07/08/2025
100%! I couldn’t run WillowWood without my amazing daughter, Natty Mohr. She manages the business seamlesly. And we are both grateful for our wonderful team here starting with the incomparable Abby West. Her dedication, hard work, skillset, support and loyalty are second to none. The humans and horses of WillowWood love and appreciate you 💜🦄🤎🐴
Behind every smooth running agistment property is someone juggling an endless list of responsibilities , often 24/7, 365 days a year.
It’s not just turning horses out, filling hay nets, or picking paddocks.
It’s not just answering messages, managing enquiries, or keeping the arena perfect.
It’s running a sanctuary. Not just for the horses but often for their owners too. And it’s done with little rest, sometimes little thanks, and a financial and physical load most people will never see.
People see happy, well-fed horses in the paddocks.
They don’t see the 5am starts followed by late-night client messages.
They don’t see the knot in your stomach when the hay bill lands, or the quiet stress of another cost increase that can’t be absorbed forever.
They don’t see you mucking out alone on Christmas morning, or pacing the paddock with a torch at 2am checking a colicky horse.
They don’t see the guilt of running a business while caring for animals like family, trying to keep it affordable for their owners.
They don’t see the heartbreak of telling someone it’s time to move their horse on, or worse, breaking the news that their horse didn’t make it through the night.
They don’t see the love in every feed prepared, every rug change, every “just popping out to check them again” when you should be sleeping.
And behind all that? Navigating insurance, safety standards, welfare scrutiny, compliance, staffing, and ever-rising costs.
Because running an agistment property isn’t just a job. It’s a life. It’s responsibility, love, pressure, and passion rolled into a role that never truly ends.
Yes, there’s an agistment fee, but it could never reflect the true cost: financially, physically, mentally, or emotionally. Sick days don’t exist. Holidays are rare. And yet, we keep showing up for the horses, for the owners, for the love of it all.
So if your agistment owner says prices need to go up, take a moment to think about why. It’s almost never about profit , it’s about survival, sustainability, and keeping the standard of care your horse deserves.
And to every other agistment owner and manager out there, you’re not alone. You are seen, you are valued, and what you do matters more than you know. 🐴❤️