What Horses Can Teach Us About Business and Branding
As horse people, we understand the profound impact our energy, body language, and intentions have on the dynamic with our horses. What if we approached our businesses the same way? Throughout the past few years of reframing how I interact with horses, I have simultaneously been learning how to build a brand and business, and I’ve seen so many overlaps of lessons.
Here’s how working with horses mirrors the art of building and maintaining a brand:
Your Business Reflects Your Energy
Horses are experts at reading us—they feel our scattered thoughts, our emotions, and even the intentions we try to hide. If we approach them while rushed or disconnected, they remain wary and distant. The same is true for your business. When you rush through tasks or operate from a place of stress, it shows in your branding and communication.
Instead, take a moment to ground yourself before diving into your workday:
- Breathe and check in with your energy. Are you calm and present, or chaotic and distracted?
- Set your intention. Be clear about what you want to achieve without pressuring yourself for a perfect outcome.
- Embrace flexibility. Just as each interaction with a horse is unique, so is every day in your business.
Be Present, Find Flow
Imagine visiting your horse in the field. You rush through feeding and chores, barely paying attention. They sense your disconnection, so they either ignore you or actively disengage. Now imagine pausing for five minutes to center yourself. When you approach them this time, you find a moment of connection—a feeling of flow that leaves you more alive. You KNOW that this is how we connect with horses deeply, but sometimes, we still are in a rush, because, well.. life.
But what if took these same concepts and applied it to your work. What if you approached your business like you would a horse in the field? Coming to your business tasks with intention and presence instead of scattered thoughts and hectic movements (easier said than done!)
This would absolutely help you create more focused, effective work in a more efficient way, when we are focused and not bombarded by distraction, we can tap into that liminal space of FLOW.
This inherently builds stronger connections with your audience because they will feel your commitment and grounded energy emanating from what you share.
Branding Strategies Inspired by Horses
Just like a horse’s response mirrors your energy, your brand reflects your authenticity and alignment. Here are equine-inspired strategies to cultivate a harmonious brand:
1. Ground Yourself in Your Brand’s Identity
Take the time to clarify your brand’s mission, values, and personality. These act as your “grounding exercises”—they keep your branding congruent and authentic, just like staying present with your horse keeps your connection strong.
2. Set Intentions, Not Expectations
When marketing your equine business, focus on creating value and connection instead of obsessing over results. Let your audience come to you naturally, drawn by your energy and message.
3. Give Yourself Space and Grace
Horses need time to process and build trust, and so do you. Allow time for creativity and strategy in your work, knowing that slow, intentional efforts often lead to the best results.
4. Embrace Authenticity and Congruence
Your audience, like a horse, can sense when something feels off. Consistency and alignment between your values, voice, and visuals are key. For instance, if you’re an equine business that values connection, your logo, website, and messaging should all reflect this.
5. Delegate to the Herd
A herd thrives when members take on their roles. In your business, this means knowing when to outsource tasks like horse logo design, web development, marketing strategy, accounting, social media management, etc. to professionals who align with your vision. Lean into your strengths and use your gifts to propel your business forward and outsource the things you find difficult or less desirable to someone who thrives in those spaces. Because, as we know, herds are not top-down tiers, they are a fluid, dynamic ecosystem, leaders stepping up as needed in the fields that they are confident in.
Congruence in Branding
Being congruent in your branding is non-negotiable. You know it to be true if you approach a horse with a sense of uncertainty or fear, yet you are portraying a “tough guy” persona, this sends your horse/clients running or they simply can’t understand you. If your branding isn’t aligned with your values or audience, if you are sending any kind of mixed messages, whether it’s the type of voice you use for videos vs how you write, it creates confusion.
From equine-inspired logos to cohesive visual identities, I create designs with clients that represent who they truly are, what their purpose and work is, and we create visual worlds that allow potential clients to step through and immediately sense who they are. My goal is to help equine businesses create branding that reflects their unique voice and story, ultimately, helping spread their messages to more people, leading to more change in the horse industry as a whole.
Are You Ready for the Next Level of Your Business?
Your relationship with your horse is built on trust, presence, and intentionality, so bring that same energy to your business and branding. By grounding yourself, setting clear intentions, and staying authentic, you’ll not only create a brand that feels alive but also build connections that inspire loyalty and growth.
Ready to connect with your audience with someone who understands horse language and the audience that you’re catering to? Let’s create something beautiful together.
Let’s Create Something Beautiful
That represents you and your business in the most authentic way.
