Bill Myers of Myers Performance Horses shares his journey, his wisdom and his best industry advice.
Frenchmans Guy and Myers Family Photo 2000 Larry Larson Photography
It’s nearly impossible to talk about the performance horse industry without mentioning legendary sire Frenchmans Guy. From barrel horses to rope horses, and from elite professional athletes to trusty youth mounts, the influence of Frenchmans Guy has been profound. Likewise, his owners Bill and Deb Myers of Myers Performance Horses have carved out a name for themselves breeding an annual crop of standout performance horse hopefuls and boasting a 2-year-old sale program that showcases some of the top prospects in the industry. Bill and Deb recently started using Equinety products and say they love the extra edge it’s giving both their breeding and performance horses.
Equinety: How long have you been in the performance horse industry?
BM: I grew up on a ranch riding every day. We did a lot of work horseback and I learned to appreciate good horses. My family was also involved in rodeo, so I started rodeoing as a kid and kept pursuing that as I got older. As I went along in life, I realized I wanted to make a career in the horse industry. Horses have always been a part of who I am.
Equinety: How did you get your professional start in the industry?
BM: I got married right out of high school. My wife and I put our program together over time, and with a very limited number of resources. We started out training horses for the public and for years, we trained a lot of outside horses. We were really blessed to learn about the family of Frenchmans Guy—we owned brothers and sisters before we owned him—and that really changed things for us. He kicked our program to the next level.
Equinety: How did Frenchmans Guy help your program evolve?
BM: He became the backbone of our business. We had always trained for the public, but as we got into raising our own horses, we were able to train our own colts. Because we had that strong foundation in training, we were able to develop a strong program to market and sell our 2-year-olds. That was a big turning point in our program—transitioning to making a living on the horses we bred, raised and trained ourselves.
Equinety: You owned Frenchmans Guy for the entirety of his breeding career. What is it like to see the impact he has had, and is continuing to have, on the performance horse industry?
BM: It’s amazing. It’s really incredible when you open a sale program and see so many horses that are still own sons or daughters of Frenchmans Guy, or who are by sons or out of daughters. We are seeing his name three generations back now. He lived a long time, so he was able to have a tremendous influence on the industry.
Equinety: What is your favorite thing about working in this industry?
BM: For us, it’s about raising extremely talented athletes and then watching them excel in their careers. We love keeping up with the horses we’ve produced and there’s a lot of satisfaction in seeing them win. We also love raising horses of this quality because they are capable of competing at the highest level, but they also shine as youth mounts. People at every level can ride them, and that’s really rewarding.
Equienty: What is your advice for someone who thinks they want to pursue a career in breeding or training performance horses?
BM: I say this to a lot of kids—it’s more important to go to work and enjoy your job than it is to go to a job you don’t like just for the money. If you like your work, you’re making a living and enjoying life. That’s one of the great things about our industry. I’ve never seen growth like I’m seeing right now and I think there are huge opportunities. If you work hard, there is no limit to where you can go. I also like to remind people you don’t have to be a millionaire to start out—you can start with nothing. If you’re not scared to work, there is no ceiling.
Patience is also extremely important because establishing a program and finding success in this industry is not an overnight deal. You need to have the foresight to think ahead, see what comes down the road and be willing to make sacrifices to get there.
TS Photo
Equinety: What is the best piece of advice you have received?
BM: I have learned from so many people I’d hate to even try to say. I learned a little bit and got help from a lot of different directions as I went along. My wife has been the biggest inspiration as far as pushing me and encouraging me. In our younger years when it was hard just trying to make a living, having her by my side, working hard with me every day and helping me reach some of those goals was especially important.
Equinety: When did you start using Equinety?
BM: We started using Equinety Horse XL and Ultimate OEC in February of 2022. At the time, I told [Equinety president] John Dowdy I’m a big believer if I see results, but I won’t endorse something if I don’t see results myself—well, we’ve seen the results in many ways.
Equinety: In what ways have you notice Equinety giving your horses an extra edge?
BM: Our son collects our studs and we had one stud in particular that we noticed had a very high conception rate. We were also impressed with the semen quality and motility. Outside of breeding, we’ve been giving the products to our performance and sale horses. Our rope horses don’t get sore as easily. Overall, the horses’ hair coats, health and body condition are great. We are amazed—we love the way they look when they’re on Equinety.
Equinety: What would you say to someone who has never used Equinety?
BM: Try it! To me, that’s the best way to see how well it works.
