01/22/2025
“They do it for the money” has come to acquire a negative connotation within the horse world.
It implies that a person trying to make a living in the horse industry, does so by being dishonest, and has no care for the horse’s well-being and success, as well as no care for their past, present, or future client’s well being and success.
Unfortunately, these people do exist, and while every facet of the horse industry has these people, I don’t believe them to be the majority.
In reality, every entrepreneur and business owner should be doing it for the money. Otherwise, what’s the point? If not to allow yourself complete financial freedom and quality of life.
Horses only go two ways— you either choose the path that they are your hobby, or, you choose the path that they must be your source of income.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with horses being a hobby. Hobby horse owners, are the majority.
However, there should be no complaints about any equine related expenses if they are chosen to be your hobby.
Horses are both high risk and expensive—in either chosen path.
As a hobby, these are expenses you have chosen and are committed to the fact that they will never make a return to you.
As a business, these are expenses your horse is fully responsible is to pay for, by themselves.
Jesse and I cannot afford horses as a hobby, so we chose the business path.
I have found over the years that my passion is serving others— through horses.
I became invested in other people’s horse dreams and goals. How I can serve, is by helping others achieve those goals through the horse they are looking to purchase next.
As entrepreneurs, we understand that not every investment will be successful.
Much with horses and people is out of our control.
With the proper built business model in place, you can absolutely be ahead of the curve though, playing offense, combatting many potential financial obstacles, instead of feeling like you’re playing defense.
For Jesse and I, getting the business started back in 2012, was hard.
We had no investors, no partners, no financial help from family, and no outside financial income, other than our bi-weekly ranch hand paychecks (which was very minimal).
There was zero guide or model to emulate.
The how-tos of buying, selling, and marketing horses, and how to be truly profitable, was not a publicly discussed matter.
We were on our own… but we’ve always wanted to be independent, and fully dependent on ourselves within our business.
We knew we needed to figure it out, if we wanted horses to stay in our lives long term. Since we can’t afford them as a hobby, this was the chosen path to continue staying in a life that we enjoy.
Horses are high risk investments.
We ask ourselves before each investment (in & outside the horse world), “Can we afford to live, and independently move on with our lives, if this investment does not make its return?”
If the answer for us is yes, we move forward, knowing that there is still a chance it does not go as planned. When a horse investment does not make its return to us, of course it stings. But we’re not going to end up in hot water over something that wasn’t already thoughtfully planned out beforehand.
Our first large, SCARY horse purchase was for $1,000. I’m pretty sure both Jesse and I scraped our money together for that one.
At the time, this gelding was the most expensive horse we had bought.
99% percent of our business is and always has been, picking the right horse. A skill all in its own.
Knowing what the right horse is for your sales program, what the right horse is for that particular sector of the horse industry, and most importantly…fully understanding your niche of clientele.
The other 1%?
Blood, sweat, and tears, and hopeful, wishful thinking that that horse meets your expectations, and doesn’t injure himself or expire beforehand.
The horses need to pay for our blood, sweat and tears.
Jesse and I have always broken it down to an hourly rate.
We set a goal for each individual sales horse. They must pay us a certain hourly rate at which they become profitable. Every horse is a little different.
The horses have to pay you for all of your time.
Feeding, doctoring, hauling to appointments, hauling to neighboring places, cleaning pens etc.
The horses are also responsible for paying for their shoes, their vet appointments, their feed, tack, equipment, and all of their hard-earned, very well deserved modalities.
They also need to pay for the hours, days, months spent looking for them…the hours on end scrolling FB/websites, the hours on the phone, watching sales videos, drive time to try them, fuel, wear/tear on the truck & trailer, Pre-purchase exams etc.
Our belief is that our horses need to pay for it all.
We went on to sell that $1,000 horse for $10,500 a few months later.
A 4 yr. old, Grade, draft cross gelding to a wonderful hobby owner who enjoys leisurely trail riding.
That particular horse and client, opened my eyes to a world within the horse industry that gave me so much joy and fulfillment, along with the unique challenges of figuring out the market, and finding our desired clientele.
I couldn’t wait to buy a few more horses, and start the process all over again, just to try for even bigger goals.
That first client and horse shaped our entire buying and selling model tremendously, to what it is today.
Our program is not a one-size fits all.
Each sale horse is treated individually—catered to in their own form of training, their time line of sale, and their own hourly goal rate; all planned with their future type of buyer in mind.
As business owners, Jesse and I’s personal goal is freedom.
Freedom in finances, and in quality of life—spent doing what we love outdoors.
Our horses have provided SO much for us over the years. They have allowed us many things, & have also allowed us to invest in other businesses that are outside the Ag sector.
For that we are extremely thankful.
There should be no shame in “doing it for the money”. You can do right by the horse, as well as your clients…all while operating a business that is in your area of interest and being profitable.
We found something we are passionate about, and we’ve have acquired unique knowledge and certain skills over the years, to figure out how to achieve our goals to work towards the life we desire.
Horses are a privilege to own, and we have had the amazing honor of helping so many amazing people fulfill their dreams through our sales program.
The ultimate end goal for us? That one day, we can afford to have horses as a hobby, with zero pressure on ourselves or the horses having to pay for themselves.
So yes, we do it for the money… for our love of horses, the gratification & joy it brings me to help and serve others, and to allow us our quality of life today, and in our future.
**Pictured is the $1,000 c**t that started our career
