Crossbow Equine Marketing

04/07/2026

Here's a story from my early days as a horse trainer…

Years ago I had a client send a couple horses into training. About two weeks later she changed her mind and decided she wanted them back.

𝗡𝗼 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹, 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩?

Except at the time my contracts were… let’s call them very optimistic.

I didn’t have a clause stating that training fees were non-refundable once paid.

I didn’t have a clear termination policy.

And I definitely didn’t have anything protecting me if a client decided to pull their horses before outstanding bills were settled.

One night she came and picked up the horses while I was gone.

Just like that.

No conversation, no final invoice, nothing.

I ended up prorating her money back even though I had already spent it on that month’s feed. At the time the relief of not having an angry client felt more important than standing my ground.

Looking back, it wasn’t malicious on her end. It was simply a business situation that I wasn’t properly prepared for.

And that kind of thing happened more than once in those early years.

Most of us get into the horse industry because we love horses. Its' definitely not because we’re experts in contracts, liability, or business structure.

But if you’re working with horses and clients, those things matter more than most people realize.

That’s exactly why I recently revamped a resource I originally created several years ago:

The Equine Entrepreneur Starter Guide.

It includes customizable templates for many of the agreements horse professionals use every day, including:

• Training contracts
• Boarding agreements
• Lease agreements
• Liability waivers
• Consignment agreements
• Bills of sale

Along with guidance on setting up basic business structure and avoiding some of the common mistakes I see in the industry.

It's nothing fancy. Just practical tools that can help protect your business from the kind of headaches many of us learn about the hard way.

If you’re running a training program, boarding barn, lesson program, or any kind of equine service business, you might find it useful.

𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚
https://www.crossbowequine.com/education/startup

And if you’re building or growing your own horse business, I’m always rooting for you. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺.

03/19/2026

ICMYI: Owner & founder of Crossbow Equine, Kylie Bowen, went live with Barn Besties earlier this week

This discussion was fun, lighthearted, and filled with mindful conversation around building your brand, expectations in horse sales, dealing with clients, differences in Western vs English disciplines, and more!

As a bonus for watching, we put together a fun, FREE guide to choosing your brand colors 🎨
(It matters more than you’d think 😉)

⭐️ Download here: https://www.crossbowequine.com/education/brandcolors

▶️ Catch the replay: https://www.youtube.com/live/J24RnzgzJjg?si=8mKDLDXere82tDGs

03/18/2026

This is one nice filly 🔥💋👖

Who’s ready to add some serious horsepower to your program?

📷: Crossbow Equine | Kylie Bowen
🐴: KK Performance Horses

𝐁𝐲 𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐫
2026 filly by Adios Pantalones x Fames Fiery Kiss

𝗦𝗶𝗿𝗲: Highest Earning Barrel Stallion of All Time
𝗗𝗮𝗺: Producer of over $1M including Shelley Morgan's HR Fameskissandtell - 2022 The American Champion & 2022 NFR Average Champion

Balanced, correct, athletic filly with elite maternal genetics.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴?

PM or text (480) 695-4991 to discuss
Mesa, AZ

03/11/2026

Day 10: Moving Forward & Out

Hard to believe we’re already at Day 10.

This first stretch of riding has been mostly thoughtful conditioning and figuring each other out. One thing I really like about this mare is that she isn’t overly reactive. She’s tuned in and honest about what she’s feeling, which makes the conversation pretty straightforward.

One of the most important things I focus on with horses coming back to work is getting them comfortable moving forward and out.

A lot of frustration with horses comes from one simple gap: they were never properly taught how to travel forward comfortably at all three gaits.

Remember Horses regulate through movement. When one goes into a fight-or-flight state, it’s often because they were never truly taught how to move forward with purpose and confidence. That’s where groundwork and lateral control start to matter; they give you the tools to redirect energy instead of fighting it.

You can spend all the time you want asking a horse to be soft and collected, but it doesn’t mean much without miles underneath them.

So this morning, building on our arena work, we went exploring a bit.

We found a long stretch where we could long trot, work through some transitions, and let her open up her stride. Sometimes the arena can make a horse feel a little bunched up. Getting out and letting them travel can do a lot for their body and their brain.

Even horses on the hotter side usually settle when you give them a productive outlet.

Tomorrow we’ll be back in the arena for more softening work, backing, and starting to use more topline muscle. We’ll also lope a little more and work on straightness using one of my favorite exercises.

Enjoy the view from Queen Creek this morning.

03/06/2026

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟑: 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞

By Day 3, we’re nearing the end of the initial assessment period. That said, the first ride still comes with very low expectations.

Before I get on, again I am going to move them around on the ground with the saddle on. I take no chances when it comes to horses I am not super familiar with. If anyone ever gives you hell for lunging before you get on, they haven’t ridden enough horses.

PSA: it is totally normal for a horse who has had a lot of time off to be a bit fresh and get 20 seconds worth of NFR footage out of them when they wear a saddle for the first time in years.

And Pro Tip: always tighten your cinch in 3+ phases. Don’t be that person who gives your horse a we**ie.

——

Once the wiggles are out, I’ll go through a few of my favorite groundwork exercises and snug the cinch one last time before getting on.

Once I’m in the saddle, I’m looking for information:

• How soft are they laterally?
• Do they understand any collection or shoulder control?
• Are they sensitive to pressure, or more of a kick-ride?
• Are they watchy, or naturally confident?

Along the way I’m doing a lot of softening work and feeling for what buttons the horse already has.

My job is to figure out where the gaps are, and where I can continue adding value.

Since this mare is coming back into work, the ride stayed short today (under 30min). We worked through each exercise at the walk and trot only. I’d rather spend more time building conditioning before asking for more.

When the ride is finished, the routine stays consistent: loosen the cinch immediately, remove the bridle, and let them stand tied for a bit.

Quick rinse, fly mask, grain…

𝐹𝒾𝓃.

03/04/2026

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐: 𝐑𝐡𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐦 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞

Today looked a lot like yesterday.
And that’s the point.
Early progress is quiet, sometimes invisible
But invisible progress is still progress.

Another 20 minutes of intentional movement.
Varying speeds. Watching her breathing. Watching her recovery.

We finished with a half bath: legs, mane, tail. Good, regular grooming is part of making sure we not only keep them looking good, but that we have eyes on their legs and any changes, good or bad

Tomorrow: Groundwork with a Saddle, first ride on Thursday

03/03/2026

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏: 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 + 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

After a full day to eat, rest, and regulate, the real onboarding begins.

Day 1 is about assessment.

We do a full intake:
• Feet
• Weight and overall condition
• Height and build
• Energy level
• Receptiveness

Then, every horse starts in the round pen, on the ground. Always.

There was a time, about a decade ago, when I tried shortcutting this. Spoiler alert- It never paid off. Any good horseman will agree that you can learn more in 15 intentional minutes on the ground than you do rushing into getting on one.

In that first session, I’m evaluating:

• Are they balanced or clumsy?
• Are they hot & reactive, or are they dull and lazy?
• How are they at catching the correct lead?
• Do they understand direction and speed control?
• What’s their attitude when pressure is applied?

And most importantly, what kind of leader does this horse need?

——

If a horse comes in with time off, these first few days stay low-impact. Light muscle engagement. Thoughtful cool downs. Safety checklist every time.

This mare worked about 15 minutes at varying speeds to begin re-engaging her muscles. Then messed with a couple good groundwork exercises and called it good

Finished by letting her stand tied, rinsing off the dust, and ending the session calm while i sat & wrote this post

Because how you end the day matters even more than how you start it.

Whether a horse is here for conditioning or consignment, knowing them deeply isn’t optional — it’s the bare minimum.

Day 2 tomorrow

03/02/2026

Every new horse that comes into our program follows the same three-day protocol.

It doesn’t matter if I’ve personally known your horse for years or they just stepped off a trailer from across the country, 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 is always about regulation.

Not performance.
Not expectations.
Not pressure.

Regulation.

Horses regulate through movement. So Day 0 is about allowing them time in the round pen or arena to move, smell, see, and feel their new environment.

While they settle, I’m taking notes:

• What is this horse’s true baseline?
• What triggers tension or anxiety?
• Do they seek connection, or check out?
• Will they drink?
• How long does it take them to come back down?

This tells me more than any sales video ever could.

After that, they settle into their stall, get a small meal, and the rest of the day is intentionally quiet. Very little is asked of them.

My job, whether a horse is here for conditioning or consignment, is to keep them safe, sound, and mentally regulated.

Because the way you set a horse up for success matters

Tomorrow is Day 1: intake process and first session.

Follow along for the full 30-day reset.

12/25/2025

🎄 Merry Christmas from Crossbow Equine 🎄

During the holidays, we’re reminded that horses have a way of grounding us in the moments that matter most. The quiet mornings in the barn, the trust built one ride at a time, the partnerships that turn into lifelong stories.

We’re incredibly grateful for all of our clients & customers who trusted Crossbow Equine this year. From conformation portraits to trusting us with managing your brand, your belief in what we do, and in the horses we stand behind, means more than words can say.

May your Christmas be filled with peace, gratitude, and the kind of joy that doesnt have a price; just good horses, good people, and time well spent.

From our barn to yours,
Merry Christmas and warm wishes for the year ahead. 🤍

Best,
Kylie Bowen | Crossbow Equine

12/11/2025

Huge congratulations to our amazing customers in Tennessee on the purchase of this absolutely stunning smoky cream Spooks Grand Slam filly!

Thank you for trusting us with finding your next show horse, and thank you to our clients for trusting us to find the best fit for this sweet girl

This is our passion and what we love to do 🖤

11/16/2025

🛑 SOLD TO TENNESSEE 🛑

ELEGANT & UNIQUE REINING PROSPECT

Stunning 2025 APHA (pending) filly by the great show horse, Spooks Grand Slam (NRHA LTE 150k), out of a daughter of the popular paint cowhorse sire, SHR QTs Diamond Cutter

✅ Beauty
✅ Brains
✅ Pedigree
🔥 Rare Perlino Tobiano Coat

This filly was born to be a show horse! This is a really neat opportunity at a reiner or cowhorse with color who has been brought up the right way from the start

Feet trimmed 11/11

Queen Creek AZ - can help arrange shipping worldwide | 📥 PM or text (480) 254-7650

💠 https://www.crossbowequine.com/sale-horses/chai