06/22/2026
I had a $5,000 credit card, one horse, and absolutely no idea what I was doing.
That was July 1st, 2007.
There was no indoor arena. No riding ring, I push-mowed one myself over three days because the weeds were almost as tall as I am. No sign at the end of the road.
That actually didn’t happen for another 13 years.
My mom was terrified. We picked up furniture on Ottawa Free Day. I maxed out that credit card almost immediately.
I had a big dream and zero business experience. I just refused to stop.
July 1st this year is 19 years.
I wrote about what those 19 years actually looked like. Not the highlight reel. The real version, mistakes I still shake my head at, the reason I’ve always had a soft spot for the misfit horses, and why this place was never really about business in the first place.
It’s the real reason Royale exists, and who it was always meant for.
🔗 https://open.substack.com/pub/royaleequestriancentre/p/i-had-no-idea-what-i-was-doing-i?r=8fz1a1&utm_medium=ios
Happy Riding,
— Emily
📷 #1 Emily & Royale’s Ruthven aka Lola
📷 #2 Ring I proudly push mowed.
📷 #3 Diego and Baby Sagnol (Connie who owned Sag was one of our first boarders)
I had only 3 jumps in the ring and they were very kindly gifted to me.
So many more stories to share, more to come for another day… 🫣
