/tiers will you offer for the horse owner?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a horse business, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of horse business that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to horse boarding services, will you provide other services such as premium food, grooming, horse training, horseback riding lessons, etc.?

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of your marketing plan, you are presenting the services you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the location of your horse business. Document your location and mention how the location will impact your success. For example, is your horse business located within driving distance of a large metro area, near a horse training or horse racing facility, etc.  Discuss how your location might be the ideal location for your customers.

Promotions : The final part of your marketing strategy is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertising in local papers and magazines
• Reaching out to local websites
• Social media marketing
• Local radio advertising

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your horse business, including marketing your business, feeding, grooming, maintenance, etc.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to board your 50 th horse or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your horse business to a new market.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your horse business’ ability to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing horse businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in some aspect of the equine industry or successfully marketing small businesses.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you board 1 horse at a time or multiple horses at a time? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your horse business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a horse business:

• Location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
• Cost of equipment and supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your stable blueprints, or the cost of providing resources such as feed, tools, labor, etc.  

Putting together a business plan for your horse business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the horse boarding industry, your competition, and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful horse boarding facility.  

Horse Boarding Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my horse boarding business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Horse Boarding Business Plan.

What is the Goal of a Business Plan's Executive Summary?

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of horse boarding business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a horse boarding business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of horse boarding businesses?

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your Horse Boarding business plan?

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Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.   Click here to see how Growthink’s professional business plan consulting services can create your business plan for you.

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22 Ways to Level Up Your Riding Lesson Program in 2022

• Boss Mare ~ Nikki
• January 1, 2022

After all, everything we do comes from a love of a horses... it will keep us learning, growing, and striving to do our best for our horses and students - and attracting clients who are equally invested in leveling up their horsemanship!

‘Tis the season for rest and reflection, for planning and dreaming, and for setting goals and intentions for the new year. We have a few suggestions to get you started…

Are you looking for ways to take your equine instruction to the next level?

#1 - make improving your business — and boundaries — a priority.

You can’t pour from an empty cup, and a labor of love can often lead to burnout. Good riding instruction involves creating good business practices, and continually working to improve them — especially if you manage your own facility.

This process starts with believing that it IS possible to be a profitable equine professional with a healthy work/life balance. There is a pervading myth in the horse industry that you can’t have it all, usually perpetuated by exhausted professionals who could use some better boundaries in their lives!

Learn how to set those boundaries in this post: Self Care for Riding Instructors

#2 - Schedule a weekly inspiration hour

Tweaking work hours to make your business more sustainable? Make sure to devote some time to creative development. This can easily get pushed to the back burner when you’re juggling a barn full of commitments, but helps you remain fresh and inspired.

Try setting aside an hour each week just for brainstorming lesson ideas. Throughout the week, collect relevant reading materials or save videos to a Watch Later list. Keep a dedicated notebook for your planning.

Feeling stuck in a rut? Search for inspiration from outside your usual discipline or training philosophy.

#3 - Don’t forget to include continuing education in your budget

Try to set aside a bit of money every month for conferences or certifications, clinic or lesson fees, trade publications, online courses and subscriptions, etc. Remember, these all count as business expenses!

#4 - Poll your audience

Send your students a survey, or supply them with goal-setting worksheets. Ask them what they’d like to see more of in their lesson time , and to prioritize their equine activities and goals.

This feedback can give you valuable insight into your students’ motivations and guide your lesson planning throughout the year.

#5 - Experiment with monthly themes

Ever wondered why #NoStirrupNovember has become so popular? Are riders really that excited to better their seat and their abs?

Our guess is that it isn’t about doing the hard stuff, it’s about doing the hard stuff together . Working toward a common goal can unify students and create camaraderie across age groups and levels of ability.

Try assigning monthly themes to your lesson plans. Or, if your program utilizes block scheduling or semesters, you might dedicate a theme to each session.

Themes could involve specific skills, such as Dressage, Polework, or Transitions, or include broader concepts such as “Listening” or “Attention to Detail.”

You can use this trick to plan unmounted lessons as well, with each month of classes covering a topic such as Nutrition, Hoof Care, etc.

Bonus: This makes lesson planning a breeze! Simply create a progression of lesson activities based around each theme, leaving room to adapt to each student’s individual goals.

Get help with lesson planning in this post: Take Your Lesson Plans to the Next Level .

Find a list of the Topics we use to organize unmounted Horse Sense lessons HERE .

#6 - Challenge your students

#7 - give them something to think about.

Activities like the #StayatHomeHorsemanship challenge encourage students to think creatively in the arena. Our goal is to create confidently independent equestrians who know how to problem-solve with a horse — which means giving them lots of opportunities to use their brains.

Do you exercise your students’ minds as well as bodies? Try adding free periods, interactive exercises, and self-evaluation to riding lessons, so students can practice thinking for themselves.

#8 - Let them choose their own adventure

One underrated way to get students thinking is to ask them to plan their own lessons . Ask them for suggestions and requests — you might be surprised by what they come up with!

At Horse Sense , we have a tradition that any rider who lessons on their birthday gets to choose the activity for the day.

#9 - Dabble in disciplines

Do your English students know how to put on a Western saddle, or vice versa? Would your trail riders eagerly sign up for a dressage lesson, or your hunters jump at the chance to play mounted games?

Even if you teach within a narrow specialty, you can expand your student’s horizons — and prevent prejudiced assumptions — by giving them a taste of different disciplines. Try new patterns, dressage tests or obstacle courses; invite guest instructors; or teach a summer Horse Sport camp.

Start with this unmounted Teaching Guide: Green Horse Sense – Horse Sports

#10 - Aim for better biomechanics

Beginner riding lessons aren’t always the best for the comfort and health of the horse. You may not be able to magically give your students soft hands and following seats on day one, but you can create exercises that are good for the horse as well as the rider.

We like to do a lot of slow, thoughtful polework with new riders, and teach them how to recognize healthy posture from the very beginning.

Many of our favorite exercises are adapted from Jec Ballou’s book 55 Corrective Exercises for Your Horse — a treasure trove of physically-beneficial activities!

#11 - Switch things up

Consider scheduling some private lessons for your group lesson students, and combining private students into a group.

Group and private lessons have a very different energy, and each have their own pros and cons. Changing lesson structure occasionally can help your students — and you! — work comfortably in both environments.

#12 - Think outside the (sand) box

Another great way to get students outside their comfort zones is by expanding your territory. Take them outside the ring, even if all you can do safely is walk the horses in hand.

You don’t need to be blessed with acres of fields and trails to turn your students into happy hackers. You just need a little creativity and a patient, relaxed approach.

Read about the benefits of hacking lessons in this post: Happy Trails: Hack Your Horseback Riding Lessons!

#13 - Get your game on

Research has shown that we learn new skills most efficiently when we practice them in the spirit of play. Challenge yourself to create a game for every new skill you teach. The games can be as competitive or non-competitive as you like, but should be scalable for all ages and levels of ability. (Yes, adults need to play, too!)

Need inspiration? You’ll find suggested games on page 2 of all our Horsemanship lesson plans . Be sure to follow our social media feeds, where we post a new mounted game every Friday using the hashtag #FridayHorseFun .

Get more inspiration from this post: Teach Better Horseback Riding Lessons with Mounted Games

#14 - Create trainers, not just riders

Emphasize equine psychology and learning theory in your beginner lessons. Teach the basics of behavior shaping and reinforcement methods, and discuss the motivation behind every horse’s behavior.

Without this foundation, students may be quick to label their horse as “stubborn,” “lazy” or “bratty,” or resort to harsh aids when things aren’t going their way.

Make it a goal to practice compassionate problem-solving at every opportunity, and to help your students view every situation from the horse’s perspective.

#15 - Set a good example

Let’s face it: we all have jokingly called our horses some less-than-flattering names, or anthropomorphizing their behavior. However, working with impressionable beginner students can make these careless words less of a laughing matter!

Regularly audit your word choices and horse handling practices. Ask yourself, would I be proud of a student who acted this way five years in the future? Old habits die hard, so if you’re actively working to set a better example, forgive your occasional slip-ups, and remind your students that none of us are a finished product.

#16 - Film yourself

A great way to become aware of your own habits: film yourself teaching a lesson.

Don’t be surprised if this exercise horrifies you at first! You may discover that you have acquired a number of unconscious movements and verbal tics that make you cringe — but the first step to improvement is awareness.  Try to repeat this exercise regularly, and identify a single goal to focus on before the next video.

#17 - Film your students

What goes around comes around, and your students will benefit equally from frequent film sessions in the arena. Consider creating unlisted playlists on a designated YouTube channel for your lesson program. This allows students to view videos privately or share them with a select audience.

#18 - Harness the power of social media

Like it or not, social media feeds are where our students get the majority of their information. Even if you don’t have a lot of time or energy to devote to social media yourself, you can use it to market your business and engage your barn community .

Try planning and scheduling content ahead of time. This might include regular features such as quiz questions, featured horse or student, and articles, videos or infographics you think your students would find valuable. Throughout the month, sprinkle in some announcements (welcome to new students, show results, etc.) along with some behind-the-scenes photos or videos from your barn.

Make social media marketing work for you with the help of this LLPro post: Marketing for Riding Schools: Eight Proven Strategies to Attract and Keep Students .

Tips for using social media in lessons: 5 Creative Homework Ideas for Riding Lessons .

#19 - Work with instead of against Mother Nature

While you’re doing all this planning, consider the inevitable: frozen ground, scorching heat, and miserable rainy days that make you wish you had an office job instead. Stockpile inclement weather lesson plans you can teach indoors or in the barn aisle when the arena becomes a hostile environment.

Maybe your philosophy is that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing — in which case, teach students and parents how to outfit appropriately!

Or maybe you’d be better off embracing seasonal programming. Months of extreme weather can be devoted to unmounted education, ground training, or basic flatwork at the walk. There is no off season to horse care, but there’s nothing wrong with saving competitive or ambitious riding for more appropriate seasons — as long as horses are brought carefully back into condition, of course!

#20 - Normalize unmounted education as part of your riding program

If you’ve owned a horse, you know the truth: that horsekeeping and ground handling skills are more important than the skills we learn in the saddle.

Even students who have no intentions of ownership benefit from a deeper understanding of a horse’s physiology and health care requirements. (How many “training problems” have you seen that were actually caused by poor diet, hoof trimming, saddle fit, lack of fitness, or all of the above?!)

Make barn lessons a regular, required part of your lesson programming, and approach them with equal enthusiasm. This has the added benefit of allowing you to employ non-rideable or retired horses in your program — and to teach students the value of honoring and caring for less “useful” horses.

See how you can work unmounted lessons into your riding school in this post: Back to the Barn .

Get ideas for unmounted lessons: Unmounted Lessons Your Students Will Love.

#21 - Make life easier for future you by creating a resource library

Packing folders and boxes with lesson materials can save you time and effort in the long run , especially if you find yourself teaching unmounted lessons on the fly.

Your library might include printed handouts, worksheets and lesson plans; reference books; old pieces of tack; bagged samples of feed/hay/toxic plants etc.; and tools and props organized by topic.

Learn more in this LLPro blog post, which includes inventory lists for several of our Lessons in a Box: Build a Library for Teaching Hands-On Unmounted Lessons .

#22 - Fall in love all over again

Would your inner ten-year-old be delighted to be living your life? What was it about horses and teaching that led you here in the first place?

Give yourself permission to reconnect with your horse-crazy side. Schedule play dates and Sacred Horse Time, rewatch a beloved old horse movie, or simply take time to indulge in a ritual that gives you joy, such as grooming or listening your horse munch on hay.

After all, everything we do comes from a love of horses

Whatever goals we set in this business, let’s make it a priority to keep that love alive. It will keep us learning, growing, and striving to do our best for our horses and students —  and attracting clients who are equally invested in leveling up their horsemanship! 

• creative equine instruction , teaching Learning Levels , running a riding school
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We’ve been blessed with many talented photographers over the years: students who voluntarily stood in sweltering/ freezing arenas, capturing lifelong memories of lessons, camps and shows. We’re grateful to all of them!

One former student, Delaney Witbrod , is now a professional photographer with a gift for animal portraits – see more of her fine work here . We’re also grateful for photos of Western riding donated by LLPro instructors – particularly Bit of Pleasure Horse School and Joyful Hearts Photography !

You’ll find illustrations throughout our online courses and printed materials graciously donated by our friend Rhonda Hagy . Evan Surrusco contributes additional illustrations and handles most of our photo processing. Contact us for information about their work.

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• Business Type
• Business Plan for Horse Riding School

Horse Riding School Small Business Idea and Business Plan

Starting your own small business in the UK isn’t easy but having a properly developed business plan will help you achieve success.

To start a Horse Riding School business in the UK, take the time and explain the idea via a business plan.

Understanding all of the aspects of the business idea will be the key to getting the Horse Riding School business running like a well-oiled machine. The business plan you develop will help you organize the elements needed into a strategy that you can actually use to startup, by paving a clear road map as to what you need to follow for the lifespan of your business.

Starting a Horse Riding School business isn’t easy, but when done right, it can lead to a lot of success.

To help you get started, you can use the free business plan builder tool to develop your own Horse Riding School business plan.

The business plan template is very easy to use, is interactive and will quickly and easily help you create your business plan just by answering the needed questions about your small business idea.

Create your own Horse Riding School business plan for free using the Business Plan Builder

The free business plan template builder is divided into a few easy to follow steps.

The free business plan builder template is provided by UKStartups.org to help you develop your own business plan. For step by step guidance, see the 5 steps below.

Once completed, the result will be a clean, professional plan that will help you start your own Horse Riding School small business in the UK.

When you have completed your Horse Riding School business plan, the next step will be to find available funding that will help, or to speak with a funding adviser who will assist you each step of the way to securing the needed funds to make your Horse Riding School business startup.

If you are looking to limit your startup costs when starting up a Horse Riding School small business in the UK, this free business plan builder tool will be it.

Starting a Horse Riding School business is only one of the ways others have used this free business plan tool. There are hundreds of different ideas you can start, and if you need guidance, do reach out to a UKStartups expert to get the needed assistance and guidance.

Step 1. Your business information

To develop a proper Horse Riding School business plan with the free business plan builder template, it is important to answer each of the questions about your business to the best of your abilities.

What is your business? What are the products/services you provide? Who are your customers? What are your goals…etc?

Having a clear explanation will help you create a in-depth business plan that you can actually use to start the Horse Riding School business and to apply for needed funding to cover your startup costs.

Step 2. Projecting your revenues/income

The Horse Riding School industry can have great results. Planning and projecting the financial figures to approximate what you will make each year is crucial to building a strong business plan.

What do you think your business will make from each of its products/services? Simply list your products/services, enter the appropriate financial figures (costs and expenses).

If you don’t have the figures, in many cases it is recommended to do a a bit more research on other Horse Riding School businesses locally and within your own region to get an idea of potential revenue. You can do your best to estimate the figures and growth potential.

If you need assistance in projecting, you can always contact UK Startups funding experts for the help.

Step 3. Your business market

As a Horse Riding School business, having a clear explanation of the market and industry that you are in will help you plan for the figure and will ensure you can take the business to the next level.

Explain your location of business, share specifics about your customers, showcase your competition and explain the advantages you have over your competition.

Step 4. The future plan

Starting your own Horse Riding School business and getting it off the ground is important to you.

No matter if you’re planning on applying for government funding for your Horse Riding School business or not, it is important to plan out the future and provide an explanation of how you will grow the business. This means explaining your marketing plan, your sales strategy and clearly outlining a growth plan for the next few years.

Be sure to break this down step by step to show how you intend on making sure your Horse Riding School business can grow each year.

Keep in mind that often business plans are focused on key people. Be sure to discuss yourself, your role and any other key figures in the business as well.

Step 5. The financials

In the end, it all comes down to the financials. If you are seeking funding, or not – the business plan you develop needs to have clearly defined financials or projections. The business plan builder tool makes it easy to develop your financial charts by simply entering your expected revenues per month and year. If you don’t have the figures as it’s a new business be sure to project the figures based on your expectations. If you need help with this, ask the UK Startups experts .

A clear breakdown of your funding needs is also recommended in case you are seeking funding and this free business plan template will help you with exactly that. When developing your Horse Riding School business plan using this free template, the above 5 steps are recommended in order to succeed. While there are other key points that will assist you in starting your business, finding funding...etc, the free template will help put you on the right path

Be sure to request a professional to review your business plan , to answer any questions you may have and to help you with the funding search once you’ve done the initial free template. You can request this directly via UKStartups.org and through the Small Business Startup Platform as a member.

If starting a Horse Riding School business is just one of your ideas, perhaps considering other options, here are some popular small business’s others have chosen to startup

• Alcoholism Treatment Program
• Carriage Ride Service
• Soul Food Restaurant
• Walk-In Clinic
• Wheel Store

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Horse Farm Business Plan and SWOT Analysis

Horse Farm Business Plan, Marketing Plan, How To Guide, and Funding Directory

The Horse Farm Business Plan and Business Development toolkit features 18 different documents that you can use for capital raising or general business planning purposes. Our product line also features comprehensive information regarding to how to start a Horse Farm business. All business planning packages come with easy-to-use instructions so that you can reduce the time needed to create a professional business plan and presentation.

Your Business Planning Package will be immediately emailed to you after you make your purchase.

Product Specifications (please see images below):

• Bank/Investor Ready!
• Complete Industry Research
• 3 Year Excel Financial Model
• Business Plan (26 to 30 pages)
• Loan Amortization and ROI Tools
• Three SWOT Analysis Templates
• Easy to Use Instructions
• All Documents Delivered in Word, Excel, and PDF Format
• Meets SBA Requirements

Equestrian sports have been popular for several millennia. Among people that frequently purchase horses, they often turn to horse farms for their equestrian needs. One of the interesting things that house forms is that they specifically cater heavily to an upper income and wealthier audience. As such, despite negative changes in the economy most horse farms are able to remain profitable and cash flow positive. This is due to a few facts. First, many horse farms often act in a breeding capacity where they provide wealthier people with an expansive amount of courses that are used for sport and for racing. These breeding programs can often generate millions of dollars for a horse farm. Two, most horse farms receive highly recurring streams of revenue from boarding and stabling horses on behalf of third-party owners. It is very uncommon that the owner of the horse maintains their own stable facilities on their property. This type of boarding is usually reserved only for extremely wealthy people. Third, many horse farms are able to provide horse riding lessons to the general public. Although this is somewhat expensive, the ability to have a child learn how to ride a horse or an adult that matter is a relatively low-cost form of entertainment and sport. As such, the a horse farm can cater to the needs both of wealthy individuals as well as families don’t want to simply have their child enjoy the experience of horseback riding. The ways in which a horse farm can monetize their property is substantial.

The gross margins from sales of courses typically is around 50% while boarding, stabling, and horse riding lessons typically generates gross margins in the 90% range. The startup cost associated with the new horse farm are very high in typically run anywhere from $500,000 all the way to tens of millions of dollars depending on the size and scale of the facility. However, the median starting price for most new horse farms is around $2 million.

Given the large amount of inventory, tangible furniture, fixtures, and equipment as well as a large amount of real estate – many lenders as well as private investors are willing to provide the necessary capital in order to start a horse farm. Of course, a horse farm business plan is going to be required. This business plan should feature a three-year profit and loss statement, cash analysis, balance sheet, breakeven analysis, and business ratios page. As it relates to industry research, there are approximately 3,000 companies that own and operate horse farm facilities. Each year these businesses aggregate we generate in excess of $3 billion in revenue.

A demographic analysis showcasing the types of buyers for horses should be included in the business plan as well. This includes taking a look at population size, population density, how far people will come they were to purchase a horse, and their budget for purchasing and equestrian animal. A separate demographic analysis should be produced among individuals that are targeted for horse riding lessons. Many entrepreneurs were also will also develop a competitive analysis in order to ensure that they can have a differentiating factor among other horse farms. The primary way in which most horse farms differentiate themselves from other businesses is that they maintain a highly thoroughbred inventory of equestrian animals.

A horse farm SWOT analysis is typically produced as well. This document outlines the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats their face by these businesses on an ongoing basis. As it relates to strengths, horse farms have a tremendous access the capital given their large tangible asset base and real estate. The gross margins from horse sales are high as well as from service-based revenues. These businesses do have some issues during economic recessions, but they are usually able to remain profitable and cash flow positive at all times.

For weaknesses, horse farms do have very high operating expenses. Caring for these animals as well as maintaining an expansive facility is an expensive undertaking. Additionally, there are always risks relating to illness that could destroy the company’s inventory.

The opportunities for horse farm are nearly limitless. Once a ongoing relationship is developed with a number of buyers then these businesses are able to generate highly predictable streams of revenue on a yearly basis. Additionally, once the is reaches its maximum capacity at its initial facility – many entrepreneurs will take to acquiring additional parcels of land in order to expand the operations of the business.

Outside of a major economic recession that could drastically depress the demand for equestrian animals, there’s really no other threats faced by these businesses.

A horse farm marketing plan should also be developed in order to ensure that people can very quickly find the business. Foremost, mostly people starting horse farms have already had extensive experience in the industry and have maintained establish contacts among buyers, other farms, and other companies that are engaged in horse farming and raising. It is imperative that the entrepreneur is able to call these contacts in the onset of operations in order to generate sales. Also, almost all horse farms maintain an expansive online presence to showcase the inventories available, horse riding services available, an overview of the facility, and the biographies of key staff members. This website can be listed among all major search engines.

A presence on social media platforms like FaceBook, Twitter, and Instagram is also very important for horse farm given that people that are searching for horses for sale as well is horse riding lessons will frequently use social media in order to get recommendations from friends, family, and colleagues. A presence on the Internet especially on popular social media platforms can greatly boost the visibility of the business within the local market as well as on a national level. It is also very good way to keep in touch with people interested in equestrian sports.

Horse farms will continue to be one of the common types of farming businesses within the United States. Given the very large tangible asset base, highly predictable streams of revenue, and very high barriers to entry – these businesses can be highly profitable for a qualified entrepreneur that has extensive experience in the field of equestrian sports.

Marketing Plan For A Therapeutic Horse Riding School Business

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• Description

Embark on a journey into the world of equine therapy with our comprehensive marketing plan for a therapeutic horse riding school business. In today's fast-paced society, the demand for alternative healing methods is on the rise, and what better way to connect with nature and find inner peace than through the gentle power of horses? Understanding the unique market for therapeutic services and harnessing the emotional connection between humans and horses, our marketing strategies will ensure that your business stands out in this specialized industry. Let us guide you towards success and make a lasting impact on those in need of healing through the magnificent bond between rider and horse.

Market Research

Conducting comprehensive market research is essential for the success of our Therapeutic Horse Riding School business. By identifying target demographics, key competitors, and potential partnerships, we can tailor our marketing strategies and offerings to meet the needs of our target audience effectively. Utilizing surveys, interviews, and online analytics tools will allow us to gather valuable data to inform our decision-making process.

Target Demographics:

• We will conduct surveys and interviews to gather information on the age, gender, income level, and interests of potential customers.
• Identifying individuals with disabilities, seniors, children, and fitness enthusiasts as our primary target demographics will help us tailor our programs to meet their specific needs.
• We will also explore the geographic location and transportation accessibility of our target audience to ensure our services are easily accessible.

Key Competitors:

• Researching existing therapeutic horse riding schools, fitness centers, and rehabilitation facilities in the area will help us identify our key competitors.
• We will analyze their offerings, pricing strategies, marketing tactics, and customer reviews to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
• By conducting SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis, we can position our business effectively in the market and differentiate ourselves from competitors.

Potential Partnerships:

• Collaborating with healthcare professionals, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and local organizations will allow us to expand our reach and offer our services to a broader audience.
• We will explore partnership opportunities with schools, community centers, disability organizations, and corporate wellness programs to promote inclusivity and accessibility.
• Establishing strategic partnerships with suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and equestrian organizations can help us enhance the quality of our programs and services.

By conducting thorough market research and utilizing a combination of surveys, interviews, and online analytics tools, we can gather valuable insights to inform our marketing strategies, identify our target demographics, assess our key competitors, and explore potential partnerships to drive the success of our Therapeutic Horse Riding School business.

Brand Identity Creation

Developing a strong brand identity is essential for establishing a unique and recognizable presence in the market. For 'Therapeutic Horse Riding School,' it is crucial to create a brand identity that resonates with our target audience and highlights the therapeutic and inclusive aspects of our services. Here are some key elements to consider:

• Logo: The logo for our therapeutic horse riding school should be visually appealing and convey a sense of warmth, compassion, and empowerment. Consider incorporating elements such as a horse silhouette, a heart symbol, or a person riding a horse to represent the therapeutic nature of our programs.
• Color Scheme: Choose colors that evoke feelings of tranquility, healing, and inclusivity. Soft pastel tones like light blue, lavender, and pale green can create a calming atmosphere, while incorporating brighter colors like yellow or orange can symbolize energy and positivity.
• Brand Voice: Our brand voice should be empathetic, supportive, and encouraging. Use language that conveys our commitment to providing a safe and nurturing environment for individuals with disabilities and those seeking therapeutic benefits through horse riding. Emphasize inclusivity, empowerment, and the transformative impact of our programs.

By developing a cohesive brand identity that reflects the values and mission of 'Therapeutic Horse Riding School,' we can effectively communicate our unique offerings to our target audience and differentiate ourselves in the competitive market. This branding strategy will help us build trust, loyalty, and recognition among our clients and partners, ultimately driving the success and growth of our business.

Website Launch

As we launch our Therapeutic Horse Riding School website, our primary goal is to create a professional online platform that effectively communicates our mission, services, testimonials, booking options, and contact information. We understand the importance of accessibility and mobile-friendliness in reaching a wider audience and providing a seamless user experience.

Here are key elements that we will incorporate into our website:

• Mission: Our website will prominently feature our mission statement, emphasizing our commitment to promoting physical and mental well-being through specialized horse riding programs for individuals with disabilities and those seeking unique fitness and therapy opportunities.
• Services: We will provide detailed information about the range of services we offer, including therapeutic horse riding sessions, certified therapists, trained instructors, and the benefits of engaging in our programs.
• Testimonials: To showcase the positive impact of our programs, we will include testimonials from participants, families, and healthcare professionals who have experienced the benefits of our therapeutic horse riding school.
• Booking Options: Our website will feature easy-to-use booking options, allowing individuals to schedule horse riding sessions, therapy appointments, and other services online. We will ensure a user-friendly interface that simplifies the booking process.
• Contact Information: We will provide clear contact information, including phone numbers, email addresses, and a contact form for inquiries. Our goal is to make it easy for individuals to reach out to us with questions or to schedule appointments.
• Accessibility and Mobile-Friendly Design: Our website will be designed with accessibility in mind, ensuring that individuals with disabilities can easily navigate and access information. Additionally, we will optimize our website for mobile devices to provide a seamless browsing experience on smartphones and tablets.

SEO Strategy

Implementing a robust SEO strategy is essential for improving the online visibility of Therapeutic Horse Riding School. By focusing on keywords related to therapeutic horse riding, disabilities therapy, and our geographical location, we can attract the right audience and drive more traffic to our website.

• Keyword Research: Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant terms that potential customers are searching for. Focus on long-tail keywords such as 'therapeutic horse riding for disabilities therapy' or 'horseback riding programs for individuals with special needs.'
• On-Page Optimization: Optimize the content on our website by incorporating targeted keywords in meta titles, descriptions, headers, and body text. Ensure that each page is structured in a way that is easy for search engines to crawl and index.
• Local SEO: Leverage our geographical location by including location-based keywords such as the name of the city or region where our therapeutic horse riding school is located. This will help us attract local customers who are searching for disabilities therapy services in our area.
• Content Creation: Develop high-quality, informative content that incorporates our target keywords naturally. This could include blog posts, articles, case studies, and testimonials that highlight the benefits of therapeutic horse riding for individuals with disabilities.
• Link Building: Build a strong backlink profile by reaching out to relevant websites, blogs, and directories in the disabilities therapy and equestrian communities. Quality backlinks from reputable sources can improve our website's authority and search engine rankings.
• Monitoring and Analysis: Regularly monitor our SEO performance using tools like Google Analytics and Search Console. Analyze key metrics such as organic traffic, keyword rankings, and conversion rates to identify areas for improvement and adjust our strategy accordingly.

Social Media Campaign

Launching a social media campaign across platforms like Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn is a powerful way to raise awareness about Therapeutic Horse Riding School and engage with our target audience. By sharing engaging content, stories of impact, and community feedback, we can showcase the benefits of our specialized horse riding programs and reach a wider audience.

Here are some key strategies to implement in our social media campaign:

• Create a Content Calendar: Develop a content calendar that outlines the type of content to be shared each week, including educational posts about the benefits of therapeutic horse riding, success stories from participants, and behind-the-scenes looks at our programs.
• Engage with Followers: Respond to comments, messages, and feedback from followers to foster a sense of community and build relationships with our audience. Encourage followers to share their own experiences and testimonials.
• Utilize Visual Content: Share high-quality photos and videos of our horse riding sessions, instructors, and participants to visually showcase the impact of our programs. Use Instagram Stories and Facebook Live to provide real-time updates and interactive content.
• Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with local influencers, healthcare professionals, and organizations in the disability community to amplify our message and reach a broader audience. Invite them to visit our facility and share their experiences with their followers.
• Run Contests and Giveaways: Host contests and giveaways on social media to encourage engagement and attract new followers. Offer prizes such as free riding sessions or merchandise to incentivize participation.
• Share Testimonials and Success Stories: Highlight testimonials from participants, their families, and healthcare professionals who have benefited from our programs. Share success stories that demonstrate the positive impact of therapeutic horse riding on physical and mental well-being.

By implementing these strategies and consistently sharing compelling content across Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we can effectively promote Therapeutic Horse Riding School and connect with our target audience in a meaningful way. Our social media campaign will help us build brand awareness, drive engagement, and ultimately attract more participants to our programs.

Collaboration Outreach

As part of our commitment to expanding our reach and providing our specialized horse riding programs to a wider audience, we are actively seeking partnerships and referral agreements with local healthcare professionals, disability organizations, and schools. By collaborating with these key stakeholders, we aim to enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of our services while also promoting the benefits of therapeutic horse riding for individuals with disabilities and those seeking alternative forms of therapy and fitness.

Here are some strategies we will implement to reach out to local healthcare professionals, disability organizations, and schools:

• Identify key contacts within healthcare facilities, disability organizations, and schools who may be interested in partnering with our therapeutic horse riding school.
• Develop a comprehensive proposal outlining the benefits of therapeutic horse riding and how our programs can complement existing therapy and fitness regimens.
• Offer informational sessions and demonstrations to healthcare professionals, disability organizations, and schools to showcase the unique benefits of therapeutic horse riding and answer any questions they may have.
• Provide referral agreements that outline the terms of partnership, including referral processes, communication protocols, and any incentives for referrals.
• Collaborate with healthcare professionals to develop personalized horse riding programs for individuals with specific physical or mental health needs, ensuring that our services are tailored to meet the unique needs of each participant.
• Partner with disability organizations to offer discounted rates or scholarships for individuals with disabilities who may benefit from therapeutic horse riding but face financial barriers.
• Engage with schools to promote our programs as a unique form of physical activity and therapy for students with disabilities or those looking for alternative fitness options.

By forging partnerships with local healthcare professionals, disability organizations, and schools, we can expand our reach, increase awareness of the benefits of therapeutic horse riding, and ultimately provide more individuals with the opportunity to improve their physical and mental well-being through our specialized programs.

Open House Event

Organizing an open house event for Therapeutic Horse Riding School presents a unique opportunity to showcase our specialized programs and facilities to the local community, healthcare professionals, and media. This event will not only allow attendees to experience our services first-hand but also foster relationships and increase visibility for our business.

Here is a comprehensive plan for organizing the open house event:

• Invitations: Send out personalized invitations to the local community, healthcare professionals, and media outlets. Utilize both digital platforms and traditional methods to reach a wider audience.
• Event Schedule: Plan a structured schedule for the open house event, including guided tours of our facilities, demonstrations of our therapeutic horse riding programs, and interactive sessions for attendees to engage with our team of certified therapists and instructors.
• Networking Opportunities: Create designated networking areas where attendees can interact with each other, exchange contact information, and build connections within the community and healthcare industry.
• Media Coverage: Invite local media outlets to cover the event and showcase the positive impact of our therapeutic horse riding programs on individuals with disabilities and those seeking alternative forms of therapy and fitness.
• Collaborations: Partner with local healthcare professionals and organizations to co-host the event and demonstrate the benefits of integrating therapeutic horse riding into holistic treatment plans for individuals with diverse needs.
• Interactive Activities: Offer hands-on activities such as mini horseback riding sessions, grooming demonstrations, and Q&A sessions with our team to provide a comprehensive understanding of our services and approach.
• Refreshments and Entertainment: Provide light refreshments and entertainment to create a welcoming and engaging atmosphere for attendees to relax, socialize, and learn more about our therapeutic horse riding school.

Email Marketing

Launching an email marketing campaign is a powerful tool to nurture leads and engage with potential clients for the Therapeutic Horse Riding School. By sending out newsletters with program updates, success stories, and exclusive offers, we can build a strong relationship with our audience and keep them informed about the latest developments at our school.

Here are some key strategies to consider when implementing an email marketing campaign:

• Segmentation: Divide your email list into different segments based on interests, demographics, or engagement levels. This allows you to send targeted content that resonates with each group.
• Personalization: Address recipients by their name and tailor the content to their specific needs and preferences. Personalized emails have higher open and click-through rates.
• Engaging Subject Lines: Capture the attention of your audience with compelling subject lines that entice them to open the email. Keep them concise and relevant to the content inside.
• Valuable Content: Provide valuable information in your newsletters, such as program updates, success stories, and exclusive offers. This keeps your audience engaged and interested in what you have to offer.
• Call-to-Action: Include a clear call-to-action in your emails, prompting recipients to take the next step, whether it's signing up for a program, booking a session, or visiting your website.

By consistently sending out newsletters with relevant and engaging content, we can nurture leads, build trust with our audience, and ultimately drive conversions for the Therapeutic Horse Riding School. Our goal is to create a community of individuals who are passionate about horse riding and the benefits it brings to physical and mental well-being.

Referral Program

At Therapeutic Horse Riding School, we value the support and loyalty of our clients. To show our appreciation and encourage word-of-mouth marketing, we have created a referral program that offers discounts or free sessions for clients who refer new customers to our school.

Our referral program is designed to reward our existing clients for spreading the word about the unique benefits of our therapeutic horse riding programs. By incentivizing referrals, we aim to increase our client base and reach more individuals who can benefit from our services.

• Discounts for Referrals: When an existing client refers a new customer to our school, they will receive a discount on their next session or package purchase. This not only rewards the referring client but also encourages them to continue sharing their positive experiences with others.
• Free Sessions for Referrals: In addition to discounts, we also offer the opportunity for existing clients to earn free sessions by referring multiple new customers. This incentive provides an extra motivation for clients to actively promote our programs to their friends, family, and colleagues.
• Easy Referral Process: We have made it simple for clients to participate in our referral program. Clients can easily refer new customers by sharing a unique referral code or link provided by our school. This streamlined process ensures that referrals are accurately tracked and rewards are promptly distributed.
• Encouraging Word-of-Mouth Marketing: By offering discounts and free sessions for referrals, we are not only rewarding our existing clients but also leveraging the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Satisfied clients are more likely to recommend our services to others, leading to organic growth and increased visibility for our school.

Overall, our referral program is a win-win for both our clients and our school. It fosters a sense of community among our clients, rewards loyalty, and helps us attract new customers who can benefit from our specialized therapeutic horse riding programs. We are excited to see the positive impact of our referral program on the growth and success of Therapeutic Horse Riding School.

Customer Feedback System

Implementing a robust feedback system is essential for the success and growth of our Therapeutic Horse Riding School business. By allowing clients to provide reviews and testimonials, we can gather valuable insights that will help us continuously improve our services and programs. Additionally, sharing these testimonials on our marketing channels will not only showcase the positive impact of our programs but also attract new clients who are seeking a unique form of therapy and fitness.

Here are some key strategies for implementing an effective feedback system:

• Online Feedback Form: Create an online feedback form on our website where clients can easily submit their reviews and testimonials. This form should be user-friendly and include specific questions about their experience, the effectiveness of the program, and any suggestions for improvement.
• Regular Surveys: Conduct regular surveys with our clients to gather feedback on various aspects of our services, such as instructor performance, facility cleanliness, and overall satisfaction. These surveys can be sent via email or distributed in person during sessions.
• Feedback Box: Place a physical feedback box at our facility where clients can anonymously submit their feedback. This provides an additional avenue for clients who may prefer to share their thoughts privately.
• Personalized Follow-ups: Reach out to clients individually to thank them for their feedback and address any specific concerns they may have raised. This personalized approach shows that we value their input and are committed to making improvements based on their feedback.
• Incentives: Offer incentives such as discounts or free sessions to clients who provide detailed and constructive feedback. This encourages participation and shows appreciation for their time and effort in sharing their thoughts.

Once we have collected a sufficient amount of reviews and testimonials, we can leverage this valuable content in the following ways:

• Website Testimonials: Feature selected testimonials on our website to build credibility and trust with potential clients. Highlighting real-life success stories can help showcase the positive impact of our programs.
• Social Media Promotion: Share client reviews and testimonials on our social media channels to reach a wider audience and engage with our community. Encouraging clients to share their experiences on social media can also help generate word-of-mouth referrals.
• Marketing Collateral: Incorporate client testimonials into our marketing materials, such as brochures, flyers, and advertisements. This social proof can be a powerful tool in attracting new clients and differentiating our services from competitors.
• Continuous Improvement: Analyze the feedback received from clients to identify trends, areas for improvement, and opportunities for innovation. By listening to our clients' feedback, we can adapt our programs to better meet their needs and enhance their overall experience.

Starting a blog on the website for Therapeutic Horse Riding School can be a powerful tool to establish authority in the field, connect with your audience, and improve SEO. By publishing articles related to therapeutic horse riding, success stories, and educational content, you can provide valuable information to your readers while showcasing your expertise and experience.

Here are some key steps to start a successful blog for your therapeutic horse riding school:

• Identify Your Target Audience: Before you start writing, it's essential to understand who your target audience is. Are you targeting individuals with disabilities, families looking for therapy options, or horse enthusiasts interested in the benefits of therapeutic riding? Knowing your audience will help you tailor your content to meet their needs and interests.
• Develop a Content Strategy: Create a content calendar outlining the topics you want to cover, such as the benefits of therapeutic horse riding, success stories from your programs, tips for riders, and educational resources. This will help you stay organized and ensure a consistent flow of content.
• Write High-Quality Articles: When writing articles, focus on providing valuable and informative content that resonates with your audience. Share personal stories, expert insights, and practical tips to engage readers and establish credibility in the field of therapeutic horse riding.
• Optimize for SEO: Incorporate relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and alt text for images to improve your blog's visibility in search engine results. By optimizing your content for SEO, you can attract more organic traffic to your website and reach a wider audience.
• Share Success Stories: Highlight the impact of your therapeutic horse riding programs by sharing success stories from participants who have benefited from your services. Personal testimonials and case studies can inspire others to try therapeutic riding and showcase the positive outcomes of your programs.
• Collaborate with Experts: Invite guest bloggers, therapists, instructors, and healthcare professionals to contribute to your blog. By collaborating with experts in the field, you can provide diverse perspectives and valuable insights to your readers, enhancing the credibility of your blog.
• Promote Your Blog: Share your blog posts on social media, newsletters, and relevant online forums to increase visibility and drive traffic to your website. Engage with your audience, respond to comments, and encourage sharing to build a community around your blog.

Google Ads Campaign

Launching a Google Ads campaign targeting specific keywords related to our services is a strategic approach to attract more website traffic and generate leads for our Therapeutic Horse Riding School. By utilizing Google Ads, we can reach a wider audience who are actively searching for services like ours, increasing our visibility and driving potential clients to our website.

Here are some key steps to consider when setting up our Google Ads campaign:

• Keyword Research: Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant keywords that potential clients may use when searching for therapeutic horse riding services. Focus on long-tail keywords that are specific to our offerings, such as 'therapeutic horse riding for disabilities' or 'horse riding therapy programs.'
• Ad Copy Creation: Develop compelling ad copy that highlights the unique benefits of our services, such as promoting physical and mental well-being, certified therapists, and inclusive programs. Use strong calls-to-action to encourage users to click on our ads and learn more about what we offer.
• Landing Page Optimization: Ensure that our landing page is optimized to provide a seamless user experience and encourage conversions. Include relevant information about our programs, testimonials from satisfied clients, and clear contact information for inquiries.
• Budget Management: Set a realistic budget for our Google Ads campaign to maximize our return on investment. Monitor the performance of our ads regularly and adjust our budget allocation based on the effectiveness of different keywords and ad placements.
• Targeting Options: Utilize Google Ads targeting options to reach our ideal audience, such as location targeting to focus on local clients or demographic targeting to reach specific age groups or interests. Experiment with different targeting options to optimize our campaign performance.

Overall, launching a Google Ads campaign targeting specific keywords related to our services is a cost-effective way to increase our online visibility, attract more website traffic, and generate leads for our Therapeutic Horse Riding School. By implementing a well-planned and optimized campaign, we can effectively reach our target audience and showcase the unique benefits of our programs to potential clients.

Promotional Flyers

Designing and distributing promotional flyers is a key component of our marketing strategy to raise awareness about Therapeutic Horse Riding School and attract potential participants. These flyers will be strategically placed in local clinics, schools, and community centers to reach our target audience effectively. Here's how we plan to design and distribute these flyers:

• Eye-catching Design: Our flyers will feature vibrant colors, engaging images of our therapy horses, and clear, concise information about our services. The design will be visually appealing to grab the attention of passersby and encourage them to learn more about what we offer.
• Highlighting Services: The flyers will prominently showcase the range of specialized horse riding programs we provide, tailored to individuals with disabilities and those seeking a unique form of fitness and therapy. We will emphasize the benefits of horseback riding in improving balance, coordination, strength, and emotional well-being.
• Introductory Offers: To entice new participants, we will include introductory offers on the flyers, such as discounted rates for the first few sessions or package deals for multiple sessions. These offers will create a sense of value and encourage individuals to take advantage of our services.
• Collaboration with Healthcare Professionals: Our flyers will also highlight our collaboration with healthcare professionals and local organizations to ensure that individuals from diverse backgrounds have access to our services. This partnership reinforces our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility for all.
• Call-to-Action: Each flyer will include a clear call-to-action, prompting interested individuals to contact us for more information or to schedule a session. We will provide contact details, such as phone numbers and email addresses, to make it easy for potential participants to reach out to us.

By designing and distributing promotional flyers in local clinics, schools, and community centers, we aim to increase awareness of Therapeutic Horse Riding School and attract individuals who can benefit from our specialized programs. These flyers serve as a powerful marketing tool to communicate our services, introductory offers, and commitment to promoting physical and mental well-being through therapeutic horseback riding.

Sponsor Local Events

One effective way for Therapeutic Horse Riding School to increase brand visibility and show support for the local community is by sponsoring local community events or sports. By partnering with events that align with our values and target audience, we can reach a wider demographic and showcase our commitment to promoting physical and mental well-being through horse riding therapy.

Here are some key benefits of sponsoring local events:

• Brand Visibility: Sponsoring local events allows us to increase our brand visibility within the community. By having our logo displayed prominently at the event, we can attract the attention of potential clients and showcase our services to a larger audience.
• Community Engagement: Sponsoring local events demonstrates our commitment to supporting the community. By investing in events that bring people together, we can show that we are dedicated to improving the well-being of individuals in the area.
• Networking Opportunities: Sponsoring local events provides us with valuable networking opportunities. By connecting with other businesses and organizations involved in the event, we can build relationships that may lead to future collaborations or partnerships.
• Positive Brand Association: By associating our brand with local events or sports, we can create a positive image in the minds of consumers. When people see that we are actively involved in supporting the community, they are more likely to view us in a favorable light.

Overall, sponsoring local events is a strategic way for Therapeutic Horse Riding School to increase brand visibility, engage with the community, and establish positive brand associations. By investing in events that resonate with our target audience, we can effectively promote our services and showcase our commitment to promoting physical and mental well-being through horse riding therapy.

Partnership Announcements

At Therapeutic Horse Riding School , we are proud to announce our recent partnerships with esteemed healthcare professionals and organizations in the community. These collaborations are a testament to our commitment to providing high-quality therapeutic horse riding programs to individuals with disabilities and those seeking a unique form of fitness and therapy.

Through these partnerships, we aim to solidify our credibility and reach by leveraging the expertise and resources of our esteemed partners. By working together, we can expand our reach and impact, ensuring that our services are accessible to a wider audience.

Our partnerships with healthcare professionals allow us to offer specialized programs that cater to the unique needs of our participants. By collaborating with experts in the field, we can ensure that our programs are safe, effective, and tailored to the individual needs of each participant.

In addition to healthcare professionals, we have also partnered with local organizations that share our commitment to promoting physical and mental well-being. These partnerships allow us to reach a broader audience and offer our services to individuals from diverse backgrounds, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all.

• Social Media Announcements: We will be sharing our partnership announcements on our social media platforms to keep our followers informed and engaged. By highlighting our collaborations with healthcare professionals and organizations, we can showcase our credibility and commitment to providing top-notch services.
• Press Releases: We will also be issuing press releases to local media outlets to announce our partnerships and generate buzz in the community. By sharing our news with the press, we can reach a wider audience and attract new participants to our therapeutic horse riding programs.

Overall, our partnerships with healthcare professionals and organizations are a key component of our marketing strategy. By publicly announcing these collaborations on social media and through press releases, we can solidify our credibility and reach, ultimately helping us achieve our mission of promoting physical and mental well-being through therapeutic horse riding.

Customer Experience Training

At Therapeutic Horse Riding School, we understand the importance of providing the highest level of customer service to our participants and their families. To achieve this goal, we are committed to providing specialized training for all staff members to ensure they have the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver exceptional experiences to our customers.

Empathy: One of the key components of our customer service training is empathy. Our staff members are trained to put themselves in the shoes of our participants and their families, understanding their unique challenges and needs. By fostering a culture of empathy, we create a supportive and understanding environment that promotes trust and connection.

Communication: Effective communication is essential in providing top-notch customer service. Our staff undergo training on how to communicate clearly and effectively with participants, their families, and other team members. Whether it's explaining program details, addressing concerns, or providing feedback, our staff are equipped with the necessary communication skills to ensure a positive experience for everyone involved.

Safety: The safety of our participants is our top priority. As such, all staff members receive comprehensive training on safety protocols and procedures to ensure a secure environment for everyone. From proper horse handling techniques to emergency response protocols, our staff are well-prepared to handle any situation that may arise, prioritizing the well-being of our participants at all times.

• Role-playing exercises to practice empathy and communication skills
• Workshops on conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques
• Regular safety drills and training sessions to ensure staff readiness
• Continual education on best practices in customer service and therapeutic horse riding

By providing specialized training in empathy, communication, and safety, we ensure that our staff members are equipped to deliver exceptional customer service that meets the unique needs of our participants and their families. This commitment to excellence sets us apart as a leader in the therapeutic horse riding industry, fostering positive relationships and lasting connections with our community.

Seasonal Promotions

At Therapeutic Horse Riding School , we understand the importance of offering seasonal promotions during holidays or special events to attract new clients and reward loyal ones. By creating a sense of urgency and excitement around our services, we can increase bookings and engage with a wider audience. Our seasonal promotions are designed to not only drive business growth but also to showcase our commitment to providing high-quality therapeutic horse riding programs to individuals of all abilities.

Here are some strategies we implement to offer seasonal promotions:

• Holiday-themed Packages: During major holidays such as Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving, we offer special packages that include discounted rates or additional sessions for clients who book during that period. This encourages new clients to try out our services and rewards loyal clients for their continued support.
• Special Events: We host special events throughout the year, such as summer camps, open houses, or charity rides, where we offer exclusive promotions and discounts to participants. These events not only attract new clients but also create a sense of community and excitement around our therapeutic horse riding school.
• Referral Programs: To reward our loyal clients and encourage them to refer their friends and family, we offer referral discounts or incentives during specific seasons. This helps us expand our client base and build strong relationships with our existing clients.
• Limited-time Offers: We create limited-time offers during peak seasons or special events to create a sense of urgency and drive bookings. These offers may include discounts on group sessions, package deals, or free add-ons to enhance the overall experience for our clients.
• Collaborations with Local Businesses: We partner with local businesses, such as wellness centers, schools, or community organizations, to offer joint promotions or discounts during specific seasons. This not only helps us reach a wider audience but also strengthens our ties within the community.

By offering seasonal promotions during holidays or special events, we can attract new clients, reward loyal ones, create a sense of urgency, and increase bookings at Therapeutic Horse Riding School . Our commitment to providing high-quality therapeutic horse riding programs remains at the core of our promotional strategies, ensuring that individuals of all abilities have access to our services throughout the year.

Ambassador Program

Launching an ambassador program for Therapeutic Horse Riding School can be a powerful marketing strategy to increase brand awareness and attract new clients. By partnering with influencers or satisfied clients who believe in the benefits of our services, we can leverage their networks to reach a wider audience and drive engagement.

Here are some key steps to successfully launch an ambassador program:

• Identify Potential Ambassadors: Look for influencers or clients who have a strong following on social media platforms and a genuine interest in our therapeutic horse riding programs. They should align with our values and mission to promote physical and mental well-being.
• Reach Out and Establish Relationships: Once potential ambassadors have been identified, reach out to them to introduce the ambassador program and discuss how they can promote our services. Building a strong relationship with ambassadors is crucial for long-term collaboration.
• Provide Training and Resources: Offer training sessions to ambassadors on our programs, services, and key messaging points. Provide them with promotional materials, such as images and videos, that they can use to create content for their networks.
• Set Clear Expectations: Clearly outline the expectations for ambassadors, including the frequency of posts, types of content to create, and key performance indicators to track the success of the program. Regular communication and feedback are essential for a successful partnership.
• Incentivize Ambassadors: Consider offering incentives such as discounts on services, exclusive merchandise, or commission-based rewards for ambassadors who drive referrals and conversions. Recognizing and rewarding their efforts can motivate ambassadors to actively promote our services.
• Track and Measure Results: Implement tracking mechanisms to monitor the performance of the ambassador program. Analyze key metrics such as reach, engagement, and conversion rates to assess the impact of the program and make data-driven decisions for future campaigns.

Analytics Review

Regularly reviewing marketing analytics from the website, social media, and ad campaigns is essential for the success of Therapeutic Horse Riding School . By analyzing data and metrics, we can identify successful strategies that are driving traffic and engagement, as well as areas for improvement to optimize our marketing efforts.

One of the key benefits of reviewing analytics is the ability to track the performance of our marketing initiatives. By monitoring website traffic, social media engagement, and ad campaign metrics, we can gain valuable insights into what is resonating with our target audience and what may need adjustment. This data allows us to make informed decisions about where to allocate resources and focus our efforts for maximum impact.

Through analyzing website analytics, we can track key metrics such as traffic sources, page views, bounce rates, and conversion rates. This information helps us understand how visitors are interacting with our site and where there may be opportunities to improve user experience and drive conversions.

Similarly, monitoring social media analytics provides valuable insights into the performance of our social media posts, including reach, engagement, and follower growth. By identifying which types of content are generating the most engagement, we can tailor our social media strategy to better resonate with our audience.

Additionally, analyzing ad campaign analytics allows us to measure the effectiveness of our paid advertising efforts. By tracking metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and return on ad spend, we can optimize our ad campaigns to reach the right audience and drive desired actions.

• Successful Strategies:
• Identify top-performing content on website and social media
• Track conversion rates and lead generation from ad campaigns
• Monitor audience demographics and behavior to tailor marketing efforts
• Areas for Improvement:
• Identify underperforming content and optimize for better results
• Adjust targeting and messaging in ad campaigns based on analytics data
• Experiment with new strategies and tactics to improve overall marketing performance

In conclusion, regularly reviewing marketing analytics is crucial for the success of Therapeutic Horse Riding School . By analyzing data from the website, social media, and ad campaigns, we can identify successful strategies and areas for improvement to optimize our marketing efforts and drive meaningful results.

Networking Events

Attending and participating in relevant healthcare, fitness, and equestrian events is a crucial aspect of promoting our services and expanding our network of professionals in the industry. By engaging with like-minded individuals and organizations, we can raise awareness about Therapeutic Horse Riding School and establish valuable connections that can lead to potential collaborations and partnerships.

Here are some key strategies we will implement to make the most out of networking events:

• Research and Preparation: Before attending an event, we will conduct thorough research to identify key professionals and organizations that align with our mission and values. This will allow us to target specific individuals and make meaningful connections.
• Elevator Pitch: We will develop a concise and compelling elevator pitch that clearly communicates the unique benefits of our therapeutic horse riding programs. This will help us to effectively introduce our services to potential partners and clients.
• Active Participation: During networking events, we will actively engage with attendees by asking questions, sharing insights, and offering our expertise. By demonstrating our passion and knowledge in the field, we can establish credibility and build trust with potential collaborators.
• Exchange of Information: We will exchange contact information with professionals we meet at networking events to follow up on potential opportunities for collaboration. Building a strong network of contacts is essential for expanding our reach and enhancing the impact of our services.
• Promotional Materials: We will bring promotional materials such as brochures, business cards, and flyers to networking events to provide attendees with more information about Therapeutic Horse Riding School . This will help to reinforce our brand and services in the minds of potential partners and clients.

By actively participating in relevant healthcare, fitness, and equestrian events, we can leverage the power of networking to promote our services, establish valuable partnerships, and ultimately make a positive impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities and those seeking a unique form of therapy and fitness.

Accessibility Audit

As part of our commitment to inclusivity and ensuring that all clients can fully participate in our therapeutic horse riding programs, we will conduct a comprehensive accessibility audit of our facilities and services. This audit will involve a thorough examination of our physical premises, equipment, communication materials, and program offerings to identify any barriers that may prevent individuals with disabilities from accessing our services.

Our goal is to create a welcoming and accommodating environment for all clients, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities. By conducting this audit, we will be able to pinpoint areas where improvements are needed and make the necessary adjustments to ensure that everyone can benefit from our programs.

During the audit, we will assess the following key areas:

• Physical Accessibility: We will evaluate the accessibility of our facilities, including parking areas, entrances, pathways, and restrooms, to ensure that individuals with mobility impairments can navigate our premises easily.
• Equipment and Assistive Devices: We will review the equipment and assistive devices we have available to support clients with disabilities during horseback riding sessions, such as mounting blocks, adaptive saddles, and safety harnesses.
• Communication and Information: We will examine our communication materials, including our website, brochures, and registration forms, to ensure that they are accessible to individuals with visual or hearing impairments.
• Program Offerings: We will assess the suitability of our horse riding programs for individuals with different types of disabilities, ensuring that we can cater to a diverse range of needs and abilities.

Once the accessibility audit is complete, we will develop a detailed action plan to address any identified barriers and make the necessary adjustments to our facilities and services. This may involve installing ramps or handrails, providing additional training for our staff, updating our communication materials, or modifying our program offerings to better accommodate individuals with disabilities.

By conducting this accessibility audit and implementing the recommended adjustments, we will be able to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all clients at our Therapeutic Horse Riding School.

Loyalty Program

At Therapeutic Horse Riding School, we value our returning clients and want to show our appreciation for their continued support. That's why we are excited to introduce our new Loyalty Program designed to reward our loyal customers with exclusive benefits and discounts.

Our Loyalty Program offers a range of perks to enhance the experience of our returning clients. Here are some of the key features:

• Discounts: Returning clients will enjoy special discounts on our horse riding programs, making it more affordable for them to continue benefiting from our services.
• Exclusive Access to Events: Loyalty program members will have the opportunity to attend exclusive events such as horse riding clinics, workshops, and social gatherings, where they can connect with other like-minded individuals and expand their horsemanship skills.
• Additional Services: As a token of our gratitude, loyal clients will have access to additional services such as personalized training sessions, horse grooming sessions, or even trail rides, to further enhance their therapeutic horse riding experience.

Our Loyalty Program is our way of saying thank you to our returning clients for their continued support and trust in our services. We believe that by offering these exclusive benefits, we can foster a sense of community and belonging among our clients, creating a positive and rewarding experience for all.

We are committed to providing the highest quality of care and service to all our clients, and our Loyalty Program is just one of the ways we strive to exceed expectations and create lasting relationships with those who choose Therapeutic Horse Riding School for their therapeutic and fitness needs.

Virtual Tours

At Therapeutic Horse Riding School , we understand the importance of providing potential clients with a firsthand look at our facilities and the unique experience we offer. To achieve this, we have implemented virtual tours on our website and social media platforms. These virtual tours allow individuals to explore our premises from the comfort of their own homes, giving them a glimpse into the therapeutic environment we have created.

Our virtual tours are designed to showcase the various amenities and features of our facilities, including our state-of-the-art riding arenas, well-maintained stables, and comfortable viewing areas for spectators. By offering virtual tours, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of what participants can expect when they choose to engage in our specialized horse riding programs.

Through our virtual tours, potential clients can visualize themselves participating in our sessions, interacting with our team of certified therapists and trained instructors, and forming connections with our gentle and well-trained therapy horses. This immersive experience helps individuals understand the benefits of therapeutic horse riding and the positive impact it can have on their physical and mental well-being.

In addition to our website, we actively promote our virtual tours on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. By sharing engaging content and videos that highlight different aspects of our facilities and programs, we reach a wider audience and generate interest among individuals who may be considering therapeutic horse riding as a form of therapy or fitness.

By offering virtual tours of our facilities, we aim to bridge the gap between potential clients and the transformative experience we provide at Therapeutic Horse Riding School . We believe that these virtual tours play a crucial role in showcasing our commitment to inclusivity, accessibility, and excellence in therapeutic horse riding.

Targeted Direct Mail

As part of our marketing strategy at Therapeutic Horse Riding School , we will be implementing targeted direct mail campaigns to households in our community. This approach allows us to reach potential clients directly in their homes, providing them with valuable information about our services, success stories, and special offers.

Our goal with these direct mail campaigns is to raise awareness about the benefits of therapeutic horse riding and how it can positively impact physical and mental well-being. By sharing success stories of individuals who have experienced improvements in their balance, coordination, strength, and emotional well-being through our programs, we aim to inspire others to consider horse riding as a form of therapy and fitness.

Additionally, we will be including special offers in our direct mail pieces to incentivize recipients to take action and try out our services. Whether it's a discount on their first session or a free consultation with one of our certified therapists, these offers are designed to encourage potential clients to take the first step towards improving their well-being through horse riding.

• Personalized Approach: Each direct mail piece will be personalized to address the specific needs and interests of the recipient, making it more likely to resonate with them.
• Call-to-Action: We will include a clear call-to-action in our direct mail pieces, prompting recipients to contact us to learn more about our programs and schedule their first session.
• Measurement and Tracking: To evaluate the effectiveness of our direct mail campaigns, we will track response rates and conversions to determine the return on investment and make adjustments as needed.

By sending out targeted direct mail campaigns to households in our community, we are confident that we will be able to reach a wider audience and attract new clients to Therapeutic Horse Riding School . Through informative content, inspiring success stories, and enticing special offers, we aim to showcase the value of our services and encourage individuals to experience the benefits of therapeutic horse riding for themselves.

Community Workshops

As part of our commitment to promoting the benefits of therapeutic horse riding for individuals with disabilities, Therapeutic Horse Riding School will host free workshops and seminars in the community. These events will serve as an educational platform to raise awareness about the positive impact of horse riding on physical and mental well-being, particularly for those with disabilities.

Our workshops will be led by our team of certified therapists and trained instructors, who will share their expertise and insights on how therapeutic horse riding can improve balance, coordination, strength, and emotional well-being. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the various programs and services offered at our school, as well as interact with our therapy horses and observe demonstrations of therapeutic riding techniques.

By offering these free workshops, we aim to educate the community about the benefits of therapeutic horse riding and dispel any misconceptions or doubts that individuals may have. We believe that by providing valuable information and firsthand experiences, we can inspire more people to consider therapeutic horse riding as a viable form of therapy and fitness.

In addition to educating the community, these workshops also serve as a platform to attract new clients to our school. By showcasing the positive outcomes and success stories of our current participants, we hope to demonstrate the effectiveness of our programs and encourage individuals to enroll in our classes.

Furthermore, these workshops will provide an opportunity for us to collaborate with healthcare professionals, local organizations, and other stakeholders in the community. By working together, we can reach a broader audience and ensure that our services are accessible to individuals from diverse backgrounds, promoting inclusivity and diversity within our school.

• Educate the community about the benefits of therapeutic horse riding
• Showcase the expertise of our certified therapists and trained instructors
• Provide firsthand experiences and demonstrations of therapeutic riding techniques
• Attract new clients to our school
• Collaborate with healthcare professionals and local organizations

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