Shelby Rader is an NCSU Certified open judge, and carded as a judge through the Open Horse Show Association. As a former western coach for two colleges, Shelby loves teaching riding and advancing horses. She has shown across the U.S. and Canada, and taught lessons and trained horses of various breeds and disciplines . Shelby is also an active participant in the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA). She serves on their national marketing and membership committee, as well as being a Regional Director. After completing her Equine Facility Manager Certification through CHA, she completed her riding instructor certification in both English and Western.
Find out more about this hard working #StableSecretary user in this month’s Stable Secretary Success Story!
What is your current role within the horse industry?
Shelby: Trainer & Lifelong Student of the Horse, CHA Certified Riding Instructor & Equine Facility Manager, AQHA Professional Horseman, PATH Certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning, Open Horse Show Judge, American Youth Horse Council Board Member, and proud owner of Gypsy Vanner Stallion, Segway’s Early Riser.
Can you please tell us about your current equine establishment?
Shelby: We currently work out of our family farm, Country Meadow Farm LLC. in Central Virginia. With a combined 300+ acres of hay production and equine operation, we are home to an average of 25-30 horses during most seasons of the year.
What are some of your goals for that establishment moving forward?
Shelby: We are so blessed to have already met some of this year’s goals with our Gypsy Vanner horses, the facet of our business known as “Feathered Legends”. We have plans of new facilities and an expansion of our training program, which serves all breeds and many disciplines. We will be serving the horse industry through clinics and educational events as well.
How did you become involved with horses?
Shelby: I’m fairly certain that God intertwined horses into my DNA before I was even born. I do not remember a day that I didn’t have a passionate love for the horse. I began lessons when I was 3, and saved alongside my older sister, Lisa, until we had enough to pay our half of the purchase price for our first horse. The rest is history, and I have never looked back.
Fun facts about you?
Shelby:
- My first job was tooling spur straps and headstalls for a small local leather shop.
- I had the opportunity to show my Half-Arabian mare, Diva N Diamonds +/, in Canada when I was 18. I rode there in the back of the tractor trailer rig with the horses on a couple of hay bales next to my horse. She ate most of my teddy grahams and a good portion of my chex mix during that 36-hour trip.
- I was an EMT for seven years and worked a three-year stint in the Emergency Room.
- I have been to 37 states and 2 countries thanks to horses in my life.
What do you like the most about Stable Secretary?
Shelby: Hands down the efficiency of the record keeping. This program enables me to access my records from anywhere with the app, and it has made printing reports and information, for one or several horses at a time, a breeze. I love the ability to download attachments so that I can view vet invoices or a coggins with a touch of a button. I can even access my show records and breeding information all using this one program!
How did you hear about Stable Secretary?
Shelby: I discovered it when looking at paperwork I had received for a horse, and I loved how organized the records were. I looked up the program and have been using it ever since, and loving the results!!!!
How do you think other farms could benefit from using Stable Secretary?
Shelby: Every time I recommend Stable Secretary and someone signs up for the free trial, they end up using the software long term. Every barn, no matter if it’s a personal or commercial equine operation, needs a digital headquarters where all information and documents can be stored and accessed anywhere, anytime. This is just that.
