Equestrian Trade News May 2024 | Volume 48, No 4
STRAIGHT FROM THE
HORSE’S MOUTH Bits and bridles focus
Plus
In the hot seat: Emma Dyer on the jobs market
ETN is the official media partner of BETA International
AMTRA CPD feature: understanding supplement labels
2024
Better Business The right type of rest for small business owners
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ETN | BENCH SADDLER OF THE MONTH
Celebrating the best bench saddlers…
This award, presented in conjunction with the Society of Master Saddlers (SMS), recognises those who uphold the highest standard of leathercraft skills.
Equine models
This month’s winner is JO DENNISON
Wiltshire based Jo Dennison is an SMS Qualified Saddler and Harness Maker – and was a winner at the 2024 SMS National Competition.
Jo’s parents had horses and she rode from an early age. At 17 she was bought her first horse, a two-year-old Irish sports horse called Huckle, soon followed by his full brother and sister, Bow and Moon. “As a family, we broke them in to ride and entered them in various showing, dressage and show jumping competitions,” says Jo. “Sadly, we lost Huckle to colic at a young age, but I had Bow and Moon for 18 years, and they were with me through my saddlery training. They were great models for the items I made.”
Passing on skills Harness work is a particular passion for Jo Dennison.
About Jo Dennison
Jo always had a keen interest in working with animals, and a love of art and design at school. But it was a fortnight’s work experience crafting leather that made her realise a career in the saddlery trade was for her. Thus inspired, Jo wrote to everyone in the SMS Handbook - and was rewarded with an interview and a week’s trial with Laurence Pearman of Stroud Saddlery. “At the end of the week, I was offered an apprenticeship with Laurence,” said Jo. “Once I had finished my GCSEs, my family relocated to Gloucestershire so I could train.” Jo completed her apprenticeship, including spells for training and exams with Mark Romain at The Saddlery Training Centre in Salisbury. She then continued to work for Stroud Saddlery for another five years before starting her own business. Last year, Jo celebrated 20 years in the saddlery trade.
16 | Equestrian Trade News May 2024
Jo loves having a wide variety of clients, including many in the polo industry plus a busy riding school. She will give most jobs a go, she says, including repairs to riding and polo boots, motorbike leathers, gun slips and shooting equipment. Harness work is a particular passion. One customer has had a great deal of success in decorated harness classes at local and county shows. “What’s really special to me is being able to keep the tradition and skill of the trade going,” says Jo. “My eldest daughter is already showing an interest in what I do, and even if she doesn’t follow in my footsteps as a saddler, I hope to pass on lots of skills to her.”
Winning ways
Jo is currently on maternity leave, having had a second child in February. Although she’s enjoying time with her family and a short break from day-today life in the workshop, she admits she’s itching to get back to the bench very soon. Shortly before having her baby, Jo won the Special Open Class at the SMS National Competition. She was 39 weeks pregnant, so very close to the baby arriving, when she made her winning straight clincher link browband. “It was a complete shock to win,” Jo says. “I had a six-hour window to make the browband while my daughter was at pre-school, so to be presented with first prize was amazing. “It has given me a lot of confidence in my ability as a saddler and has reinforced my desire to continue with the work after my maternity leave has finished.” www.equestriantradenews.com
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SHELFIE RETRO S5528477 “I’ll give most jobs a go,” says saddler Jo Dennison, pictured in her workshop. Jo Dennison was a winner at the SMS National Competition with this clincher browband.
Trigger Hook
A special saddle
Jo has made a few unusual items over the years, including a belt for Santa Claus. But a job that was particularly special was re-purposing a saddle that was left to her by her husband’s late grandmother. The saddle had seen better days, so Jo stripped it down and used the leather to make two matching saddle-shaped handbags to be gifted to her two daughters. From the remaining leather, she made a photo album cover and a guitar strap for family members.
Time to relax
Jo shares two Fell ponies, Ted and Bell, with her mum. She also enjoys gardening and trying to grow her own vegetables, as well as “just sitting and relaxing in the garden with a cup of tea.” Always keen to learn and keep her skills up-todate, Jo says she would love to do more harness work, including taking a collar-making course. “I love teaching, so that’s a possibility for the future,” she adds. “I hope to gain my Masters [Master Saddler] soon as well.”
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How to nominate a bench saddler:
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Everyone is invited to nominate bench saddlers they feel deserve to be named ETN/SMS Bench Saddler of the Month. Candidates for the award must be a member of the SMS and can be based in the UK or overseas. To nominate a bench saddler (or more than one), email editor@equestriantradenews.com and tell us why this person deserves to be put in the spotlight. Please include the bench saddler’s name and business name too.
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ETN | BETTER BUSINESS
The right type
of rest
Elite sports can teach business-people about sustainable wellbeing and performance, says Karen Meager.
Photo: Stefan Schurr/Shutterstock.com
Rest is essential for sports professionals and business-people to recoup what is lost during performance.
W
hen you’re running your own business, you can feel constantly under pressure. There’s always something else to do. If you work in retail, you may sometimes find it hard to recharge after a busy week dealing with customers. There’s a seemingly endless supply of articles discussing the importance of taking time out and getting the right work life balance. So, how can you actually do it? I’ve discovered that elite sports can 28 | Equestrian Trade News May 2024
teach us about how to rest and, as a result, perform better. The key is to find the right kind of rest and recovery to fit your working life.
Sports performance secrets
Elite sports professionals maintain high levels of performance over time by harnessing a rhythm that combines rest with practice which leads to performance. There are interesting nuances about rest that can be useful for everyone. In elite sports, people are ‘performing’ only during an actual competition, race
or match. At other times, they are either resting or practising. They spend far longer in the rest and practise phases than performing, but what they do in the rest and practise phases is a critical part of what helps them to perform when it matters. Rest is essential to recoup what is lost during performance. Sports professionals don’t just stop when they are in a rest phase, many of them remain fairly active. However, they are ‘resting’ a few essential parts of themselves. Usually, they need to rest whatever muscles in their body are activated in www.equestriantradenews.com
BETTER BUSINESS | ETN
Rest and burnout recovery
give yourself a mental rest, do something physical or practical. You could take some walks in the fresh air between bouts of mental intensity, or build or make something tactile. If you do a lot of work alone, a rest can include participating in a group project or doing something social.
Mentally draining work People who need to focus and concentrate over long periods of time are at risk of exhaustion from the mentally taxing nature of this work. To
Physically draining work Nowadays work, for most of us, is not too physically draining, with some exceptions. However, if you work in retail, or are a craftsperson, or run events, you probably do a lot of standing and need physical rest. To understand what you need in terms of physical rest, listen to your body. What’s more, listen to it after you’ve done something physical. That’s because what we think we need is not always what we actually need. Sometimes a workout after your journey home from work will leave you feeling energised, regardless of whether you wanted to do it beforehand. However, if you feel exhausted and further depleted afterwards, it might not be the right thing for you.
their particular sport. They also need a rest from the pressure of competition. Many sports people enjoy other sports, that they do just for fun. You may know event riders who play golf, for example. Burnout is the most prominent and most frequently identified consequence of a lack of conscious rest in the world of work. When I studied burnout recovery, I noticed that people who recovered quickly might have needed complete rest initially - but soon got active again. However rather than getting active at work, they go into something that broadened their horizons. This might be an interest or a hobby. Here are a couple of examples of different types of work and what you can do to get the right kind of rest:
In conclusion
Everyone is different when it comes to energy, so any remedy to tiredness or exhaustion must be tailored. Thinking about this in terms of how your work is draining you will help you create a rhythm with the right kind of rest in it.
About the author:
Karen Meager is co-author with John McLachlan of Rest. Practise. Perform. What elite sport can teach leaders about sustainable wellbeing and performance (pictured at the top of the story). Karen holds Master’s degrees in psychology and health research. Her specialist research area is mental health and burnout in organisations. Find out more at www.monkeypuzzletraining.co.uk/ rest-practise-perform
EMPOWERING EQUESTRIAN ELITES
foot ETN | HOOF APPLICATIONS FEATURE
Best
forward
Horse&Rider’s product expert Franchesca Slack looks at the hoof products that should be on your shelves this summer
A
s we leave behind one of the wettest winters for several years, we might be wondering what the next few months have in store for us. The effects of climate change are being felt, with a pattern of wet winters and dry summers appearing to be the new trend. This seemingly slight shift in weather patterns can have a big effect on how we care for our horses and, hence, the type of products that are likely to be in demand. Among those products whose sales are affected by weather conditions are hoof dressings.
summer we will want to keep that precious moisture in, so breathable, barrier-type products could fulfil both tasks and be used throughout the year in all conditions. Any dressing should be applied over the entire hoof area itself and also along the coronet band where new horn is produced. It can also be painted on the frog, although this should be limited to once or twice a week to prevent the frog from becoming too soft.
Photos: Lumena/Shutterstock.com, CameraCraft/Shutterstock.com
Essential moisture
While the integrity and overall health of the hoof comes from within – and hoof-focused feed supplements can help with this – topical products can provide that little extra to keep hooves in top condition – and, as an added bonus, they’re also popular with customers. Essentially, because hooves are the one part of the horse that is in constant contact with the ground, they’re especially affected by conditions underfoot, whether that’s wet, dry, hard or soft, and, indirectly, therefore, by the weather and also local soil type and terrain. Hoof products come in the form of balms, ointments, oils and liquids but they all have one thing in common, which is to keep the moisture content of the hoof wall at its optimum level. In wet weather, the idea is to protect the hoof wall from becoming waterlogged, which can then lead to weakness, and it’s likely that many of the products on your shelves over the winter did just that. Of course, in the summer, we tend to have the opposite problem in that hooves can become dry and brittle, and in addition to this comes an increased rate of hoof growth at that time of year. The result is, to prevent cracks forming in the hoof wall, we’re looking to ensure the hoof remains consistently moisturised – much in the same way as you might use cream on your hands – and at the same time encourage the growth of healthy horn from the coronet band. Nevertheless, don’t forget that while during the winter we might want to keep excess water from being absorbed by the horn, in
30 | Equestrian Trade News May 2024
Shine on
Hoof dressings can come in a variety of forms, the most common being cream based in a tub or liquid in a bottle. Customers will have their personal preferences on this but it’s worth bearing in mind that many liquid products will come complete with an application brush, whereas creams and balms may not, so brushes, and potentially sponges, will need to be provided, too. Then there are the aesthetics to consider. Most hoof dressings are colourless when applied, giving the hoof wall an attractive sheen, and those that give the highest level of shine will be particularly popular during the competition season when customers want their horses to look their best. Although these highshine dressings work well on all hooves, some customers who have horses with black feet like a dressing that accentuates that specific colour, so it’s a good idea to stock a selection of those products, too.
www.equestriantradenews.com
Studs and spanners
Natural choice
When looking at hoof dressings to stock through the summer, pay particular attention to the ingredients. Natural blends, especially those containing substances such as beeswax, tea tree oil and shea butter, are becoming especially popular with customers as they shy away from petrochemicals, parabens and palm oil derivatives, among others. Tubs and bottles that can be recycled are another consideration, due to customers becoming more environmentally aware generally. Similarly, because hoof cracks can allow for the invasion of pathogens into the hoof itself, antibacterial and antifungal properties are also useful descriptions to see on labelling.
If the boot fits
When thinking about hoof products to stock, it’s advisable to consider hoof boots, as well as dressings, although these will be year-round sales rather than seasonal. These largely fall into two main categories – general use and medical. The former are used as replacements for traditional shoes, either by owners who choose not to shoe their horses or as a temporary fix for when a horse has lost a shoe or can’t wear one for some reason. Of course, if they’re to do their job, it’s important that these boots fit correctly, both in shape and size, so if you’re looking to avoid too many returns, it’s probably an area best left to a specialist supplier. Medical hoof boots, in contrast, are a necessity for many owners, and are often needed at short
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With competition season upon us, it’s time to make shelf space for those studs. For customers who are first-timers, kits will provide all the equipment they need to use studs in their horse’s shoes, plus a selection of the studs themselves and rubber plugs to block the shoe stud holes for when the studs have been removed notice. They come For existing stud users, stock a variety of in a variety of types and sizes of studs for different purposes styles and designs, and surfaces, as well as plugs, replacement and some can be spanners for stud application and brushes used for turnout as for cleaning out stud holes. well as in the stable. Their function is to protect the hoof after injury and, in particular, when a poultice has been applied. Because there’s likely to be padding, perhaps in the form of a dressing, between the hoof and the boot, the Dry conditions perfect fit is not as crucial as with a general-use in the summer can boot – although, obviously, any boots should not put extra strain on be too tight or too big for the horse. As a result, it’s moisture levels in easier to stock a variety of these boots to suit horses horses’ hooves of different sizes. The simplest – and cheapest – medical boot design is like a canvas bag fastened with Velcro straps but there are also more sophisticated options made from materials such as neoprene, nylon and rubber that do up with wide Velcro fastenings or even zips. These boots are much more durable with a greater design element, and this is reflected in their price range, but, despite this, they are very useful additions to any owner’s first aid kit, especially if they have more than one horse, or for situations when the horse might have to wear the boot for any length of time. It must be noted, though, that these types of boots are not suitable for ridden work, so this point must be made clear to customers.
Equestrian Trade News May 2024 | 31
ETN | BITS AND BRIDLES FEATURE
Bitting rule changes
For anyone competing, it’s important to be aware of the changes to the British Dressage and FEI rules on permitted bits. While essential for affiliated classes, these rules can filter down into non-affiliated competitions, too, and they affect both dressage and dressage phases of multi-discipline events. Although most are still allowed for showjumping and cross-country, the bits affected by the rule changes and now not permitted for dressage include: • Bits with plate links – these have the effect of a tongue plate, such as Bombers control plate and Fager Carl mouthpiece. The rules state a French link mouthpiece is legal while a plate link is not but are unclear on the distinction, implying traditional
Premier Equine Abriano Anatomic Double Bridle
•
• •
•
French link mouthpieces are fine to use but modern versions with flat central plates are now banned. Loose ring bauchers or hanging cheeks – this mainly covers the Fager loose baucher cheek and also includes hanging cheeks with a rotating arm, such as the Bombers DC cheek. Bits with a flexible cable running through the centre, including Bombers Cable mouthpieces. Loose-ring sleeve bits with wings or shaped sleeves that extend beyond the shape of the ring itself, e.g. Stübben Golden Wings. Loose-ring tubes are still permitted, however. Wavy mouthpieces under British Dressage rules but these are allowed for FEI competitions. They include
the Shires Equikind Ripple and Acavallo wave mouthpieces. • Fager mouth corner bit tape that forms a bit guard is not allowed but bit wrap or bit tape– e.g. latex or rubber – that covers the mouthpiece is permitted. • Rotating mouthpieces for weymouths, to include Myler and Bomber weymouths with a barrel mouthpiece. • Rotating arms or rotating mouthpieces on weymouths, e.g. swivel-cheek weymouths such as the Sprenger revolving weymouth. For more information on permitted and banned tack and bits, visit the FEI website page at tack.fei.org
Bridle business
Today, horse comfort is top of the agenda when it comes to selecting tack and this includes bridles as well as saddles, so much so that customers will actively seek out the brands that specifically offer it. So-called anatomical bridles are increasing in popularity and customers will be particularly keen on shaped and padded headpieces that fit well around the poll region, without exerting undue pressure, and allow sufficient room between the ears and the headpiece itself. Similarly, there’s a trend for shaped and padded nosebands, with cavesson, grackle and crank or Swedish nosebands maintaining popularity, while drop nosebands are rapidly becoming a thing of the past as demand drops away. Shaped browbands are also good sellers, as they’re not only comfortable for the horse but also aesthetically pleasing on the horse’s face. They come with and without diamanté! Like the drop noseband, the throatlash is also becoming a less popular bridle part as riders seek to have fewer straps around their horses’ heads and, in fact, some bridles, including some of the PS Sweden bridles, are actually made specifically without a throatlash. Although there was some debate over this, British Dressage currently allows dressage riders to compete at national level without a throatlash if the bridle was manufactured that way, whereas, in contrast, FEI rules do require a throatlash in dressage unless the bridle has a combined noseband or is a Micklem bridle. Again, price point is important but some of the cheaper bridles are of surprisingly good quality and appearance, incorporating a thoughtful design that also provides a good fit. For the overall look,
46 | Equestrian Trade News May 2024
flat leather is currently more popular than rolled and black scores over brown so these are further aspects to take into consideration when putting in your orders. It’s also worth bearing in mind that when adding separately purchased brow and nosebands to bridles, it’s easier to match black leather than to try matching browns.
Perfect fit
With fit being paramount in customers’ minds, many now look to customise their bridles by buying the parts separately, so offer a good selection of these in different sizes to allow for the building of off-the-shelf bridles that are almost bespoke to suit individual horses.
www.equestriantradenews.com
REPORT | ETN
Turning back the pages… For more than four decades, ETN has reported on the equestrian trade. Let’s look back at the news, people and products that were making headlines this month five, ten, 20 and 30 years ago. Five years ago...
Twenty years ago...
In May 2019, ETN reported:
In May 2004, ETN reported:
Ten years ago...
Thirty years ago...
In May 2014, ETN reported:
In May 1994, ETN reported:
• Blue Chip Feed began supplying the trade directly for the first time for some while under a new team led by Laura Cackett and with founder Clare Blaskey still at the helm. • LocalRider Magazine stopped appearing in print but was to continue online. Fiona Rafferty, editor of the title since its launch in 2002, said the move had been “a difficult decision.” • Lincolnshire based slowfeeder haynet supplier Trickle Net scooped a £10,000 prize via a business accelerator programme. • Nicky Fletcher, the managing director of Equisafety, was interviewed by Jeremy Vine on his BBC Radio 2 lunchtime show. Nicky reminded motorists to slow down for horses they meet on the roads – and thanked those who do.
• Vicki Black retired from NAF after 28 years with the company as UK sales manager and then a director. Meanwhile, well-known agent Brian Pullen closed his order book. • British icons Barbour and Land Rover launched a joint clothing collection. The Barbour for Land Rover range featured tartan, wool knits and matching luggage. • Writers of Letters to the ETN editor wondered if the new dial-fit helmets “flew in the face of correctly fitted hats” and questioned a supplement company’s pledge to supply bricks-and-mortar stores only. • Joules opened its latest new store in Fareham, Hampshire. • Zoetis, manufacturer of Equest and Equest Pramox, introduced a larger wormer syringe so that big horses of up to 700kg could be wormed much more conveniently. The maximum weight treatable with the old syringes was 575kg. Zoetis said that under-dosing was a major contributor to the growing threat of resistance. • Trilanco appointed David Haig as UK sales manager. David had worked for the wholesaler for more than 12 years, and was previously its northern area sales manager.
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• Robert Eustace said his company Equi Life would no longer be importing and distributing Farrier’s Formula into the UK. Instead, Equi Life was launching a ‘new generation’ supplement called Formula4 Feet, developed in collaboration with Dr David Frape. • Horse owners were reminded that, by law, they must have passports for each of their horses by the end of June 2004. • Blair Craig joined the All Time Wholesale sales force. Blair had covered the south-west of England for Battle, Hayward & Bower for a number of years before switching roles to promote Royston Products and the William Funnell range to retailers. • Top polo coach Claire Tomlinson, fresh from her appearance on Channel 4’s Faking It, said Shires’ fleece coolers were among her favourite products.
• Retailers were invited to have their say in the running of The Horse Show, planned for the following Easter at Wembley. The organiser was Ed Parker, formerly Sanyo’s man when the brand sponsored Harvey Smith’s show jumpers. • The British Embassy asked BETA to source expressions of interest in supplying the Far East’s fast-growing equestrian market. Sought-after products included drover-style waterproof coats suitable for hot climates, stretch cotton jodhpurs, fly repellent – and 19 riding horses. • David Johnson returned to Thorowgood Saddlery as a director having left four years previously to join Clover Saddlery. “We are very pleased he has chosen to come back,” said Ruper Fairfax, director of Thorowgood, manufacturer of synthetic saddlery in Walsall. • Dressage rider Emile Faurie was named Equestrian Personality of the Year at the 37th Martini Awards.
Equestrian Trade News May 2024 | 47
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