Running an equine operation can be challenging, but having a tool like StableSecretary can help ease the burden and provide management support where you need it!
Struggling with Team Communication?
Many barns enlist the help of employees and working students to run smoothly, however, a larger staff (often working different hours) can mean an increased opportunity for missed communication. Whiteboards and group text chains can become confusing and more trouble than they’re worth. StableSecretary allows team members to access and edit records on each horse in the barn.
Melanie Peterson Ramey, co-owner of Stone Columns Stables at Elmendorf Farm and StableSecretary user since 2018, explained how the app has helped her team: “We can see a snapshot of what is going on with all of the horses at one time in one place. All of my employees have it downloaded on their phones so everyone can see all the information for all of our horses. When you have 85 to care for, that is important.”
Need to Prevent Oversights in Health Care?
Juggling vet visits, farrier appointments, breeding timelines, and everything else that goes into running a horse farm can leave even the best barn manager with a headache and an overbooked calendar. Schedule, track, and receive automatic alerts and reminders for farrier and health appointments so you never miss a visit. Plus, Professional Plan users can share access to their records with health providers for service and health record updates to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Cornell University Equestrian team uses StableSecretary to keep track of over 45 horses in their care. “We use acupuncture and chiropractic, in addition to normal veterinary care. We take pride in bringing out the best in each horse,” shared Head Coach, Joanna Novakovic. “Stable Secretary helps me keep track of everything so I never miss an important date.”
Lack of Access Causing Problems?
These days, most health records are sent digitally, and every horse person carries their phone with them everywhere. Having access to health records, billing, client information, and the facility calendar at all times is practically required for barn managers and trainers. Being able to make updates to this information with a touch of your phone is even more essential! With the StableSecretary app, you can do all of this and more – any time, any place.
“I love having my horses and client horses’ records electronically and portable. This way, I can see everything I need to, no matter where I am. I can download and email important documents at a horse show, see what treatments horses have received, and I can allow access to my team members so that they can also add updates,” explained Lisa Hellmer of LCH Equestrian. The boutique dressage training facility in Florida began using StableSecretary to manage their facility early in 2021.
Struggling to Keep Financials in Order?
Most barn owners are in it for the love of the horse, which means tracking the finances of their operation may not be their favorite activity. Unfortunately, billing is required to keep a facility afloat, and unless you’re willing to hire someone specifically for the task of managing your books, you’re going to have to do it yourself. Luckily, StableSecretary helps ease the stress of organizing financials with reports showing services rendered, payments, invoices, billable items, billing contacts, and more.
Emilie Goddard, assistant trainer and barn manager of Poulson Dressage, shared, “One of the features we use the most is the report feature – at the end of the month, we use it to easily tally up lessons and other billable items, which makes our whole billing process so much easier.”
Looking for an Easier Way to Manage Your Operation?
Most equine professionals are used to putting in long days, 6-7 days a week. It’s a part of the industry and sometimes essential to provide high-quality care to the horses in your program. Reducing the mental load of running an equine operation by even a fraction can help you reduce the hours you physically need to be present at your facility – not to mention it can help you sleep easier at night knowing you haven’t forgotten something essential!
Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride of Blue Clover Eventing has seen tremendous changes since incorporating StableSecretary into her management strategy several years ago. “It has totally streamlined our operation! Some of our favorite features include the ability to line up our health care entries with our invoicing, along with being able to track our horse’s daily health vitals. We start each and every day with temperature and leg checks, and we track these notes in StableSecretary. We can then cross-reference our horse’s health records alongside their training records, which has helped us catch a few minor health issues before they became bigger health issues.”
Need a Tool To Help Keep You Organized, But Worried About Cost?
StableSecretary was created by equestrians, so we understand that many facilities run on a tight budget. With plans created for all barn and budget sizes, you can access the features you need to solve your management troubles, without worrying over the cost.
