Mario Johnson
I grew up on a dairy farm in Georgetown, Idaho not far from where I now live. I milked cows, moved pipe and operated farm equipment. I loved to ski, hunt and fish, but I especially loved to play guitar. For two years in my late teens, I played guitar professionally every weekend .
Besides running our dairy farm, my father was also a farrier and started a lot of colts and this is where I found my interests were. When I was 18, I started my first colt and over the next few years I decided that horses would be my career path rather than playing guitar.
I started my colt starting and rawhide braiding business in 1994. Cynthia and I were married in 1997 and we spent about 2 years cowboying together on ranches in Utah and Wyoming. We then decided it was a good time to move home to Georgetown and continue to build our business.
Besides riding colts, I day work (cowboy on ranches when extra help is needed) as often as I can and for the past 16 years, have had a part-time summer range riding job. These are great opportunities for me and the colts I ride.
I still love to play the guitar but of all the activities I enjoyed in my growing up years, hunting is the one I pursue the most now because it fits in well with my horse training business. Cynthia and I have 2 children and my current hobby is doing things with them.
Mario Johnson Horses, LLC
How did you start your business?
I bought an appaloosa gelding named Sunny, rode him for 4-6 months and sold him for $1000. I put ads in the paper and told everyone that I talked to that I was starting colts. My dad, who had transitioned from colt starting to farrier work, talked with his clients and lined up horses for me to start. During this time, I read every book colt starting and training that I could get my hands on and I began attending colt starting and horsemanship clinics. I was super green but people were willing to take a chance on me.
How long have you been in business?
Since 1994 - I started my first horse when I was 18 but then I left home for New York City to complete 2 years of service for my church. It was during this time in the big city that I made the decision to make horses my living. So, at 21, I began starting colts for the public.
What is unique about your business?
We have chosen to remain a small family business where to training is done by me. I now have 23 years experience exclusively starting colts. I have some show experience and a lot of practical experience on horses with cattle, packing, hunting, and trailering and riding in the hills. I am located to in a great place to expose the horses I ride to all of this as well arena work. I teach each horse as an individual, so they have about the same amount of exposure with a personalized approach.
What services do you provide?
I start colts. I work with horses that have been started but have trouble with basic handling or being ridden. I board horses. I shoe my own horses and the colts I ride. I give riding lessons, wild horse gentling demonstrations for the BLM and cowboy for local ranchers. I work at my facility and I also travel to client's homes to train, shoe or trailer load
As a business owner, what advice would you give others?
You can make a living doing what you love. Be honest with yourself and with others. Give your customers more than they expect. You won't please everyone but you'll please the majority of your clients.