Meet entrepreneur Terri Aigner

                We celebrate Providence Forge horse person and entrepreneur Terri Aigner who explains what inspires her in life and why.

"TIME is what inspires me. Rather, the lack of it. The older I get (I am 51) the more you start realizing that every minute is very, very precious. So I work very hard and very long hours, usually 12-16 or more a day, so that I can have more of the time on beautiful days to take off and play . . . though that hasn’t happened much in the last two or three years — I am busier than I have ever been in my life.

"I take photographs of everything I do, every place I go . . . I am so afraid I will forget, I do so much. I like to think that my great, great grandchildren will someday know who I was, what I lived like, thought about, felt, and know that I was thinking about them, and how to leave the world a better place for them when they get here.

"I am also inspired by my father, who taught me the value of professionalism, delivering on promises, exceeding customer expectations, respect for people and nature, and the importance of keeping the family together. He always told me there was nothing I could not do . . . and I believed him. We were raised with love and respect right alongside the belt and the stick. Makes for good kids and better adults.

"I own Aigner Advertising, a graphic design firm specializing in award-winning websites, brochures, photography, illustration, and consulting. I also own and publish a regional telephone directory for the area between Richmond and Williamsburg, Virginia, which is now in its 16th year.

"I am also president of Arrivals In Elegance, which is my horse and carriage business. I love transporting the brides — they always say the carriage ride was their favorite part of the ceremony! My draft horse Ragan is rock steady; we've had him in the Ukrop’s Richmond Christmas Parade, Ashland parade, plowing on Farm Days with my draft horse club (Virginia Draft Horse & Mule Association), and giving surrey rides on plantations while helicopters were landing and taking off all day right beside him — he never bats a eyelash. He is Grand Champion Stallion of the State Fair of Virginia Draft Show, and Champion Senior Stallion, Reserve Grand Champion Stallion at VDHMA's Old Dominion Show. I just gelded him. I also have a beautiful 2-year-old Spot named Katrina who is in training.

"I like to ride my Missouri Foxtrotters (I am recently gaited, my friends told me 'once you rack, you never go back,' and they are right!). I also have North American Spotted Draft Horses, which I use for weddings and hayrides, to farm our property with, or just hack around for fun. They are like riding on a bed. But very, very slow! I was always the last one in on the trail rides. Thus, the foxtrotters! Very sweet, smooth, no jolting (which matters at my age) and much faster!

"Someday I would love to have time to do nothing but get back to painting and photography, and playing with the horses."