By Britney Grover
Karen Borne was first introduced to horses as a child growing up in Dallas, Texas, through her aunt and uncle, who owned and showed cutting horses. Little did she know then that horses would shape her career and her life—as an equestrian entrepreneur. Despite her cherished memories of foaling season and watching the babies play out in the pasture, Karen’s course took her away from the horse world until her 40s.
First, Karen purchased a Paint named Hank—after Hank Williams, Jr.—to show at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. After several years in the Western scene, Karen felt pulled towards dressage. She acquired Sjolling—pronounced “shaw-ling”—as a green 3-year-old, and discovered his talent. “I put him in full training, but I couldn’t find a saddle that fit him well, and that’s where my saddle-fitting journey began,” Karen said.
For 25 years, Karen has been helping horses to thrive in their saddles, and in turn has been thriving in her own life. She’s owner, founder and president of both Borné Saddlery and the child/pony-focused Ruby Roo Saddlery. She and her husband of over 36 years, Dennis, now live in Houston, Texas, and enjoy their two sons and four grandchildren.
What led you to create your company?
I started Borné Saddlery in 2000 as a bespoke custom saddle company. Owning Sjolling helped me to see the difficulties of fitting certain horse breeds, as I couldn’t find a properly fitting saddle for him so I decided to pursue custom saddle manufacturing and design on my own. To further my knowledge and understanding of saddle fitting, I traveled to the UK, completing intensive training with the Society of Master Saddlers. While in the UK, I was introduced to Andy Sankey, a master saddler in Scotland who has been hand-crafting saddles for Borné Saddlery for the last 26 years.
In 2019, I branched out into the children’s pony market bringing the same creativity and function as Borné so I started Ruby Roo Saddles.
What part does your company play in the horse world?
Borné Saddlery is exclusively a bespoke English saddle company. We participate with our clients to create the saddle of their dreams. Most of the time, the sky is the limit as to what we can do as long as it’s still functional. We have many customers tell us how long they have been saving up to buy something truly meaningful to them, so we approach our job with the utmost of care.
Ruby Roo takes me back to my childhood where everything seems magical. The emphasis is on splashes of color, genuine cowhide saddles sized to little ones, and fun accessories.
I recently launched my book, “Ruby Roo Farm: Saddle Fitting for Kids,” on Amazon and IngramSpark. My goal with the book was to create a fun story incorporating basic saddle-fitting techniques that young children as well as adults can understand. I’ve spent enough years in this business to know that client education related to saddle fit will empower them to make more educated choices when shopping for a saddle.
How has your company and your role evolved over the years?
My companies have evolved over the years by shifting focus solely on fitting saddles to incorporate education to the consumer as well as new saddle fitters emerging in our industry.
Also, with 26 years of manufacturing and designing saddles, we’ve been able to narrow our tree selection down to the most common conformations we normally fit, facilitating a shorter manufacturing time frame and greater overall customer satisfaction.
Ruby Roo is now a global company serving Canada, the European Union and, most recently, the United Arab Emirates. We’re considering an alliance with Australia very soon.
What challenges do you face?
The major challenges I face as a business owner have been the downward trend in the economy over the last few years, which started around 2019. When you combine the economic shift with the interruption of the supply chain during the pandemic, it’s very challenging to continue to offer as many options in leather, for example, when there are continual shortages.
Ruby Roo is a different challenge. Managing growth can be even more challenging than slow economic times in some respects, and we are experiencing that with Ruby Roo. It’s important to me that the consumer receives the best products and customer service, so we monitor our growth closely.
What great things have happened because of your business?
Aside from the great people I’ve met that have enriched my life, the greatest thing of all has been how I feel when I’m able to relieve a horse’s back pain knowing that I played a role in making that happen.
What’s the best-kept secret about what you do?
I believe I can speak for most saddle fitters when I say we care deeply about our work, and most will go out of the way to find solutions for ill-fitting saddles. For me as a manufacturer, fitting and designing saddles takes a certain “eye” for geometric shapes, a sound knowledge base of manufacturing options for optimal fit, and an attitude of accommodating customer needs while still applying sound saddle-fitting practices.
What advice would you give to other women considering entering the business world within the equestrian market?
It’s not easy. Do your research, enter with enough capital to buy inventory or whatever supplies you need, and avoid credit cards when you can. When you feel like quitting, push on—the feeling is transient. Develop a thick skin, negotiate everything, stay true to your vision. This really is a marathon, so prepare yourself mentally and physically.
What’s the best thing about your life?
I have found a way to be successful in business with something that allows me to express myself creatively. With my business, I’ve achieved some of my highest goals and aspirations that fill me with true happiness.
For more information, visit bornesaddlery.com or rubyroosaddles.com and look for “Ruby Roo Farm” at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IngramSpark and more
