by PAUL RAYNER

A decision some may have thought a great risk in the early 1980’s has led to 25 years of success.

On February 2, Glover Equine celebrated its 25th anniversary. Producing and marketing horse related products in their shop on Aikman Street, the Glover family has developed a strong market sense and been able to expand products to meet expansion in their customer base. According to Barb Glover, the journey began in 1981, when she was a part of a now defunct business and attending an equine event across the border.

“I was in the War Bonnet (a western style store located in the present thrift shop building) at the time,” Glover remembered. “I went to a market in Denver to buy, and I met Duke O’Neil of Esper’s Equine.”

The American was involved in making horse blankets, and discussion eventually fell into Glover making the blankets in Boissevain to sell to Canadian markets. A partnership was struck.

“I decided to build the building here and we started up a partnership. We started up as Espers' Equine here.”

At the beginning, it was just horse blankets for different seasons. As time went on, the product line changed and developed. One of the biggest changes came after the first two years, when Glover bought out her erstwhile partner, and founded Glover Equine.

“It was just too complicated doing business 2000 miles away,” she explained. “It was good he was here to help us get started, and that gave us an opportunity to carry on on our own.”

The development of the business over the years meant different moves. They supplied stores, went to markets, and began custom embroidering. One of the biggest moves was across the border.

“We are so close to the States that it is handy for export and import. We were originally supplying stores in Canada, then ones close to the border. We go to markets to sell in Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto and American shows like Denver and Philadelphia.”

Over the years, the development has meant changes in the size of the building. What was once a 4100 square foot structure developed into 7000 square feet, including a new building, between 1997 and present. The need for more work space and storage space determined expansion.

Other changes included products. What was originally the making of horse blankets developed into more diversity. Tack bags, boot bags, harnesses, halters products for pets were all added over the years, as well as many others. As Glover explained, there is always a need to adjust to what the market wants.

“We have always been after more of the market. Basically, it was anything we could do on a sewing machine, anything we could design and make up. We would see if we could do something someone wanted. Some things worked some not. Every year, we diversify more.”

She said the salespeople they have in different territories play a role in determining what customers want, as do the trips to the different market shows.

Horse blankets are still key, although changes have occurred. Different fabrics gave more options, as protecting the horses from the elements while still allowing them to breathe became easier to do within the same blanket.

Changes in the technology of manufacture also occurred. As Dale Glover explained, computerized equipment, for example, changed what they could do and how it could be done in different areas.

“There were a lot of machines you had to stitch by hand, and now that is computerized,” he explained. “In things like embroidering, it makes everything uniform. It has definitely changed a lot.”

As well, the business became more of a family operation over the years. Husband Don moved into the business in 1995, daughter Andrea into the accounting in 1997, and son Dale came in 2002. Barb Glover said she needed more help and it was a logical move. Dale agreed.

“It was something we always thought about,” he stated, “it just had to be feasible.”

Over the years, employees have ranged from six to sixteen making the products. There are some seasonal fluctuations in demand, as well as some products, like horse blankets, that take more people hours to complete. One present employee, Betty Brake, was there at the beginning in 1982, although she has not been there the entire 25-year history.

Barb Glover said the west remains their best market. About 40% of their business goes to Alberta and British Columbia. Big US markets exist in California (where there are as many horses as in all of Canada) and Colorado. Although there is more competition across the border, there are also more opportunities, with some California barns having a lot of horses with several blankets each.

Business continues and so do developments. They are now involved in distributing new products not manufactured at the shop, like horse shampoo, with the idea that they are attending the markets anyway, so they might as well bring more lines. The custom work is developing, as stores are finding it good to have someone to do that work for their customers. Prizes for equine events are also important, as they are presently doing some for as far away as the Golden State and New York.

In the main, Boissevain is a good place for Glover Equine to be located.

“It is good to be in central Canada and the middle of North America,” Dale stated. “It is not hard to get anything to any place. Being in a small town is great for us, because we do not need a lot of people.”

Employees presented the family with a 25th anniversary quilt to celebrate the occasion. Barb said she did not think 25 years into the future when starting, and admits some people might have thought she was crazy for starting up, but it has certainly worked. She said being part of an equine family helped a great deal, as they are familiar with what the needs are. However, one must keep an open mind to be successful, something she recommends to anyone starting a manufacturing business.

“You really need to check your market place,” she explained. “You might have an idea come to you that works. You have to listen to your markets. It is not always what you think will work; it is what the need is. What works is what works.”