Diaries of a Cowgirl Entrepreneur: July 2026
Welcome back!
Crazy to think that July is already over and we are heading into August... here in Alberta Canada that means the summer and warm weather is almost coming to the end. Which makes me sad because I truly enjoy sitting in the sunshine on the porch enjoying a matcha (yes, I'm aware I'm basic) and reading a book or working on invoices and writing drafts.
This month has been a mix of busy and slow for me which has been nice. The beginning of the month started with a bang and lots of adreniline with Calgary Stampede but it tapered off in the middle as I gave myself a bit of time to recooperate from everything the last few months; however lets get into it!
Calgary Stampede
As many of you are already aware, I've had the privilege of working alongside the Calgary Stampede for the past three years, delivering educational, horse-focused presentations and demonstrations. Every year has been busy, but this one was by far my busiest yet.
Beyond presenting, I spent my days supporting the many moving pieces that keep an event like this running. From managing stalls and moving horses between venues, to hitching and driving teams, caring for the horses, and coordinating the social media for one of the committees I worked with... there wasn't much downtime.
If you're thinking, "That sounds like a lot," you're absolutely right—it was.
Between giving 3–6 presentations a day and juggling everything else behind the scenes, my fuel tank was completely empty by the time Stampede wrapped up.
In fact, the day after it ended, I thought I'd reward myself by reading a book on the patio around 11 a.m. The next thing I knew, I was waking up at 4 p.m. with a sunburn, a sore neck, and enough drool to prove I'd been in a very deep slumber. Safe to say my body had decided it was time to cash in on all the rest I'd been putting off.
While the Clagary Stampede is a super fun event for me usually and I love chatting with everyone and showcasing my knowledge and horses, I will say it is an incredibly taxing time. It isnt glorous and can be very intense and hard on my body. I typically was begining my day at the barn around 7:45-8am each day and with my last presentations finishing at 8:45-9pm and then not leaving until 12-1am each day after watching horses during fireworks and doing final water and hay checks. Not only is it less sleep but it is also lots of physical labour, walking and heat which all contributed to some knarly blisters this year!! I don't say this to sound like I am complaining but intsead give insight into the significant time, effort and sacrifices many people make (not just me, I am not special nor do I work harder than others)!
While I discussed some of the less glamourous parts here are some of the moments that made it special to me:
Parade Day
While 4am wake ups seem rough, there's something incredibly peaceful about those quiet hours at the barn before the city wakes up. Gearing up the horses, brushing them out, braiding their tails and getting them sparkled up has become one of my favourite parts of the entire experience. Then, just a few hours later, those calm moments are replaced with the excitement of the parade. Seeing the crowds line the streets, hearing the cheers, and watching people light up as the horses go by is such a rewarding feeling. Knowing I get to play even a small role in creating those memories for families year after year makes every early morning and long day completely worth it.
Photographed is me driving the JR Adventures draft x paint team Bo (left) and Luke (right) pulling the SikSika First Nation wagon at the Calgary Stampede Parade July 3rd 2026 Spending All day with all my best friends (my horse, my partner and my dogs)
I think this is a fairly obvious one but it isn't as often as I'd like to spend consistant time with all the indivuduals at once! I am incredibly appreciative that I have a partner who uses their time off from work to come work with me and help me with my job. While I wish I could spend all day everyday with my animals, it's just not realistic for my lifestyle and work structure! So getting that dedicated time with all my favourite things in the same place each day is definitely special for me.
Photographed is Rumour my blue roan quarter horse 
Photographed is my one dog Willa Jean who is a blue merle Australian Shepherd. Meeting new people and sparking curiosity
I LOVE being able to share my passion, knowledge and expertise with people, especially those unfamiliar with horses or agriculture. There is something incredibly rewarding about being the person people feel comfortable approaching with questions, knowing that one conversation might completely change the way they see these incredible animals. One particular moment has stayed with me.
A little girl, no older than three, came over to meet Rumour. She was absolutely captivated by him. After taking a photo together, she slowly reached out one tiny pointer finger toward him. Rumour gently lowered his head and softly touched his muzzle to her fingertip, and for a few seconds, they simply shared connection.
It was such a small, simple interaction, but it meant so much. Watching her face light up and seeing the wonder in her eyes reminded me why these opportunities matter. Not everyone has the chance to spend time around horses, and moments like these can spark a lifelong appreciation, curiosity, and respect for them. Sometimes all it takes is one gentle horse, one curious child, and an unforgettable moment.
Photographed is me painting Rumour for our biomechanics presentations at Calgary Stampede 2026 Growing the social pages of the committee I worked with most
A very personal happy moment was being able to create more visibility and active tangible growth for the committee I work alongside through social media. I was able to increase their reach by approx. 10,000 followers and over 2 million views across platforms! This was a pretty awesome moment for me as it really showed me the impact I can have on a community! Not only that, but I wrote a 4 paged feature in a magazine on the conception of the committee that was distributed across Canada! Having the ability to do all that was very rewarding for me. If you are interested in reading more from me or learning about the creation of Draft Horse Town feel free to click the link here.
Later through out the month had much less interesting moments, mostly I tried to catch up on sleep, clients and housework, as laundry definitely took a backseat to everything and a dirty clothes mountain was created.
I did head up to Camp Cheif Hector who is a client of mine in order to work on their horses in their program. This is a favourite for me, and I am sure anyone familiar with the camp would know why. Unsurprising to anyone who takes the time to read these blogs, I love being apart of growing the community and helping facilitate good experiences for those unfamiliar with horses. One of the ways I try to do this is working with this camp. So many children don't have the means or access to horses other than through experiences such as stay away camps, so if I am able to help those programs maintain their horses and keep creating those connections/experiences, it feels like I am apart of the solution. While I am working on horses there, I often also do small talks about what I do and why I'm doing certain things for the groups there! Sparking curiousity is the first step to growing and getting people involved.
As Jean Vanier once said "The beauty of community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn't as individuals."
If you enjoyed reading this and look forward to the next one, check back at the beginning of each month or subscribe to my website in order to get automatic updates! If you have any thoughts or comments, feel free to voice them below, all I ask is that it's respectful to all.
If you are reading this and want to follow my journey or endevours in other ways, feel free to check out my socials, website and podcast all listed below!
Until our paths cross again,
May you dream big, follow your passions and live your life to the fullest.
Britain
Where You are Always Herd
Socials
Instagram: www.instagram.com/stableinstincts
Podcast: https://uncinched.buzzsprout.com
**You can find Uncinched on all podcast streaming platforms including Apple Podcast, Amazon & Spotify
Website: www.stableinstincts.ca
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