We recently connected with Brittany Steffensen and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Brittany thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

Guys! When I say I’m a horse girl through and through, I mean it. Horses have always been in my life and, more deeply, in my soul. So my story starts. I’ve always been a learner. I LOVE learning. I say that if I could go to school as a full-time job, I would! That’s not a career, however, so I did the next best thing. I combined my love for learning and teaching with my passion for horses, and started my company, Open Air Equine.

Let me back it up. I went to school…for a long time. I actually have a Bachelor’s in Behavioral Psychology and a Master’s degree in Clinical psych. I conducted therapy with children, adolescents, and adults for many years. I then switched it up, looking for a different environment, and transitioned my skills into Human Resources. After time spent in the corporate world, I felt an emptiness that I couldn’t quite place my finger on. This feeling led me to my keyboard, where I typed in “horses”. Lo and behold, a horse rescue nearby popped up, and at that moment, I knew this was what I needed. I needed horses back in my life. See…college, marriage, and travel had taken me away from horses for a while. I pretended it didn’t matter, but my soul told me otherwise. Horses have a magic to them that’s hard to explain. It’s more of a be-with-them-and-find-out kind of a deal.

Fast forward, and I have quit my corporate job and am working part-time at the horse rescue. I manage some of the greatest volunteers and people I’ve ever met and get to touch, kiss, and watch horses every day of the week. Not too long into my role at the rescue, I started to discover that I love the health aspect of all things horses. I love when the farrier comes to trim horse hooves. I love learning from vet appointments, dental day, diagnostics, massage, and chiropractic appointments for sore horses. This is when I look into learning, because y’all know learning keeps my heart full, and I find an all-day equine first aid clinic. I notice the clinic is up in Idaho (I’m in Colorado). Ok, I like road trips, but let me see if there’s one a bit closer. I contact my now, mentor and friend, who says Idaho is, in fact, the closest location. She also asks if I know anyone who may want to become an instructor for Colorado. IMMEDIATELY, I raise my hand (in my head) and think, that person is ME! I want to learn it all and teach it all.

I head up to Idaho and take 3 full days of equine first aid clinics and a marketing lesson. In March of 2021, I officially named my business, Open Air Equine, found insurance, marketed myself and my business throughout Colorado, and began teaching horse people how to stabilize their horse(s) during an emergency. I have earned Instructor of the Year since I began, and have become the lead senior instructor in Colorado. I’ve met more horse people than I have ever imagined, learned much more than just what I teach, have spent days with the sweetest horses in our hands-on portion of our clinics, and traveled to the most picturesque places in my home state. This isn’t just a company, it’s a way of life that I almost passed up until I made the leap into the horse world as a career.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Originally hailing from the limbs of the Maple trees of Minnesota, my love of horses goes way back to my childhood where I spent an endless amount of time trail riding, jumping, and enjoying the beautiful companionship of my grandpa’s Percheron Draft horses that he still raises today on his ranch in the Midwest. He’s 94!

After years of working with just humans, I decided to rekindle my passion for horses and jump back into the equestrian scene with both feet by managing over 100 volunteers at a local horse rescue and playing an integral role in helping the rescue reach its goals of finding amazing homes for well-deserved horses. One horse in particular at the rescue that caught my eye and stole my heart was Chico, who has since found his forever home with me. Chico and I have built a bond through riding and putting my first aid skills to the test. Furthermore, wanting to connect with the horse community in my area and continue to learn, I am a part of our local horse association where our goal is to unite the equestrian community through education and recreation.

A people person at heart with a love for horses naturally evolved into obtaining a certification and becoming an Equine First Aid instructor, and with it, my journey of helping fellow equestrians reach their goals of horse ownership, confidence, and successfully riding the roller coaster that being a horse parent can often feel like.

Equine First Aid provides horse lovers with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to respond to horse injuries and emergencies. Horses are prey animals, and because of this, they choose to run from a predator or from what scares them. Running, without thinking, away from danger can lead to severe injuries and sometimes death. Additionally, horses are curious creatures that can put them in harms way or cause scrapes, bumps, and punctures. We need to have the skill to respond so we can keep our horses comfortable and get them healing from such injuries. My clinics are great for all ages and are fun! We learn in the classroom and apply what we’ve learned by working hands-on with horses during each clinic.

How did you build your audience on social media?

When I started down the path of learning equine first aid and starting my own company to be able to teach such a valuable skill, I never thought marketing would be one of the key components. I was told that I was <i>first </i>a marketer and <i>then </i>an instructor. Ok, what? Come again. I had never done marketing in my life. I think one of the best ways I learned was to network with other small business owners, specifically about their marketing journey and recommendations. Slowly but surely, I began to find my footing with programs to build marketing material. I learned about my major audience, how they learned, what got their attention the most, and the marketing tools within social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Being true to yourself online goes a long way. I love to teach, I love horses, and I love people. That’s what I try to show through my content in a fun and engaging way.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

No matter who you are, when you feel appreciated or someone reaches out to you from out of the blue, it makes you feel special and seen. I’ve built my life and career on communication. What’s most important about communication is not just talking; it’s listening. When you listen and you hold onto small details, important details, from your students, employees, or audience, it matters. They may not believe you were listening, but when you reach out to them via email, give them a shout out on social media, drop them a text, or even send them a link to something that relates to their personal life or interests, they feel heard and understood. It’s a deeper and more touching form of communication when it comes from a past interaction. This is how I keep in touch with past students and foster their sense of impact.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.openairequine.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/open_air_equine
• Facebook: Open Air Equine

Image Credits
Brittany Steffensen, Open Air Equine