How to Build Supportive Cultures in Our Horse Barns

You may think your barn community is too small to have something as fancy as its own culture but it does. Whenever groups of people come together through common goals interests and patterns of behaviour a culture is formed. A culture is a set of shared beliefs attitudes knowledge practices and behaviours. A strong culture can help all involved reach higher and further than they can alone. However when a culture isnt shaped intentionally it may not serve its full potential. In some cases a culture can even become harmful to those within it.

We all spend a lot of time at our barns. We dedicate this time to being with our horses taking an hour or two for ourselves and furthering our dreams and goals. Most of us can relate to how frustrating it is when this time is hijacked or interrupted by the ill effects of a harmful culture especially when we realize that the culture of our barns is ours to shape. This article will outline some simple steps we can all take to strengthen the culture of our barns for the good of ourselves our horses and the people we share the space with.
A strong culture knows what it is trying to achieve and why.
The first step to building culture is to decide on and declare a common purpose statement. A purpose statement answers the question Why are we all here at this barn? The answer could be as simple as creating a peaceful place where everyone can enjoy time with their horses or as complex as fueling each group members confidence and skill to continuously progress upwards in competition. To identify this common purpose ask everyone at your barn what is important to them about the time they spend there. Look for themes to emerge. A purpose can be absolutely anything. The impact comes from collectively deciding and declaring it. 
Alternatively if you are the head coach or barn owner you may wish to declare a purpose that you feel aligns with your vision for the barn. However the group buyin will be stronger if everyone has a chance to contribute. Taking the time to speak with everyone about what is important to them will ensure that everyone feels they have contributed to the process.
In a winning culture all members know exactly how to achieve the purpose. 
Once again clarity is the key ingredient here. Once