Over 40 years ago Jerry and Betty Laughlin took their passion for horses and hard working spirit and developed a business that now involves three generations.
In the late 1960s Jerry and Betty established 4J Big Piney Horse Camp in Waynesville, Mo. The Horse Camp offers horse enthusiasts a unique opportunity to experience the Ozarks with family and friends while on the back of a horse. Quests are welcomed with southern hospitality and home-cooked meals.
Currently the Laughlins open their Horse Camp for seven trail rides a year. The Horse Camp, located along the Big Piney River, offers many modern amenities for their guests during the six-day rides.
In the late ‘80s many of their long-time guests expressed interest in purchasing horses, so the Laughlins incorporated a kick-off day to sell horses and tack. “That first year we sold 30 or 40 horses,” said Jimmy Laughlin, one of Jerry and Betty’s sons.
“The last Saturday in March will be the 25th year for the sale,” Jimmy continued. “We will have 70 horses in the sale. We will have 55 riding horses, some colts and some mares. All of these are horses we have raised or horses that we have bought and finished.” The sale will offer a wide selection of top-quality riding horses including Tennesse Walking Horses, Spotted Saddle Horses, Paso Finos and Missouri Fox Trotters.
“We aim at developing personalized sales. We want to pair our customers up with the right horse. We encourage riders to come out on Friday before the sale to try the horses out, so we can help fit the horse to the rider’s ability. In doing so, our customers are so pleased with their horses that they come back for another or tell their friends to come to us,” explained Jimmy. “My wife calls it horse trading with a conscience.”
He continued, “We ride a horse for its potential. We want them to be the best they can be. It takes time to develop a horse.”
To provide a well-balanced diet for their horses the Laughlins grow their own corn and grass hay and use a protein and mineral additive, mixing their own ration on site. They put up between 15,000 and 18,000 square bales and a couple thousand round bales each year.
“We want to keep a good, healthy product,” said Jimmy. When it comes to horse health the Laughlins do the majority of the vet work. “We’ve been at this long enough that there usually isn’t a problem we can’t handle ourselves.”
In order to provide their customers with top-quality horses the Laughlins devote a lot of time to the breeding program. “We have about 50 broodmares,” said Wendy, who is a Tennessee native with an extensive background in breeding and training horses.
Wendy continued, “We use natural cover with our studs. We have a homozygous spotted stallion, a stud that’s the son of Aspen Gold, a 15-time world champion and a perlino stud that produces buckskin and palominos. The studs are turned out for 60 days in April and May. “
Jimmy added, “We have lots of colors and sizes to fit most anyone’s needs.”
Horses aren’t the only livestock the Laughlin family specializes in. They also raise 400-500 momma cows. “We want to be as self sufficient as we can,” stated Jimmy.
Jimmy and Wendy have three boys: Colin, 11, Jamie, 6, and Justus, 4. “Our children have literally been raised in a barn,” said Jimmy. “They each enjoy riding and like to do more than I’ll let them. They are in 4-H and show lambs, pigs, steers, chickens, rabbits – you name it they show it.”
4-J Land and Cattle, named after the four Laughlin brothers Jay, Joey, Jeff and Jimmy, truly is a family business. The Laughlin family also owns real estate, rental, construction and storage businesses.
Jimmy concluded, “Dad said ‘Don’t be afraid to price your product but the product has to be merchandisable.’” And providing a merchandisable product is exactly what they are doing with their many businesses.
