PART 11:  I AM A VET, FARRIER, BARN MANAGER. WEBSITES? COME ON, THEY NEED ME!

Some farriers, trainers, boarding facility and veterinarians announce, like a badge of honor that they aren’t computer savvy. But like it or not, all equestrian business in this day and age are going to be dealing with the Internet and the World Wide Web — even if they never put their fingers on a keyboard or place their palm over a computer mouse.  The equestrian business owner (Farriers, Trainers, Boarding Manager and Veterinarians) may pretend the Internet doesn’t exist — but horse owners don’t. 

Any problem, from feeding issues, to shoeing, to barn management, the owner of a horse is going to be online, on their phone, before you go back to your office or ride. They are going to look up exactly what you said in order to verify, in a matter of minutes, information that you have spent 20+ years acquiring.  If they don’t like your answer, your prices or your thinking, they will find similar business that may give them another option.

The equestrian business owner may pretend the Internet doesn’t exist — but horse owners don’t.

That might not be the worst thing, but as anyone who has looked on the Internet is all too aware, in addition to that information, horse owners also have access to myths, rumors and outright lies — often presented as absolute facts.

Elsbree, an American Farrier’s Association certified journeyman farrier from Greenville, N.Y., says he had his own Internet epiphany while shoeing for a client with a background in scientific research. “She had a horse with a quarter crack,” Elsbree recalls. “She looked up quarter crack on the Internet and I had to listen and respond. Suddenly I realized that horse owners will not “just believe us anymore…they are going to check.”

“Suddenly I realized that horse owners will not “just believe us anymore…they are going to check.”

This new method of prices/solutions and more does work  both ways.  While the horse owner may be questioning your prices or solutions, they are also questioning others for their answers. The question is…is your business going to be among the possible online solutions they find?  Or will your competitors take up the space.

The question is…is your business going to be among the possible online solutions they find?   

This is the question every equestrian business owner had to ask themselves. Is the lack of their own internet presence “ok”, with the harsh reality that a horse owner will increasingly be using the web to find their solutions and providers?  To compare prices.  To find out who is in the area.  To question your solutions. To compare your services.

Or is it time to expand your network of possible clients so that you have the luxury of picking and choosing?