Open a local equestrian shop with a storefront

Local horse owners, riding students, boarding barns, trainers and families buying kids' riding gear.

Retail margin on new goods, commissions on consignment saddles and tack, and feed sales to repeat customers.

• Deep horse and tack knowledge
• Retail and inventory management
• Saddle fitting or willingness to learn
• Customer service

• Business license, sales tax registration and zoning, check with your city, county and state
• General liability, property and stock insurance
• Large upfront inventory spend, especially saddles, can tie up cash
• Seasonal sales and competition from online sellers
• Feed storage and sales may have state rules, check with your state's agriculture department

Startup costs are typically around $40,000 to $150,000, depending on your space, location and how much stock you buy. Saddles can tie up a lot of cash upfront, so treat these figures as estimates and price your own plan.

Check business license, sales tax registration and zoning with your city, county and state. Also check general liability, property and stock insurance, and whether your state's agriculture department has rules on feed storage and sales.

You need deep horse and tack knowledge, retail and inventory management, customer service, and either saddle fitting skills or a willingness to learn. Expect to work around 40 hours a week at minimum.