My barn’s not fancy, by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s special. My dad built it for me in the 70s. At one time we had 7 horses inside and a run-in portion for cattle. I had one box stall and several tie stalls for the rest of the horses. Since they were turned out most of the time, I only brought them in during inclement weather.
My barn has had several upgrades since then. We’ve added two very nice box stalls with Eco Green Grid floors, Behlen stall fronts, and easy-access water. It now has a heated tack room and a shop at one end of the building. Even with these improvements, I’ve always longed for a barn with an aisle. My dream barn may look something like the photo below. A heated wash rack and concrete aisleway would be on my list of amenities.
One can always dream—so I do! I’ve been home so much over the last year I’ve spent a lot of time at the barn each day. Although I’m not getting much horse time with the magazine’s pivot from print to digital, I still find my solace in the barn away from computers and media (even my phone usually gets left in the house). Barn time means listening to horses eat and the smell of steamed hay on a cold day. It’s heavenly!
What is your dream barn? What list of things would you want your barn to include? Would you have an indoor arena or outdoor? Watch for more information on building your dream barn. Meanwhile, check out our cover story this month. White Construction Equestrian Services shares their story of building luxury buildings and arena footings for equestrian properties. Read about it on page 6.
Please let us know how you like our digital editions. We’ve added audio so you can enjoy hearing your favorite articles while you’re at the barn. The magazine is easily read or listened to on your smart phone so give it a try. I’ve created a YouTube video on how to get the most from the digital magazine. Check it out here.
Enjoy your riding and driving time!
Quote: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) Diplomat, Lawyer, U.S. President
See this article in the 2021 March online edition:
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.
