Equestrian team

[Brave_Mucker]

I want to organize an equestrian team to represent our barn. During the winter months we will meet and work on physical fitness as well as ground work with the horses. We will zoom guest lecturers to include sports psychologist, nutritionists, and DVM. The plan is to identify 10 regional shows that we can haul to, sponsor a tent and have a trainer there to help coach the individuals in between classes. The goal is to recruit /open to riders who have full time jobs and want the opportunity to have a great experience.

Would appreciate any ideas that would make this program even better.

[Scribbler]

Are you a trainer or coach? Do you have a regular coach coming to the barn? Do you have facilities to ride through the winter? Do you already have a core group ready to compete or are you all green? What level is your core group? How many riders do you think you can get to sign on? Are you drawing from people already at your barn, and if so how many have expressed interest?

If you don’t have a regular coach at your barn, your best first step is to find one that can attend once a week and give lessons back to back to your team, say on a Saturday or Sunday. Do you have jump standards at your barn, and if not do you have an idea to source?

If your team has access to trailers you can also schedule group outings to the coaches home barn if that is a more sophisticated set up.

I also suggest running the costs. Ten regional shows is a lot. Are you talking week long shows or just weekend shows. If you figure it costs about $1000 all told for most rated shows, your team members are looking at dropping $10,000 each and doing at least two shows a month over the summer. Honestly I don’t think most folks who work for a living could commit to that.

I’d suggest starting but being more modest in goals. Number one should be getting a regular lesson program going. If that’s already happening then look at getting a local Bigger Name Trainer to do a couple of mini clinic days to polish things up. I would look closely at the local show scene and would suggest for the first year you see if you can find a quality nonrecognized show series that has 4 or 5 shows over the summer and it’s own high point awards. Do that series which will be a lower investment of cash travel time and pride, and if you have a good year then look at adding on a recognized show or two the following year.

You might also want to look at starting a Pony Club Seniors chapter if that would be useful for your crowd.

[Brave_Mucker]

Thank you very much Scribbler:
We are an established equestrian center with a full time trainer on site. We have indoor and outdoor arenas, jumps, dressage court…etc.

When I referred to regional shows, I meant one day shows that we would haul to in the morning an return the same day.

My goal is to provide an opportunity for our boarders as well as outside people to have a goal to work towards this spring. We are in the NE. Winters are brutal…we have a large heated room that we can put yoga mats on as well as a big screen that is wifi enabled.

I want to build the reputation of the facility as a fun, innovative center that people enjoy…we will be creating a new product offering that competitive barns in our area are not offering.

[Scribbler]

Ok, that sounds promising!

I would only say as a working adult we tend to prioritize time in the saddle when our schedules are busy. If you can find the right mix of enrichment programs for your crew, and they can fit them into their schedule I can see this being popular. Will they need to pay an additional fee?

[Tha_Ridge]

Are you trying to entice new clients to come board/train at your facility… or? Just speaking for myself—while I’m intrigued by the “extracurriculars” and community you’d offer, my horses and myself are in a training program that we like and we would defer to our current trainer for showing, etc., so I guess I’m not sure where your “members” would come from if not your own facility.

[Pally]

I like the idea in general, and agree with other posters regarding making sure anything showing wise "meshes’ with the regular training and showing programs.

Love the idea of working on rider fitness (and that you have a warm spacious area for it ). I would definitely extend this beyond the word “fitness” (which frankly scares some of us non-gym people) to include things like “body awareness” or “rider alignment” training. It’s all so valuable, and I’m sure you could find lots of great guest lecturers on everything rider.

Don’t forget the horse in your fitness work either. Again, good for every horse, but especially with brutal winters, it can be great to have some clinics/talks on productive things you can do when it’s just too cold/miserable to ride (yes, even with an indoor, it gets there).

Love the idea of an “ask the vet” night. You can look on the horse care forum for topic ideas!

With regards to the shows, like others said above, a lot depends on the current clientele and if you are trying to attract new. If most people already show with a trainer, you probably don’t want to cross over into that. (Could still do the booth of your guest speakers and meetings, if that is open to those outside the barn). If you are looking to get more people into showing, whether currently boarded at your barn or not, there are definitely some opportunities there. Things like “What’s in a show?” for total newbies, where someone experienced sits in the stands, etc, explaining what is going on, what’s being judged, how the day works, etc. “Show buddy” where someone not showing shadows a showing person (and, conveniently, can hold their horse or hand off a bottle of water if needed, though they’re not necessarily a groom) to get ready for showing themselves or participate where they can’t afford/are horseless. I know these things already happen naturally in a lot of barn communities, but since you are talking about a more organized “team” atmosphere, something as simple as a sign-up sheet might get more people coming out.

[Brave_Mucker]

Thank you for the comments. Re a fee, yes. Currently we have boarders traveling on their own as well as non boarders asking about clinics and training. We want to “thread the needle”…find a price point that is comfortable and provide something that is desired.

Appreciate your time responding to this thread…thanks

[Brave_Mucker]

Really like the idea of a “show buddy”…this may be a great opportunity for a boarder to drag their significant other to a show. We are also buying a pop up canopy with sidewalls to provide a dry area for people to sit and have a hot cup of coffee.

[Brave_Mucker]

We have spent a lot of $$ in classic print advertising. When we ask barn visitors how they heard about us they all said it was a vet, farrier, or a friend who recommended our farm. I am hoping that being visible at local shows (20 to 30 mile radius) will have a similar impact.

[trubandloki]

Pony club now allows adults and has several tracks (not simply eventing). Maybe look into becoming a pony club center?
Or doing what one would do as a pony club. Winter clinics in horsemanship things like bandaging, etc.

[SCI]

I think this sounds very interesting. I have a few thoughts I’ll throw out there.

In your description, it sounds like you are trying to increase boarders/lesson students, etc. that will take lessons, attend barn sponsored educational events, and join you at shows, but yet you are talking about charging a membership fee.

As someone who already has a trainer and keeps my horses at home, if something like this were available in my area, I would love to attend some of the educational events and clinics but would still plan to horse show with my current trainer.

To help fund some of these activities, could you charge a small fee per event instead of having a membership fee? By holding regular clinics and educational events, your barn will develop a reputation of offering these services. Still plan to go to shows with your tent and invite clinic participants to stop by and say hello. As people begin to attend more events at/with your barn, they may want to begin riding there regularly.

[findeight]

Maybe rethink calling it a “ team”? That actually would put me off as a working adult who would not be able to make many of these “ team” activities, others who don’t join the “team” might end up feeling left out.

Many well organized training barns offer very similar things to what you propose without putting a “team” tag on it, they even have barn logo jackets, tee shirts, polos and such. Very social but not an organized “team” requiring extra fees on top of regular barn and training services.

“Team” also suggests competition with other teams, some clients will prefer more casual barn time but still like to socialize with barn mates without having to join something to feel accepted. Older, working clients have limited barn time and younger teens and tweens are parent dependent just to get to lessons let alone non riding sessions.

Some very good ideas to improve the barn experience but not in a “team” or even club within the resident client group. By all means bring in outside people to offer additional services but make it available to ALL clients.

I speak as a veteran of half century in all manner of boarding barns and training set ups. Keep it ALL inclusive and be aware non riding things you want to include, like a yoga night, horsemanship lesson, vet lesson etc. may not bring clients ( and parents) to the barn an extra day or stay a few hours later, Much less pay for it.

Far as younger clients, parents are less likely to drop the kids and leave them or give the keys to a 16 year old to go hang at the barn as in the past. For several reasons.

Not trying to be Debbie Downer here just suggesting you think about how this is going to work with your client base, Ask them if they would really spend extra non riding time at the barn and/or bring the kids and if they will join a team within the barn.

[Brave_Mucker]

@SCI

I think this sounds very interesting. I have a few thoughts I’ll throw out there.

In your description, it sounds like you are trying to increase boarders/lesson students, etc. that will take lessons, attend barn sponsored educational events, and join you at shows, but yet you are talking about charging a membership fee.

As someone who already has a trainer and keeps my horses at home, if something like this were available in my area, I would love to attend some of the educational events and clinics but would still plan to horse show with my current trainer.

To help fund some of these activities, could you charge a small fee per event instead of having a membership fee? By holding regular clinics and educational events, your barn will develop a reputation of offering these services. Still plan to go to shows with your tent and invite clinic participants to stop by and say hello. As people begin to attend more events at/with your barn, they may want to begin riding there regularly.

You make a good point. I have noticed that some of our boarders are really enthused about attending shows. They don’t want to go alone. Our trainer has two trailers onsite and the three boarders do not have a trailer. We have three other folks in the barn who are equally interested in showing…no way to get there. During the past three winters it has been slow in the barn. My hope is that by having an organized event that has professional speakers etc we will create an enthusiasm for getting into show shape…and then be successful.

I don’t want to make this a mini clinic because then we have to contend with winter and parking etc etc etc

[Pally]

@Brave_Mucker

Really like the idea of a “show buddy”…this may be a great opportunity for a boarder to drag their significant other to a show. We are also buying a pop up canopy with sidewalls to provide a dry area for people to sit and have a hot cup of coffee.

When I mentioned this, I was kind of thinking of the role SO’s/family often play. But some people don’t have those people in their life (or can’t get them to a horse show) so maybe they would feel more inclined to show if they knew they could get that same support from their “team”. And hey, it might even help convince some of the most reluctant spouses to come out if riders can say, “I promise I won’t make you hold my horse.” Haha.

[trubandloki]

I wonder if you can support the team feel with out actually having a designated team.

Encourage your people to help each other, be there for each other and simply be supportive of everyone from your barn that is showing.

[SCI]

Have you talked to the trainer about going to shows with a group to offer coaching? Could you pay the trainer to trailer those who want to go? I would think if you had a group who wants to show, you could find someone locally to haul the horses for you (for a fee).

Sometimes we just need someone with initiative to get the ball rolling.

I would probably start by picking a show date and telling your barn friends that you’d like to go to that show and see if they’d want to go too. Talk to the trainer (either the in-house trainer or if they don’t want to go, I’d seek out another trainer in the area) about accompanying you and the others to the show. Once you have a head count, look for horsey transportation.

[Always_WIP]

This. At least for the show buddy aspect of this idea, it really seems like it could be served by fostering and encouraging the idea that the entire barn is one big group. This requires no marketing, but at shows it’s assumed that barn mates will help each other when they can, watch each other’s rides, and encourage each other. That’s just part of being one big happy barn family.

At least on the eventing side, this is how every barn I’ve been at operates.