I was listening to a podcast recently where the guest and host were discussing the ins and outs of horse ownership. They suggested that when it comes to getting work done on your horses (like hoof care or veterinary work), to just stay in your lane, “hire the best” and don’t worry about the rest.
I do agree that when you can, hire the best. But I also know that “professionals” can spend tens of thousands of dollars on education… and still be mediocre.
In business, the role of a CEO is to know enough about each part of the organization in order to ensure they are hiring the best person for each position. They are experts in nothing and everything - all at the same time.
As your horse’s CEO, you need to be able to interview said equine experts, have critical conversations, and measure outcomes to know whether you want that person working with your horse in the future.
In the past I’ve hired “the best” equine professionals around only to find out they weren’t good enough. Because that's MY job, to determine if they are. As the only advocate my horse has, I must be able to critically think past someone’s external reputation to determine if their method or modality are actually right for my horse.
Sometimes I’ve been able to find others who were better, and other times I’ve had to fill in the gaps myself.
It is easier for some to say “feed all organic,” “buy the best hay,” or “hire the best professional” but for most horse owners the reality is two fold:
1. You might not live near access to any of these things
2. You may not be able to afford them.
That’s why being the CEO of your horse involves becoming a critically thinking cowgirl and developing the ability to step into the ring of any conversation with a pro in order to advocate for your animal, know when it’s time to hold’em and when it’s time to fold’em. Get the second opinion, listen to your horse, DIY if you have to, and understand that investing in your own education can stretch your dollar a lot further when “the best” might be out of reach.
Happy Horse Keeping-
Addy
