How to write an equestrian website brief a designer can use

Describe the operation in ordinary language

Explain what you offer, where you operate and which clients you want to hear from. A racing yard, a breeding operation and an equestrian retailer may share an audience's interest in horses but need very different pages and enquiry paths.

Name the questions people ask before they become clients. If you already have a website, note which answers are missing or difficult to find. Use actual questions from your own enquiries where possible.

Choose the next action

Say what a visitor should do after understanding the offer. It might be arranging a conversation, enquiring about a particular horse or requesting information about a service. Avoid asking the homepage to give every action equal weight.

Explain who receives the enquiry and how it is handled. A polished form connected to an unattended inbox is an unfinished part of the project, so include the handover as a requirement.

List what exists and what needs making

Separate approved material from ideas. List the logo files, photographs, copy, horse records and documents you already have. Identify the person who can approve changes to each.

• Brand material: the logo, colours and any existing guidelines.
• Content: approved services, horse details and contact information.
• Images: usable photographs, permissions and missing shots.
• Practical needs: editing access, forms, devices and any existing services the site must connect to.

Show references and explain the useful part

A link to a website you like becomes more useful when you say why you like it. You might want the clarity of its navigation, the scale of its photography or the restraint of its typography. That gives a designer direction without asking for an unrelated business to be copied.

Finish with your budget range, timing and the person making the final decision. If those are still open, say so. A clear brief can contain uncertainties; it should make them visible rather than leave the designer to discover them after work starts.