Lexington, KY - Women and horses have always made a winning combination, most recently at the Kentucky Horse Park's second annual "Women and Horses" seminar. Held on February 21, this business-oriented seminar drew about 50 attendees.
Some women were there because they wanted practical ideas on marketing themselves as trainers, riding instructors, or horse therapists. Other attendees were hoping to start new careers in the equine industry. But all of them, even the most ardent horse lovers, came to learn about making a living while following their dream of working around horses.
With a theme of "From Dreams to Profit," the seminar featured six knowledgeable speakers from diverse areas of the equine industry. Each speaker emphasized that if a horse-related business is to succeed, its owner must follow sound business practices, whether the business is a for-profit, such as a tack shop, or a non-profit, such as a therapeutic riding program for disabled children.
Kathy Hopkins, the Horse Park's Director of Operations and seminar organizer, filled in for the first scheduled speaker, Sandy Hatfield, Stallion Manager at Three Chimneys Farm. Her presentation contrasted the two polarizing management styles a new boss is likely to use, "soft" or "hard." Hopkins explained how a middle of the road style was much more effective than either trying to agree to whatever employees want or rigidly controlling everything. "A dream employee is one who is willing and able to do her job [well] and therefore deserves autonomy," Hopkins concluded.
Becky McManus, Director of Leg Up Therapeutic Riding in Tennessee, told the audience how to start and operate a nonprofit horse-related business, from finding an idea through confirming need, obtaining volunteers and financial support, and maintaining the operation. She included a list of websites helpful to any nonprofit business including these:
www.techsoup.org, www.guidestar.org, www.npguides.org, www.board-cafe.org.
Colleen Pace, President of the American Association of Riding Schools and owner of Riverbank Farm in Flint, Mi., spoke of the importance of helping other women become involved with horses and paying back help they had received. She advised attendees to "bring someone with you to horse conferences. Bring someone along wherever you go if it has anything to do with horses and women."
Pace's practical presentation focused on taxes, dealing with customer and employee issues, and insurance. She related some true stories about problems caused by not checking references of employees and other careless practices.
"The most important thing you need if you're going to operate a horse business is insurance," said Laura D'Angelo, equine attorney with Wyatt Tarrant and Combs in Lexington. Some examples of work she's done within the last year or so-arranging the sale and syndication of Big Brown, working out the purchase of part ownership in a race track by an Argentine client, negotiating agreements for mare shares and foal shares, collecting unpaid bills for a boarding stable, advising two clients who are professional bettors-demonstrate the diversity of the equine industry.
Sarah Lane, Senior Communications Specialist for the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF), gave seminar attendees numerous suggestions for promoting their businesses. She discussed the value of networking through online social websites. The USEF's webpage of FaceBook has attracted over 7,000 members. USEF also has a social and equine business page at www.club equestrian.com which is linked from its main website.
The seminar's keynote speaker was Maggie Moss, an Iowa attorney whose winning racing stable earned her the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's Owner of the Year Award two years ago. Her unconventional past, humorous remarks, and genuine affection for animals elicited frequent laughter and applause from the attendees.
Eighteen years ago the idealistic Moss was burned out as a public defender. "My clients were stealing my purse. I had a husband I couldn't stand and no horses in my life. Then my father and my brother were killed in a plane crash. My dad's farm was going to be soldÖwithin a month I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis."
Told she had to stop working because the stress would make her disease worse, Moss moved in with her mother for a time. Then "I came back to the animals because they made me happy. The horses, the animals have never let me down," she said. She determined to make a living from racing, making enough money to support herself and care well for her horses.
"I can't spend the money that most horse owners can [but] I have to compete with some of the wealthiest people in the world. How do I do it? I outwork them," she confided.
Moss learned that she could win over more experienced trial lawyers if she outworked them, so she's brought that work ethic to racing. "I'm working harder now than I ever worked in a triple homicide [trial]. I watch racing all day. I study the forms," she said.
Moss said that "good businesses are run by watching your overhead. I'm diligent about watching my overhead." Reflecting on the seminar's theme, she said, "if you love something, the money will follow. If you love the money, probably nothing will follow."
Moss doesn't race two year old horses and when her horses have been racing for some months, she gives them a rest for a month or two. She's disillusioned about the lack of care for racehorses and the horse slaughter traffic, "but I think I can make a difference." Moss added, "I give back quietly. I claim horses and retire them [from racing]. I give what money I can to the retirement facilities [for former racehorses]."
Some attendees were already making plans to attend next year's "Women and Horses" seminar. Information about it will be in the Horse Park's newsletter in January, 2010.