Horse Business Question.....?

Question

I am a Grand Prix rider and trainer. I have many students and horses in training that I freelance with. I was thinking about renting a barn and starting a business at it.

My problem is that I am a trainer not a show person. I hate to compete so the only name I get for myself is by word of mouth or by the horses I train and work with.

Should I rent a barn?

Do you guys see me being successful at it?

Answer 1

with economy problems sorry I dont. No one has enough money now a days to go ride horses let alone pay for what your offering, I say do what you are doing now and save more money up so when the economy's problems are semi taken care of then you can jump on it and spread your name farther than people's mouths and by your trained horses. goodluck!

Answer 2

I would not make this venture your primary income, or even expect that for a few years. I've seen it before, be careful with it. If you do a good job, as you say, they will come back. You work will speak for its self. Check demand first, ask around, who would use you?........and for how long?.......what would they pay?

research the water by every means available to you, before diving in, If you ask around enough, and log all your info, and research it all very carefully, you would be able to just about tell yourself what you can do in terms of income/overhead. Keep in mind, the economy is not the best right now, equine is "non-essential" and can become a stark market in the wink of an eye, but i think if you plan, research, and recognize every benefit/risk before hand, and play your cards right, that yes, you could do it. Start small, do NOT! tell yourself you are in business in a week, Tell yourself you are going to be fully operational, and fully self contained, and funded in 5 years, make a reasonable goal. In five yours, with hard work, and "word of mouth, the sky is the limit for a smart individual with sound work ethic. Good luck!

Answer 3

As you already know how much income you have from the freelancing and how much the barn will be, you can get a pretty good idea whether this makes financial sense or not.  Will your customers change barns to be with you?  Will you have the equipment to train for Grand Prix?  Arena?  Turnout?  All things you will need to make a go of it.

I think Grand Prix people generally have enough money to weather this kind of economy.  

The real drawback is the showing.  Are you willing to take others as their coach?  That's one way to get your name out.  If a horse you've trained is being shown somewhere, at least go watch the show, talk to folks, pass your card around.

I don't know you personally, so I don't know if you'd be successful or not.  I do know certain attributes will contribute to success:

*  Good with people!  No matter how good your horse skills are, you'll never make it unless you're also good with people.

*  Business saavy.  Accounting, insurance, contracts, hiring, firing, staff management, money management

*  Salesmanship.  Absolutely essential.  You are selling YOURSELF.  Are you outgoing, confident, the kind of person who can walk up to a group and make friends?  Are you willing to learn salesmanship?  If no to both, then no.

*  Horsemanship.  Yes, this is the least important when it comes to this kind of business (think Parelli).

See if you can get a partnership with someone who does showing - even a silent partnership, just so your joint name gets out there.  Ask your clients if they'd be interested.  Seek funding.  Get to know anyone you can who might refer clients - farriers, vets, horse show people (stewards, entry booth, judges, parents, riders), etc.  Advertise.  

Good luck!  Sometimes a dream is worth following, even when it's risky.

Answer 4

first off, everyone is right when they say the economy is down.  if it's not you're primary source of income you may want to try it, but try it in smaller steps.

go to a barn, get some clients for a few years, that'll give you alittle time to build up a small bizz, as well as see how the economy plays out in those years.

after you're sure you have good clients/an area that is populated with .. nicely put "more well off."then you may want to take the step to rent a smaller barn. again you can always slowly work up to the bigger stuff . . . if time and the economy gets back on track.

in any case, it is a high risk investment if you choose to do it. just remember smaller steps and wait to see if the economy gets better/when you have good clients willing to follow you to a new place.

Answer 5

If this is something you really want to do you may want to check into an area private school.

They usually like to have a riding program and a place for the students to board their horses.

We had one when I lived in NH.  (Brewster Academy)

A local woman had a program at the barn she leased...20 horse stall-indoor arena-outdoor arena-poor turn-out but that didn't matter since their was a trail system across the street and the girls showed all of the time.  She made good money with the Academy.

You could advertise for someone that was versed in showing and then see if they would want to do this with you.

Once you get this person then I would get the barn and insurance.

Good luck with whatever you do!

Answer 6

Not in this economy. I am sorry to say, but you might as well take your hard earned money and thrown it out the front door.

Even die hard equestrians have curtailed their equestrian endeavors. With gas, hay, utilities and unemployment what they are.... I couldn't in good conscience recommend it.

Its just too iffy right now.

Read some of the recent posts. People are on hard times to the point where not only are they abandoning their equine activities, some are abandoning their equines as well

Hope the future turns around for you!

Answer 7

With the way the world is going with the teens and other kids and the economy right now I don't think its best for you to rent a barn maybe you should work out of a friends or family members first and see how many kids or customers you get first then I would say if the numbers are good rent the barn! Good luck to you!

Answer 8

if right now you have a sready income that could hold the barn anf its horses with no income from it then go for it(includes people you know will get lessons from you. otherwise no.

Answer 9

find a show person and start a barn together

Answer 10

I agree with Twilight Star.  The economy is so bad that now is a terrible time to begin a business that people can't afford.  With prices of everything through the roof, most people are concentrating on the basics, food, housing, insurance just feeding what horses they have.  What you are offering is a luxury and in better economic times, people might go for it.