HorseCentStack.com
Title
Horse Cents Tack
Contact
Administrative:
- Horse Cents
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- Godley TX
- United States 76044
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- 817-291-0557
Registrant:
- Horse Cents
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- Ft Worth TX
- United States 76116
Description
In 1991 Ray and Barbara Torres lived in Hughson, California and both worked for the California State Park System as State Park Rangers. Ray was the park supervisor for Mt Diablo State Park, a 20,000 + acre urban wilderness in San Francisco’s east bay. He supervised 7 peace officers, 15 park aids and over 200 volunteers at the park’s visitor center/museum, equestrian mounted assistance unit, and mountain bike patrol group. His annual budget was in excess of $300,000 and in addition to his supervisory duties, he also taught defensive tactics, planned, wrote and implemented the unit fire management program, consulted on the general plan, coordinated the fire & rescue mutual aid response with 4 surrounding county and local agencies and enforced compliance for special event permits, grazing leases, film permits, and communication leases. He and his staff were responsible for the park’s law enforcement, traffic management, fire protection, health & safety, interpretation, and volunteer projects for 60 campsites, 200 picnic sites, 3000 parking spaces, 100 miles of paved and dirt roads and approximately 300,000 visitors per year. If that sounds like a lot--it was.
Barbara was a rank & file ranger with duties including organization and operation of the equestrian mounted assistance unit, lead person for the park horse patrol program, firearms instructor, first aid, CPR and first responder instructor, with regular park patrol and law enforcement duties. Add to that a 3 hour commute each day and opposite days off with Ray and you can see why they were ready for a change.
Horse Cents was started like many other home based businesses, i.e. no money, little time, lofty goals and just enough experience to get into trouble. So they took night school classes in accounting, business, and computers at the local college, borrowed on their retirement funds and went to work. Within 3 years they were able to leave state service and make the business self supporting. Practical experience was gained from 3 years traveling coast to coast to major horse shows, horse fairs and expos. In 1996 the decision was made to begin research for a suitable location to open their retail store. Ft. Worth won out over other possible cities and in May 1996 Horse Cents opened it’s doors in Benbrook, a suburb of Ft. Worth. That first store had only 1217 square feet with the focus strictly on English tack, gifts, books and clothes.
