New Year, New Direction

Change is Hard but We’re making the pivot!

It’s hard to imagine how much things have changed since I started NW Horse Source in December of 1995. My dream of working with horses was realized! Sitting here 30 some years later I’m grateful for the journey I’ve been on along with my readers and advertisers. As with any business there are ups and downs, disappointments and celebrations. The part I’m most grateful for are the people and horses I’ve met during the 3 decades of the Horse Source adventure.

My business started out as a 16-page newsletter and 1,000 copies. These humble beginnings really taught me a great deal about tenacity and keeping the vision of connecting the horse community alive. I’ve had so much support from our writers over the years who’ve generously contributed quality articles on different disciplines, training, health care and stories of the different businesses that support horse ownership in the Northwest.

I think my favorite part of this journey was getting out in my community and listening to horse owners talk about their challenges and successes as well as the businesspeople who keep the horse industry supplied with goods and services. The horse expos gave us all the opportunity to network with national and local clinicians, the companies that give us products to care for our horses and meeting new friends on the same journey.

I started off with The Northwest Horse Fair & Expo in 2000 and enjoyed serving alongside John and Judith Chloe for over 20 years. It was a great event that brought so many of us together. It’s sad to see these types of venues getting smaller. I struggle daily with the transition from the familiar to the growing online meeting place where horse people are gathering now. The cost of travel, lodging and expo costs have become too much for many people and businesses. I still think it’s one of the most effective ways to meet people, but social media has taken on this role.

I’ve enjoyed many other expos such as the Washington State Horse Expo, The Idaho Horse Expo and even Cal Expo many years ago. I even brought my beloved April to the Washington State Horse Expo one year to attend clinics while still having a booth. I’ve learned so much and met some of the kindest, most helpful people one could imagine.

In 2021 I got the bug to move to Colorado. Drier weather and an opportunity to grow another regional community was appealing. Since moving here, we started the Colorado Horse Source and joined the horse council, attending local events and got entrenched in the horse community here while keeping the Northwest Horse Source my main business and connection to the community that’s my first love.

January 2026 marks the first month with no magazine. We stopped the print magazine 2 years ago and went to digital only while continuing to build our online community with articles, business profiles and the birth of HorseSource.org, a national directory serving the horse industry with over 1900 business listings, real estate, event listings and just recently horse listings. It’s been an exciting adventure to get off the ground.

In addition to building our social media presence we plan on cultivating and expanding our horse community building a platform to share ideas, learn from experts and continue a solid, trusted resource for years to come. I have an amazing team that puts everything together each month, most who’ve been with me over 20 years.

I look forward to your comments, connection and show us where we can continue serving you even better! Thanks for letting me serve you for over 30 years! Send comments to [email protected]

Quote: You were born with the ability to change someone’s life, don’t ever waste it. ~ Dale Partridge – Author