Let me introduce you to Bill Hachmeister! Bill is a serious competitor in equine obstacle competitions, a former serious softball competitor, but he is also a beloved son, father, husband, and grandfather. Bill was selected to be on the national board for the Country Tough Trail...
The Illinois Horse Fair was held in Springfield, IL March 2-4, 2018! Amongst all the excitement from vendors, clinicians, and spectators, a huge draw was to the breed show. The breed show showcased around twenty different acts from sidesaddle, Appaloosas, trick riders, American...
Have you ever had someone demand something when you would have gladly done it if they would have asked nicely? Have you ever had a boss that was too bossy? Think about how much more could get done if every request was asked, then told, and then demanded. This is the basis of...
First, if you are having trouble with your horse, do not be afraid to seek help from a trainer or clinician. Do not feel like a lesser rider by wearing a helmet, and ride with others until you have overcome any issues. Your safety always needs to be a priority!
In my world, I must...
As a host, you are not going to be perfect. As soon as you can come to terms with this inevitable truth, you will regain hours of sleep and find a peace of mind that is priceless. Follow me through a journey of a few of my face first fumbles I have encountered as a host.
#1 ...
Prizes for an equine competition allow you to connect with your competitors, acknowledge their accomplishments, have fun, and promote your event! Prizes can range in price, size, and usefulness. With my husband and I hosting for several different organizations at our equine facility...
Finding courage and motivation is a difficult task and gets harder and harder to find as we add candles to our birthday cake each year. I, too, find myself doubting and fearing being made fun of or just utterly failing and looking like I have never been on a horse in my life. I found...
As a facility owner and event host, I have seen the same situations time after time. Here are some tips to assure you have an even more enjoyable time while venturing out to trail riding and event facilities.
Negative Coggins Test and Health Certificates
When you pull into a facility for...
Ribbons can motivate people and become a joyous reminder of achieving a sought after goal. Ribbons do not get enough credit for what they do for a person’s sense of pride. Through owning a trail riding facility that hosts numerous events throughout the year in everything ranging...
Having rules or guidelines in place will help you keep your facility or the location of your event in tip top shape! You cannot assume that people will know what is expected, especially since we all have different backgrounds and experiences. My husband and I own a trail riding facility...
If you are a host of any obstacle competition, after a few events you start drawing a blank on how to change things up and keep people raving about your events and coming back! Here’s the deal, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. The key to having new obstacles is to...
There are ways to design your course for your competition to run smoothly and time efficiently. Understanding the two major types of obstacles will help you begin designing a course that people will rave about and look forward to returning to in the future. There are typically two...
