Equestrian Sport Enthusiast? How To Turn Your Passion Into Profit

Equestrian sport is a fascinating subject. However, these days I have to indulge my passion in front of the television, because my mare is "indisposed". After three years of trying, getting more desperate with every passing year, my gorgeous pure-bred Friesian mare has finally managed to get herself pregnant. At the grand old age of eight, she is expecting her first foal in the spring.

Of course, insemination by one of the breath-taking registered Friesian stallions was just not good enough for her. She had to fall for an unregistered pure-bred stud, probably because he was on-hand and available. Never mind, she is in foal at last, and had lots of fun getting there.

Somewhere along the line (it may have been due to all the vet's bills while she was trying to conceive) it dawned on me that this was going to be an expensive undertaking. Not one to be daunted by such an insignificant obstacle to my mare's happiness, I decided to find a way to earn some extra cash.

The internet seemed to provide the ideal opportunity. Lots of scope, on first examination. Everywhere you surf there are promises about making loads of money in the shortest time. Strangely enough, it always involves investing a fair amount of money in either a product or a service first. Not having a lot of money to start off with, protected me from the internet sharks, but also forced me to learn the hard way.

I found out that:

1. There is no miraculous bullet; no magic wand that will make you rich overnight and that earning money online involves as much work as it does off-line.

2. There is a lot to learn and figure out and all this takes a lot of time.

3. Contrary to all the get-rich-quick claims, earning money online is not about following a "secret" formula, but about coming up with your own original idea ASAP.

4. Funding a mare and foal is a very expensive enterprise indeed.

5. It is very difficult to find accurate up-to-date information that doesn't cost a fortune.

6. Advice and support from other internet marketers is worth its weight in gold.

7. Unless you are passionate about your subject, you are wasting your time.

Horseback riders are passionate about their horses and often enthusiastic about helping other people. All the internet gurus say that to be successful online you have to over-deliver. It is certainly no effort to over-deliver to horse people. To make money online you have to invest more than you get out. And I do not mean money! You must invest your time and some of yourself. Stamp your business with your own personality. Make it unique and characteristic. That shouldn't be too difficult for most horse riders.

We all need the support and advice of our mentors, but eventually we have to come up with our own ideas. Just as learning to understand your horse is fundamentally down to your own insight, ideas and efforts, so is building a successful business on the internet.

The most effective way for equestrians to learn the ropes online is to join an online community of equestrians that are interested in either starting a business online or taking their off-line business online. Currently the choice is limited, but there are a few excellent websites, blogs and membership sites that specialise in providing horse people who want to earn an income online with accurate information and a place to network with other equestrians.