About a Box
Hope no one needs to use the microwave.
My daughter Sally began taking horseback riding lessons when she was nine years old, back in 2022. By the time she turned ten, she bought her own horse, Todd—with our help, of course—but she’s been paying for him annually using the money she earns from showing and selling her pigs at the Walworth County Fair. We rent a stall for Todd at the barn owned by her trainer. I spend a lot of time with Sally at the barn, averaging at least five nights a week, including weekends. That said, naturally I had plenty of time to observe the day-to-day procedures and goings on at the stable.
We often joked that Todd’s stall was his “apartment” because he always stayed in the same one with his name on it—and I paid the rent. Rent checks would often be left in the microwave in the barn kitchen. Over a period of time, I noticed that almost all communication between the barn owner and boarders went through that microwave or a small desk nearby. Rent payments, medications, farrier and vet notes, even gifts or messages between horse owners—it all ended up there. It felt like there had to be a better way.
The chaos continues...
I began asking other horse owners how communication was handled at their barns, and the responses were surprisingly scattered: sticky notes on a bulletin board, a general mailbox on a counter, even duct tape on a board. There was no consistent or effective system in place.
During horse shows, I saw the same problem: no good method for keeping track of individual items for horse owners. While someone was in the show ring, others were stuck holding onto their cell phone, sunglasses, show schedule, and so on. Items were often just left on a feed bag or hay bale in a communal tack area.
Enter Heybox
So in March 2024, I started designing the Heybox. I wanted a box long enough to hold a letter-sized envelope, with hooks for halters, reins, jackets, hats, or signs at shows. It needed to be durable, lightweight, and affordable—so plastic made the most sense. I also wanted it to be easily portable, so it could be used both at the barn and at shows. Now, Heybox has finally come to fruition and we've put it to good use. It's quietly doing all the things we wanted it to do. Of course, we know we're not solving the world’s biggest problems, but anything that makes life easier and more convenient for people has to be a good thing. Thanks for taking the time to read our story.
