The Money Conversation Horsewomen Are Not Having, But Should Be
- Alicia VanderGriend
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
A proposal for the quarterly meeting that could change everything about how we build this horse life.
I have been sitting with an idea, and I think it is time to say it out loud.
We talk about everything in the horse world. Feed programs, hoof care, trailer brands, bit choices, saddle fit, bloodlines, show schedules. We will spend three hours at the barn dissecting a ride and not think twice about it.
But money? We do not talk about money. Not really. Not honestly. And I think that silence is keeping us stuck in ways we have not fully reckoned with.
So here is my proposal. A once-quarterly Friends and Finance meeting. For horsewomen. The whole point is simple: help each other actually fund this horse life we are all trying to build.
Why This Matters
The horse industry runs on passion. Horsewomen are some of the most resourceful, hardworking, creative people I have ever met, and most of us are quietly underpaying ourselves, undercharging our clients, and making financial decisions in total isolation because nobody in our circle is talking about it.
We watch each other struggle and say nothing. We celebrate each other's horses and say everything. We need to learn how to do both.
Confidence grows in circles where wins are celebrated loudly. Not competitively, genuinely. There is a difference between women one-upping each other and women being unapologetically loud about what they have built.
The second kind of circle changes everything.
It gives us permission to want more, to charge more, to build more because we can see it happening right in front of us in real time.
Here is what that meeting looks like.
Agenda Item #1:
Celebrate The Win
Everyone goes around and shares one money win. Big or small.
Paid off the trailer.
Finally negotiated board down.
Booked a full training package with a new client.
Raised lesson rates for the first time in three years.
Booked a dream horseback riding vacation
Whatever it is, say it out loud and let the room celebrate it. No minimizing. No "it's not that big of a deal." It is a big deal. Treat it like one.
Agenda Item #2:
Money Mistakes
No judgment zone. This is where we remove the shame and take ownership.
"I bought a saddle that did not fit and never returned it."
"I have been paying for a boarding add (one more stall just in case I get the dream horse) and I do not even use."
"I keep saying I cannot afford lessons, and then I bought new tack last week."
We are all human. We are all learning. The mistake only costs us twice if we hide it.
Agenda Item #3:
Bring it to the circle
Everyone shares one wealth-building tip.
Maybe it is about your horse business.
Maybe it is just general financial knowledge that changed how you think about money.
You heard it on a podcast or social media
Maybe you attended a financial training session online
Each woman has a specialty, and if one is financially savvy, rely on her advice, let her speak up, and encourage her to share. Do not gatekeep the good stuff. Spill the beans.
Agenda Item #4:
The Hot Seat
The questions we have been too embarrassed to ask out loud.
Should I be paying down debt or investing in my horse business right now?
Am I actually charging enough for training?
Is it dumb to leave my job to build this?
Is there a smarter way to structure what I am doing?
These questions deserve real answers.
And the right circle, the one built on honesty and genuine investment in each other, is exactly where those answers live.
Agenda Item #5:
90-day Goal
Everyone commits to one money goal for the next 90 days.
Say it out loud.
Own it.
Let the group hold you accountable.
Come back next quarter and report on it.
A goal said out loud in a room full of women who are going to ask you about it in 90 days is a completely different animal than a goal written in a journal and never mentioned again.
The Movement That Starts With One Meeting
I do not know why we do not talk about money more in this industry.
I think it feels vulnerable. I think we have been taught that wanting more is somehow at odds with loving our horses for the right reasons.
I think we confuse financial ambition with greed, and humility with silence.
But financial silence is not humility.
It is isolation. And isolation keeps us small when we could be building something real together.
The horse life you are dreaming about more time in the saddle, more time at the shows you love, a business that actually pays you what you are worth that life does not get built alone.
It gets built in circles where women are brave enough to talk about money honestly, celebrate each other loudly, and hold each other accountable to something bigger than what is comfortable.
Start the meeting.
Find your circle.
See what happens in 90 days.
I have a feeling it will surprise you.
Alicia VanderGriend
Cowgirl Life Co.
Alicia VanderGriend is a certified wellness coach, marine biologist, and former project & proposal manager with 25+ years of experience leading complex, high-stakes work.
She is the founder of Cowgirl Life Co., a horsewoman lifestyle brand built on showing up brave and confident in our bodies, minds, and wallets, and feeling the greatest expression of freedom.
Drawing on decades of personal practice and professional training, Alicia combines movement, mindset, and sustainable habit systems into a practical approach designed specifically for the horsewomen.
She lives and rides her three mustangs in the Pacific Northwest.
Follow at @cowgirllifeco on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
If this is the kind of circle you have been looking for, I am building something. It is called Brave Again, a community for horsewomen who are ready to talk about money, build something real, and hold each other accountable to the horse life they actually want.
If that is you, get on the waitlist at https://www.aliciavandergriend.com/braveagain-waitlist
This article is from the August 2026 issue of Equine Business Magazine
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