Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Cleary.
Hi Rachel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a child I always had a ridiculous obsession with horses. When I was 3 my parents bought me my first pony. From there we had an off track racehorse given to us, at 8 I had purchased my first horse ( for $1) and by 9 I was given my first 2 year to break out and train. I rode and showed as many horses as I could get my hands on. By 13 I was training for profit and instructing others to ride. When I was 16 years old a family friend had passed away and willed me her herd of horses. 20 in total all of which varied in age from 1-20+ most of which had never been broke to ride or lead. Over a two week span i was able to halter break and load all of the horses to find homes for them. Little did we know that 7 of those 20 were pregnant! I had a crash course in learning how to foal out babies and care for them. The fall of my 16 year old year I was lucky enough to run into my now husband’s (Zack) family who specialized in Quarter Horse racing. They were gracious enough to teach me how to gallop and train the racehorses. At 18 I was able to take a small break from high school to complete one of many certifications for massage and rehab on horses. That turned into a never ending lust for learning more about the horses inside and out. Due to unforeseen circumstances a twist in my plan of life ended up leading to the place we call “home” now. When I was 20 we moved Farm Star from its original address to where we are now. Since then it has evolved into a full care rehab, training, therapy, and breeding operation. We are a one stop shop for nutrition, supplements, training, therapy, lessons, stallion services and reproduction needs, and during the warm months we host a barrel race weekly. We have been blessed with so many wonderful horses and clients over our short time here. Together we have achieved many goals, championships, and titles along with growing in our horsemanship. We are so excited to see what the future holds for Farm Star.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not. Nothing great will come without struggles. Horses are a true test of dedication, patience, perseverance, and strength. Mentally and physically. During our transition from the original address to where we are now was a great struggle. Living literally from paycheck to paycheck, sometimes non existent paychecks. I was told to never have a plan B and to not stop pushing for what I wanted. I am thankful to have heard that and I continue with that mind set daily. We have tragically lost great horses along the way which not only leaves a hole in your heart permanently but it also changes the course of the plans we set forth. When you put your heart and soul into an animal and it passes unexpectedly the dreams and goals pass away with it. In fact, I was delayed in responding to this interview due to a great loss of our best mare Fes Easy Effort. She is the Dam of our stallion FS Golden Ticket. She was in foal to the “best” foal we have yet to raise. We lost them both due to inoperable circumstances. Through this great loss I know that God is just showing us that our path is taking yet again another turn. I know that although this door has closed there is one open just around the corner. Even if I don’t see it now I know it is there.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We offer a wide range of services at Farm Star. Tailored training, rehabilitation, and lesson programs for our horses and students. Specialized diet and supplemental needs for each horse. Our training program differs from others as we are able to take in a wide range of disciplines, taking a “soundness” first approach to all of our horses, virtually eliminating most training issues that arise through eliminating pain and discomfort in the horse. We have recently started really diving into equine reproduction with our mares, focusing on AI and embryo transfer. Our stallion FS Golden Ticket is one of our most proud additions to our program. We owned his Dam and raised him at Farm Star. We have done all the training, riding and campaigning on him. He has exceeded all of our expectations and continues to surprise us all. His first crop of foals are eligible to barrel race this year. We look forward to seeing what this year brings for us. We want to continue to offer a full circle of services to develop better horses and riders for the industry from the inside out.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Riding my horse Sammy (the one I paid $1 for) around the countryside without a care in the world. Sammy’s registered name is “Jus A Farm Star” this is how we came up with the name “Farm Star”
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/farmstarequineservices/
- Facebook: Rachel Cleary, FS Golden Ticket- Stallion, Farm Star Equine Services
- Youtube: @RachelEverett8450
Image Credits
@diamondACphotography @instrideEdition @carlyonphotography