Meet J-D. & LaDonna Langley | Owners

We had the good fortune of connecting with J-D. & LaDonna Langley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi J-D. & LaDonna, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
We’ve explored a couple of different business opportunities, primarily as a franchise owner. I continued my education, which helped prepare us to own and run our own business. Our daughter, Mariah, fell in love with horse riding at an early age, and we had the opportunity to witness firsthand how boarders and facility users view the facility operations at several locations.

Seeing how other facilities operate and experiencing some of the shortcomings, we felt that we could open and operate our own facility and improve on what we thought needed to be improved. We were boarders, so we knew what was important as boarders.

We knew that if we take care of our boarders and provide a wonderful place for boarders, we would be successful. We followed the adage, “If we take care of our clients, our clients will take care of us.”

We started off with a dream to offer a place where boarders could be together in a safe and welcoming environment.

What should our readers know about your business?
We took a concept, researched the best options, added perks for the boarders, invested our time and money into the business, and built what is now a thriving and popular facility. We acquired a piece of land that was a large animal veterinarian clinic. It was ideal for what we had in mind. It took a couple of years for us to go from idea to fully built. Our biggest challenges were managing our budget and working with the government agencies that influenced what we could and could not do. We had much more money going out than coming in, and we had unexpected expenses to satisfy external requirements. It was not easy. It took a lot of late nights and long weekends. Creekside is unique in that we have oversized runs with cast-free mesh heavy-duty panels, and our boarders have private tack rooms. We have not seen this format in any other facility in Colorado. We made some mistakes along the way, but we were able to stay focused and quickly make corrections.

As our boarders came and went, we needed to make sure new boarders knew us as a friendly and welcoming community. This was more difficult than I expected, as we had some boarders working against our goal. We needed to learn how to communicate and insist on our expectations. Some boarders left but the majority supported our ideals. The results speak for themselves, something that we are proud of and our boarders are proud of. We are happy to call them not only clients but friends. We have grown into not only a boarding facility but also a community of horse-loving individuals who work together so that all are successful with their horses. We have clients who spend a significant amount of time at Creekside Equestrian and are happy to help other horse owners. We set the example of being there for our boarders and keeping Creekside as a fantastic community.

I would say that our brand is a clean, safe, well-maintained facility that has a very welcoming community that boarders are excited to be a part of. We are there almost every day, greeting and talking with our boarders as we work on the facility. If we are at the front gate when someone is arriving or leaving, we are happy to open and close the gate for them with a smile.

Over the last couple of years, we have consistently housed about 57 horses. Every week, more people come for a tour and wish to become part of our community. The feedback we receive is how impressed they are with the cleanliness and how well-maintained we keep it. They love the design of the runs and how much thought went into building the facility. All visitors can see and feel the community we lead.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being in the heart of Parker, naturally, we would point them and accompany them to Downtown Parker. We would share the weekend Farmer’s Market, and we would take them to several restaurants in Parker. Naturally, we would bring them to Creekside Equestrian and feed treats to our alpaca, llama, burros, and pet some friendly horses. We love the mountains, not just the view from Creekside, but also hiking and exploring. We have some great professional sports teams to see. We are close to great venues like Red Rocks and downtown theatres, the Denver zoo, and museums. It would be a very busy week, leaving them wanting even more.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Creekside is a family-owned business. Mimi and Jaye Kuchman are co-owners and were involved in running and building our business. They, along with Angel Hoskins helped us to get started and provided time and knowledge on how to set up and operate a horse boarding facility.

Several of our boarders were with us from the beginning and helped us prepare for our first horse, and their horses became our first boarders. They put in sweat equity and took pride in what we were doing and spread the word.

We have a wonderful foreman who has been with us from almost the beginning. Mundo is also a face of Creekside. He takes pride in his work and care for “his” horses. He knows the horses better than he knows the owners. He has some great ideas that really make a difference. He put together and leads a team of four who keep us up and running. They love their work and it shows.

Website: https://www.CreeksideEquestrianCo.com

Instagram: CreeksideEquestrianCo

Facebook: CreeksideEquestrianCo

Other: Google Reviews: https://g.page/r/Cf8C0OiZy4MsEAg/review

Image Credits
Dawn Ruther for img_6474.jpg