Learn, Ride and Have Fun!
by Karen Pickering
Recently, I took a Roger Braa micro clinic at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds. It was an evening of fun, learning and insight into the sport of ranch sorting. This is just one of the many things I’m blessed to enjoy in this industry. It’s a busy lifestyle of riding, writing, photographing and videoing events for the magazine and website. My biggest enjoyment is the number of people I have the privilege of meeting and spending time with.
There seems to be an eruption of new activities in the horse world. There are so many beginners out there that have figured out this horse stuff is fun and they want to get plugged in. It’s the beauty of what I do: connecting people with activities. Since I started the Northwest Horse Source in 1995, it has evolved at a rapid rate. Technology has given us so many more opportunities to reach people, beyond the print edition. I invite you to watch our Facebook page and other social media channels for daily updates on things happening in the industry and new information. You can also check out my blog at https://nwhorsesource.com/blog.
March is our Barn and Farm issue. This is one of my favorites; I love dreaming about that new barn. It really can be a reality and we have one of the best companies in the nation right in our backyard. Read about Barn Pros on page 6. They have used technology to create beautiful barns from a kit, revolutionizing the industry and taking the guesswork out of barn building.
Coming up is the Northwest Horse Fair & Expo March 20-23, 2014. This annual event is one of the largest in our region. We will be attending so stop by our booth where we’ll have drawings for great prizes including socks from Noble Outfitters and Whinny Warmers, shopping bags, books and more. For details on the expo visit http://equinepromotions.net/northwest-horse-fair/ See you at the next event!
Gratitude is the open door to abundance. ~ Yogi Bhajan
Published March 2014 Issue
Owner/Publisher Karen’s lifelong love of horses began at a very early age when she wore out a couple of rocking horses before convincing her parents to get her the real thing. That ill-tempered bay gelding, Brandy, was a challenge for the young horsewoman, but it drove her ambition to become a horse trainer. After attending Canyonview Equestrian College’s Horsemanship Program, Karen realized she needed work that was a little more lucrative than training, so she took a job with Customs Brokerage to pay the bills. There, she discovered an affinity for computers and a talent for creating informative, entertaining newsletters. The Northwest Horse Source began as such a letter in December 1995, with a distribution of 1000 copies for its 12 black and white pages. Now 29 years later, it’s an online magazine and website with a reach of over 10,000 per month and growing! Not bad for the results of one woman’s dream to work with horses!
Today, Karen remains involved with every aspect of the magazine and treasures the community of thousands who share a common passion.
