In March, I had the incredible privilege of visiting our clients horseOlogy and GoldMark Farm. Being in the center of the Florida equine industry felt like coming home for this former horse-girl.
There are two kinds of pre-teen horse girls. My best friend, Kristine, took riding lessons at a local barn with a woman named Twila, who I thought was glamorous, even though she had hay in her hair and mud on her boots. And there was me, a daydreaming indoor kid who liked the idea of horses but was convinced they were too big and scary. I was risk-averse and only got on a horse once or twice as a kid. And, honestly, I’ve only been on them a handful of times in my life. But I did collect model horses and had quite a few of them.
When Teona talked to me a few years ago about partnering up with dpeg Marketing as the exclusive content writer for our clients, I was super excited about the direction she wanted to take. And when we began working with horseOlogy, I was over the moon. All the years I spent obsessing over horses were about to pay off in a way I never imagined. From behind the scenes with our clients, I could learn, absorb, and develop the voice for an incredible women-owned thoroughbred business. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Up Before Dawn
You know, I always thought of myself as a morning person. That is until I spent a week at the farm. I usually wake up with the sun and get my day started. In Ocala, my alarm would go off when it was still dark, and I would zombie my way through getting ready, eat a breakfast bar, and make my way to the horseOlogy secret headquarters to start the day. Betsy told me she is fueled by caffeine early in the morning, and I don’t blame her. I don’t drink coffee, but I could see why it would appeal.
The morning is all about observing the horses on the track. They look for changes in their gait and their attitude. Horses communicate almost entirely through body language, so the viewing experience is very subtle. As an outsider, I didn’t know what to spot, but it was clear Betsy and the team knew exactly what they were looking for.
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I’ve Got This
“If Katie and Jena can’t do it, I’ve got it,” Betsy told me. That’s pretty much her job description. If no one else can do it, Besty will. She told me she was raised around horses and always knew she’d work with animals.
I was there in the week leading up to the OBS sale, which meant everyone was extra busy. But if Jena and Katie had to head over to OBS to work on getting the horses settled there, Betsy would still be at the farm, keeping the ship afloat.
There were three mares ready to foal while I was there. Unfortunately for me, none of them had their babies while I was around to see them. But that meant baby watch, and while Jena was away from horseOlogy, Betsy had the helm, and everyone felt a sense of security knowing she had things covered.
Horse Health 101
Along with literally everything else, Betsy is also in charge of horse health. That means coordinating with the equine vet, dentist, and farrier for regular horse wellness. While I was there, the dentist and the farrier came by. Besty ensured everyone was where they needed to be when they needed to be there.
Like much of the other work, much of this is about observation. Betsy can see if there are any significant changes since the last visit and report on those. She focuses on comfort and happiness for humans and horses alike, which is a big part of equine health.
Work Hard, Play Hard
Even though I am usually behind the scenes working on the website or marketing for our clients, I was so happy to be in the office and on the farm with the women of horseOlogy. I have worked alone for so long that I often forget what it’s like to have that level of camaraderie in a workplace with people you like to spend the day with while working toward a common goal. Add an idyllic setting on a farm lined with gorgeous live oaks and beautiful pastures; it doesn’t get much better.
On my last day there, Teona treated us all to lunch, and we sat in the office and chatted while we ate. I was grateful to spend time with Betsy and the rest of the team to experience what a day in the life of horseOlogy looks like. From babies to retired thoroughbreds, every horse on the farm is loved and cared for, and owners couldn’t ask for a better experience.
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