Beautiful Jim Key was a Standardbred x Arab stallion, foaled in 1889. He was owned Dr William Key who was a self trained vet and former slave.

Jim was hand raised as a foal by humans which probably led to him being more sensitive to human behavior than the average horse.

Beautiful Jim Key demonstrated unexplained abilities in reading, writing, mathematics and spelling. He could also apparently tell the time, sort mail, use a cash register and answer a telephone.

In addition to the above already remarkable skills Jim could allegedly debate politics and cite passages from the bible.

For approximately nine years Beautiful Jim performed in world fairs and expositions. He broke box office records and won praise from leaders such as Booker T Washington and President McKinley.

Jim was market as the ‘Smartest Horse in the World” and his value was said to be more than $1,000,000.

Mim Eichler Rivas wrote a book about Beautiful Jim Key in which she talks about how he influenced thousands of children to be kind to animals. Further research has also been done that will hopefully result in a documentary or feature film being launched about Jim in the future.

Jim Key was touted as an ‘educated horse’ but there are other horses which are marketed as ‘psychic’. In addition there are people who claim that they can communicate with horses via psychic horse whispering. You can hire a psychic horse whisperer to visit your barn or stable yard though come will do a telephone reading if required.

In the current economic climate some horse owners are having to think about selling their beloved horses and ponies.

It’s a tough decision to make but if you really can’t afford to keep a horse then you need to consider whether it would be better off with someone else.

Many horses suffer through because their owners don’t have the funds to pay for vets, farriers, correct feeding etc. If you are in this position then do a favour for both of you and find your horse a good home.

There are many websites out there with horses for sale advertising starting from free.

Following on from our advice regarding having promotional material created for your equestrian business, I thought I would take the time to extol the virtues of direct mail marketing.

Firstly you obviously need someone to market your products or services to of course. Once you have decided on your target market you will need to create a mailing list. If you don’t have a database of your own then you can purchase a list from one of the many specialist companies out there.

So now you have your target market organised you will require something to send to them. A professionally designed and produced mailshot is a must. The leaflet needs to grip its recipient as soon as they scan it or it is likely to go straight in the bin.

There are alternatives to direct mail marketing. One of the most commonly used these days is email marketing. These can also get deleted before they have even been read so the same principles apply such as choosing your recipient carefully.

With email marketing one of the hardest but most important factors to get right is choosing the wording for the email subject line. If this doesn’t get the attention of the viewer then the main content is highly unlikely to get read.

The marketing of your equestrian business is crucial to its success therefore if you are unsure about creating your own campaign I would recommend using a professional company to do it for you.

Whilst the UK offers some great horse riding opportunities, if you’re feeling adventurous why not try a horse riding trip a bit further afield?

Horses have been part of Ecuador’s history and culture for centuries. Imagine the excitement of galloping through an Ecuadorian mountain tundra.

You can ride for a full day or a few hours, whatever takes your fancy. If you opt for a full week tour you get the opportunity of caring for and living with your trusty steed.

The spectacular landscape of Ecuador includes ice-capped volcanoes, Andean mountains and rolling hills with an agricultural landscape of planted crops.

Horse riding expeditions in Ecuador are available for up to eight days at a time. There are many tour operators that can book one for you. Apart from Ecuador you can also book Galapagos tours on horseback.

Temperatures can fluctuate from very cold to very hot weather. You should also take wet weather gear in case of rain.

It is important that you are secure and comfortable to please heed the following advice if you decide to embark on a riding adventure abroad.

Make sure you check the tack of the horse yourself before mounting. Check the stirrup straps, girth and bridle to ensure that they are in good condition and fastened securely.

Check that your horse is fit, healthy and up to the job in hand. It is important for yours and his safety that your mount is comfortable. If your horse appears to be suffering in any way notify someone in charge.

If during the trip your horses behaviour makes you feel unsafe or insecure, dismount immediately and ask for a replacement.

As riding in countries like Ecuador can be physically demanding you would be wise to take measures to increase your own personal fitness and stamina to make sure you are in good shape for the adventure ahead.

When running an equestrian business you need to make sure that as many people as possible are aware of your presence. One way to do this is to have promotional material that you can hand out at trade fairs, horse shows etc.

Promotional clothing is also an excellent way of getting your brand recognized. Why walk around displaying some equestrian designers name when you can show off your own?

In the current recession all businesses need to try everything they can to win customers. Apart from promotional clothing you could also consider having your car, horse trailer or horsebox branded with your company logo.

Make sure that you include your website address on any promotional products that you invest in. It’s amazing how many people don’t do this and they are missing out on a lot of traffic to their sites. Urls are a lot easier for people to remember that phone numbers or addresses.

Examples of promotional products that you could consider are:

• T-shirts and jackets
• Saddle cloths
• Horse rugs
• Car window stickers
• Key rings
• Pens
• Mugs
• Mouse mats

Whatever you decide to have done ensure that you use a quality provider. Having your name printed on cheap goods will not enhance your reputation.