The Stable Secretary Blog

Featured Stable: Tibri

Annie Dotoli and her husband Aster Pieters created Tibri, a successful hunter/jumper show and sales stable located in Rhode Island. Their heartfelt dedication to their students and horses, their incredible work ethic, and their kindness are inspirational. Stable Secretary is grateful for all of the suggestions and feedback Annie has given to help make Stable Secretary into the powerful tool it is today.

Read our interview to find out what makes this Featured Stable so special!

Q: Can you tell us a little about Tibri?

Annie: Tibri is a hunter/jumper show stable located in Chepachet, RI. When my husband, Aster, and I moved back to the U.S. from Europe about 8 years ago, we rented a farm in VT. We were there for about 5 years, and then bought this farm, which was originally built and used for 3-day eventing.

We love this facility for many reasons. We are so lucky to not only have an indoor ring, an outdoor ring, and a derby field, but also miles of trails. This variety allows our horses and riders to train at home in many different situations; they are able to build experience and gain confidence.

Another reason we love this central location in New England is because we are closer to horse shows. We have a broad focus and compete in hunter, jumper, equitation, and pony divisions.

Lastly, we are better able to serve as a sales farm from this location. We import horses for clients, and for our sales program.

Q: Could you comment on some of the differences in the showjumping training in the US versus Europe? Have you implemented any of these differences in your program?

Annie: In my opinion, the main differences are that in Europe, the rider has a larger amount of self-responsibility, and riding is viewed more plainly as a sport. It seems in Europe that riders are taught the skills to get the job done. And the show piece is based and viewed as a riding competition.

These are traits that we work on with our riders here. In lessons, we teach the appropriate tools to learn and advance. We want to give our riders information that they can then use to think on their own. This helps them in the show ring. If they encounter a problem, they can react and tackle it.

Q: What has been the top challenge(s) in managing a barn and how has Stable Secretary made your life easier?

Annie: The top challenge for me was record keeping. Before Stable Secretary, I would spend time at the end of each day or week recording services, and at the end of the month, I would use those records to generate invoices. Stable Secretary has eliminated this redundancy. Whether at home or at a show, I can input information on the spot, straight from my phone, and I can produce invoices now at the click of a button. This software is user friendly and a time saver!

Plus, we can store vaccine records easily, and record vet notes so we are all on the same page. Stable Secretary is able to meet each specific farm’s needs, and continues to evolve to offer more options and services.

Q: What is one of your favorite features of Stable Secretary?

Annie: To be honest, my favorite feature is that Stable Secretary was created by a horsewoman who is also a tech person. This combination is rare and extremely valuable. The initial set up and use of a cloud-based program can be daunting. When I have questions, I am able to call the customer support line and talk to a live person, who provides clear and logical explanations to my issues.

Q: Give me one word that describes your stable life after becoming a Stable Secretary subscriber?

Annie: Concise

Q: Do you think equestrians are more open these days to exploring how technology will help improve the health and performance of their horse?

Annie: Absolutely, it’s a modern world. From young equestrians to seasoned equestrians, everyone is using a smart phone. This technology in our sport allows us to spend more time with our horses and riders and less time with desk work. We are able to access records on the spot from anywhere, and stay on top of all of our horses even when we are in many different locations.