From “awesome” blue-tinted silver stirrups to stable flooring that feels like “natural turf”, Emily Bevan finds out which 12 bits of kit eventer Emily King simply couldn’t manage without…
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1. Jin Stirrups
Emily says: “These stirrups are made from aluminium so they are super lightweight but strong and have really grippy treads. I have a silver and blue-tinted silver (which are awesome) pair but you can get them in all sorts of colours to match your cross-country kit.”
BUY NOW: Jin Stirrups from £108.75
2. Marksway HorseHage Blue High Fibre
Emily says: “We feed all the horses this as it’s dust-free, has the correct sugar and starch content and is not too rich so we can ad-lib as much as we want. The bales are also a really handy size so we can stick one in the lorry and take it away to shows.”
BUY NOW: Marksway HorseHage Blue High Fibre from £16.98
3. Bucas Power Turnout rugs
Emily says: “These rugs fit so well that we turn the horses out in them all winter. They are cut really well around the chest so they don’t slip or rub. They also have a ‘stay dry’ lining which means the horses never get damp or clammy and that helps keeps their skin healthier.”
BUY NOW: Bucas Power Turnout rugs from £109
4. Baileys Horse Feeds
Emily says: “Event horses can be tricky to feed, particularly over the winter when you need to maintain their condition, but Baileys have a wide variety of feeds and supplements to suit all types of horses. Their feeds contain all the nutrients horses need without using artificial ingredients.”
BUY NOW: Baileys Horse Feeds from £10.78
5. Veredus Carbon Gel Vento Safe The Sheep Horse tendon boots
Emily says: “I have several pairs of these boots and they are great as they have a carbon fibre base so they are very light. They give the maximum support and protection without disturbing the joints and we use them at home as well as in competition. It doesn’t matter whether a horse’s legs are clipped or if a horse has sensitive skin, they never slip or cause rubbing. Their cross-country boots are also to die for — I’d never leave the start box in anything else.”
BUY NOW: Veredus Carbon Gel Vento Safe The Sheep Horse tendon boots from £160.07
6. Racesafe Provent 3.0 adult body protector
Emily says: “This body protector is lightweight and not bulky, but extremely protective. It fits well and is comfortable. I’d never ride in anything else.”
BUY NOW: Racesafe Provent 3.0 adult body protector from £209.65
7. Ogilvy half pad jump
Emily says: “Ogilvy are a Canadian company who make amazing half pads which have different thicknesses of memory foam in them. They are particularly useful if a horse has a funny shaped back. We use them on all our horses as they fit so well, stop the saddles moving and are also shock absorbing.”
Price: £179.95
Continued below…
8 essentials Ben Hobday can’t live without
The four-star eventer tells Emily Bevan about the kit that makes life run smoothly for him — from the clippers
8. Mitsubishi Shogun SWB SG2 Commercial
Emily says: “I absolutely love my car — it’s smooth to drive, it tows well and has a big boot which fits all my kit in. The seats are comfortable and there is plenty of room to fit three people in the back even though it’s only a short wheelbase. It’s good on fuel too.”
Price: from £27,450+VAT
9. Equipe EK26 Special Carbon Jump Saddle Double Flap (brown)
Emily says: “One of my most vital pieces of kit is my Equipe jumping saddle. It is so comfy I don’t think I could ride in anything else. It fits each horse amazingly well because it has memory foam panels which adapt to the horse’s back through a method of body heat. It also has a carbon tree so is very light.”
Price: £3,900
10. Equipe Soft Care saddle soap
Emily says: “This is a fantastic cleansing and nourishing product for all Equipe tack. It makes saddles and bridles super shiny and conditions them beautifully.”
Price: £17
11. Stable Comfort
Emily says: “Stable Comfort feels like natural turf. It’s an innovative, patented shock-absorbing mattress system which provides the ultimate surface for your horse’s comfort and well-being. I have it on all of my stable floors.”
Price: from £600+VAT
12. NedzBed Pro
Emily says: “I love this bedding as it’s very absorbent but not too heavy. It’s made from oil seed rape straw and mixed with a unique organic formula so it’s natural and not dusty and the horses really like it. I use this on a Stable Comfort flooring to provide the ultimate care for my horses.”
Price: £7-8 a bale
Among other companies, Emily is sponsored by Mitsubishi and Baileys Horse Feeds
