The New Year is always a contemplative time for magazine publishers. The round table at our publishing house, Horse in a Kilt Media Inc., was full of ideas, plans to execute and items to change on the publication based on feedback from you folks - our wonderful readers.
There are many new and varied experiences to be enjoyed both in the equestrian world and the rural lifestyle field in the region of the Catskill Mountains. Our publication began as an earnest effort to build a community resource. A mission that has succeeded with our unique views topping 100,000 per month.
Here is a snapshot of where we were 5 years ago:
But that viewership is not just in the local area and it continues to grow as time passes. It has spread even beyond the shore of the Eastern Seaboard, across oceans. So consideration to changing up the name and rebranding the magazine altogether was a natural progression of the media program.
There are many pluses to changing names and rebranding, but there are also a significant number of drawbacks. Name recognition is obviously doing well, and despite celebrating our 10th Anniversary last year our content production is still reaching new audiences. A good harbinger of things to come.
Ultimately, with a clear vote to maintain the imprint name and current branding, Catskill Horse, it was then a matter of decision making in regard to the focus of the content.
Country lifestyle articles have long permeated the home page of the magazine, and are certainly growing their metrics nicely as time proceeds. So it was determined that keeping some broadband interest in not just horses, but also a nod to equestrian lifestyle and rural lifestyle was a good idea.
Of course the continued production of the magazine has long been underwritten by the graciousness of Horse in a Kilt Media Inc. alongside collaboration with a group of wonderfully supportive advertisers. Some of those names, such as The Horse Studio, Willowview Hill Farm, Sorrel House, Horizon Structures LLC,Trafalgar Square Books, are well known and appreciated by the readership as stalwart supporters of Catskill Horse. Others come and go, and all are always welcome.
The decision as whether a subscription sign up to collect emails to monetize the magazine also needed to be made, and this was also voted no. The reason that the magazine was founded in the first place was to provide a community resource under the umbrella of Horse in a Kilt Media Inc., as a give back or pay forward to the equestrian and local community. Thus is shall remain free to read and without need for subscription even free email sign up.
The sister publication, Eastern Equestrian, that was to launch early in 2022, was also discussed. The merit of adding another equestrian imprint to the menu at Horse in a Kilt Media Inc., whose staff time and expertise is volunteered to the Catskill Horse production, was ardently discussed.
Horse in a Kilt Media Inc. currently has several major projects in production. Including working on a film production and several book titles currently in editing awaiting publication. Artwork projects, the much valued PR/Marketing client roster and the ongoing development of new author profiles and management, revisions and reprints of popular titles like international artist Mary Brazier's book, 'Season's Greetings," and the attendance of the team at local PR Chapters and other association meetings all take much time and effort. The result is that time to run another imprint magazine would be limited and would detract from the production and development of Catskill Horse. As a result the Eastern Equestrian domain and social media pages have been dropped permanently.
As time progresses, there may be a new 'Field and Stream" style magazine added to the roster of imprints that specifically addresses country lifestyle, but that will depend on how business develops over the next 1-2 years.
So in conclusion dear readers of Catskill Horse magazine, you can expect to continue to receive FREE copy of the fun, informative and educational articles that Catskill Horse will continue to provide alongside development of more features on rural lifestyle interest pieces such as deer hunting, land development, landscaping and eco-protection plantings, trails and of course, all things Equus.
"The Merry Band at the Catskill Horse" gives a big shout out and heartfelt thanks to the current advertising base at the magazine for their support and looks forward to continuing to serve the equestrian and rural community far and wide through the forthcoming seasons.
New writers are always welcome! Please don't be shy to ask about adding your contributions to the magazine.
Photo: Your Editor! Training time in FL back in the '90's!
