Equestrian Business? Is it worth it?

[TheSubwayDino]

Hi all,
So I was thinking of possibily starting a horsey business at some point in the future of rugs, head collars, boots ect. Ive already found a manufacturere so i got that part out of the way.

However, how do I get the business out there? As of right now, I post polework diagrams that have received constant followings, comments and stuff- built a little community on instagram and facebook lol

Its honestly quite hard making things that would stand out or be recongisable.. I honestly dont know if its worth doing it or not as a whole.

I dont want to dwell on it too much since ive got other stuff but I would like to do something like this in the next 5-8 years or so

 

[I'm Dun]

Focus on school and your exams. It will stand you in FAR better stead than constant pipe dreams about the future. The time your spending on all this stuff, even 20% of that spent studying would make a huge difference.

But to answer the question, no its not worth doing. The market is overly saturated, mark ups are tiny and customers can be downright vile.

 

[WispyBegs]

I would definitely say you would probably have to do something quite unique to stand out…
There are so many options in the current market and the big retailers can afford to have the prices considerably cheaper than smaller start ups.
I would say TikTok and Instagram appear to be the way to market your business at the moment!
I’d like to give your polework Instagram account a follow if you’d be happy to send the username? I also have a horsey account ?

 

[[153312]]

I'm dun is right

It takes a lot of work - and even then it is hard to be profitable - so you need a fallback, and that is recognised qualifications. There's nothing stopping you trying to start a horsey business when you have those, but at least then if it goes becomes clear it won't work out you'll not be a long way up sh1t creek without a paddle. Plus it is often said that the fastest way to turn your dream into a nightmare is to try and make money off it.

 

[sbloom]

Doing anything in the horsey industry is bl88dy hard, trying to manufacture stand out products is even harder, whether trying to make in the UK or dealing with the insanity that is international trade.

 

[Orangehorse]

Think how much capital it will need. You will need to pay a manufacturer up front for a minimum amount and then have all that stock (and your money) sitting in boxes needing to be sold. How many do you sell before you cover costs - manufacture, postage, advertising, not forgetting YOUR TIME, how much per hour will you be earning.

I would say that no,it isn't worth it because there is so much competition from established firms.

 

[TPO]

Honestly nope. People want trusted brands and there are already plenty of non-branded products on the market.

Rugs are a minefield. Standards have dropped since manufacturing went overseas but the costs of manufacturing in the UK are sky high. Consumers just won't pay when there is already so much choice.

Even opening a tack shop or sorts doesn't appear worth it these days. Anyone can get trade accounts with no minimum purchase with bottom of thr market brands but the market is already flooded with people who have done the same. The minimum purchase for established brands is thousands.

In recent times I know of one person who's put a LOT of work into opening a tack shop. They started by visiting yards and having pop up stands at show centre then invested in a trade stand and did more shows. From then they could d'art buying in better brands and eventually opened a small shop. As well as running the shop and attending shows they were VERY active on social media over all platforms.

They moved to a bigger shop and have been at bigger shows with a very large trade stand (Badminton, Blair, your horse, going to hickstead etc). They put a post up over the weekend saying the shop will be shut an additional weekday as they don't make enough weekday sales to have the shop open full time.

They have a niche unique selling g point that's highly promoted, lots of likes and followers, at all the big events and its still a big struggle all these years later.

People are shopping around to find everything online as cheap as possible. It's really sad but ot is starting to feel like tack shops have had their day and only the long established ones have any chance.

Online market is flooded and the good ones have a huge stock.

I honestly don't see how anyone could come close to making a living selling headcollars and saddle pads. It would need to be some sort of breakthrough with scientific evidence to break into the boot market and more people are moving away from boots anyway.

There are still things out there to be invented for sure but I just don't see how what you detailed in your OP would work in the current climate

 

[rabatsa]

Then there is the insurance consideration with stock not being covered on house insurance as it is a business. How sniffy is your local council as ours at the first hint of a property being used as a business property want business rates, which have to be paid all year round, this killed my sisters guest house as the season did not bring in enough to cover the winter months.

A local shop has just put out a post via facebood and mailing list about how hard it is to keep going and begging for support. The card machine eats a lot of their margin on products sold.

There are a lot of hidden costs in trying to run a business, and that is without counting the hours you have to put in and no holidays or days off unless you can pay someone to cover for you.

 

[sbloom]

@rabatsa unless you have people ie customers coming and going from a property very regularly then it's more working from home and you don't get charged business rates.

 

[rabatsa]

@rabatsa unless you have people ie customers coming and going from a property very regularly then it's more working from home and you don't get charged business rates.

That is nice to know and I will have to inform the lady in the village that blocks the post office up with her parcels, or rather did.

 

[Kaylum]

Anyone can get an account nowadays they don't check your references for wholesale accounts. Indian orders they may send you samples and you have to pay full price for and these are very well made as they aren't theirs. When your order comes and they aren't the same quality. You cannot send them back and you have already paid.