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Bent, but Not Broken—A Month of Progress, Pivots, and Possibility

Sometimes I wonder if the horses are conspiring behind our backs—not out of mischief, but maybe as part of the healing lessons they offer us. One of the barn windows that Bob repaired is now mangled beyond hope. Neither horse was injured, thankfully… but it really makes me wonder if they’re getting help with the demolition!

Despite these little surprises, Bob and I have been staying busy. He fixed the auger, put in a new wood post for our fencing project, and even serviced the lawn mower so that it is running smooth again. With everything growing like crazy, we've spent hours mowing, sweating, and (sometimes) laughing through it all.

I also made a trip to my dad’s to help with his horse fencing. What we thought would be a quick fix turned into multiple visits, a lot of troubleshooting, and a bit of frustration. The new electric tape had no charge, and it took time to find the real problem—it was grounding out. Once I figured it out and got everything connected properly, the fence finally worked. It felt good to troubleshoot it on my own.

Back at Healing Horse Touch, July didn’t go exactly as planned—but in the best possible way. We received an ad grant for our TikTok account, which led me into a whirlwind of video creation. By the end of the month, we reached 3,900 followers! It’s incredible how many people are connecting with our mission, even in small moments online.

Meanwhile, I started tackling filling the shed with hay. We had a surprise downpour that soaked half of the bales, even though they were tarped. The tarp was older and hadn’t been secured well enough for wind. I wasn’t prepared for that house-shaking thunderstorm!

Still, over 50 bales are safe and dry in the shed—and that’s a huge win. Last year, I was depleted, running on empty. This year, I had the energy and strength to keep stacking until my fingers, not my body, gave out. That’s a quiet kind of victory I don’t take for granted.

One bale in particular caught my attention. It didn’t fall apart like others have done. It folded in half—and still held together. It reminded me:

Resilience doesn’t always mean standing tall. Sometimes, it’s about bending without breaking.

And I think that’s where I’m at. Even with a full to-do list, unexpected grants, and shifting goals, I’m learning to bend and adapt.

This month, I also focused on revising my business plan. Again. Why? Well, after some helpful grant feedback, I tweaked my focus a bit. Then Skip released an AI-powered tool that rates business plans in real time—and I couldn’t resist. My first score was a 7/10 (“Good”), but after a LOT of revisions, I finally hit a 10/10!
Bob says I can stop now. I might need an intervention!

Next, I started to turn my energy toward perfecting a new elevator pitch and prepping slides for upcoming grant proposals. I had hoped to feel more “camera ready” for some of these, but truthfully, being conversational on video is harder than it looks. I’m still learning, still growing.

I made some progress, but I realized that I was feeling like I had left my purpose. I needed to shift focus. So for now, I’m leaning into finishing course content and working on new store designs that reflect the heart of our healing mission.

By the Numbers (for those who love data)
  • We applied for 10 grants.
  • We attended 6 Skip Instant Grant live sessions.
  • We received tickets to the Minnesota Zoo for our upcoming raffle.

Monetary Donations: $2000 ad credit for TikTok

Followers

Search Engine Rankings:
77 keywords listed. 17 are in the top 30 results.

Goals for August
  • Begin a monthly raffle to inspire people to join our community. Chipotle gift cards will be one of our first prizes!  In upcoming months, you’ll also see essential oils, crystal heart pendants, and more.
  • Create the next horsemanship course and workbook.
  • Send 3 grant inquiry letters and apply for 6 grants; attend 6-8 Skip Instant Grant live sessions
  • Set up new donor pages on three new platforms. Do you have a favorite you’d like to see us on?
  • Continue filling the shed with hay for the winter.

As always, thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you’re cheering us on from afar or showing up in small, quiet ways, your presence matters. Here’s to making space for the good, even when the storm clouds roll in.

With gratitude,
Diana Kelley
Founder, Healing Horse Touch

P.S. If you're curious about the business plan tool I used or want to follow our TikTok journey, here’s the link:
https://d.helloskip.com/UjtZ

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Hoofbeats of Hope

Healing Horse Touch
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