Stable business: jockeying for position in the horse field

Equestria Club was set up in 2010 by Ozana Moraru, who with husband Cristian Moraru, both ophthalmologists, owns the Oculus eye clinic. She told BR how she ended up in the saddle, what fences the local horse business still has to clear and who are the runners and riders in her client base.

By Tatiana Lazar

Is setting up a riding club a profitable business?

Unfortunately, at present in Romania it is not profitable to invest in riding for two basic reasons: firstly, it is not a familiar sport to Romanians and is not popular enough here – something that will not change anytime soon because of the lack of tradition in this area. And secondly, because we don’t have any national strategy in this regard – perhaps it is too much to ask, but at least some support from the sports authorities, for example, should be provided for this kind of sport.

Secondly, we do not have infrastructure in all the areas that could make riding a successful sport: we don’t have coaches, we are missing a well structured riding school that can teach people from beginners to champions; we lack skilled caregivers, as there are very few veterinarians, so if you decide to invest in expensive and potentially winning horses, their value may decrease, not increase, because you can’t get good results in national and international competitions.

My husband and I have invested a large sum in the stables – approximately EUR 5 million – and subsequently, we have made quite a serious investment in competition horses. Other investments followed in school horses, and training accessories for the horses and contests: sets of professional obstacles, an electronic scoreboard and computerized starters, a mobile speaker for horses in competition, tents and other amenities.

Why did you open a riding club? What is the story behind it?

I started 15 years ago, taking some riding lessons at a club near Bucharest, but when I did not make any progress, I realized I needed to get my own horse to help me achieve this goal. I was not satisfied with the riding clubs that provided training around Bucharest or with the welfare of the horses. I bought two more horses, then another two, more expensive ones, which I gave to a rider and professional coach to participate in competitions. Since I wanted to obtain good results in serious competitions, and there was nowhere that I could access the requisite care for the animals, I decided to set up my own club, with the highest standards possible. I searched in Germany and France for construction companies specialized in equestrianism and the one I chose did both the design and construction of much of Equestria Club as it is today. Later I bought school horses, I opened a riding school, and I also acquired other competition horses, which we made available to club competitions. Shortly afterwards I started organizing riding competitions at the club.

Has horse riding caught on among Romanians? Do you think riding a horse has become a popular way to participate in sport?

Yes, the number of visitors has increased, both adults and children. Some come only from a desire to spend their spare time outdoors, in a quiet, relaxing, civilized spot. Some come for a few weeks or months and then give up. Others not only persist, but make good progress or even buy their own horse.

What are the monthly boarding costs for a horse?

Caring for a competitive horse or leisure horse involves proper nutrition – of sufficient quantity and good quality. Horses are very sensitive to the type of food they’re given (abroad, there are even sports horse nutritionists). Also, they need a good microclimate: clean rooms in airy stalls, special ventilation with certain volumes of air and a continuous and sufficient supply of drinking water. They also need structured sports training and communication activities which make them feel happy. In addition, there are monthly saddled activities, quarterly de-worming and a bi-annual vaccination. The costs can reach EUR 700-800, including training.

Is there a local horse market?

Yes, we can talk about a local market in Romania, covering especially the leisure horse class and mid-level performance horses, but also a market for school horses, those trained especially for riding lessons.

Horse buyers are either people who appreciate and want to become owners of sport horses, who hire a rider or coach to train them, or people who simply enjoy riding (or their children do), who realize that progress will more visible and consistent if they have their own horse. Another category of buyers are professionals in the field: the professional horse-riders who want to win contests with these horses and then sell them, or owners of equestrian facilities that offer riding lessons and need so-called “school” horses.

What facilities does your riding club have?

A lesson with an instructor at the horse-riding club costs between RON 40 and 120, depending on duration (30, 45 or 60 minutes) and the student’s level of experience. Besides riding lessons, Equestria offers a meeting space and infrastructure for workshops and professional meetings, accommodation, a cafe-bar and restaurant on demand for various activities.

Salon du Chaval Bucharest reaches fourth run

The first phase of Equestrian Salon 2015 – Salon du Cheval Bucharest, now on its fourth run, will be held in Romania over April 24-26, at the Equestria Riding Facility and Stables, in Tancabesti, Snagov village (DN1). Organized by the Equestria Riding Club, the event aims to bring the model of the Salon du Cheval Paris to Romania.

The program includes high-level horse presentations, exhibition stands and a range of equestrian shows: parades, dressage to music, vaulting demonstrations, trotting and galloping demonstrations, chariot contests, horse stunts, horse acrobatic shows and many other surprises.

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