I think I speak for everyone here at CANTER when I say that we’re so excited to be able to share this new website with you. We started working on this back in November of 2014 and we’ve tried to design it in a way that will be be very easy to use and revolve around the main reason we’re all here – the horses.
I’d like to quickly give you an overview of a few of the main features of the website so you can get the most out of using it.
Mobile Ready
First and foremost is the experience of the site on a mobile device. This, along with central horse listings, were the two most requested features when we talked with our fans.
The site uses what’s called ‘responsive design’, meaning that the site responds and resizes depending on the size of screen on the device that the viewer is using. We’re a multi-screen society nowadays with laptops, tablets, mobile phones, etc. and the site allows the best experience for the user no matter what device they’re using.
This is especially helpful when cruising Facebook on your phone and clicking on a horse listing that takes you to CANTERUSA.org. So go ahead, grab your phone or tablet and try it out.
Horse Shopping
Another valuable piece that we learned from our surveys is that our fans want to be able to see all of the available CANTER horses in one place without having to jump between the affiliates. We’re so excited to bring this to life as the new site offers that and more.
All of the horse listings now live in a central listing area, so you can see them all at once. It also has some great search functionality (that rivals that of DreamHorse) where you can search/sort horses by a lot of different types of information such as keywords, age, size, color, geographic location, etc.
When looking at a single horse listing, we’ve optimized the organization of information, so all specific pieces of information (age/size/location/etc) appear on each listing in the same place. The single listings also feature big bold images, embedded videos, and Google Map integration. Go ahead an click on an image – you’ll see it come to life and fill the screen if possible.
We live in an age where unlimited connection and information is at our fingertips, it’s what we expect. It’s now more important than ever for brands and organizations to really think about and optimize the way they’re connecting with their audiences. CANTER was a pioneer in listing horses online all the way back in the late 90’s and this website, I think, is a great next step for them in the future of the online equestrian community. Their cause, the OTTB, is front and center and the site really has been tailored for the people that will use it the most.
– Jake Faulstich, VP Digital Strategy, CANTER USA
Blog
You’re already experiencing this part! Welcome to the new CANTER Blog. Here, we’ll talk about our organization, but more importantly, our blog is a place to highlight and share stories about our cause – the OTTB.
We plan to continually update the blog and share success stories of OTTBs at least a few times per month. To make sure you hear about all of the new stories, sign up for our email list and receive awesome CANTER newsletters and information right in your inbox.
Imagery
The site is built in a wide frame (nearly 1200 pixels) to allow us to showcase the OTTB in as much glory as possible through large, hi-res imagery. You’ll see images from our volunteers, of our horses, and even some from the amazing people we’ve met through our OTTB adoptions.
We’re always looking for new images of OTTBs to share. If you’d like us to feature your image, let us know on Facebook!
Connection
The people who support CANTER are some of the most amazing people you’ll find. This new site makes it easier than ever to connect with CANTER through social media links and the ability to share specific pages. There are also opportunities to be a part of the CANTER mailing list.
Web Forms
The website has also reimagined the idea of CANTER’s web forms, making them easier to use and fill out on any device. With these new forms, it’s easier for for our potential horse adopters to apply to adopt a horse and the information they submit gets the the right people faster.
Marketplace
The site is built with a lot of flexibility that will allow CANTER to expand and offer new features. One that’s in the works is the Marketplace – an online store that allows each affiliate to own and operate their own store within a larger network. Look for this coming in the Fall.
I think I could go on for hours talking about all the hard work we put in to this site, but I think this is a good place to stop. So please, venture around the new site, do some horse shopping, and have fun. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me at digital[at]canterusa.org.
