For most people, horses are beautiful creatures that grace the covers of books such as Black Beauty and National Velvet. Perhaps you remember reading Misty of Chincoteague as a child or being gifted a Breyer horse during the holiday season. However, few people are aware of the intricacies of the equestrian world, and even fewer are aware of the nuances of horse sport. I have met quite a few people recently who were shocked to discover that horseback riding is in the Olympics, only after watching it on their TVs during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
I am a part of the small population of people involved in the equestrian world, and I have been since I was 11 years old. I compete in the Hunter/Jumper discipline with my horse, Raimond. He has taught me many lessons over the two years I have been riding him, and the equestrian world as a whole has taught me even more lessons over the decade I have been involved. Read on for three things that you can learn from the equestrian world as a PR professional.
- The power of connections.
The equestrian world taught me about the power of connections long before I stepped foot into the college classroom for my first PR class. For better or for worse, the equestrian world relies heavily on word-of-mouth recommendations. Too few boarding barns, trainers and other professionals leverage social media and the Internet to attract new business or build their brands. (Perhaps there are some things that equestrians can learn from PR pros as well!)
When my parents first looked for a lesson barn to teach me how to ride as a child, they relied on word-of-mouth recommendations in our area. Similarly, connections are crucial in the PR world, and word-of-mouth recommendations can make or break you. These connections are everywhere—with reporters, with brands, with consumers, with other PR agencies, or even with your fellow employees. People in the equestrian world are experts at connecting with other professionals and making word-of-mouth recommendations, and the same is true for PR professionals. Knowing how to cultivate, grow, then reap the benefits of these connections is an important skill for PR professionals to learn.
- The importance of ethics.
Unfortunately, certain equestrian professionals are known to be unethical in the pursuit of winning ribbons and awards. In the Hunter/Jumper discipline especially, a trainer may give the horse illegal drugs to calm it down in a big show environment, or even take performance-enhancing drugs themself ahead of a big class with a client’s horse. However, many equestrian professionals are committed to ethical behavior—it just requires careful consideration to find them.
Ethics are crucial in PR. In the same way that certain equestrian professionals are unethical, certain PR professionals may not be fully committed to maintaining a code of ethics in their work. Brands and individuals must be committed to working with ethical PR professionals, and PR professionals must be committed to working with ethical brands and individuals. PR is all about building relationships based on trust, which can be easily destroyed through unethical practices.
- How to have grit.
Equestrians are notorious for getting back on the horse every time they fall off, even at times when a trip to the hospital is a better idea. Equestrians are also notorious for being incredibly hard-working and determined. I have cleaned countless stalls, cared for my horse on a hot day before caring for myself and been there for my horse’s worst moments, even if I am struggling myself. I find that exceptional “grit,” or strength of character, is the thing that sets equestrians apart from most other people.
Similarly, grit is important for PR professionals. PR is not a 9-5 job—it often requires long hours and extensive travel, especially when a client is facing a crisis. PR can also be a huge strain on creativity. No matter how much work you put into an RFP response or a client proposal, sometimes you must return to the drawing board. No matter how great your pitch sounded in your head, sometimes you do not get a single response from reporters. PR professionals must have grit (and a love of the profession) to keep them going when things get challenging.
The equestrian world may not have much in common with the PR world on the surface, but many of the skills I have learned during my time with horses have transferred over to my time as a PR professional. I have learned how to form meaningful connections, remain ethical in my practices and use my grit to stay strong during challenging times. What have you learned outside of the office that helps you as a PR professional?