Spend time watching any herd of horses, and you’ll notice there’s always one that stands out: the boss mare. Her leadership role is unmistakable, a symbol of determination and resilience.

The boss mare’s independence and leadership are what inspired a team of four powerhouse women in the equine industry to develop the nonprofit organization known as Boss Mares, Inc. The organization assists female entrepreneurs by giving them a leg-up in their careers and businesses.

The four women who founded the organization are Anna Morrison, Ph.D., co-founder and president; Kate Bradley Byars, co-founder and secretary; Patti Colbert, co-founder and treasurer; and Ellen Bell, member of board of directors. Each of these women present extensive resumes in the horse industry and connections that run deep. They came together with the same mission and goal of connecting women in agriculture.

The official kick-off of Boss Mares, Inc. took place December 1, 2023, in Weatherford, Texas.

Meet Anna Morrison

Founder Anna Morrison’s passion for horses developed during her childhood in Wisconsin. Anna pursued an education focused on horses first at Colorado State University (CSU) and later at Texas A&M University (TAMU), earning a Bachelor of Science in equine science and agricultural business, a Master of Arts in extension education, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration.

Her career path began in academics, teaching and developing curricula at CSU and TAMU. Later, Morrison served industry member organizations for the American Quarter Horse Association and the National Reined Cow Horse Association. Along the way, she received support and guidance from mentors and industry experts, which furthered her appreciation for just how important it can be to have a leg up.

“When I was going through a transition in my career, I had this feeling that there was a way we could work together to pay our experience forward to other women in the industry,” says Morrison. “Every single one of us who has been involved in the industry has had the help of other women, whether through mentorship, encouragement, or investment, and I thought there was a way we could work together to get those same opportunities to other women.”

Morrison knew who to call when the time came to present a proposal for Boss Mares, Inc. Ellen and Larry Bell have always been a part of charitable organizations, and they have started numerous businesses as well. In South Africa, they are involved with a project that empowers women to live life and provide for their families. Morrison recalls getting through just a few slides in her presentation, and the Bells were ready to kick off the organization.

“The goal is to help young women everywhere,” says Ellen. “We were involved in extreme situations in Africa, but to watch women have the opportunity to better themselves and their businesses and careers, and to learn how to do it properly, we were all in immediately.”

With the Bells’ experience with nonprofits and charitable organizations, they provided Morrison with the connections to begin forming Boss Mares, Inc.

Bringing on Kate Bradley Byars

As Morrison began thinking about who would make up the co-founders and board of directors, a few people came to mind. When Morrison asked Byars and Colbert if they would be interested in helping, they jumped at the opportunity.

Byars has a passion for telling people’s stories and making connections. Writing always came easily to her, and in college at TAMU, Byars pursued a degree in agricultural journalism. She rode through college, competing on the Texas A&M Equestrian Team and on the Quarter Horse circuit. After graduating with a Master of Science in agricultural leadership, education and communications with a focus on photography, Byars joined the Western Horseman magazine staff.

Since 2010, she’s worked extensively in the western performance horse industry as a writer and photographer. Working for western equine and lifestyle publications is Byars’ specialty, and she especially enjoys connecting with people in the industry.

“Boss Mares, Inc. is a passion project, and the mission and focus is something we all can easily get behind [to] help female business owners in the western industry,” says Byars.

Patti Colbert’s Extensive Experience

Patti Colbert’s resume in the horse industry and connection to the western lifestyle began through watching television. After moving to Texas in the mid-1970s, Colbert worked at horse barns and volunteered as a 4-H leader. She fell in love with the production of equine events.

Colbert began at the Texas Quarter Horse Association, managing the Quarter Horse racing and show industry. Her next move was to the AQHA, where she was responsible for raising millions of dollars for the American Quarter Horse Foundation’s scholarship, equine research, and preservation programs.

She then opened her own firm and worked with clients like the American Angus Association, the American Paint Horse Association, TAMU and more. She and her team took on the management of the Mustang Heritage Foundation, and in 2007 created the Extreme Mustang Makeover events, placing thousands of previously wild Bureau of Land Management Mustangs into private care.

Colbert received the 2014 American Horse Publications Innovator of the Year Award, the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame Fern Sawyer Award, and was inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. Currently, she is on the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame board of directors and serves as advisory board chair for the Ride on Center for Kids.

“I know that women are the decision makers in the majority of this industry,” says Colbert. “I think more than 76 percent of the members of the AQHA are female. The reality of it is that women are the backbone of the industry in the agriculture and western lifestyles, and we need to help one another to continue to grow and be relevant and current.”

Lead the Herd Workshops

Boss Mares, Inc. focuses on five pillars: accounting and finance support, continuing education, leadership and career coaching, legal counsel, and marketing expertise. The organization will host Lead the Herd workshops to meet western women where they are already gathering. At these workshops, the keynote speakers are experts in the fields of each pillar.

The purpose of each workshop is to bring powerful expertise from both inside and outside the western industry in a setting that supports high-impact learning and open dialogue between presenters and attendees.

“We are here to provide a leg up to cowgirl entrepreneurs in the professional and agriculture industry,” says Morrison. “We do that by providing access to business resources at our workshops and by providing grants through our grant application process that help women invest in and advance their small businesses or invest in themselves and their career through continuing education.”

The first workshop was held at the Art of the Cowgirl in Arizona from January 19-20, 2024. With more workshops in the future of Boss Mares, Inc., the organization offered grants through an application on their website through March 31, 2024, for people in the agriculture industry.

“I hope that the women who have seen it now and have heard the speakers will want to be a part of it by giving financial aid or by participating in grants, whatever fits with their lifestyle,” says Ellen. “I hope they will be encouraged and say, ‘You know what, I can do this, this is something I’ve wanted to do, and I’m not going to let something get in my way because it is available to me.’ That is what’s exciting and what I hope to see in the future for us.”

This article about Boss Mares, Inc. appeared in the May 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!