built by women for women

the pillars of Wie

the story behind women in equine

Women in Equine began out of the realization that there was a need to bridge equine communities separated by geography, discipline, and specialty. Starting with a Virtual Coworking Session of just four women on a Google Meet in September 2025, Women in Equine has since provided hundreds of women the opportunity to meet and discuss their work and the equine industry as peers.

After several months of these sessions, the Women in Equine Facebook Group was created in January 2026 to offer more community and connection beyond the virtual sessions. That group is now over 800 members from across the world. 

As the Facebook Group grew, it became clear that its members were vying for the opportunity to connect with other industry professionals they don’t meet in their day-to-day lives.

Launching Women in Equine as a full professional community was the logical next step.

When women in equine open doors for each other, an entire industry walks through. Come walk through with us.

the rise of women in equine

Women in Equine Facebook Group

Month-over-Month Growth

Meet jillian

founder of women in equine

Jillian Blades-Rice is the founder of Woman in Equine.

Growing up riding hunters in Southern California ignited a lifelong passion for horses, which she channeled into pursuing a degree in Equine Business & Facility Management from Otterbein University. After gaining valuable industry experience at SmartPak Equine, Jillian transitioned to the digital marketing world, where she spent the last nine years successfully growing a transportation marketing agency to 7-figure growth. 

In 2024, leveraging her expertise in marketing analytics and systems, Jillian returned to the equine industry to start her own freelance marketing consulting business and realized she needed ways to network while working from home with an older gelding and currently not competing.

Thus, in September 2025, the very first Virtual Session for women working in the industry inudsty was held.

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