If you were developing a golf course for a resort or community, would you rely on your friend who plays golf to create a golf course and club for you?

Could he/she run feasibility studies, operational and capital budgeting, and planning, detailed design and then manage it for you? I seriously doubt anyone would put their golf amenity at risk in this way. So then why do developers ask and rely on people who ride horses to be their equestrian amenity consultants?

An equestrian amenity in many ways is even more complicated than golf –

• We are dealing with a living, breathing animal that is often considered a family member – so it is highly emotional
• It is also a business model that cannot be a profit center – it will need to be subsidized so running detailed operational parameters for start up through steady state and either creating an HOA subsidy or a Club membership program is of paramount importance
• Mixed demographic with different needs and likes and dislikes… there is a no “one size fits all model”.
• The equestrian industry lacks a standard of professionalism and the vendor/concessionaire model has failed time and again – one of the keys to success is hospitality style management and continuity of service – the options for management are limited.
• We typically have seen amenities overbuilt with no understanding about designing and programming to a target market and then phasing construction along with sales.

Planning and executing an equestrian amenity is complicated and needs experienced professionals who understand the nuances so they can help ensure the model is economical for the long term and the ROI makes sense for all the stakeholders.

Jennifer K. Donovan
Principal
Equestrian Services, LLC - Developing the Equestrian Lifestyle
Equestrian Management, LLC

Posted by jenniferd at 9:44 AM | Link | 0 comments