Located in Eagle, Idaho, Wasatch Sport Horses is an equine enterprise specializing in hunters, jumpers, three-day eventing, and dressage. Owned by Stephanie Goodman and Joshua Sylce, Wasatch Sport Horses develops horses and riders by putting good horsemanship, stewardship, and a love of the sport, at the forefront of everything they do.
Hard Work Gets Noticed
Stephanie grew up in northern Utah in a horse-loving family that was involved in quarter horse racing, team roping, and jumpers. Stephanie’s mother took advantage of the local United States Pony Club as a way to get her kids instruction in the English disciplines.
Stephanie had the good fortune to begin riding with Sally O’Connor, David O’Connor’s mother, while Sally was training dressage horses outside of Salt Lake City. Stephanie’s dedication caught Sally’s eye, and when Stephanie turned 16 years old, Sally recommended she pack up her horses and move to work for David in Virginia.
In the decade that followed, Stephanie got her A in Pony Club, reached Level III in the USEA Instructors’ Certification Program, lived and trained in England and Ireland, competed through Grand Prix showjumping and Advanced level eventing, was on two North American Young Rider Championship teams in Chicago, and was long-listed for two Olympics. “I have had so many amazing opportunities to ride and work with amazing horse people and I had the support to do so all by being at the right place at the right time! I got to ride really great horses, with my friends, all over the United States and abroad,” shared Stephanie.
A Surprising Start to a Business
After meeting her husband while riding and competing on the East Coast, Stephanie moved to Idaho to enter a life without horses. “After our marriage, we went to experience another life in a small town, with big mountains and a life outside,” she explained. However, within a year of moving from Middleburg, Virginia, to Idaho, horses re-entered Stephanie’s life in a big way. “The purchase of our current farm and the business of boarding, teaching, and running facilities was never our plan, but it has unfolded before us and we love it and feel so lucky to have found this life.”
A Bustling Facility
The Wasatch Sport Horses facility usually has 35 horses boarding or in training, five school horses, and five to seven investment, competition horses. There are three rings on the property, including an indoor, and Stephanie also manages a cross-country schooling course a few miles away from the farm. Stephanie shared, “We have mostly event horses from intro to advanced and some jumpers. We have four full-time trainers and four full-time employees. We take five to twelve horses south for two months every winter. My husband has been a course builder all over the US for 15 years. He still does some building and keeps our XC course up to date!”
Simplifying Management with StableSecretary
With so many horses and different operations running at the same time, Stephanie needed a barn management tool that she and her staff could easily use to stay on top of everything. “I started using StableSecretary in 2016 when it was advertised by the USEA Instructors’ Certification Program with a free trial.”
In 2018, she began using a more upgraded version of StableSecretary to better meet her business needs. “Before StableSecretary, our system had monthly ‘day sheets’ for every horse. We used a large filing cabinet with every horse having a folder. Every service, health event, etc. was recorded on the sheet. The clients could access the sheets and I used them at the end of the month for billing purposes.” While that system worked, the simplicity and more functional aspects of StableSecretary’s mobile app appealed to Stephanie. “StableSecretary does the same things for us, but it is on all my employees’ phones, so they don’t have to go to the main barn and do paperwork. It also is available while traveling. Our vets and owners use the system as well. Our clients can log in, and pricing can be updated. We love having the coggins and health information available while traveling and the reminders for who is due for what.”
The Future of Wasatch Sport Horses
Stephanie’s vision for the future of Wasatch Sport Horses includes continuing to build a facility that emphasizes a foundation in good horsemanship and prioritizing the horse’s well-being. “We are looking forward to our farm being a place for people to learn, horses to have top care, and where horse professionals can make a good living,” she explained. “My proudest achievements under saddle come on the quietest days when a horse understands or does something that was previously difficult, with ease. My current FEI horse has some physical limitations and through a great team, has been getting stronger, faster, and more competitive at the three-star level. With some good wins at the intermediate level in 2021, I am looking forward to him being strong and confident (and competitive) at the advanced level in 2022.”
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This is the most amazing barn offering incredible instruction, support and encouragement of both horses and riders. The care of the horses is exemplary, enhanced by the great record keeping and feedback available through the use and availability of the StableSecretary system. I’ve been blessed to be a part of this wonderful “family” for over five years.