Geoff Teall, head trainer and owner of Montoga, Inc., has over 40 years of experience in the equine industry. He has trained numerous hunter and equitation champions at top events like the Winter Equestrian Festival, Capital Challenge, and USEF Medal Finals. As an “R” licensed judge, Teall has officiated major shows, including the Washington International Horse Show and the USEF Medal Finals. A leader in the sport, he has held roles with the USHJA and USEF, including National Vice President of the USHJA. Teall also shares his expertise as an author and contributor to various equestrian publications.
Streamlining Barn Management with StableSecretary
Geoff Teall is an avid user of StableSecretary, a tool he relies on to streamline his day-to-day operations and keep his business running smoothly. With decades of experience in training and judging at top competitions, Teall appreciates how StableSecretary’s organized record-keeping and scheduling features help him manage his horses’ health, training schedules, and competition records efficiently. He values the way StableSecretary allows him to focus more on his horses and riders while maintaining meticulous records and staying on top of every detail essential to their success.
In the equine industry, organization and efficiency are critical for success. Teall has had the privilege of working with incredible professionals throughout his career, and one of them is Cathy Warner Goodwin, who served as his barn manager. When StableSecretary initially launched, Teall and Goodwin were eager to try it out. They saw its potential as a powerful tool to keep track of crucial records, from vet visits to vaccinations, and it quickly became an essential part of how they managed their barn.
Goodwin’s involvement with StableSecretary runs deep, beginning long before the software became the robust barn management tool it is today. As Geoff Teall’s barn manager, Cathy recognized the need for a reliable system to track horse health records. She experimented with paper logs, spreadsheets, and even taught herself enough about MS Access to develop her own software. While her system worked, it was limited to PCs and required installation via discs—far from the cloud-based, user-friendly solution she envisioned.
In 2016, Cathy discovered StableSecretary and immediately noticed its similarities to what she had created. Viewing it as a compliment rather than competition, she reached out to StableSecretary’s creator, Kate, with an idea for collaboration. “Neither one of us could really do what we were doing alone, but together we could handle it,” Cathy shares. Over time, Cathy contributed insights from her own software experience, offering ideas and feedback that helped shape StableSecretary’s early features. While StableSecretary is fully Kate’s creation, Cathy played an instrumental role in its evolution, particularly in its initial focus on tracking health records and horse information.
Today, Cathy continues to support StableSecretary by managing bookkeeping and occasionally sharing her insights. Reflecting on the platform, she emphasizes its transformative power for barn management: “I would highly recommend to anyone that they use StableSecretary to help organize their barn and keep track of things.” Her journey highlights the collaborative spirit behind StableSecretary and underscores how the platform has grown into an indispensable tool for equine professionals.
StableSecretary provided Teall and Goodwin with a simple yet effective way to organize the necessary details of equine care. In those early days, they used it primarily for record-keeping, focusing on veterinary, dental, and farrier information. As StableSecretary grew, so did its impact on their operations. They quickly found that it’s more than just a filing system—it’s a dynamic management tool that makes accessing records, setting reminders, and even managing billing more streamlined.
For Teall, what makes StableSecretary invaluable is the direction it’s moving. He is excited to see it continually add features that enhance our workflow and help us stay focused on what matters most—their horses. StableSecretary has also shifted how he approaches management, especially with its billing integration and reminder functionalities. In an industry where it’s easy to become overwhelmed by multiple platforms and scattered information, StableSecretary keeps everything consolidated, accessible, and manageable.
Equine Assist: Helping Professionals Bridge the Gap
Through years in the business, Teall noticed an ongoing struggle many barn managers face: balancing the demands of their barn with the need to stay organized. That’s where his latest project, Equine Assist, comes in. Equine Assist was born out of a desire to help barn managers and owners who might not have the time or resources for full-time administrative support but still need to operate at a professional level. Equine Assist helps with data entry, bookkeeping, scheduling, and more, acting as a bridge for professionals who need a reliable, cost-effective solution for barn management.
Equine Assist targets a middle ground in our industry. There are smaller operations where owners can handle everything themselves, large-scale barns with full-time staff, and then there are mid-sized barns where additional support would be helpful. These operations often can’t justify a full-time administrative hire, but they still need organization to thrive. That’s where Equine Assist can make a difference, giving barn managers a practical way to keep things in order without the full-time commitment.
The StableSecretary and Equine Assist Collaboration
StableSecretary and Equine Assist complement each other perfectly. Teall is always referring people to StableSecretary because he has encountered firsthand how much time and effort it saves. If clients are new to StableSecretary or feeling hesitant about using technology, Equine Assist can help them navigate the learning curve. And for those already using StableSecretary, Equine Assist can show them how to get the most out of its features. StableSecretary’s support is excellent, but Equine Assist offers an extra layer of guidance, whether it’s helping with setup, refining workflows, or just offering practical tips for effective use.
The collaboration of StableSecretary’s platform and Equine Assist’s consulting fills a need in our industry. Professionals using StableSecretary not only become more organized but also learn to leverage technology to enhance their work. It’s about making the most of the tools at our disposal, and for Teall, it’s been incredibly rewarding to help equine professionals make that shift.
In a perfect world, Equine Assist will grow into a fully remote operation, allowing Teall to continue supporting others from wherever he is. At this stage of his career, he is excited to spend more time consulting and less time managing the daily demands of a barn. Teall wants to help others in this industry thrive, using tools like StableSecretary and the support of Equine Assist to make barn management easier, cleaner, and more professional. For Teall, it’s all about giving back and helping people succeed in the industry he loves.
