Why I Built Maneline

Maneline started with a simple realization.

I was standing at the rail during winter season at WEC in Wilmington, watching my daughter ride. Vendor row was full, the atmosphere was strong, and the community was exactly what makes horse shows special.

But if you were a dad, a brother, or a grandparent who loved the sport just as much as the rider, there weren’t many options that reflected that role.

Most apparel was geared toward riders or women. For men, it was either technical riding gear or something unrelated to the horse world entirely.

I knew I wasn’t the only one who felt that gap.

There are a lot of men at shows who show up every weekend, haul gear, hold horses, walk courses, and stand at the rail with pride. They care deeply about the sport and about their riders. There just wasn’t a brand built for them.

So we built one.

I had the idea, but not the roadmap. Columbus is home to major fashion brands, but I wasn’t in that world. A friend introduced me to Amanda Rango, a fashion designer in Columbus, and suddenly the path forward became clear. We could design a line intentionally. We could build something from the ground up.

Originally, the brand was called HorseLife. Midway through development, we discovered the name was already trademarked. We pivoted. We refined the vision. That pivot led to the name Maneline — and the brand became stronger because of it.

At the same time, my daughter Emma was growing as a rider.

Gina taught her responsibility and consistency in the hunter ring.

Jenni’s Chance moved her into the jumper world and helped her compete at a higher level.

Vinny carried her into the Grand Prix ring.

Each horse marked a stage in her development. And as she progressed, my role evolved too. I wasn’t in the saddle — but I was part of the team.

We still follow Gina and Jenni as they continue teaching other riders. That’s the nature of this sport — horses and people move forward, but the impact stays.

When we launched Maneline, I believed in the concept completely. What I underestimated was how hard building a brand would be.

Creating an online presence is challenging. Learning how to sell in person, how to present the line at shows, how to grow steadily instead of instantly — that’s been a process.

We didn’t sell out overnight. We built it piece by piece.

Maneline is a family business. My wife Jody and my sister-in-law Jana are partners in the company. Jana has been instrumental in shaping the line, working shows, managing operations, and keeping the business moving forward. This brand would not exist without them.

Today, Maneline stands for something simple:

Pride in the role you play.

It’s for the dads who show up early and stay late.

For the families who live at the barn.

For the supporters behind every round.

When someone wears the Maneline logo, I want them to feel like they belong — not just as a spectator, but as part of the team.

Because they are.