The Etsy Equestrians #2: Tracy of Printable Pony

Are you an equestrian who needs a little help in the organization department? Do you need to simplify to save time and money? Well Tracy from the Etsy shop Printable Pony can give you some assistance. Besides having her Etsy shop which sells organizational items for horse owners, Tracy is the planner behind the annual Equestrian Blogger Gift Exchange around Christmas. The exchange is really fun and one to get in on if you also have a blog. On to the second in The Etsy Equestrians interview series. . .

You have a new horse. Tell us about him and how you came to be a team. What are your goals?

Yes! I bought Niko in December – he’s a 4-year-old liver chestnut Westphalian gelding, bred in Missouri by a grand prix dressage rider. I actually first saw Niko on Facebook – he was listed in the comments of an ISO post on a horse sales group I’m part of. I messaged back and forth with his owner/trainer and then went to see him in person a few weeks later. I fell in love pretty much right away, but it took a few weeks to coordinate schedules so my trainer could see him as well. On our way home, my trainer said “I was looking for something to not like about the horse… but I just couldn’t find anything.” And the rest is history!

My goals with Niko are mostly pretty simple – I want to enjoy him and have fun, first and foremost. Since Niko is so young and green, giving him a really positive and correct education is also really important to me. I’m also looking forward to showing a little bit in the summer – eventually I’d love for Niko to be my 2’6” hunter, but I’m not in a hurry

This post contains affiliate links.

How did you first get into horses?

I think it’s a little bit in my blood, hah! My mom loved horses, but could never afford to ride when she was growing up. She passed down two of her plastic model horses (Royal and Delilah!) to me, and I grew quite the collection throughout my youth.

I didn’t actually start riding until fourth grade though. My best friend in elementary school got horseback riding lessons as a Christmas present when we were 9 – I tagged along and never quit! After a few years of lessons, my friend and I joined 4-H, which I showed in until I aged out.

How did you get into printables and organization? Are you one of those people with a color coded closet or alphabetized spice rack?      

Guilty! Not only is my closet organized by color, but my entire pantry is alphabetized and labeled. I read some advice one time about starting your own business, and it was something like “go with what your strengths are, and don’t lament your weaknesses.” I’m good at seeing the 30,000-foot view, I enjoy organizing and I’m a decent graphic designer – that’s what led me to printables

Tell us about your Etsy shop.

The Printable Pony opened on Etsy in 2014. My first product was the Equine Records Printable Pack, which I developed with the help of numerous bloggers – they gave me ideas and helped beta-test the product.

After that, I started developing printable patterns. My mom is a the craft-genius who helps make the patterns and I take the pictures, edit the content and lay it out in a pretty, easy-to-read format.

My goal is to supply resources to help equestrians simplify their equine lifestyle, and save them time and money.

Tell us about your blog: how did you choose the name, when did you start, how you would you describe your niche.

This past year I re-branded all of my “side hustles” to be under the same name: The Printable Pony. Originally, that was the name of just my Etsy store, and it came from a fellow equestrian blogger (unfortunately she doesn’t blog anymore).

I started blogging in 2013, and I would describe my niche as primarily hunter/jumper lifestyle focused, with some general tips and tricks that all equestrians can enjoy. I talk mostly about my personal journey, but I’m trying to branch out and be more inclusive.

What’s the greatest challenge and joy you face with either your horse or your horse blog or both?

Balancing my time and money is my far my biggest hurdle in both my riding and blogging. There’s never enough time in the day to get everything done and I could always find great ways to spend more money!

What do you do for work?

I’m a full-time marketing coordinator for a company that helps U.S. universities connect with international prospective undergraduate students. I’m sort of a jack-of-all-trades, doing some graphic design, website management and social media management.

What is it like to live in Ohio? Were you born there? Have you lived other places?

I was born in Cleveland, Ohio and I moved to Columbus, Ohio for college at The Ohio State University. I met my husband there, and never left! I absolutely love Columbus – I think it has a great balance of big city adventure and amenities, but the space and privacy of the country isn’t too far away. The weather can sometimes suck, but I love being close to family and the lower cost of living allows me to afford my equestrian pursuits.

Besides Niko, who else is in your family?

My husband, Sam puts up with four furbabies – two horses and two dogs. We own, Niko, as you know and have half-leased Moiya (a 19-year-old Thoroughbred mare) for several years now. We also have two dogs: Rocky (7-year-old fawn Havanese) and Kona (1-year-old chocolate Labradoodle).

Whom do you regard as a hero or look to for inspiration in the horse world?

Professionally, I have to say my trainer is my hero – I know it’s kind of cheesy, but the way she has structured her business and how much she truly cares about horses and their well-being is amazing. If I ever know 10% of what she does about horsemanship, I will count myself blessed!

Personally, I find the most inspiration from my fellow adult amateurs. We all go through so much just to be able to ride and I truly take heart in knowing that the problems I face aren’t just my own – others have gone through them too, and come out on the other side stronger and more successful.

When you’re not at the barn what other interests do you pursue?

Does Netflix and hard cider count?! Hahahaha. In real life, I’m kind of boring – I really love spending time with my family in any way I can, and I’m kind of a homebody. For me, there’s nothing better than snuggling on the couch with my husband and dogs, watching a movie and eating some popcorn.

Do you have any horse-related bucket list items you’d like to cross off?

I’d like to spectate at Tryon and WEF (unfortunately the World Equestrian Games doesn’t fit into my schedule – I’m so sad!). I’d also love to show in a National Hunter Derby one day.

How do your friends describe you?

Oh man, that’s tough! I like to think I’m a very genuine person who wears my heart on my sleeve. I’m passionate and fiercely loyal to those closest to me. Sometimes I struggle with being too negative (especially about myself) and I definitely have a stubborn streak.

You host an annual equestrian bloggers gift exchange. How did that get started and will there be another one this year? What have you learned by hosting that event?

I started the Equestrian Blogger Gift Exchange my first year of blogging (2013) as a thank you to the amazing and wonderful community I found. I think I said it best in that very first blog post:

“I started this blog to chronicle my thoughts and feelings as I worked my way through the first horseless period in my life since I was 16. What it has become is a journey in and of itself, in which I not only document some of the most important events in my life, but also learn and grow through an entire community spread out across the world. This blog has allowed me to tap into a network of knowledgeable, generous and supportive group of horsewomen who have celebrated my success and commiserate in my shortcomings. I’ve truly made friends, something that I never expected to find from simply writing a blog.

So thank you. To each and every one of you who have read my entries, commented on my pictures and included me in your blogging circle — it really means a lot.

During this time of the year, when I am reminded to be more thankful and more generous, I celebrate all of us, together. So I’ve decided to host a little Equestrian Blogger Gift Exchange.”

Through blogging, I’ve found an amazing group of adult amateurs who break the mold and defy convention – they are endlessly friendly and supportive. They go out of their way to make you feel welcome, to lend a digital shoulder to cry on and who consistently show how truly amazing people can be. The way they come together in times of need for people they’ve never met is overwhelming – honestly, the gift exchange is the least I could do for such an awesome group.

As for what I’ve learned, the list is long! I’ve learned that you can never start an event too early – bloggers will email me if I haven’t mentioned the gift exchange by mid-November! – and that being responsive is key. I want people to ask questions if they have them, or tell me about an issue because I want everyone to have fun and enjoy the event. My best advice for handling those things is to be genuine and caring – luckily for me, that comes pretty easily.

What do you think of Etsy as a platform for small businesses?

I really like Etsy – I think it’s easy to use as a store owner, and the fees are reasonable. I also like the built-in audience I have there. It’s a lot easier to rank organically in an Etsy search than on Google!

That said, I have opened my own store on my website, to cut out some of the fees and give me a platform to try new products without any fees at all. I haven’t gotten many orders directly from my website yet, so only time will tell if it makes sense for me to have both

What advice would you give to someone considering opening an Etsy store?

Stop worrying or thinking about it, and just do it! I don’t make a ton of money, but every little bit helps. It’s not hard, and you will learn so much. It’s probably one of the best things I’ve done, right after starting a blog!

Thanks, Tracy for sharing your story!    

You might also enjoy reading the first blog post in this series, The Etsy Equestrians #1: Amada of Bel Joeor.

Leave a comment: What item would you like to own or have invented–if it doesn’t already exist–to help you save time and money in your equestrian life?

Let’s Get Social! Trot along with my OTTB Knight and me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

You’re Invited. . . If you are not on my email list for very important horse lovers, please sign up. You’ll get the inside scoop about fun new products and other horsey inspiration via twice-a month emails. To get on the list simply click here.