In the equestrian world, first impressions matter – whether you’re selling horses, offering livery, running a riding school, or promoting your services as a farrier or physio. And these days, your website is often the first place people will look. So what makes a good equestrian website? What should you include to stand out, build trust, and get results?
Here’s a breakdown of what works (and what to avoid) when it comes to websites in the equine industry.
1. Clear, Professional Design
Let’s start with the basics. A good website should be clean, easy to navigate, and feel professional without being overcomplicated. Equestrian businesses are often passionate and personal – your website should reflect that, but it still needs to be polished.
Avoid cluttered layouts, too many different fonts or colours, and anything that looks outdated. Aim for:
- A simple colour scheme (ideally aligned with your branding)
- High-quality images (more on that below!)
- Clear headings and consistent formatting
Top tip: A modern, mobile-friendly design is essential. Over 60% of web traffic now comes from phones – if your site doesn’t look good on a mobile, you’re likely losing customers.
2. Great Photos (They Matter More Than You Think)
Whether you’re selling horses, showing off your facilities, or offering a service, good images are crucial. Grainy or poorly lit photos make your business look less trustworthy – even if you’re brilliant at what you do.
Invest in proper photos or at least use a decent camera in good light. Key images might include:
- Horses standing square with clean tack and neutral backgrounds
- Action shots (riding, clinics, competing)
- Yard or arena photos
- Smiling riders, happy horses, clean stables!
Bonus points for short video clips – especially for sales horses or explaining what you do.
3. Horse Listings That Work
For dealing or sales yards, each horse should have its own page or dedicated section. Think of it as an online showroom. Include:
- Basic info at a glance: age, height, sex, price (or POA if needed)
- Honest, detailed descriptions – temperament, type of rider suited to, experience
- Photos and videos
- Clear contact options
The more info you provide upfront, the more qualified your enquiries will be. It saves time and shows you’re transparent.
4. Easy to Update
Equestrian businesses are often fast-moving – horses come and go, services change, and availability shifts. If your website is hard to update, it quickly becomes out of date and unreliable.
Make sure:
- You can edit the site yourself (or have someone you trust who can)
- Horse listings can be added or removed easily
- News, events or availability can be updated without needing a web developer every time
A good website builder or developer will set you up with a system that works for you – no coding knowledge required.
5. Useful, Engaging Content
Content is more than just filler – it’s what helps people find you via search engines and builds trust with your visitors.
Pages you might include:
- About – who you are, your experience, ethos
- Services – clear breakdown of what you offer, prices if possible
- Horses for Sale/Loan – as above
- Testimonials – reviews from happy clients go a long way
- Contact – email, phone, social links, and maybe a map
A blog or news section can also be a great way to show expertise, share updates, and improve SEO (search engine optimisation). Think: training tips, show reports, case studies, horse care advice.
6. Calls to Action
A good website should guide people towards taking the next step. Whether that’s making an enquiry, booking a service, or coming to view a horse – you want it to be obvious what to do.
Use clear calls to action like:
- “Book your visit”
- “Get in touch”
- “View horses for sale”
- “Request our price list”
And make sure they appear in the right places – especially near the top of pages or after descriptions.
7. Trust Signals
Trust is everything in the horse world. People want to know you’re reputable, experienced, and genuine. You can build trust on your website by:
- Including testimonials or reviews
- Mentioning qualifications, memberships (e.g. BHS, BEVA, ABRS)
- Showing photos of happy clients or horses in their new homes
- Keeping your website up to date – a neglected site doesn’t inspire confidence
8. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
You don’t need to be an SEO expert, but a good website should be built with Google in mind. That means:
- Using relevant keywords in your page titles and headings
- Descriptive URLs (e.g. yoursite.com/horses-for-sale)
- Alt text on images
- Fast-loading pages
It’s the difference between showing up on page one or being buried under dozens of similar sites.
9. Social Media Integration
Most equestrian businesses are active on Facebook or Instagram – but don’t rely on social media instead of a website.
Instead, link them up. Include:
- Social icons or feeds on your site
- Links in your bios back to your website
- A way for people to message or follow you
Your website is your shop window – social media is a way to invite people in.
Final Thoughts
In a world where reputation and relationships matter so much, a well-designed website can really set you apart. It doesn’t need to be flashy or overcomplicated – but it does need to be professional, easy to use, and tailored to your equestrian business.
If you’re thinking about creating or updating your equine website, it’s worth investing in something that works for you – and for your horses, clients, and future customers.
Need Help Creating a Website for Your Yard or Equine Business?
I specialise in creating stylish, practical websites for the equestrian world – from dealing yards and livery yards to instructors and horse sales pages. Whether you need something simple and clean, or a fully featured site with up to 20 individual horse pages, I’ll work with you to make sure your website looks the part and works exactly how you need it to.
If you’re ready for a website that does your business justice, get in touch here – I’d love to chat about your plans!
