My Story - Horse'n Around

My Story

About Jennifer

We’re from England and my mom, Joan, loved horses. She was the well-rounded one. Dad was a WWII veteran ran feed lots once out of the service. He was tenacious and spoke his mind, so we moved around a lot from the various jobs he worked on and the various employers he told where to go. Eventually, we moved to Canada and it was a natural fit to surround ourselves with animals and hard work. I’m still grateful for that mix of personalities to give me an honest and well- rounded approach to living. I still smile about growing up as a little girl getting pet pigs and sheep as birthday presents. It was a unique upbringing, that’s for sure!

Horses were always a part of my life and it’s hard to remember that “exact moment” things clicked. I do know that I was pretty much self-taught. We couldn’t afford lessons for both my sister and I and well, I was the youngest, so we know how that turned out. Early on I’d practice on Moonlight, my sister’s horse. He was a 16 hand, strong grey and as we started spending more time together, kind of hit it off. While his breed was unknown some just called him a Grade Horse, to me he was just about as magnificent a creature that ever existed.

“…to me he was just about as magnificent a creature that ever existed.”

While figuring things out on my own, my sister’s teen years brought on an interest in things completely non-horse related for her (as will happen with a teenage girl). I saw the opportunity and took every chance I could on Moonlight. Whenever my father would tell me I was too young to help him operate the big machinery, I’d get annoyed and rebel by jumping on him and taking off for hours into the middle of nowhere. “The middle of nowhere”, that’s what they’d call it but to me it was definitely somewhere. I’d ride all day along the roads, me and that horse nattering away and singing to one another, we’d meet friends at the swimming spot on the bridge over the river and take our sweet time getting home. Eventually, I got good enough to enter local shows, because I just loved riding. I was proud of myself because I did it all on my own. I just went and did what needed to be done to get me to these shows because my parents were busy taking care of our farm.

My folks worked long and hard in those days bringing the 3 of us kids up. They ensured we had what we needed and encouraged us to do what we wanted. Having that upbringing and work ethic, along with being surrounded by those animals (my friends) has brought a profound perspective to the way I approach my business. Establishing Horse ‘n Around as a solution to people’s needs is ample evidence of that.

my philosophy

When I got back into riding in my 40’s after my own hiatus, things had changed. It seemed that anyone wanting to ride these days was overloaded with things they had to do, products they needed, rules and regs they’d need to follow. I understand that owning a horse is costly. I understand the responsibility of ownership and I understand that it’s easy to get “caught up” in it all. I don’t just sell products and services, I help facilitate a way of life the people like you and I are lucky to have been exposed to. So, when you’re seeking information, guidance or even a little advice you can bet that I’ll be open and honest with you the way my folks were with me.

Horse’n Around – The Beginning

If you’ve ever heard of inspired action this is how I got started. Some time ago I was needing some repairs done to my horse blankets. I was boarding at a stable, asked around and everyone recommended the same person. The experience wasn’t great and I was amazed there were no other options to choose from. I was looking for another business venture and thought, well, why can’t I be that someone? I started digging and came across a lady that was in the business. She helped mentor me a bit and we had a great chat about how she got started. At the end of the conversation she said to me, “You should open up a consignment store for riding equipment!”. There were none in the area and I could add the blanket service into the mix. The rest, as they say, is history.

Being that horses do all kinds of silly things and get themselves into mischief, the name “Horse’n Around” kinda came naturally. The store opened its doors May of 2011 and was quickly welcomed in the community. There were some bumps and bruises along the way but, I can proudly say that it was all worth it. I wanted it to be a place where you can come in and find what you need, save some money and make your life with your horse as carefree as possible.

“Horse’n Around has been going strong in Red Deer, Alberta since 2011”

How I can help you

There are many reasons why we need to get rid of our tack. Trying to sell privately can be a real hassle and downright frustrating. Horse’n Around is a place that makes it easy for everyone wanting to get in or out of riding. It’s also a great way to recycle all those horsey things we have accumulated over the years. Since opening in 2011, I’ve had the opportunity to expand into a one of a kind tack shop offering a wide variety of products and services. You will be pleasantly surprised when you walk in and have a look around. Everything is very clean and well organized to ensure that you find exactly what you need. Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date on items arriving and what’s happening in the area such as clinics, shows, events, etc. Call or send a message, I am here to help you save money to the best of my ability. Horse’n Around is . . . A Better Way to Ride!

About Jennifer

my philosophy

How I can help you

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