Horses Kick Ass: How A Guy Who Knew Nothing About Horses Fell in Love With Them

Hey gang. I'm Zack Pennington, CEO of US Chia. I have to admit that, before starting this company, I hadn’t been exposed to the horse industry. I grew up in apartments in the suburbs of Cincinnati, and with the exception of a few visits to Turfway Park, horses weren't on my radar.

When we first started researching the benefits of chia seeds for humans, we kept running into people who were feeding chia to their horses. Being in the heart of horse country (Kentucky), I knew this could be a great place for us to have an impact.

So in 2011, I decided that US Chia should break into the horse industry… from the outside. It couldn't be that hard, could it?

Man, was I in for a shock! The first thing I learned about horses was that I didn't know anything about horses. All I could tell you was which end was the head and which one was the rear. I didn't know anything about the different breeds, riding disciplines, or even coat colors. I knew a lot about cars, but I'd never heard of a Roan car with a Buckskin interior.

Even worse, I didn't really get what all the fuss was about. Horses just seemed like big, expensive pets. And even though I love dogs, I didn't have any growing up (thanks allergies). I had no idea all the crazy and awesome things people did with/for their horses.

Flash forward to 2014, and I've already learned a ton about horses, the horse industry, and horse-people. So much so that I can confidently say I know nearly 5% about the topic! (Sarcasm).

I've talked to hundreds of horse people over the past few years. One topic that comes up regularly is the difficulty in getting non-horse-people excited about the horse industry.

There are a lot of different reasons for this discrepancy. Sometimes it’s the time commitment. Often it’s the cost of participating. But ultimately, it comes down to exposure and understanding. There's a really high barrier to entry for outsiders. If you didn’t grow up around horses, where do you even start?

I tried reading an equine textbook and Horses For Dummies and still felt lost. The content was very thorough, but not very interesting.

And then it hit me. There needs to be an introduction to horses written by a former outsider for outsiders. So that’s why I'm writing a series called "Horses Kick Ass: How A Guy Who Knew Nothing About Horses Fell in Love With Them."

The goal of this series is to make horses relatable to guys and gals like me, people outside the industry, who would love horses if they were given the right exposure.

If this seems like something you’d be interested in, sign up for our mailing list to stay tuned for “Horses Kick Ass Part 1: Horses Are Athletes.” You can share this series with your friends and family who know how much YOU love horses but they don’t “get it” themselves.

At US Chia, we're committed to providing high-quality, American grown chia seeds to promote health and performance. We believe nutrition is the foundation of health and wellness, and chia seeds provide a wide range of nutritional benefits. Chia contains some of the highest concentrations of soluble fiber and Omega-3s, which we all need but have trouble getting through regular diets. Whether you're focused on digestive health, heart health, or increasing endurance and performance, the powerful nutrients in chia seeds can help.

Click here to learn about US Chia's benefits For Horses