COMFY HORSE - Key Persons
Claire is our very own Comfy Horse Customer Services Manager. She's a whizz in the office, looking after the rest of the team with their trial products and managing the reviews, and she's responsible for despatching orders and customer queries. So, if you get in touch with us, you're likely to have a lovely horsey chat with Claire! Oh, and all those wonderful piccies on Instagram are down to Claire too!
Although Claire doesn't currently have her own horse, horses have played a huge part in her life. "I first got into riding when I was about eight," says Claire. "I went on a horse riding kids party and got the bug!"
Then came the nagging to mum and dad that so many of us experienced in our younger days! Claire's parents weren't horsey but she started riding every weekend and then began helping out at the riding school at weekends and during school holidays.
Claire got her first pony on loan at 14 and then bought her first horse, Ty, when she was 18. She also studied Equine at College and worked in the industry until she was 30, running her own yard and working for some lovely people.
Comfy Horse Founder, Laura, started sharing Claire's horse, Vergil, after Claire got married and had children; "now my babies have two legs rather than four!" Claire laughs.
Claire loves the Comfy Horse range of products and is very aware of the benefits they bring to horse and rider. "If I still owned a horse now I would definitely trial the VIP saddle pad, the Franklin balls and the MDC stirrups," she says. "The reviews are great and I'm very impressed with the theory behind each one. I may do a bit of riding in the summer to sample these myself!"
We might just hold you to that one, Claire!
Harriet is a keen dressage rider regularly competing unaffiliated and affiliated with her cheeky 15.2hh 10-year-old Irish Sports Horse Dennis, who some of you may recognise as our very own Comfy Horse supermodel! She also owns De Coeur, a 17hh, six-year-old, German Warmblood who is being brought on slowly to allow him to mature.
Dennis is working and competing at Medium level and De Coeur, who Harriet purchased through the Brightwells Elite Horse Sales, is working at Elementary and competing at Novice. "He is also quite cheeky at times and loves to be out competing where he thinks he is the star of the show!" laughs Harriet.
Harriet has ridden for most of her life. Her first pony was called George and she owes it to him for the ‘obsession' that just grew stronger and stronger!
She's supported the Comfy Horse team from the start, recommending and promoting products, helping at events and providing facilities and horses for our photo shoots. So what product has been her favourite so far?
"It's a tough choice as there are lots I like! My favourite is probably my White Mattes velvet saddle pad I use at competitions. I chose two different colours of binding and I love it as it's totally unique and nobody in the warm up has one like mine!" says Harriet.
"It is important to be selective on what products to use with my horses as I like them to be as comfortable as possible, but also well protected. A product can make a big difference to my horses' way of going; if I am to put on something they are not comfortable in they can become quite stuffy, not willing to go forward and not showing much enthusiasm for their work!" says Harriet.
So what are Harriet's future goals? Well, she and Dennis are looking forward to competing in the Winter Regionals at Medium level, which they have already qualified for, and hopefully doing some dressage to music as well. Harriet would love De Coeur to qualify for the Summer Regionals at Novice and just carry on getting more experience.
"I would like him to be at Elementary level out competing by the end of summer and starting to work at Medium level next winter, but there's no pressure for him; he's only young and learning the ropes!"
Jess is a vet, eventer, and huge part of the Comfy Horse team! Her passion for horses started at a local riding school. By the time she was just nine, she was working all weekend there in exchange for lessons and by 12, she had successfully persuaded her parents to allow her to share a pony.
As an eventer, Jess has a really nice string of horses, with some very promising youngsters coming through ready to start eventing next year. The youngsters are: Kir Royale (Kir), Coulston Safari (Lion), Moorelands Be Beautiful (Elsa) and Mini.
As for her current horses, Aghalaan Wee Dan (Dan) is the main man of the yard! He's a 17.1hh, 11-year-old Irish Sports Horse, who has been with Jess since he was a four-year-old and is now an Advanced event horse. "Dan would do a brilliant job of being a Labrador; his favourite things to do are to sleep, eat and be cuddled!" laughs Jess.
Rhey Rose Gold (Rosie) is a 16.1hh, eight-year-old Irish mare who Jess says is "very chestnut"! We hear she is a real powerhouse and knows that she is in charge on the yard!
Jess' third horse, Jerona HBC (Cleo) is a 15.1hh, six-year-old Dutch Warmblood. "Cleo is mega athletic and has absolutely no idea how little she is," says Jess. "She started her eventing career last season but it was cut short due to me breaking my leg, hence we are yet to discover what she's made of!"
After sitting on a donkey on the beach aged two, Katie was hooked on riding! She worked her way through riding schools and sharing ponies, helping out as often as she could to learn anything and everything possible about horses.
"I discovered in this time that I was a bit of a daredevil when it came to riding," says Katie, "and I loved nothing more than getting on something no one else would!" Katie now runs her own freelance business, teaching, grooming and riding, and still loves nurturing life's more difficult horses and bringing out the best in them. One in particular is Felix, an ex-speed showjumper, who came to Katie with a bit of a bad past and knocked confidence. Having worked with him for a while now, Felix has really come out of his shell and transformed into a wonderful riding horse. Katie's own horse, Jake, came to her rather unfit having not been ridden in almost a year. She knew nothing about him other than the fact he was big and half blind! "Since then Jake has flourished into the most wonderful allrounder, taking on whatever I ask of him… We've done everything from show jumping, side-saddle, western, showing and dressage."
Having worked with so many horses over the years, and owning some rather sensitive ones herself, Katie really appreciates how important it is to make sure her horses are comfy.
"We ask a lot of them when it comes to riding, so ensuring that they are as comfortable as possible when doing their job is priority. The same can be said for us riders. Running my own business, riding in all weathers and being outside all day, really makes me appreciate comfy clothing. I'm sure my horses appreciate it too as it keeps us all in a good mood!" Since using The Comfy Horse Company's tried and tested products, Katie has seen a difference in her horses' overall comfort and happiness, but can she pick a favourite?!
Kirsty has owned her ‘horse of a lifetime', Lizzy, for 13 years, since Lizzy was just a four-year-old. After many years of fun and success competing in unaffiliated showjumping and dressage, Lizzy is now semi-retired and the pair enjoy schooling, groundwork and lots of lovely hacking.
Laura has ridden since a young age, but her parents were not horsy. "My non-equestrian parents thought it would be a good idea to get some ponies," Laura says. Sounds like the perfect parents to us, Laura!
Leah first got involved with Comfy Horse when she became one of our best customers!
She has been around horses all her life and her love of riding started at her local riding club when she was 7 years old.
Her first pony was a Highland called Skye. This is quite apt as Leah lives in Scotland and is therefore used to the Great British weather whatever it has in store!
Rianna enjoys doing a bit of everything with her horse, Kilmoylan Annastasia (or Joma, as she is known at home) including showjumping, cross country, hunting and pleasure rides. She's owned the 13-year-old chestnut Irish Sports Horse for three years and the pair are getting on really well. "She has the best character and never fails to make me smile even when she is being a mare! She truly is my best friend," says Rianna, who has been riding since she could sit up!
"My parents got me into riding as they both had horses. They used to put me in front of them on the saddle and walk around our field. My mum then used to lead me around the village on her horse before I got my own pony at five."
Rianna has two other horses with her at home. Broadie, who belonged to her dad, is a 16.3hh Shire x TB who the family have owned for 17 years and is now enjoying a well-earned retirement! Bruno is her mum's horse, a 15.1hh six-year-old Irish Cob, who Rianna likes to steal after a ride for a play in the field, as he "has the best jump in him!"
It's really important for Rianna to have the right products for her happy equine family, which is why she likes to use The Comfy Horse Company.
"It's important for me to ensure the products I use are good quality and that they are going to be beneficial to both my horse's performance and my own. It is also very important to me that the products I use are going to suit my mare, as she can be sensitive to change. I love The Comfy Horse Company as it lets me try the products before I buy to make sure they are going to suit us both."