Name On Logo: Horses on a Budget

No Slogan

Horses on a Budget is a virtual tack store. We specialize in new and gently used tack, stable items, gifts and show clothes for the horse enthusiast. I like to think of our inventory as including treasures for the horse, rider and home.

All of our items have been hand selected to combine quality with an attractive price. The link to our website is currently broken and under repair, but you can get there through the back door at [Login to view URL]

When you go there, you'll see that our website and logo look way too "home grown". We need a more sophisticated logo (and website) that will help us compete with the big guys like horseloverz.com, horse.com, statelinetack.com and doversaddlery.com.

Industry: Retail

1. We sell quality horse-related items (NOT horses)

2. We make horse ownership more affordable

3. Our business is friendly and sophisticated

My business targets "horse show moms" and others who are trying to own and show horses on a budget. (Showing horses can be a VERY expensive hobby.) Many of these potential buyers have kids in 4-H or Pony Club or grew up showing horses. They tend to be women ages 25 to 55 with middle-class incomes.

My buyers don't want low-quality products at cheap prices. They want quality items at reasonable prices. Education levels vary from high school through post-graduate degrees.

A secondary target is general horse lovers who appreciate horse-themed home decor, fine sterling silver jewelry and tack (halters, bridles, saddles) with lovely sterling silver adornments. They appreciate the fine workmanship of these items but want them at reasonable price. This secondary audience tends to be more affluent ($100K+) and older (45 to 60).

My business is located in the greater Seattle, WA area. I sell online across North America, but I am also a vendor at horse shows in Western Washington. At this time, the majority of my sales come from events where buyers can see my items in person. I hope to significantly expand my online sales once I have a new logo and better website.

I am looking for a logo that is professional and sophisticated while also a bit whimsical. I definitely don't want anything too "cutesy" though. The finished design needs to work equally well in black and white and color. It will be used on business cards, a website, price tags and a large banner.

I'm leaning toward a two- or three-color design that would include green and possibly brown, since leather is usually brown. Also, horses are often brown and dollar signs are green. So, if both were incorporated into the logo, those colors would make sense. While I don't love the actual horse in my current logo, I do like the notion of including a horse, of giving the feeling of movement and of making the first "s" in "horses" a dollar sign. But, that's only one idea. I look forward to seeing what more creative people than me can come up with.

One challenge is that the logo will need to appeal to horse enthusiasts of various disciplines. Some of my clients show their horses western (think cowboy hats and western spurs). Others ride English (think helmets and jumps). Still others just ride their horses for fun out on the trails. That's why my original logo didn't incorporate spurs or hats.

In addition to the primary logo, I will need a one-color version that can be printed on my black and white laser printer and used to create a vinyl sign for my trailer. I will also need a "transparent" version that can be overlaid on a solid background or photo.

In the attachments section below, I will include some examples of logos I like. You'll notice that they tend to incorporate iconic images that immediately communicate the focus of the business. The Hat Lady logo is probably my favorite, although the typography is fairly dated. But, there's no question what her business is all about, and many people I know love her logo. The Northern Peak Media is my second favorite because it is clean, and clearly ties together the elements of the name. The only criticism I have of that logo is that "media" is a bit small, so the logo has to be relatively large to be read from a distance. The other two samples are quite sophisticated and tie nicely to the business name.

I tend to like clean, elegant typography that incorporates hand drawn type, kerning and/or spacing. (Please don't judge me by my current logo. I know the fonts don't match. This was a "quick and dirty" design to get me started.) In short, the logo should look like a professional designed it rather than something I created without the benefit of graphic design training or skill.

Hopefully all this direction won't stifle your creative juices. I promise to be both timely and constructive in my feedback. I appreciate great design. I'm also totally bummed that I have absolutely no graphic design talent. But, hey, that's why I need you.

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