You've decided it's time to update your competition jacket but where do you start? Most of us will quickly peruse our favourite retailers whilst on our lunch break or sneakily go online when the boss isn't looking! We search out deals and easily compare products but is this the best course to take? In some instances then definitely, yes, but when looking to buy your next competition jacket, then possibly not. The ease of online shopping has created many "Wardrobe Hoarders" an affliction for many of us horse owners where we find what is considered the bargain of the month or simply a "Must Have" item but upon delivery, it's not what was expected or it just doesn't fit/hang correctly. So, as a hard work...

We are currently enjoying a fantastic yet uncharacteristic hot summer here in the UK. As we are totally unaccustomed to seeing a huge orange orb in our rather unusually blue sky many of us are struggling to keep not only our horses cool but also ourselves. We are resorting to either riding very early in the morning or late at night in order to work our horses during the cooler hours of the day. If we are unable to ride at these times, then we have raided the bottoms of our wardrobes, dusted off our sun tops or for the more toned of us, our bikini tops and are riding in temperatures more accustomed to summer holidays in the Mediterranean! However, when we are competing wearing as little as possible simply is not acceptable. Dressage judge...

I'm sure you are all aware from all the social media coverage that we are celebrating our 25th Anniversary ‐ WooHoo! In order to say a huge thank you to our customers and followers we have been running the "Equetech Real Rider Competition" and there is still time to enter as entries close on the 31st July. We are looking for four riders that love their horses/ponies and their sport/hobby. You DO NOT need to be a professional rider, a model, or a competitive amateur, we are looking for people from all walks of life, all shapes and sizes and from 18 years of age and up that have a passion for all things equestrian. The prize is amazing! The four winners will feature in a very special photo shoot. Three winners will feature...

According to government statistics the average weekly working hours for full time workers is 37.5 hours a week, feels like much more doesn't it! So, if you are a full time worker with a passion for horses, how do you fit riding in to your life? As a horse owner, finding the time to juggle a full time job and look after your horse(s) which is essentially an extremely fulfilling but unpaid part time job is definitely not easy, especially if you have a long suffering non-horsey partner. Whether you are a leisure rider or competition rider, your beloved equine will always come first. Those precious moments with your horse make those 5am starts so you can ride before work mostly worthwhile or so you convince yourself! Your colleagues stru...

If you are a lover of all things equestrian, follow the season's fashions or are an innovative trend setter then crossover accessories will be an important part of any discerning fashionista's wardrobe. The most obvious equestrian/fashion crossover accessory is the humble scarf. Equestrian themed scarves are continually gracing the runways of the major designers across the world and are a firm favourite of equestrians. Whatever the season, a stylish scarf will lift any fashionable outfit away from the stables and can add a touch of class to your equestrian ensemble. A stylish tie and tie pin or stock and stock pin worn in an equestrian competition environment also make for a fabulous statement when worn with a suit. If you are ma...

We live in an era where travelling to civilised or even not so civilised parts of the world is relatively easy. This ease of travel has seen an increase in worldwide riding holidays from those wishing to experience the joy of beach riding, sedate or perhaps not so sedate trail riding or for those with an inner cowboy/cowgirl wanting to experience the thrill of ranching. But, how do you pack for the riding holiday of your dreams? After all, no one wants to lug around a huge suitcase crammed full of riding gear! As the holiday suggests, you will probably be logging many hours in the saddle and no one wants their holiday ruined by those cursed saddle sores or chafed areas! So, in order to avoid the misery of a sore rear, comfortable padded...

Shopping for breeches at any equestrian store, be it actually in the physical or online can be a confusing experience. We are greeted with so many different styles, colours and materials, which to choose? As an ex fashion model I'm a firm believer that it doesn't matter what the current fashion trends are suggesting we buy, it's more important to buy and wear a style that enhances your body type creating both an inner and exterior air of confidence. So, how do we choose those confidence giving beautiful breeches? Equetech has designed a range of not only stylish but beautiful breeches to suit all body types. For the curvy rider, look for breeches without a pattern in a block colour and if you prefer a breech with full seat ma...

Ah, the great British Weather…..summertime in the UK is one fraught with wardrobe decisions due to our ever changing weather patterns. We wake up and look out of the window and either sigh heavily at the prospect of a cool grey day or smile widely as the day appears to want to bring forth one of sun and blissful heat. Indeed, when we are lucky enough to experience those balmy summer days so eloquently mentioned in British poetry and prose our wardrobes seem to be horribly under prepared. Thankfully, equestrian apparel for the summer season has seen a shift over the last few years towards fashionable and cooling technical clothing driven by innovative designers and the consumer. Designers such as Equetech MD Liz Hayman believe that...

Let's be honest, comfort when riding features quite highly in most peoples opinion. We spend as much time as possible with our horses so when it comes to leg wear, we are always looking for a garment that is not only comfortable and attractive but allows for freedom of movement both in and out of the saddle. With the advent of technical fabrics, leg wear for riders has evolved. Yes, we still love the classically styled breech or jodhpur but we are also discovering the many virtues of the riding tight. With many of us loving the relaxed feel and freedom of movement the humble legging affords us, it was perhaps no surprise, innovative designers like Equetech's MD and Head Designer Liz Hayman, brought us a robust equestrian variant...

If you aren't lucky enough to have a groom/friend/long suffering partner or parent to help you get yourself and your horse ready for an event, you will probably spend more time making sure your horse looks fabulous leaving little time for yourself. Having arrived at the event, tacked up and added the finishing touches to your horse, time has in all probability run away with you, unless you are one of life's highly organised people. So, you throw on your hopefully clean competition clothes and hastily tie your hair in a ponytail and add a hair net. You will then cram your hat on and hope that your hair is neatly confined in your hairnet and stays confined for the duration required. Sadly, hair does seem to have a life of its own, cer...

Equetech's newest sponsored rider, Helen Newbold, has had a phenomenal few weeks with her top three horses. The show ring rider, panel judge and producer has had wins across the board with Marley the cheeky New Forest pony, Emporers Jade a beautiful ex racehorse and Allithorne the fairytale small hunter. Marley picked up his Royal International ticket at Staffordshire County Show, and both Emporers Jade and Allithorne have gained their HOYS tickets in the SEIB R2R and Small Hunter classes respectively. Helen's motto is "Teamwork Makes the Dream Work" and with husband Jason very much at the forefront of this incredible husband and wife team, this truly is a fitting motto, obviously being kitted out in the Equetech Hambleden...

There's an increasing move towards the use of sports psychology amongst the equestrian fraternity. Interestingly, this performance enhancing medium isn't only used by those professional riders at the top of their game that strive to remain at the top but the popularity amongst amateur and leisure riders is also on the increase, why? Horse ownership/riding is more popular now than ever before. In the UK we are very lucky at the amount of grass roots and lower level events which are open to amateur riders. This of course is a good thing as there are more opportunities to succeed, however, as horses are quite literally a great leveller there are also more opportunities to bomb out! We also spend more time on social media hearing abo...