The Equestrian Money Meeting: Not All Money Problems Start With Numbers
February 3, 2026
From the Saddle to Spreadsheets | JE#03 | 2026
Running an equestrian business takes more than talent in the saddle. It takes financial clarity, emotional resilience, and systems that support both your passion and your profit.
In this edition of the Equestrian Money Meeting, you’ll learn how to build a healthier relationship with your money, stop avoiding your numbers, and create simple financial habits that lead to sustainable growth. Whether you run a barn, coach, photography business, bodywork practice, or equine brand, this framework will help you feel more confident, calm, and in control of your finances.
MONEY MEETING — JE#03 | 2026
Not all money problems start with numbers.
Would you believe me if I told you that most money problems aren’t because of math?
They start much deeper than that; they start with feeling.. unsafe with money, not in control, unsupported, not being “enough”. The list could go on, but at the very bottom would read “bad with math”.
I failed math, actually, many times – even failed statistics and second-year macroeconomics. Technically, I walked with my graduating high school class, but I had to take a summer chemistry course to graduate and attend university in the fall.
For a while, I believed I wasn’t good with money, that I wasn’t deserving of financial stability or security. But it had very little to do with my math skills and a lot to do with my mindset and money management. I had to create habits and thoughts that would support the life I am building, not just entertain the life I was living. It took me graduating from university and college and a few years in corporate jobs to understand that I might be bad at math, but money and data are not the same thing.
I had to build new habits, a new belief system, and a routine that supported it all.
For this week’s Money Meeting, I want you to view your money from the emotional lens, not just the logical lens. It wasn’t math that changed my money story; it was the freedom and stability I found in structures and systems. Like having multiple money meetings per week and a bookkeeping process that keeps me compliant, but more importantly, informed on what my money is doing.
I used to avoid my financial reality too, until one day I realized I did not want to feel this way at 50 and I surely didn’t want to feel it as much a year from then.
I didn’t start a bookkeeping business because I love crunching numbers or staring at spreadsheets, but I did start it for what they help do. They help me and my clients create offers that are profitable, operations that are sustainable, and a growth strategy that doesn’t turn their dreams into nightmares along the way. It creates change that makes a difference well beyond the books and the bank accounts.
A money meeting is a short, dedicated time with yourself and your finances. Normally, this is where I leave a prompt for you to open your bank accounts and begin your meeting… this week’s no different.
STEP ONE:
So open those bank accounts up, all of them and write down the balances. Before moving forward with your meeting, take a moment to become fully aware of the reality and the emotions that come with it.
You’re no better or less of a person because of your financial reality. But we can make your financial reality better.
What was the very first reaction you had?
→ A pit in your stomach?
→ The urge to close the app?
→ A rush of “I’ll deal with this later”?
→ A wave of relief?
→ Nothing at all?
That first reaction tells you about your relationship with money right now.
STEP TWO:
Most people think they avoid money because they’re “busy.” That is rarely true.
In my work with equestrian business owners, avoidance almost always comes from one of these places:
→ Overwhelm: “I don’t even know where to start.”
→ Shame: “I should be further ahead by now.”
→ Fear: “What if it’s worse than I think?”
→ Scarcity: “There’s never enough.”
→ Perfectionism: “I’ll look when it’s cleaner.”
→ Control: “I don’t want bad news.”
Be honest with yourself. Which one is yours today? You don’t fix what you refuse to name.
In horse person terms, these steps are attempting to help you desensitize yourself to your money situation, like your horse to that one spooky corner.
The relationship between you and your horse becomes better once you know and understand each other, and money isn’t so different.
STEP THREE:
Now look at:
→ What’s coming in → What’s going out → What’s due soon
Take a moment to notice the stories your brain wants to tell. “I’m failing.” “I’m terrible at this.” “I’ll never catch up.”
Those aren’t facts.
That’s stress, shame, guilt, and so many other emotions talking. Numbers are neutral, so come back to those. They will start to work for you when you start working with them.
STEP FOUR:
Choose one thing to do:
→ Pay one bill
→ Send one invoice
→ Move money to savings
→ Update one category
→ Schedule your next meeting
One thing is enough: consistency builds confidence, not intensity.
Then close your meeting with this thought:
“I showed up. I didn’t avoid. I led my business today.” That’s CEQO® work.
Facing your financial reality is important, but I know it’s not easy. It’s the recurring challenge a core amount of my client base struggles with.
Awareness of your financial reality and participation in changing it. Those two sides of the coin are what can spin you more of your equestrian dreams, but without the financial burden. This lifestyle isn’t cheap.
The finances of being an equestrian impact so many facets of our life. It’s something that’s sacrificed in the name of passion, but it turns into something that drains more than just the bank account.
Ignoring your financial reality really does make the spooky corner a terrifying place that no one wants to visit, so take the time to ease the spook factor and gain trust because the ride is so much more manageable when you can use the entire ring.
I’ll end today’s money meeting with a suggestion I’ve made many times. Read the book Rich as F*ck by Amanda Frances, subscribe to the Deeper Than Money Podcast – resources beyond myself that help women build a better understanding and relationship with their money – no math involved.
Ready to Build Financial Confidence in Your Equestrian Business?
If you’re tired of guessing, avoiding, or feeling behind with your money, you don’t have to figure this out alone.
Inside CEQO® Mentorship, I work directly with equestrian entrepreneurs to:
→ Get your bookkeeping accurate and up to date
→ Create profit-focused pricing and offers
→ Build simple money systems that reduce stress
→ Develop long-term financial strategy and stability
→ Lead your business with clarity and confidence
This is where passion meets structure.
Where dreams meet sustainability.
Where you become the Chief Equestrian Officer of your business.
If you’re ready to stop surviving and start building a financially stable equestrian business, learn more about CEQO® Mentorship and apply to work with me.
