| Equestrian sport is a fascinating subject. | | | | "secret" formula, but about coming up with |
| However, these days I have to indulge my | | | | your own original idea ASAP. |
| passion in front of the television, because | | | | |
| my mare is "indisposed". After three years of | | | | 4. Funding a mare and foal is a very |
| trying, getting more desperate with every | | | | expensive enterprise indeed. |
| passing year, my gorgeous pure-bred Friesian | | | | |
| mare has finally managed to get herself | | | | 5. It is very difficult to find accurate |
| pregnant. At the grand old age of eight, she | | | | up-to-date information that doesn't cost a |
| is expecting her first foal in the spring. | | | | fortune. |
| | | | |
| Of course, insemination by one of the | | | | 6. Advice and support from other internet |
| breath-taking registered Friesian stallions | | | | marketers is worth its weight in gold. |
| was just not good enough for her. She had to | | | | |
| fall for an unregistered pure-bred stud, | | | | 7. Unless you are passionate about your |
| probably because he was on-hand and | | | | subject, you are wasting your time. |
| available. Never mind, she is in foal at | | | | |
| last, and had lots of fun getting there. | | | | Horseback riders are passionate about their |
| | | | horses and often enthusiastic about helping |
| Somewhere along the line (it may have been | | | | other people. All the internet gurus say that |
| due to all the vet's bills while she was | | | | to be successful online you have to |
| trying to conceive) it dawned on me that this | | | | over-deliver. It is certainly no effort to |
| was going to be an expensive undertaking. Not | | | | over-deliver to horse people. To make money |
| one to be daunted by such an insignificant | | | | online you have to invest more than you get |
| obstacle to my mare's happiness, I decided to | | | | out. And I do not mean money! You must invest |
| find a way to earn some extra cash. | | | | your time and some of yourself. Stamp your |
| | | | business with your own personality. Make it |
| The internet seemed to provide the ideal | | | | unique and characteristic. That shouldn't be |
| opportunity. Lots of scope, on first | | | | too difficult for most horse riders. |
| examination. Everywhere you surf there are | | | | |
| promises about making loads of money in the | | | | We all need the support and advice of our |
| shortest time. Strangely enough, it always | | | | mentors, but eventually we have to come up |
| involves investing a fair amount of money in | | | | with our own ideas. Just as learning to |
| either a product or a service first. Not | | | | understand your horse is fundamentally down |
| having a lot of money to start off with, | | | | to your own insight, ideas and efforts, so is |
| protected me from the internet sharks, but | | | | building a successful business on the |
| also forced me to learn the hard way. | | | | internet. |
| | | | |
| I found out that: | | | | The most effective way for equestrians to |
| | | | learn the ropes online is to join an online |
| 1. There is no miraculous bullet; no magic | | | | community of equestrians that are interested |
| wand that will make you rich overnight and | | | | in either starting a business online or |
| that earning money online involves as much | | | | taking their off-line business online. |
| work as it does off-line. | | | | Currently the choice is limited, but there |
| | | | are a few excellent websites, blogs and |
| 2. There is a lot to learn and figure out and | | | | membership sites that specialise in providing |
| all this takes a lot of time. | | | | horse people who want to earn an income |
| | | | online with accurate information and a place |
| 3. Contrary to all the get-rich-quick claims, | | | | to network with other equestrians. |
| earning money online is not about following a | | | | |