Equestrian Website Template and Guide for Professionals
If you want sponsors and clients, you need a website.
A simple website is the best way to showcase who you are and what you do. If you don’t have one, you could be missing out on big opportunities.
When I helped brands select sponsored riders, I was always surprised by how few professionals had websites. So I created a free template to help young dressage riders stand out.
Here’s everything you need to know about creating a website and how to use our free template. It’s easier than you think.
Why You Need a Website
Social media is essential for marketing yourself as a professional rider. But it’s not enough.
Every professional rider needs a website to impress brands, attract new clients, showcase their services, create content for sponsors, and update supporters.
Professional Impression
A website is a key part of the professional digital footprint we discussed in our blog post about How to Become a Brand Ambassador.
Think of your website as your digital business card. It’s your opportunity to make a great first impression and look like the professional you are.
Google Search Results
Clients and sponsors will Google you. You want to own what shows up first in the search results.
Did you forget that Tumblr blog you created during your emo phase in Middle School? Google didn’t.
Showcase Yourself
A website lets you showcase yourself and your services beyond the surface level of social media.
You can customize your website to reflect your personality and provide more details about your background, mission, and services.
Content Creation
Websites allow riders to create blogs and newsletters that promote their sponsors, educate their clients, and update their fans.
Anybody can take a picture and tag a brand on social media. How many riders are taking the time to write an in-depth review for their sponsors?
Maintain Connections
You don’t own your audience on your social media pages. If you lose access to your social account, you lose those connections.
Your website is yours. You own the content you publish and the contacts you make. And unlike social media, that connection to your audience isn’t at the mercy of an algorithm.
The Simple Five-Page Website
You don’t need a fancy, complicated website custom-made by an expensive web designer.
You’re busy. And you have horses. So, let’s be honest, you’re probably also broke.
Here’s an overview of the five basic pages your website needs, alongside screenshots of those pages from our free rider website template.
Home
Your home page makes the first impression. Make it a good one.
This page should include:
Eye-catching photo
Who/what you are (i.e. FEI Dressage Trainer)
Your tagline, mission statement, or a brief business overview
Link to contact page
Previews of other pages and social media
Links to other pages and social media
Contact form
About
Your about page helps potential sponsors and clients get to know you. Tell your story.
This page should include:
Your name and location
Photo of yourself with your horse(s)
Background and qualifications
Mentors and training philosophy
Why you love what you do
How you help others
Link to services page
Links to sponsors if you have them
Services
Your services page explains the services you provide. Focus on your specialties.
This page should include:
Relevant photo
List of services
Brief explanation of each service
The location where you provide services
Link to contact page
Callout if you are open to brand collaborations
Blog
Your blog page is one of your most valuable assets for content creation. Use it.
Here are some blog post ideas:
Meet the horses (introduce your horses and share their personalities)
Product/brand review (write a review about one of your favorite brands)
Trainer tip (share a short tip about horse care, training, or life)
News update (share recent news, events, and accomplishments)
FAQ (answer frequently asked questions about yourself or your services)
Contact
Your contact page is where you want every visitor to end up. Make it easy to reach you.
This page should include:
Your name and location
Contact form
Email address (optional)
Phone number (optional)
Facility address (optional)
Links to social media
Business name and location in the footer
Remember to protect your privacy. Contact forms are more secure than publishing your email address or phone number online.
You will likely get emails from spammers that crawl the internet for new websites and advertise fake services. Ignore unsolicited offers from addresses you don’t trust.
How to Create Your Website
Trust me, you can do it. And it will be worth it.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to create your new website.
1. Sign Up for Squarespace
All-in-one website platforms with intuitive tools are the easiest way for riders to create and manage websites. I recommend Squarespace.
Sign up for Squarespace and select a template to get started. If you want to use our free website template, fill out the form at the end of the blog.
2. Customize Your Template
Next, customize your template and write your pages. Squarespace’s platform has drag-and-drop tools that are intuitive to use.
Change as much or as little as you like! There are lots of great resources to learn how to build your website. But when in doubt, keep it simple.
3. Subscribe
To publish your site, you’ll need to subscribe to Squarespace. You don’t need the fancy tools of the more expensive subscriptions. Stick with a personal or business plan.
If you use our free template, you’ll get 30% off an annual subscription.
4. Buy a Custom Domain
Buy a custom domain for your website, such as “yournamedressage.com.” It’s easy to do through Squarespace and costs less than $20.
Don’t use the free “yoursite.squarespace.com” domain your website comes with. A custom domain is critical for your professional digital footprint. It also helps Google find you.
5. Link Social Media
Woohoo! You’re live. Now, add a link to your website in your social media bio so your followers can easily find it.
Your website should also include links to your social media so that brands and clients who find you through Google can follow you.
Have Questions?
Young professionals are the future of the sport. We’re here to help you build it.
If you have website or marketing questions, visit my contact page and email me.
I’m happy to help. And even happier to accept cute horse photos in exchange for advice.
Free Website Template
The website template featured above is available for free to young dressage professionals.
This Squarespace website template for dressage riders is completely customizable and includes instructions on what to write in each section. Follow the directions, replace the stock photos, and change the colors to make it your own.
To request a free template, fill out the form below and share a bit about yourself! Select “sign up for news and updates” to subscribe to our newsletter.
