Blog Your Way to Horse Bliss
It feels like anything and everything around horses is expensive. It doesn’t matter if you are keeping your equine partners at home or boarding them – there are costs and the costs add up. If you’re like me, you’re always looking for a way to make some extra cash to help pay off a vet bill or save up for your next show.
One way you can earn a little extra income is by monetizing your social media and online presence through equestrian blogging.
Source: Canva
An Overview of the Equine Side Hustle
There are many ways to help fund your equine hobby (or addiction, we’re not here to judge!). Some hands-on options include picking up barn chores to work off your board, learning how to scribe at horse shows, mastering braiding manes and tails at shoes, or offering lessons on your horse.
Before you advertise lessons, you need to check your competition rule book if you can. Some organizations, like USHJA and AQHA, do not allow amateurs to teach lessons of any kind and keep their amateur status.
But manual labor isn’t for everyone, and learning the skills to scribe and braid can take time. If you’re savvy when it comes to social media, you can trade manual labor for monetizing your hobby electronically. But how?
Even in the online world, you have a few options for creating your social media presence.
- You can write a blog about your experiences on a website like WordPress or Wix.
- If you are running a website, you can make money from hosting ads or leveraging affiliate marketing links.
- You can also post content on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
What’s the difference between a blogger and an influencer?
The way I think of it is similar to the phrase “All elephants are gray, but not all gray things are elephants.” An equine blogger may be an influencer and vice-versa. Though there is a lot of cross-over, they are not mutually exclusive terms.
| Equine Blogger | Equine Influencer |
| Writing Focused | Photos, Video Content focused |
| Hashtags Don’t Matter | Hashtags help people find you |
| Can have brand deals | Can have brand deals |
How to Start an Equine Blog
If you love writing and you love horses, then starting an equestrian blog may be a great way to turn your favorite past-time into a side-hustle.
Source: Canva
Find your Niche:
First things first, let’s find your hoofprint in the vast equestrian blogosphere.
Are you a dressage diva, a jumping genius, or a trailblazing trail rider?
By honing in on your niche market, you will be able to target an audience that would be interested in reading your content. It can also affect the theme and style of your blog.
Find a Platform:
There are a lot of options for blog hosting these days. Some of the top options are WordPress, Blogger, and Wix. If you’re pairing your blog with a business, you may even consider Square/Weebly.
Find a Name/URL:
Time to claim your digital pasture with a catchy URL and name. This is something that can be used in cross-marketing as well across different platforms. Make sure it is easy to remember and, ideally, it should have some kind of equestrian theme.
It is also important to evaluate how your website looks and how easy it is to navigate. Thinking about UX (user experience) is important and will keep your blog accessible.
Find your Voice:
In order to be successful, you need to be authentic. (I’m not horsing around about this… pun intended.)
Being honest and vulnerable about your journey as an equestrian will help you connect with people going through similar experiences. Whether you are sharing the highs and lows of showing or sharing your knowledge about natural horsemanship, readers want to hear *you* not what you think they want to hear.
My best advice is to keep it real and relatable.
Source: Canva
Find Your Audience:
Using Google Analytics is a great way to monitor your website and see where they are coming from and what gets the most clicks and time on each page. It’s a powerful tool, and best of all it’s free!
There are quite a few (also free) online courses so you can quickly get up to speed and learn how to leverage your site data.
Find Your Income Opportunities:
It may take time, but consistent blogging can be financially rewarding. One of the easier ways to monetize your blog is to allow ads on your website. By lending out advertising space on your pages, you earn money (albeit pennies on the dollar) for every view.
A lot of hosting platforms have this option built into their platform.
Another option is to utilize affiliate marketing links. These links create a unique code that traces back to you. If anyone purchases an item after clicking your specific link, you will get a % as a commission.
Affiliate commissions may range from 1% to 20+% of the item’s purchase price.
If you opt to go the affiliate route, be sure to disclose it! You’re legally required to disclose when you’re being paid for your content, whether that is in dollars or free stuff.
Find What Works & Repeat:
Consistency is *so* important when working on a blog. If your audience can’t rely on you for new content, at some point, they will go somewhere else to find equestrian tales.
Source: Canva
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can you make a living as an equestrian?
Yes! If you are professional, you can make being an equestrian as your career through training, giving lessons, and showing.
If you don’t want to be a pro, you may be able to make a living as an equestrian influencer or work within the equestrian industry.
Q: How do horse riders make money?
Professionals can make money through brand sponsorships, training programs, and prize money. Non-professional equestrians can make money as bloggers, influencers, or working within the equine industry.
Q: How can I start an equestrian blog for free and make it profitable?
Starting an equestrian blog is easier than ever with free blogging platforms like WordPress or Blogger. Begin by sharing your equestrian journey, expertise, and passion through captivating and informative content.
As your blog gains traction and attracts readers, you can monetize it through advertising, sponsored content, and affiliate marketing.
Keep in mind that making money from your blog may take time, so stay dedicated to building your audience and producing quality content.
Q: What is the fastest-growing equestrian sport on social media platforms?
Equestrian sports have been gaining popularity on social media, and one of the fastest-growing is
Parting Thoughts
Remember, becoming an equestrian blogger takes passion, persistence, and a genuine love for horses. So, saddle up, embrace your unique equestrian journey, and ride into the world of inspiring and connecting with fellow equestrians across the internet!
P.S. Enjoy this article? Trot on over to:
- A Rookie Guide to Becoming an Equine Influencer
- My First Twelve Months as a Blogger – Lessons Learned
- 9 Best Horse Magazines for Kids Who Love Learning
- 7 Best Websites for Learning All About Horses
- 9 Best Online Equine Courses (Care, Training, Riding)
- Horse Podcast: Every Rider has a Story
