Horse Roundup 2026 | There’s an app for that

Three entrepreneurs create apps for the equine enthusiast 

Ideas are often sparked by a moment of frustration. Three women from the region noticed a gap in the equine industry which they sought to solve by the creation of their businesses, apps and websites.  

EquiFinds – A tack and gear marketplace 

It’s like Poshmark and Etsy for horse people.  

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Cami Bussmus of Lead, South Dakota, saw the need for a platform to buy and sell equine gear safely and securely.  

“It started with getting really frustrated every time I saw somebody get scammed when they were buying a saddle or selling something through Facebook groups,” said Bussmus.  

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Unfortunately, even the corners of Facebook in which only tack and equine gear are sold are rife with scammers. The culprits often use stolen photos to “list” items they do not have and use AI to create videos from the photos to create a more convincing sale.  

Sellers can be scammed, as well. It is difficult for even the most vigilant users to be entirely sure of the online business deal they are making.  

Luckily, EquiFinds has numerous guardrails in place so shoppers can purchase with peace of mind.  

Bussmus asserts that there is no possible way for a scammer to succeed on her platform. 

“We use Stripe as a payment gateway. When a buyer places an order, that money is held in a neutral account within Stripe. Then we issue a shipping label. The seller is given a pre-addressed label. All they have to do is box the saddle, attach that shipping label that we sent to them and mail it off. And then we track that shipping. Once it’s delivered, 24 hours after that, that money is released to the seller,” she said.  

EquiFinds helps sellers through any refund issues, and packages are always insured through the carrier.  

The store can be used to re-sell quality used equine items, but makers (leatherworkers, beadworkers, etc.) can also use EquiFinds as their storefront.  

People have made “side hustles” or full-time businesses by selling on Etsy or Poshmark, and Bussmus hopes to provide a similar opportunity with her app.  

“We also offer financing options, which has been kind of a big thing with saddle purchases,” she said. “If you’re buying a saddle privately, nobody’s going to finance you. We use a Affirm and Afterpay. Depending on a person’s credit, there’s usually pretty low to zero interest options to make payments on that and they can get the saddle right away.”  

Bussmus knew little about app development when she began this journey.  

“I’m a graphic designer. I know about logos and branding and stuff like that. But as far as the development side, I had to just dig in and figure it out,” she said. A majority of app development services are overseas, which provides numerous barriers. After a company switch and numerous months of waiting for the app to be finalized on Google and Apple, her vision finally came to fruition in June. However, this is only the beginning.  

“This is version one, what we just launched. We’re going to continue to improve it and make it better. Obviously with an app, your MVP or your minimum viable product isn’t going to be the end. We’re continually working to make it better,” Bussmus said.  

The website and app’s two main categories include “For the Horse” and “For the Rider.” Products range from bits and spurs to therapy equipment and kids’ clothing to boots and home decor. Nearly anything needed to outfit the competitor and their horse can be found on EquiFinds.  

Bussmus has been involved in the horse industry her entire life, trained outside horses, and still competes in barrel futurities and rodeos.  

“I’ve brokered a lot of horses through the years or taken them on consignment. I had a little bit of experience as far as how my app works with being the middle person and making transactions run smoothly,” she said.  

“I just definitely felt like we needed this in our industry.” 

See EquiFinds.shop or find them on the app store for more information.  

The Cavvy – For the horse shopper 

Lindsey Anson used to get on her parents’ computer and look for horses on the horse-selling websites prevalent the early 2000s. Her family didn’t own any horses, but that didn’t stop her from making a list of her weekly favorites to give to her parents, in case they wanted to buy one for her.  

Anson, of Meeteetse, Wyoming, funneled that passion for horses into a lifelong pursuit of making and marketing good horses.  

Some of the same websites Anson used to horse shop as a girl are still operating today but are outdated and difficult to navigate, she said.  

Anson was driving down their gravel road one day and thought to herself, “Why don’t I build something?”  

The Cavvy, a sale horse classifieds and stallion directory, was her brainchild.  

The Cavvy’s website and app interface was built with the cowboy in mind. It’s sleek, to-the-point, and easy to use.  

Eventually, Anson did acquire numerous horses for herself. Her husband, Ben, is the manager of the Pitchfork Ranch, and the couple ranch together and make quality sale horses.  

Anson also found herself on the unexpected path of equine sales and marketing. 

“Right out of college, I got a social media position. I got just thrown into the industry through word of mouth,” she said.  

Anson manages the social media for the Cody Horse Sale, and five years ago, Ansons (in cooperation with the Clark family) brainstormed a horse sale hosted on the Pitchfork Ranch – the Wyo Ranch Horse Sale. She continues to manage the social media and marketing for both.  

Because of her experience in social media marketing, Anson knows well the challenges of Facebook. The platform rules dictate that no animals can be sold on Facebook. There are workarounds, but it causes obstacles in communication. Additionally, Anson was recently barred from “sharing” any posts on one of the horse sale pages, which was problematic for the promotion of consignors.  

The Cavvy still uses outside social media to funnel sellers and buyers to the website and app, but Anson’s goal was to create a one-stop-shop for those looking for their next horse purchase.  

Features of each sale horse listing include all the basics including color, sex, breed, and height, but also include temperament (on a scale from 1 to 10), disciplines, shoe size and in-depth description.  

Users can filter by location or desired trait to find exactly what they are looking for.  

“One of the things I’m actually super proud of is our direct video upload. You can add a YouTube link or you can just directly upload a video from your phone. As far as I’m aware, we’re the only website that does that,” Anson said.  

In case of bad service, users can save offline drafts and upload later. 

Sellers’ contact information is protected by a verification process. Other safeguards are in place to prevent scams, including a color-recognition tool.  

“Once you put a horse up, if it’s a bay and your ad says sorrel, then we get a notification in the back end,” she said.  

A stallion directory is another major facet of The Cavvy. Professional photos are required to list a stallion so that owners have the best online presentation.  

“This is the future of the industry,” Anson said. “I think everyone who’s investing in the future of their horse program should be picking quality studs and we really want to help facilitate that.” 

Creating the app included many roadblocks.  

“It was a huge process,” she said. For a month leading up to the April 1, 2025, launch, the team combed through the app and website searching for errors, finding and fixing them daily.  

“You don’t realize how complex these websites or apps are until you really start diving into it and trying to use it,” she said. 

“My brother is in the tech industry and he’s actually a hacker, so he had to learn how to develop a website and develop an app during this whole process, which I think speaks to his talent and ability, which is amazing.” 

The Cavvy team is grateful for feedback they get from users, too, and are constantly improving.  

For more information see thecavvy.com, on social media or find them on the app store.  

RodeoTracker – Expenses, draw sheets, results, horses and appointments 

One rodeo mom left a weekend of youth rodeo thinking, “There has to be a better way.” 

Raenell Taylor of Hulett, Wyoming, tried her best to keep track of stock draws, entries and equine appointments for her two kids, but the draw sheets and calendars were cumbersome. She decided to build an app to keep track of it all for her.  

What started as a handy tool for her personal use is now available to the public. It was initially created for the rodeo family, but the app has so many in-depth features that it can be used by anyone in western sports or equine industry.  

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “Everybody loves it. They can’t believe that it’s all in one app,” said Taylor. 

Horse profiles 

A profile can be created for each horse in the pasture, with personalization such as names, events, ages and lifetime earnings.  

Each horse profile also contains a customizable feed and supplement regimen, which is handy for kids doing their own chores, according to Taylor.  

“You can also upload a copy of their Coggins, registration papers, health certificates, brand papers, bill of sale,” she said. For the family that is always traveling to different states, this is the one place to keep important documents.  

Photos or x-rays can also be uploaded to each horse’s profile.  

One of the main reasons Taylor created the app for herself was to keep track of her numerous horses’ appointments: farrier, vet, injections, deworming, chiropractor, dentist and more. RodeoTracker does just that.  

Total expenses for each individual horse can also be tracked in their profile. For the business-minded person, this is a great tool.  

“It’s a little scary because you track everything, so you know exactly what that horse is costing over the long run,” Taylor joked.  

Rider Profiles 

Each rider has their own profile, too.  

“The rider can go in and can set goals, which I think is a really neat deal, because that’s what we ask of our children,” Taylor said.  

Finer details have been added to this section, including back numbers for families with multiple kids competing. 

Draw sheets and instant results 

Gone are the days of needing to calculate results in the margins of a rodeo program by hand.  

With this app, users can simply scan a photo of the draw or the rodeo program and RodeoTracker will create an interactive spreadsheet. Times and scores can be added as the rodeo progresses, and the app provides unofficial results instantaneously.  

RodeoTracker can also keep track of stock notes based on the draw. For example, breakaway calves can be noted as slow, medium, or fast, or running right, left or center.  

Stock notes can be exported via PDF, or shared across “groups” created in the app.  

“Once you put the stock notes all in there for the different divisions, then everybody in that rodeo group can go and take a look at those stock notes,” said Taylor.  

Horse training and invoicing 

There is a section on RodeoTracker for those who start and train outside horses, too.  

Invoices can be sent to clients directly from the app, and Venmo or PayPal accounts linked for easy transactions.  

“The invoices look really nice. They’re more professional than what most probably just write up and hand to somebody or text to somebody,” said Taylor.  

Breeding and foaling 

From the breeding “dabbler” to the full-time equine producer, RodeoTracker also helps all breeders stay organized.  

Items tracked in this section include marking mares bred, tracking breeding methods, due dates and gestation countdown, tracking stallions and a foaling log.  

Taylor also completed a request to add a facet dedicated to keeping track of recip mares and embryo transfers.  

“All the embryo transfer records are linked to donor mares, stallions, and the recipient,” said Taylor.  

Growing the app that does it all  

Taylor developed RodeoTracker by herself.  

“The app was built in-house, not outsourced, and I was hands-on in every aspect of its development,” she said.  

“It was a frustrating process, but at the same time, it’s a really cool process. In a sense, it kind of gives hope to the everyday ranch mom and ranch wife that they can build something like this.”  

Taylor ranches with her husband, Josh, in northeast Wyoming. Their two sons, Trayden and Tatum are very active in youth rodeo.  

Taylor built the website on her own, too, and has added numerous features based on feedback from fellow rodeo families. 

After the app’s “soft launch,” the marketing has mainly been word of mouth.  

“I’m just starting to get things strong on social media,” said Taylor. “I do have a referral program, which is really unique. Each person that has a RodeoTracker app has a unique referral link. [Once it’s used], both parties get 30 days free.” 

Taylor’s goal for the near future is to market more on social media and provide sponsorships, such as a RodeoTracker membership for a prize.  

For more information, see RodeoTracker.app, on social media or in the app store. Referral code RT7Free gets anyone a 7-day free trial of the app.