Utilizing Instagram’s New Reel Feature

It has been about 9 months since Instagram dropped their newest “reel” feature. These are short, vertical videos that are very similar to something you may see on TikTok. Reels are a great asset to have in your social media tool kit. We have not seen many equine professionals use them yet, which is certainly a mistake considering. Instagram actually prioritizes reels on the explorer page, meaning they are one of the easiest ways to reach new viewers. Here are some ideas we have for creating your very first instagram reel.

1) Slow-mo action shot
A high quality slow-mo of your horse jumping, galloping or tackling a fancy dressage move is always an eye catcher. Put this on top of some fun, adrenaline pumping music and you are sure to draw a few people to your page.

2) A “what I would wear if”….
This is a great way to promote your sponsors in a fun and engaging way. You may have seen these around instagram, but all you need to do is pick out a couple of your favorite riding outfits and some creative captions as to when you would wear them. Some fun captions might be “dropping into the head of the lake”, “accepting my gold medal at the olympics” or “presenting my horse at the first Burghley jog”. Whatever your captions are, this is a fun way to promote your clothing sponsors while giving your followers some fashion inspiration.

3) Barn tour
If you have a beautiful facility, why not show it off to potential clients? Have someone help you videotape all the most beautiful parts of your grounds. Barns, arenas, tack rooms… take some time to clean up your barn aisle and get to filming.

4) What my horse eats in a day
This is a super fun and silly spin on fitness influencers’ “what I eat in a day”. It is a great way to promote your feed sponsors as well as show other horse owners some ways to keep their horses healthy. Get some fun shots of your horse chowing down on their favorite snacks!