A Blog from CEO Tiffany Leonard

Welcome to 2025! I hope your 2024 was an amazing year, and that your 2025 is even better!

Instead of giving you more scientific information today, I wanted to share a more personal blog.

Take a look back

At this time of year, I like to take a moment to appreciate the accomplishments, large and small, of the previous year. What great things did you do this year? Did you finally get that calf to walk into his set up? Did you win a World Championship? Did you get that lead change? Did your broodmare have a healthy foal? And then I set goals for the upcoming year.

My horse trainer often reminds me that there will always be ups and downs, especially when you deal with animals. So maybe you didn’t reach your biggest goal this year. But I am sure you accomplished many smaller things along the way. I mean, that’s what keeps us going, right?

Now take that couple of minutes and really think about all you have accomplished with your animals and for your animals this year. Turns out you are pretty successful, huh?

But now that I have taken a look at 2024, what do I want to do in 2025? I think we should all set several levels of goals. This is something that I am trying to teach my teenage sons, so that they can see their accomplishments, without being limited by them.

Set new goals

If you show horses or livestock, breed them, or just have them around for fun, there’s always something to shoot for.

For many, it is simply better health for their companions. Some of my dogs are getting older, starting to show some signs of arthritis, etc. So my goal for them is to keep them as healthy as I can for as long as I can. Optimum health is always my goal for all of my animals. I mean, that’s why I run this business, right? Healthier animals for everyone! 🙂

Now for all of the competitors out there, we need to look even deeper.

I like to set an (almost) unachievable goal. One that I might be able to achieve, but only if EVERYTHING goes right, and when does that happen? Win a World Championship. Get that calf that we are nursing back to health to win the class at the fair. Something “pie in the sky”, but might be possible. This goal is to keep you driven no matter what. It can happen, but it will be very difficult.

If goals are set too low, people tend to get complacent and do not strive to be better. That is what I meant about goals limiting you. You don’t want to quit growing just because you reached your goal. I actually have the same (almost) unachievable goal for 2025 that I did for 2024. But I am getting closer!

Then I like to set achievable but still difficult goals. Personally, I am a reiner, and I brace my body when going to the stop. My goal this year is to sit that stop better, and to build my confidence in the stop. This won’t happen overnight. But if I end the year better then I began, I have reached my goal. Maybe your goal is to fit the front legs of your steer as well (or closer to) as a professional fitter that you admire. Or to get your hog to settle in the pen. Make this goal achievable but difficult.

Then I like to have some smaller goals, and goals specific to each competition. Sure, everyone who competes likes to win, but that should just be the icing on the cake. Compete against your own expectations and you won’t be disappointed in a judge’s decision. So maybe one show I focus on keeping myself and my horse quiet in the center. Then the next show maybe I work on keeping my run downs straight and building softly. As I accomplish each goal, I can move on to my next goal. Using my building blocks to work toward those larger goals, and enjoying the small successes as we go.

Success is in your hands!

I have shown horses for over 40 years, and what a roller coaster ride it has been! But with every up and down, if I can step back and say I learned something, or I improved something, or maybe hey, I survived! Well, then I never feel I have truly failed. And I guess that’s what keeps us coming back year after year, right?!

I wish you all a very successful and happy 2025 and I hope you achieve ALL of your goals!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Leonard

CEO

Basic Animal Health