ETN - Equestrian Trade News - October 2011

NEC, Birmingham, UK19-21 February 2012w w w . b e t a - i n t . c o m

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CHRISTMASIS COMING

Tricks of the trade to getthose till bells ringing

201219-21 February 2012NEC, Birmingham, UK

EQUESTRIAN TRADE NEWS OCTOBER 2011 3www.equestriantradenews.com

... the magazine for the industry, about the industry, by the industry

Let’s be realistic. No company can afford to ‘put somethingback’ into the equestrian industry for purely altruisticreasons.

However, with imagination and enterprise, it is possiblefor firms to help the wider horsey community as well as staycommercially sound – as two companies have proved thismonth.

Wholesaler Abbey England has given Britishmanufacturing another boost by acquiring Equus Polymer(see News), best known for its rubber rein grips and over-reach boots. Abbey is a family run business that’s clearlythinking long term rather than fast buck. But let’s not forgetthat it takes great vision, and a dash of courage, to invest ina sector which some had already written off or concededdefeat to the Far East. Walsall, the West Midlands and ourtrade would be much the poorer without Abbey England.

Then there’s supplements specialist NAF with itsindefatigable support for British equestrian sport. Notcontent with being an official supplier to Team GBR andsponsoring countless other events from HartpuryInternational to riding clubs, now NAF has stepped in withfunding for an eight part pre-Olympic television series.Getting to Greenwich, to be broadcast on Horse & CountryTV soon (see News), will bring awareness, glamour andexplanation to equestrian sport to inspire futureparticipants. And that’s for all our benefits.

Well done, Abbey England and NAF. You both deserve amedal!

We make no apology for featuring Christmas gifts asstrongly as we do in this month’s ETN. Of course Christmasis a prime trading time for retailers, with practical presentsparticularly in demand this year. But aren’t they always withhorsey people?

The festive season also kick-starts plenty of equestrianactivity. There’s Olympia, the Boxing Day meet, Pony Clubrally in the holidays, New Year’s Day ride, fancy dress showjumping...In fact, horses and Christmas go together like portand Stilton.

Top show rider Louise Bell may miss the Horse of the YearShow (HOYS) this month because her toes were badlybroken when trodden on by a horse. Yes, squashed toes areamong the most common injuries to happen around horses,yet this is a safety issue that rarely gets discussed.

It doesn’t just happen to the famous. My jodhpur bootclad sister was grooming our old, very quiet pony the otherday when I heard a yell. I ran over to find her foot pinned tothe ground by the hoof of a surprised looking pony.

As we soothed her sore-looking foot under a cold tap anddried the tears, I said: “Come on, you’ll be alright, let’s gofor a ride.’ We had a lovely ride too. But I felt guilty laterwhen she’d been to hospital and an x-ray revealed a brokentoe. She was off work for two days because she couldn’tdrive.

More on boots in next month’s ETN.

Liz Benwell

CONTENTS OCTOBER 2011

Comment NEWS .......................................................4

PEOPLE...................................................14

DOGS AT WORK........................................15

THE GOLDEN TOUCHWhat a gold medal means to the trade........16

PRODUCT NEWS ......................................18

VIEW FROM AMERICA ...............................23

CHRISTMAS GIFT FEATUREProduct gallery ........................................25Keeping kids happy ..................................28Presents for special people .......................29

BETA MEMBERS’ PAGE .............................30

BETA INTERNATIONAL COUNTDOWN .........31

MEET PEGASUS HEALTH...........................32

SUPPLEMENTS & BALANCERS FEATUREWhat horses really want ...........................35All about aloe vera ...................................38How to sell supplements ..........................40Product gallery ........................................42

LEGAL EAGLE ..........................................46

WHAT’S ON ..............................................47

WINTER AILMENTS FEATURELotions and potions: what to stock .............48Product gallery ........................................50

COUNTY COURT JUDGMENTS ....................54

ETN’s front cover image - two happy horses enjoying thefresh air during a seasonal cold snap - comes courtesy ofHorka International BV. The wholesaler, based in Zwolle,The Netherlands, is this year celebrating its 55thanniversary and is still run by the founding Horst family.

Horka’s products cover the every equestrian need fromcompetition and casual rider clothing to horse careequipment and saddlery. UK retailers will find the Horkacollection offers a delightful twist to traditional themes,while the company says its remit is to offer good qualityat keen prices. Easy ordering, fast delivery and highlevels of stock ready for despatch are other attributes.

Find out more in this issue of ETN (see Product News andChristmas Gifts feature). Or visit www.horka.com

4 OCTOBER 2011 EQUESTRIAN TRADE NEWS www.equestriantradenews.com

Abbey England ...........16AHD Equine Health .....51Andover Healthcare.....50Animalife ....................43Bailey’s Horse Feeds ....39Bedmax..............15 & 17BETA International.......31Brinicombe Equine ......52Buffera Ltd ..................28Carrots........................25Classified ....................53Comfort Gut................42Dodson & HorrellLimited .......................37EAF HaySoft ................13EuroHorse ................OBCFullolife.......................34Gallop Equestrian Ltd..IFCGrays of Shenstone .....27GWF Nutrition.............35H & C TV.......................7Hills Pet Nutrition ..........9Horka International BV 12Horslyx .......................45B Jenkinson & Son.......27Maxavita ....................40

Merial AnimalHealth Ltd...................11Natural Animal Feeds ..33Pfizer AnimalHealth Ltd...................23Robinson AnimalHealth ........................49Santé Franglais............42Sherwood Forest Ltd ...22Shires EquestrianProducts .....................14Silver Feet ...................51Soake Farm.................21South Essex InsuranceBrokers .........................5SP Equine Health& Herbal .....................41Spartan EquestrianProducts UK ................26TopSpec......................38Torq Fitness.................12Virbac Animal Health..IBCWaldhausen GmßH& Co KG......................19Web Directory.............54Worklite Ltd ................18Youngs Animal Feeds ..20

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Equestrian Trade NewsStockeld Park,Wetherby,West Yorkshire LS22 4AWTel: 01937 582111Fax: 01937 582778 – SalesEmail: sales @equestriantradenews.comWebsite: www.equestriantradenews.com

Publisher:Equestrian Management Consultants Ltd

Editor:Liz BenwellEmail: [email protected]: 0845 6185007

Advertising Sales:Nicki LewisEmail: [email protected]: 01937 582111Fax: 01937 582778

Advertising Copy:Nicki LewisEmail: [email protected]: 01937 582111

SubscriptionsDistributed on a controlled-circulation basis to theretail trade. Paid-for annual subscriptions are £39.95(UK), £73.00 (Europe), £86.00 (rest of the world).

The magazine is independent of all groups. Editorialviews expressed in ETN are not necessarily the officialview of any organisation or group.

Copyright:All material is copyright Equestrian ManagementConsultants Ltd.

Design & Print:G.H. Smith & Son,Market Place, Easingwold,North YorkshireYO61 3ABTel: 01347 821329Fax: 01347 822576Email: [email protected]: www.ghsmith.com

ISSN 1462-9526

A new own brand equine wormer is being sold byMole Valley Farmers in its stores and websites.

Molemec Paste for Horses, the active ingredient inwhich is ivermectim, and Molemec Paste for HorsesPlus, active ingredients ivermectim and praziquantel,are to be joined by more equine health productswithin a new Molecare Animal Health range.

Molemec wormers are manufactured by Merial,the company that also makes Eqvalan and EqvalanDuo. “The products contain the same ingredients andcharacteristics” said a statement from Mole Valley.

The Mole Valley Farmers group, encompassing CWG Farm and Country’s tenstores, SCATS Countrystores’ 21 outlets and Mole Valley’s nine branches, employs a total of 260suitably qualified persons (SQPs).

Single units of Molemec Paste for Horses are retailing at £3.99 (including VAT) and MolemecPaste for Horses Plus at £9.99 (including VAT). After 1 January, prices will increase to £4.40 and£10.44 respectively. Discounts are available to consumers buying in quantity.

Eqvalan was launched 30 years ago, but Merial’s equine products manager Claire Edmundssaid there was no intention to phase out the brand: “We’re supporting Eqvalan and Eqvalan Duoby continuing the high-profile SMART campaign which is educating consumers about resistanceto wormers. We also have a dedicated team who work with vets, SQPs and retailers to helpowners make the correct choices about worming.”

Merial Animal Health is offering a promotion under which retailers that purchase 40 tubes ofEqvalan Duo this month (October) will receive weigh tapes free of charge while stocks last.

Ian Peglar, the new boss of Stoneleigh ParkEvents, has been talking about reviving TheRoyal Show. The show, which regularly attracted 100,000visitors, was last held at the Warwickshirevenue in 2009.

Ian, the former chief executive of Little Chefroadside diners, told Radio 4’s FarmingToday that he wants to give the Royal amake-over but is keen to retain its “coreagricultural and equine elements.”

Stoneleigh boss wants to revive Royal Show

RETAILER LAUNCHESOWN BRAND WORMER

KC SPORTS has launched a new e-commerce website(www.powellprotec.com) which directssales of its Powell body protectors viaretail stockists.

“With online trade now a significantpart of everyday business within theequestrian industry, we wanted to find away to capitalise on this for the benefitof our brand and to support our UKretailers,” said Marcus Yeomans of KCSports.

“A manufacturer’s website is trustedby consumers and has the potential tocreate a significant amount of onlinesales for that particular brand,” headded. Orders taken online are emaileddirectly to Powell stockists to fulfil fromtheir existing stock.

The company has also addressed thesensitive issue of ensuring its bodyprotectors that are sold online are fittedcorrectly, something that’s crucial withan item of safety equipment.

According to Marcus, “incorrectsizing and returns are eliminated withPowell’s extensive expertise of sizingcustomers remotely having serviced ourexport markets this way for over 20years.”

The company also makes a ‘sizingcalculator’ available to stockists whooffer Powell body protectors online.

Powell directsonline BP salesto retailers

www.equestriantradenews.com

HORSE & Country TV is to follow the Britishequestrian team in the run-up to the LondonOlympics in an eight-part series sponsored byNAF.

Getting to Greenwich will explore the hopesof eight potential contenders for Team GBR,across the three Olympic and one Paralympicdisciplines of dressage, showjumping,eventing, and para-equestrian dressage.

The series is produced by LizzieGreenwood-Hughes’ company, HarkawayMedia.

“Equestrian sport represents one of theUK’s best medal hopes at next year’s Games,”said Tracey Lloyd of NAF.

“As a sponsor of Team GBR, NAF is doingits utmost to promote and support all theriders in the World Class Programme [whichprepares Britain’s elite riders]. SponsoringGetting to Greenwich gives us a uniqueplatform from which to reach this goal.”

Heather Killen, chairman of H&C TV said:“We’re delighted that NAF is working with usto bring a show about our potential Olympicriders to UK viewers.”

Andrew Finding, chief executive of theBritish Equestrian Federation (BEF),commended “a new way to communicate thefantastic potential of Team GBR for nextyear’s Games.”

Getting to Greenwich will premiere onHorse & Country TV (Sky channel 280) inNovember.

H&C TV televises road to Greenwich

DRESSAGE riderscompeting below advancedmust wear up-to-standriding hats for warm-upand in the arena from 1December. The new rule, imposed byBritish Dressage (BD)following consultation withits members, mirrors thatenforced by the USEquestrian Federation and

Safety rule updates

EQUINE Careers has become anew sponsor of the BETABusiness Awards. The equestrian recruitmentcompany is backing the SalesRepresentative of the YearAward, one of a series ofaccolades presented by theBritish Equestrian TradeAssociation (BETA) to recognisesignificant contributions to theequestrian industry.Equine Careers, whichspecialises in office and professional jobs, wasfounded in 2009 by Emma Dyer who said:“[We] have a sales agents’ database, so thisaward is very relevant to everything we do.”The Sales Representative of the Year awardrecognises excellence in product knowledgeand service to retail customers. Nominationsare made by retailers, with finalists selectedvia voting and interviews. • ETN is the new sponsor of the Trade Supplier

of the Year. Other awards include UKTIExport Award, TSM Rider Award, SEIBRetailer of the Year, BETA LifetimeAchievement Award, Harry Hall RetailEmployee of the Year, Haygain NutritionalHelpline of the Year and the BETA TradeWebsite of the Year.

• Find out how to nominate candidates for allthe awards in the November issue of ETN.

New sponsor forBETA Awards

Horse & Country TV's Jenny Rudall interviews William Funnellat the recent Olympic Test Event in Greenwich Park.imageNico Morgan.

THE Society of Master Saddlers’ recent Overseas SaddleFitting course and assessment resulted in success forthe following candidates: Judy McArthur – Equine Life P/W (Australia), JamesHughes (Denmark), Irma Wormgoor – Olde HietmoatHorsesupplies (Netherlands), Stephanie Bullock – P SFarm Equestrian (New Zealand), Kari Grundvig –Grundvig Salspesialisten (Norway), Bente Johansen –BHS Salsenter (Norway), Dawn Anderson – AndersonEquine Saddle Fitting Services (USA), Sue Newell –Custom Saddlery (USA), Graham Newell – CustomSaddlery (USA), Julie Nelson – Custom Saddlery (USA),Pam Omer – Freedom Fittings (USA).The following UK candidates were also successful:Sarah Stevens – Equestrian World (UK) Ltd, Oxfordshire;Samantha Wuczke – R B Equestrian, Buckinghamshire;Helen Mattinson – R & R Country, Yorkshire; Laura Simpson – Individual Member, Scotland.

Saddle fitting successes

drafted by the internationalgoverning body, the FEI, fordiscussion at its assemblyin November. • In another rule update,

the Masters of FoxhoundsAssociation (MFHA) hasmade the wearing ofBETA Level 3 bodyprotectors compulsory forteam chases run under itsrules.


JAMIE Hawksfield and Neil Millard, joint masters of the Crawley andHorsham Foxhounds, appeared alongside hunt secretary RachelHoldsworth and former huntsman Andrew Phillis before CrawleyMagistrates Court on 25 August, charged with illegally hunting a foxwith dogs contrary to the Hunting Act 2004.

The case, which centres on video footage handed to Sussex police,was adjourned. It’s being seen by many as a possible hunting bantest case.

Although around 180 people have been prosecuted under theHunting Act, almost all were poachers with only six members ofregistered hunts being convicted. One of those, Tony Wright, ahuntsman from Devon, was later cleared on appeal.

Legal case to test hunting ban

ABBEY England has acquiredrubber moulded productsspecialist Equus Polymer.

The West Midlands basedmanufacturer of rubber reingrips, bit guards, martingalestops and over-reach boots, waspreviously in Vale Bros’ownership for seven years.

Abbey England has also takenon the lease of Equus’ factory inWillenhall and will continue tomanufacture there. Equus’ fouremployees are being kept on.

Abbey acquires Equus Polymer

CANADIAN clothing manufacturer Asmar Equestrianis offering distributors and retailers free marketingand social media support to help them promote thebrand.

The company - which is seeking UK-based stockists(including on-line retailers) - is also offering flexibleterms.

“Retailers wanting to stock technically-advancedleisure clothing, riding and show wear ranges can’treally afford to miss out on this amazing opportunity,”said the company’s CEO, Noel Asmar.

Asmar Equestrian launched at BETA International2011, winning an ETN Innovation Award for riderclothing with its All Weather Rider jacket (pictured).

Supplier offers free marketing

EQUI-SPORT Horseboxes has been reprimanded for using apicture of a customer’s vehicle with a visible license plate on itswebsite.

The Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) decided that thevehicle, a silver and green horsebox, was identifiable as belongingto its owner who had brought the complaint against the Yorkshirebased firm.

Equi-Sport Horseboxes should have obtained writtenpermission from the horsebox owner to use its picture on theirwebsite, the ASA decided. Failing to do so resulted in a breach ofthe CAP (committee of advertising practice) Code.

The Code urges advertisers to get permission before portrayinga member of the public’s identifiable possessions in theiradvertising.

Equi-Sport Horseboxes was ticked off by ASA for its dilatoryresponse to their enquiries – and told to remove the picture of thehorsebox from its website, or obscure its license plate.

Permission needed to showpossessions in ads, says watchdog

A COMPANY called ExpoGuide SCV has beencontacting companiesoffering entries in itsinternet Exhibitors’Directory for BETAInternational.

While it appears that theentry is free of charge,companies that sign andreturn the form will becomeliable for an annual fee of€1,271 for three years aswell as an additional yearunless the arrangement iscancelled before the finalyear.

“Please note that this is acompany totally independentof either BETA or the BETAInternational organisers andhas nothing whatsoever todo with the official TradeFair Catalogue which ispublished as part of theBETA International TradeFair,” says a statement fromBETA International.

Fair guidewarning

THE proprietor of a Lincolnshireequestrian centre has appealed foranyone in the trade to let her knowif they are offered any cheap,second-hand saddlery.

Sarah Payne, who runsSheepgate Equestrian at Leverton,near Boston, lost more than£20,000 worth of saddles, bridlesand rugs when her two tackroomswere burgled on the night of 10/11September.

The thieves’ haul included tensaddles, mainly dressage styles byAmerigo, Ideal, Equinefit and KN,five Elevator bridles and in excessof 40 rugs - some embroidered withTeam Sheepgate and others still intheir bags from the cleaners.

“They completely cleaned outtwo tackrooms,” Sarah told ETN.“The thing I most want back is abrand new Amerigo black dressagesaddle, the new model withpadding on top with a padded,yellow cover. It’s only been sat onthree times and cost more than£3,000.”

Anyone with information cancontact Sarah Payne on 07768156262 or the police.

Been offeredsecond-hand tack?

COUNTRYWIDE is re-launchingits own brand horse feeds via aseries of equine events atmany of its chain ofstores.Visitors can enjoydemonstrations, a hog roast -and 20% off own brand feedsand up to 50% off rugs.

Countrywide’s equine buyerSara Blackshaw says theretailer chain is responding tocustomer feedback. “[We’vebeen] working with top equinenutritionists to reformulateour feeds to offer a superior,cost effective product, whichhas been well received incustomer trails.”

Of the equine events, sheadded: “These events aredesigned to make things thatlittle bit easier for horseowners.”

Countrywide will be offeringa range of discounts, including50% off its Kadence comboheavy weight 400g turnout rug,50% off Kadence fleece linedleather yard husky boots and10% off all products in store(exclusions apply).

The events will also supportRiding for the Disabled (RDA).

Retail chainslashes feed prices

AROUND 60 Society of MasterSaddlers (SMS) members – manyof whom are saddlery retailers -attended an SMS Manufacturers’Showcase at Moulton College lastmonth.

The event enabledrepresentatives of BarnsbySaddles, Fairfax Saddles,Hastilow Competition Saddles,Ideal Saddle Company, JeremyRudge Saddlery, Kings Saddlery,Morris & Nolan and Vale Brothersto have in-depth discussions withvisitors

“Deemed a great success,exhibitors and visitorsunanimously voted to hold similarevents in the future,” said an SMSspokesman.

SMS runsmanufacturers’showcase

The acquisition is the latest ofseveral British manufacturingcompanies by Abbey.

“We’ll be supplying Equus tothe trade through the usualchannels,” said Peter Philips ofAbbey. “Keeping Britishmanufacturing going is veryimportant to us.

“Equus was a valued supplierof ours and is a market leader interms of quality. Companies likethis are very much the mainstayof our trade.”


THE price of garlic, a popular feature of many horses’ diets, is saidto be rocketing.

During August, the price of the herb was up by 70% in Jining cityof Shandong Province - the so-called ‘garlic town’ of China -compared with July, according to The Global Times, an Englishlanguage Chinese tabloid.

Increasing orders from abroad mean garlic prices have risensteadily since July 2010. In June this year, the city exported 100,000tons, up 122% on the same period in 2010.

Mid-August is the best time to store garlic, so some buyers aresaid to be using the opportunity to stockpile, causing supply to lagbehind demand and the price to soar, it is suggested.

A new environmental law in China reportedly means thatprocessors are no longer allowed to wash the garlic with water –which has been the traditional way – because of the pollution risksof flushing the dirty residue into rivers.

Whiff of a garlic price hike?

WHILE Burghley (1-4 September)was as well populated as ever, somespectators were keeping a tight reinon the purse strings.

At Newmarket based GibsonSaddlery, Carl Butcher said whilevisitor numbers seemed to be wellup, there was “reluctance in termsof trading.”

“We didn’t come out too badly,although the figures are no betterthan we were doing in 2006,” hesaid. “Products from wholesalersare going through the roof butcustomers are expecting good deals– and there’s not much meeting inthe middle.”

Carl added that although it was“still very worthwhile doingBurghley, it is Badminton thatseems to get better trading-wiseeach year. Maybe it’s the time ofyear. People used to do theirChristmas shopping at Burghley, butperhaps they leave it later now?”

Most traders ETN spoke toagreed that Thursday and Fridayremain the best shopping days,particularly since it rained heavilyon the Sunday this year. However,with on-the-gate admission pricesof £14 per person (£25 on theSaturday) plus £11 to park the car,some visitors are making a big holein their spending money just to getinto the event.

Taking a stand in one of the ‘showwithin a show’ marquees hasbecome a relatively stress-free wayto exhibit at the big shows.SupaStuds has had a pitch in theWorld of the Horse at Burghleysince 2005.

Good crowds spendcarefully at Burghley

MORE than 100 retailers enjoyed a free barbecue, Pimms and “bargaindeals from manufacturers” at a new trade event organised by Essexwholesaler EAF.

The event also saw the launch of HaySoft, EAF’s new own brandhaylage. (See Product News).

Representatives from Spillers, Dodson & Horrell, Allen & Page,Dengie, Burgess Supa Feeds, Bedmax, Honeychop, Horslyx, BritishHorse Feeds, Baileys, GWF Nutrition, Youngs Animal Feeds, Top Specand Fox Feeds were available to meet retailers.

“We’ve had a fantastic open day,” said Scott Bird, managing directorof EAF. “HaySoft received a lot of attention; we already have sheets offorward orders from this one event.”

Scott (pictured left with visiting retailer Ash Smythe of Tower Pet andAnimal Feeds) established EAF in 1987 since when it’s grown from asingle shop selling feed to a national distributor. The company alsoproduces BedSoft horse bedding.

100 retailers at feed trade event

WHOLESALER Battles is undertaking a nationwide roadshow withretailers invited to various hotel and racecourse venues fromScotland to Kent until 13 October.

The primary aim is to give the trade an “exclusive viewing” of theautumn/winter and spring/summer Townend clothing collection andthe new Hy range. “Unmissable, exclusive offers on many leadingbrands are also offered,” according to a source.

Battles on the road

“It works for us becausepeople know where to find us,”said the company’s Annie Jolly.“This year was fine business-wise; similar to last year. AtBurghley, we have more time totalk to customers and explainhow our product works. We’rethere to support our stockiststoo.”

A popular British winner inWilliam Fox-Pitt (pictured) putsmiles on faces, according toRuth Plummer who was amongthe team manning the T & CRobinson (Saddlers) stand.

“I’ve been going to Burghleyfor many, many years, she said,as a spectator and working. Itwas as busy as ever this year.Thursday afternoon was busierthan last year, and the weatherwas perfect then too.”

Ruth felt the majority ofcustomers were buying practicalitems. “We sold a lot of groomingessentials and things for the yardas well as saddlery,” she said.

Trade exhibitors at Burghley topromote their brands rather thanactually sell on the day, werevery upbeat and reported ‘lots ofinterest’ in new products. But ofcourse they were not askinganyone to part with their cash.

The next major stop on theshow circuit is Your Horse Live(Stoneleigh, 12/13 November)and one wonders if that’s wherethe serious Christmas shopping– not to mention hard-coreequestrian bargain hunting – willtake place.

SPECIAL DELIVERY: IngatestoneSaddlery Centre (ISC) in Essex was thestarting point for a recent horse-drawnmail coach journey. A re-enactment ofthe days of the London-Ipswich run,this version stopped at seven pubs andinns before arriving in Brentwood. “It’s a lovely sight,” said LyndaMortlock of ISC. “All the participantsdress in their finest. Each year theychoose a different part of the old mailcoach route.”


SARACEN Horse Feeds has teamed up withmore than 40 veterinary surgeries to holdinformative talks across the UK.

Tailored to tackling regional and seasonalsubjects, the talks will include nutrition-related topics. Saracen’s senior nutritionistLizzie Drury MSc RNutr (pictured) will be onhand to answer consumers’ questions whileinformation packs will be available too.

Admission to all talks will be free, withSaracen sponsored riders appearing at some venues. This looks to be agood opportunity to for Saracen stockists to get involved. t Saracen Horse Feeds 01622 718487

Saracen teams up with vets

AS nominations open for the 2012 BETA Business Awards, to bepresented at the trade association’s gala dinner on 19 February,ETN caught up with four 2011 winners to find what benefits theseaccolades bring.

Kathryn Martyn, of Countrywide Farmers, in Taunton,Somerset, won the Harry Hall Retail Employee of the Year award– and with it a glass trophy, bottle of champagne and a certificatewhich hangs on the wall in the shop.

“It was lovely when the customers saw the certificate and allcongratulated me,” she said.

“It still receives lots of comments to this day and it felt reallygood when I went to work at another of our branches and wasintroduced as ‘the Retail Employee of the Year’. A win such as thisis really good for the shop – but it’s also something reallyworthwhile to put in your CV.”

Claire Smith, campaign planner for Your Horse Live!, winner ofthe 2011 Joules Equestrian Event of the Year award, said: “Wedefinitely acquired new business because of the award and feelconfident that exhibitors who joined this year will be part of ourrenewals for 2012.

“Any business should be proud to be a part of industry awards,as they set a benchmark for expectation and are there to improvethe experience of the consumer. We take them very seriously andvalue their recognition.”

A win in the SEIB Retailer of the Year online category hasboosted business for Hannah Wild’s company, SupplementSolutions.

“The award has helped us to gain customer confidence,” shesaid. “The internet has a bit of a bad reputation and, as an onlineretailer, you tend to be faceless. But the win has brought uswidespread recognition and linked us to BETA with its excellentreputation.”

At Worcestershire based Fly Away, company director TraceyMorley Jewkes said: “Receiving the UKTI Export Award from BETAgave the team both professional and personal recognition for thesheer hard work, determination and tenacity it took to get there.

“When we are approaching new international customers, theycan gain confidence that they are dealing with an award-winningcompany in international trade. Also, the consumer can onlybenefit from the constant improvement in standards that isneeded to achieve a BETA Business Award.”

Find out how to nominate for the 2012 BETA Business Awardsin the November issue of ETN.

BETA awards “set a benchmark”

BLAZE, the clothing brand best known for its colourful micro-fleeces,has been sold to a group of investors.

Founder Gary Yates, who remains managing director of thecompany, says that the new arrangement will make Blaze availableto retail stockists once again.

“We’ve done four years on the show circuit and about 50 shows ayear which has done a brilliant job of promoting the brand. Now thetime is right to take Blaze back to the trade,” said Gary.

Deals with manufacturers’ agents covering the south of Englandand Scotland are about to be made. Blaze clothing will also continueto be sold at the shows – at “proper retail prices”.

The first Blaze collection under the new management will be readyby next March and consist of fleeces, hoodies, base layers and “lotsof new products”. Gary describes the range as “good quality at mid-level prices.”

“The best thing I’ve learnt from spending eight months a year atshows is what people really want,” he added. “The show jumperswant bling and will pay £150 for a gilet, the dressage crowd are in adifferent world altogether, and the eventers want good value formoney, practical garments that they can wash and wear – and that’swhere Blaze fits in.”

Blaze supports Stafford Horse Trials and the Blaze Academy thatprovides training bursaries for young event riders.

Its new investors are, according to Gary, “People who understandthe equestrian environment. One is a very good eventer, not ahousehold name, but very committed to the sport.”

Clothing brand goes “back to the trade”


MONTY and Suzanna Stuart-Monteith havesold Belstane Marketing – but will bestaying on with the distributor of brandssuch as Pikeur, Eskadron and Myler.

Belstane has joined Ansor Textiles, acompany which has been looking for alaunch pad from which to target the generaloutdoor leisure market.

“I’m delighted and pleased to be staying onwith Belstane,” Monty told ETN. “This mergeropens up plenty of opportunities to extendour product ranges in equestrian, tackle andgun, garden and leisure.”

Belstane and Ansor’s first joint venture isthe launch of a new range of wellies(pictured), in rubber and neoprene, underAnsor’s ROK label.

Said Monty, a former BETA chairman, of the new partnership: “It willhelp us work quicker, bigger and better for our existing customers.”

Adrian Wilkinson, CEO of Ansor Textiles added: “Belstane has aproven record in the country sector, with terrific brands, a greatinfrastructure and the most experienced team of staff in the wholemarket.”

The two companies had been working together for several months,with the formal merger being announced last month (September).

Belstane’s headquarters will remain near Ashbourne, Derbyshire withwarehousing transferring to Ansor’s new distribution facility in SouthYorkshire. All existing staff will stay with the company.

Belstane will continue to distribute core brands such as PikeurEskadron and Myler Bits – but relinquishes MuckBoots.

“Following a host of supplier problems with MuckBoots over the lastfew months, Belstane is forging ahead on its own with the new ROKWellingtons,” said the company in a statement.

"I’ll be sad to say goodbye to MuckBoots", added Monty, "butBelstane's reputation within the trade is more important than a singlebrand and the quality, price and reliability of the ROK brand make thechange both unavoidable and exciting.”

Monty sells butstays at Belstane

AN accident to top show rider Louise Bell, which could rule her outof this month’s Horse of the Year Show, has highlighted theimportance of safety footwear.

Working hunter specialist Louise broke two toes after beingstamped on by a horse she was washing off. “The nail came off mybig toe and the one next to it – the bones were sticking out,” she toldHorse&Hound.

Louise was expecting to be out of the saddle for “a few weeks” – acostly as well as painful experience for a professional rider.

The danger of squashed toes – and worse - is certainly notsomething that should be shrugged off as an inevitable occupationalhazard around with horses, said Claire Williams, executive directorof BETA.

“For added protection to feet and toes, BETA supports thewearing of protective footwear manufactured to the Europeanstandard EN 345, also known as EN ISO 20345:2004 (A1:2007) forsafety footwear.

“This covers not just the strength of the protective toe which istested to sustain impacts of 200 joules, but also the robustness ofthe rest of the shoe including the sole. Riders should be certain tolook for shoes and boots bearing this standard rather than thosejust claiming that the steel or protective toe cap is made to thestandard.

“Boots which are not CE marked and do not show compliance tothe appropriate safety standard cannot be guaranteed to offer thenecessary protection.”

Safety footwear in the spotlight


NEWS IN BRIEF• THE Outdoor Trade Show (OTS) and the Stoneleigh Tent Show havemerged. A new, combined exhibition takes place at Stoneleigh Parkon 10-13 September 2012.

• The Riders Revealed 2012 Calendar is to raisemoney for the ‘Get Claire Walking’ campaign,which supports paralysed event rider ClaireLomas and Spinal Research. Sponsored byNupafeed, the cheeky production features PiggyFrench, Mark Todd, Mary King, Michael andWilliam Whitaker, Andrew Thornton, SamThomas, Mark and Luke Tomlinson, LauraBechtolsheimer and more – all wearing less!Available at www.nupafeed.co.uk

• Britain’s show jumpers won team and individual bronze medals atthe European Championships in Madrid last month. On the team wereJohn Whitaker, Guy Williams, Nick Skelton (individual bronze) andBen Maher who said: "We've been struggling lately with a lack ofmedals [the last one was in 1997] so I hope we can use this result topush ourselves forward for next year." The gold medal went toGermany and the silver to France, mirroring team medals won in therecent European Eventing Championships.

• 11,000 riders responded to a hi-viz survey conducted by the BritishHorse Society (BHS). The results reveal that 12% do not wear hi-viz,tabards were the most popular item of rider hi-viz with exercisesheets, and leg bands the most often used on horses. Of riders whowear hi-viz, 36% don’t use it on their horses.

• HORSE rug brand Kingshead is encouraging horse owners to set upAvon-style parties to sell rugs. Party-goers will also be invited toprovide feedback to the company for future product development.Kevin Jeffkyns, Kingshead’s managing director, said: “Horseownerscan now buy directly from us, which means they enjoy cheaperpricing.” Kingshead was established in 1785.

• ETN’s American correspondent John Nunn finished 16th in theAmerican Eventing National Championships last month. He alsocollected the Charles Owen Merit Award for best cross country ride.

• AQUEOUS, the disinfectantbrand that’s effective againststrangles and ringworm, issupporting the GreatwoodRacehorse Charity which providescare and re-homing for formerand neglected racehorses andhelps children with specialeducational needs.

• MADRID has put in a bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games with Clubde Campo de Villa Madrid, venue for the European show jumpingchampionships, proposed as the venue for equestrian sports.

spoga horse autumn, the tradeexhibition held in Cologne,Germany last month, was attendedby a total of 376 companiescompared with 393 in 2010.Exhibitors came from 30 differentcountries.

The visitor number of 36,300includes the gafa garden fair whichruns in conjunction with spoga.

Many enhanced and newproducts were on show. For thefirst time, winners of the innovationawards, presented by Koelnmesse

Innovation rewarded at spogaand the German trade journalEquitrends, were decided on votescast by visitors.

From a total of 52 products, theFrontzip ladies’ safety vest fromKomperdell Sportartikel GmbHtook first place in the Ridercategory, Prestige Italia scoopedthe Horse category with its S1saddle and Dutch company ARPOBV took first place in the Stablecategory with its mobile, battery-powered cleaning systemNomad2go.

• Ariat has appointed Petra Heide as head ofsales. She has previously worked with brands suchas DKNY, Firetrap, Coca-Cola and more recently,UGG Australia.

Petra grew up in Argentina and has lived andworked in Germany and New York before moving tothe UK ten years ago. “Ariat is a strong company that is making a realcommitment to Europe and I’m looking forward to building on theexisting success,” she said. “There are incredible opportunities to takethe brand further in equestrian and related channels.”

Managing director of Ariat-Europe, Phil Duff, added: “Petra’swealth of experience is welcomed by the whole team; I’m confidentthat her focus will further enhance the positioning of the brand inthe European market.”

• Ben Mayes (pictured) has become president of the British EquineVeterinary Association (BEVA) for 2011/12. He took over from DeidreCarson at last month’s BEVA Congress held in Liverpool. KeithChandler became president elect and Paul Jepson junior vice president.

Ben is a partner at Mayes and Scrine equine veterinary practice onthe Surrey/West Sussex border. His ambitions for his term of officeinclude BEVA helping to develop a code of practice for livery yards,dealers, breeders and sanctuaries, a pivotal part of which would becompliance with passport and welfare regulations.

“Proper knowledge of where all the horses are in the country wouldbe hugely beneficial for disease control and it is imperativeto secure a safe future for the single database,” he said.

Ben also wants BEVA to work with the insurance industryto produce a leaflet for inclusion with all insurancecorrespondence, explaining in simple language thecomplexities of equine cover, such as veterinary history,exclusions, excesses and mortality.

• Dodson & Horrell’s new national salesmanager Philippa Gilmore has a ruralestate management degree from Seale Hayne AgriculturalCollege. She has two Thoroughbreds that she competes at unaffiliatedlevel with aspirations to resume affiliated eventing. Philippa isresponsible for the company’s area managers across the UK.

• Animal health and nutrition company Alltechhas promoted Matthew Smith to director ofAsia Pacific, its fastest growing region.

• TV star and horse lover Nicki Chapman is tohost the Spanish Riding School of Vienna UKTour (25-27 November at Wembley Arena, London).Nicki took part in the celebrity show jumping series OnlyFools on Horses and has been a judge on Popstars andPop Idol with Simon Cowell. She now presents the BBCshow Escape to the Country. Nicki also appears in WhenNicki Met Carl on Horse & Country TV this month, as thethree-time Olympian puts Nicki through some advancedmoves on a grand prix dressage horse.

• Brian Workman has left bedding tools and utensil supplierHarold Moore. His successor is Jared Vickerage.

• Steve Whalley has joined retailer Robinsons as buying manager.Previously with Littlewoods and the Ideal shopping channel, hereports to Martin Bentham, operations director. Angela Carthy,Robinsons’ senior buyer for clothing and other ‘human’ lines, isshortly to go on maternity leave. Vicky Maylor is just back frommaternity leave, while new to the team is former Robinsons’merchandising co-ordinator Suzanne Wilson.


Dogs inthe tradeETN is delighted to feature two morehard-working canines who are gainfullyemployed in the equestrian trade.

King of the road: Bailey, an eleven month old King Charlesspaniel, always accompanies Richard Gorringe on his travels asthey promote the Pegasus brand by Richard Gorringe Ridingwear.

“Bailey gets upset if I don't let him out the van to meet andgreet my customers,” said Richard. “I’m sure he thinks I drivearound all day to see people just for his benefit! He’s greatcompany on long drives - but his map reading skills leave a little tobe desired...”

Taking the biscuit: Holly theLurcher ‘works’ alongside herowner Lesley Edwards atRiseholme Feeds inLoughborough, Leicestershire.“We sell everything for horses,dogs, cats, chickens, variousfarm animals and also all thekit for them and lots forhumans too,” said Lesley.

“Holly wanders round thestore all day and in the summersunbathes outside on herblanket where she can keep aneye on customers arriving andgreet the ones who speak toher. She especially adores the children and ‘smiles’ at them -showing her teeth in a friendly way - and sometimes gives thema wash which most of them find quite amusing.

In the winter Holly spends most of her time ‘camouflaged’ ona chair in the office next to the heater. Lurchers don’t do cold!

“She always has a biscuit when we are closing up for the dayand waits by the tub to make sure she isn't forgotten,” addedLesley. “Sometimes she tries to fool us by asking for a biscuitfrom whoever passes the tub, even if she's already had one -very cheeky!”

Tell us about your dog at workDo you have a dog in your workplace, be it shop, office,factory, warehouse – or travelling with you by car or van?We’d love to hear about more hard-working canines in theequestrian trade. Please send a picture and a few details abouthow your dog helps out to [email protected]


THE GOLDENTOUCH

THE British dressage team’sfirst gold medal – secured atthe European Championshipsin Rotterdam – has fired upyet more enthusiasm for thispopular sport.

Dressage has always beenglamorous; it’s all aboutpresentation after all. It’sperhaps also popular becauseany rider on any horse orpony can have a go. This safe,accessible sport was alreadyon the up when Carl Hester,Charlotte Dujardin, LauraBechtolsheimer and EmileFaurie achieved theunthinkable and beat theunbeatable German andDutch teams at their owngame.

Just as more kids want tokick a ball about when theWorld Cup is on, or swing aracquet during Wimbledon,that precious gold medal isset to inspire a newgeneration of dressage riders,albeit of all ages.

Already the trade isreporting a positive spin-off,not least online retailerDressage Deluxe which alsosponsored the NationalDressage Championships forthe third consecutive year lastmonth.

“This is such an excitingtime for dressage here in theUK,” owner and directorAlison Nye-Warden told ETN.

“My job sees me travellingall over Europe, so I get agood perspective of how ourEuropean counterparts viewUK dressage and I have seena considerable shift in attitudetowards our growingpresence internationally.

“This medal has a positiveeffect on the sport in generalwith many riders becomingmore inspired and the

discipline getting morenational mainstreamcoverage and hopefullyattracting more new faces todressage.”

Love the lookEveryone’s into dressage.

Even when they’re notcompeting, they love the lookand enjoy emulating the topriders’ turnout.

Current membership ofBritish Dressage (BD), thesport’s national governingbody, is 13,212. There are also14,942 associate memberswho have signed up tosupport BD for free becausethey want to be part of thesport.

Joining BD as an associatemember also allows access tothe BD members’ internetformat (accessed atwww.britishdressage.com) –likewww.horseandhound.co.uk auseful resource for anyone inthe trade wishing to gaugewhat’s ‘in’ and what’s ‘out’with consumers.

Retailers beyond thespecialists are set to feel thebeneficial effects of thathistoric gold medal too. SaidKatie Farmer of onlineretailerEquestrianClearance.com:

There’s nothing like internationalsuccess to torpedo a sport topopularity and boost participationto the benefit of all involved. Suchis the success story of dressage.

Alison Nye-Warden.

“This result can only be goodfor the world of dressage andequestrianism as a whole.

“Dressage continues toprove massively popular;we’re catering more and morefor the dressage rider andexpect this to grow furtherfollowing the brilliant successat the Europeans.”

There was undoubtedly abig post-medal celebration atNet-Tex, home of the CarlHester Performance range ofproducts, since ‘their’ rideralso secured two individualsilver gongs.

“We created the rangebecause we knew that not onlywas Carl a talented andrespected horseman but thathe also had a huge appealamong fellow professionalsand grass roots riders,” saidSerena Kidd, Net-Tex’equestrian business manager.

“Whether someone rides atpreliminary or prix st georges,Carl and the team have auniversal appeal that’s settingthe UK dressage world alightwith an exciting buzz.”

Distributor Zebra Productsis fortunate - or canny -enough to be associated withgold medallists Carl,Charlotte and Laura.

“The recent and on-goingsuccess of the Brits abroadhas really boosted moral andgood feeling generally,” said

Zebra Products’ managingdirector Simon Middleton.

“From my perspective as adistributor, this means thatretailers are feeling moreconfident about putting inlarge orders on higher valuedressage themed productsbecause they know that it’smore than just a passingtrend.

“Riders are also nowlooking at the kit that thesesuccessful riders are usingand demand for theseproducts has definitelyincreased. We can’t keep upwith demand for the EquipeEmporio Dressage single flapsaddle that Charlotte is usingon Valegro.”

Sarah Turnbull, of SupremeProducts, has known goldmedallist Charlotte Dujardin“for many years through herinvolvement with the showingworld.”

Indeed both disciplines haveglitz and glamour in common.“Charlotte is a huge fan ofSupreme Products Sparkleand De Luxe Coat Gloss,” saidSarah.

“We wish the team everysuccess for London 2012,” sheadded - speaking for everyonein the trade.


KatieFarmer.

Charlotte andValegro.

Pictured, from left, are Emile, Carl, Laura and Charlotte.(Photo: Peter Nixon/BEF).

Dummy rider makes backing horses saferTHE Ardall is a dummy rider that simulates the feel and weight of ahuman on the horse’s back while it’s being broken in.

The device’s name is derived from the Gaelic word ‘Ardal’ meaning‘high valour’. And indeed, its whole purpose is to eliminate the need forundue bravery during the backing process.

The Ardall’s main use is to ensure a horse is safe to ride. But becauseit ‘holds’ the reins like a real rider, it can also be used for lunging orlong reining, either as part of horses’ initial training or for exercise.

The Ardall comprises four elements, the base, torso (which isdesigned to be ‘dressed’ in riding gear, the harness (which secures theunit to any standard saddle) and weights (each ‘leg’ can be weighted byup to two stone by adding fine sand). The retail price is around €669.

The Ardall is the brainchild of Paul Murphy who is from a family ofhorse dealers, trainers and riders based near Castlemaine in CountyKerry, Ireland.

Spurred on by the difficulties and dangers of backinghorses for the first time, he set about inventing the Ardall.It’s been five years in development and was launched atthis summer’s Dublin Horse Show.

At €669 (retail) for the complete unit, the Ardall at firstseems a little expensive. Until I learnt from someonewho breaks-in Thoroughbreds for a living that it’scosting him £300 a day to pay someone to do the job,writes Liz Benwell.

Yes, talk to anyone involved with ‘starting’ horses andthey’ll tell you that it’s either nearly impossible to findanyone willing or capable of doing it – at any price. Soperhaps there is the possibility for a retailer topurchase a unit and hire it out to local customers?

There’s also the temptation to make your own ‘backing dummy’; butget it wrong and frighten the horse and, well, we all know that horsesnever forget... tWestmur Elegance Equine Products +353 (0)66 9767 234.


Go Dutch and stock something different!HORKA International BV – thewholesaler from Holland – hasfresh ideas in continental styles,all at very keen prices.

The business was created bythe Horst family in Zwolle in 1956,and today is run by the thirdgeneration with two great-nephews of the founder at thehelm.

Throughout its 55 years, Horkahas endeavoured to bring amodern twist to traditionalequestrian items, be it breechesand jackets or saddle cloths andbridles. For UK retailers, thatmeans you can stock somethingthe retailer up the road doesn’t –yet is still correct enough to appeal to British horsey folk.

“Even when they are competing in formal competitions, riders like tohave an identity and to choose their own style,” said Horka’s RachelleKlees, who loves dressage riding in her spare time.

“And of course, when they go to the stables to exercise or care fortheir horses, they can be a little more experimental and exciting withtheir outfits.”

Rachelle predicts that browns and greys will be ‘in’ this winter.Horka has produced co-ordinated ranges for horse and rider that willdisplay well in store, while the prices make it affordable for yourcustomers to acquire an outfit rather than single pieces.

Our photograph shows the ultimate in smart/casual; a bridle withdetachable noseband, Hawk riding cap in brown with black stripe,Alaska jacket in brown with beige, Serino gloves and Hipster breechesin fossil.

All Horka’s products are developed by the company’s in-housedesigners and tested by local horses and riders

To service its stockists, Horka has a website, catalogue and two UKbased agents. Applications are invited from other agents too. As fordelivery, Horka holds good stock levels; despatch is usually next-daywith delivery two to five days.

“We aim to be a complete wholesaler,” said Rachelle, “with easyordering, fast delivery, good quality products and, most importantly,really good prices.”

“Even better prices”Horka’s Red Horse range is also worth a look. Featuring, says

Rachelle, “even better prices” it’s colourful, trendy and child-orientated. “It’s perfect for the child just starting to ride or the childwho keeps growing out of her clothes,” said Rachelle. “It’s fun andfast-moving, packed with pinks and purples.”

Horka also supplies an intriguing range of casual hats. From beefyAustralian bush hats, through panamas and tweeds to a flirty Frenchberet, the collection appears to circumnavigate the globe. See more inour Christmas gifts feature in this issue of ETN. t Horka’s UK based agents are Alan Adair 02890 863761 and TrevorHucklesby 01638 712241. Or visit www.horka.com

Best thing since sliced bread?NEW HaySoft haylage is madefrom rye grass and is heat-sealedto retain goodness.

Packed in three, easy-to-manage sections, it’s designed tocome off in slices, making it easierto handle and feed than traditionalhaylage.

HaySoft is made by EAF, theEssex based wholesalers andproducers of BedSoft bedding,using locally grown rye grass.

It’s available in two varieties, Original and High Fibre. t EAF 01277 375 647.


IN BRIEFAs feed prices rise, British Horse Feeds says horseowners can save money by replacing a portion ofthe diet with Speedi-Beet. The quick soaking beetpulp is said to go 15% further than traditionalsugar beet feeds, will increase dietary fibre andlower starch. Speedi-Beet is unmolassed, 95%sugar free and approved by The Laminitis Trust.t British Horse Feeds on 01765 680300

Arden Wood Shavings unveiled a new website on 1October. www.ardenwoodshavings.co.uk has information anddownloads on the company’s bedding range, including thewoodshavings/shredded woodfibre blend Safemix Equestrianwhich is used by top show jumper Robert Smith. The site alsocarries an on-line competition, promoted via Arden stockists, towin Olympia tickets and meet Robert.t Arden Wood Shavings 01675 443 888.

New Supreme Products High Shine Serum is part of the HeritageCollection for native breeds and Traditionals. Perfect for addingthe finishing touches to the coat, quarters and legs beforeentering the ring, the serum is designed to help smooth the hairs,lay the coat and add a high shine finish. A 250ml bottle retails ataround £10.99. t Supreme Products 01377 229050.

Hoof balm with a silver lining

SILVERFEET is a new antimicrobial hoof balm that incorporatessilver ion technology.

In trials, conducted under clinical conditions in amicrobiological laboratory, it produced astoundingly goodresults on horses prone to thrush and white line disease.

The first consumers to use the product are also reportingother benefits of Silverfeet.

“Tried Silverfeet on [my horse’s] mud fever and, hey presto,the sores have healed in only four days,” wrote one user onFacebook.

Made in Yorkshire, the product is the brainchild of adevelopment team comprising horseman and businessman RobFawcett, Richard Hixson - a doctor and top flight farrier JohnStanley.

They are too sensible to go making wild claims and, whenasked about its effectiveness against skin conditions such asmud fever, would only confirm that Silverfeet is safe to applyanywhere on the equine legs and feet.

Silverfeet comes in four colours - natural, girl’s pink, boy’sblue and black. But there the gimmicks end.

As well as protecting and moisturising the hoof, besidesmaking it look nice, Silverfeet’s unique (and secret) blend ofnatural ingredients plus the silver complex has been proven toprevent the growth of equine hoof bacteria and fungi.

The methodology and results of the research can be seen atwww.silverfeet.co.uk

Perhaps even more exciting from a retail perspective is thatthis product retails at under £10 per 400ml jar. Its mass appealand potential for repeat business are obvious.

Silverfeet has an RRP of £9.99, good trade margins areavailable with a sliding scale of discounts for various quantitiesordered. t H S Silver 07776 215748 (Helen) or 07759 257274 (Caroline).

New approach to seasonal itchingBYE BYE Itch feed supplement and Bye Bye Itch Lotion, due forlaunch at Your Horse Live next month, represent a newapproach to seasonal itching.

They are designed to be used in advance of, as well as during,the problematic period.

Formulated by Hilary Self Bsc MNIMH, resident medicalherbalist at Hilton Herbs, the products have proved successfulin trials on 35 equines located – significantly - in differentplaces around the UK.

All test horses had a history of seasonal allergic itching; theresults will be made publically available at the product’s launch.

Hilton Herbs chose the ‘Bye Bye’ ingredients for their abilityto reduce irritation, inflammation and the allergic response tobiting insects, as well as generally to improve skin and haircondition, integrity and growth.

Additional ingredients provide a rich silica content to helpwith the broken hair and ‘elephant’ skin which developsfollowing repeated rubbing provoked by seasonal itching.

Another important ingredient contains Quercetin whichprevents immune cells releasing histamine so has anti-histamine actions.

Bye Bye Itch feedsupplement will be availablein sizes from 2kg with an RRPof £24. The lotion comes insizes from 500mls, RRP £15.Approximate cost of using theBye Bye Itch supplement for a15.2hh horse is 12p per day.t Hilton Herbs 01460 270700.


Sought-after German clothingbrand comes to UKEQUISAPIENS has been appointed UKdistributor for Sonnenreiter clothing.

The German brand was created by MarliesGericks in 1997 when she saw a need forflattering cuts and interesting colours inriding apparel.

The fabric for Sonnenreiter clothing,sourced in Italy, France and Switzerland, issaid to be long-lasting with outstanding shaperetention. Among the range’s innovative ideasto make riding clothing more practical yet stylish are water-repellentshow jackets.

“A clothing range that elicits strong emotions in its wearers is unusualenough, but combining that with functional ideas is a feat that MarliesGericks has achieved to perfection,” said Aimée Bright of EquiSapiens.

Sonnenreiter brings out two collections a year. Fans of the brandinclude Vivien Schockemöhle, daughter of the German show jumping-veteran Paul Schockemöhle. t EquiSapiens 01642 760756.

Sonnenreiter design geniusMarlies Gericks in her

German atelier.

Fit for business?TORQ is a fitness consultancy and performance nutritionbusiness which is better known in cycling and triathlon thanthe equestrian world. But that’s all set to change.

Many in our trade will have already noticed TORQ when thecompany, established in 1999, won an ETN Innovation Awardat BETA International 2011 with its Rhubarb & Custard Gel.The judges said: "This has clearly been widely researchedand developed from other sporting arenas. The product iseasy to stow away in a pocket - it tasted delicious and seemsto be a great way of keeping energy levels up when you don'thave time to stop for food and drink."

TORQ’s directors are husband and wife, Matt and Sasha Hart. Matt,who founded the company, is a sports science graduate with years ofexperience in the health and fitness industry and a former elitemountain biker. Sasha has grown up with horses.

TORQ’s consultants coach some of the best athletes in the world,something that makes the company different from other sportsnutrition brands. They’ve also developed a range of performancenutrition products to support to the athletes they work with.

“The latest research is showing that fuelling during exercise is farmore effective if you combine two natural carbohydrates, maltodextrinand fructose at a 2:1 ratio,” said Matt, “which means that none ofTORQ’s products contain chemical sweeteners like so many others do.

“Because the research supports the use of natural ingredients,TORQ has embraced this entirely, so none of our products contain anycolours or artificial flavours and there are even organic optionsavailable too.”

TORQ’s launch advertisements cleverly take the stance ‘not forhorses’, because so much nutritional attention is focused on the horserather than the rider in the equestrian industry. TORQ wants to re-dress this balance. t TORQ 0845 128 4312.

Colourful clear-upPONY mad kids will love getting their gear shipshapewith the new Tack Room Tidy from Carrots.

In pretty purples and pinks, there are plenty ofpockets to make this a fun bedroom or toy storeaccessory too. Features include a handy mirror, wipeclean fabric and photo slots to showcase a much lovedpony. The RRP is £15.t Carrots UK 01245 445 362.

H ow early does oneprepare for the[Christmas] holidayseason?

Oh, I wish I had that exact dateof when to put the holiday gifts outalongside the fall clothing. Not toosoon or you’ll look ridiculous; yetnot to late so that your competitorbeats you to it.

I often wonder if I should bestaggering the introduction of myseasonal goods and holiday gifts. Inever do - I'm not that clever whenI’m ordering it! It would give memore time to pay for it, besides.

As it is, I give all my suppliersapproximately the same ship dateand find the goods all getting hereand out onto the store floor atabout the same time.

Some years I'm ‘giftier’ thanothers, this year being a case inpoint. I seem to have gone a littleheavy on the bracelets, key chainsand necklaces.

Books and DVDs always seem tobe the perfect gift from our store.Two- thirds of all our book andDVD sales are in November andDecember. Lots and lots of titles,and I'm totally amazed how wellsome of the old titles keep onticking.

I’ve never had much luck withthings put together as a package inpresentation baskets. It seems mycustomer only ever wants halfwhat's in the basket and we end up

breaking them open and sellingthings separately. Guess we shouldpass on the basket idea this year!

Apparel is our number one giftitem; a good selection with goodprice points works well for us.

I think Horseware will reignsupreme in the sales departmentthis holiday season. They have onceagain put out some really niceclothes at really good price points.Mountain Horse is right up there infashion, Ariat has some really nicejackets and coats that are pricedwithin reason and Kerrits is alwaysa solid performer for us.

Our customers want fashion witha purpose, good quality and a pricethat’s not out of reach becausethey are still feeling the economycontrolling what they buy.

As much as I’ve seen signs ofrecovery, we still have peopletightening their belts and lookingfor bargains. This season won’t be

any different and with the economynot quite back on its feet, I thinkthe upper price point brands willhave a tougher time again thisseason.

As much as you might thinkchildren's gift items would be a hit,it’s not quite so for us. I never havefigured that one out. It’s not likewe didn’t give it a good try in yearspast, but I was so tired of donatingthe children’s gifts after Christmasthat I just don’t do much withthem anymore.

One thing that does sell like madis an Eventing Calendar we co-produce with one of our employeeseach year. We sell almost 1,000copies, making great gift ideas forour customers and a nice profit forus.

We do a big, indoor open-to-the-public show in early November.As much as you would thinkconsumers would be shopping forChristmas presents, they seem stillto be buying the everydayessentials, blankets, helmets etc.

Our store usually holds a ‘tackswap’ in early December whichallow customers to bring in theirused tack. It attracts a lot ofcustomers, but they tend to findmore new to buy than they do atthe swap - so no complaints frommy end!

Tack swaps are intended as aservice to our customers; a littlegood will at Christmas goes a longway.

We really like the last quarter ofthe year. Sales tend to flourish andwe make up for the doldrums ofsummer.

I'll keep you posted on how theChristmas sales settle out, but rightnow I'm truly expecting sales tocontinue in the ‘main course’ /‘meat and potato” type products.

Until we can get the consumerto start parting more freely withthose hard earned dollars, I thinkwe have to keep pushing the goodsthey need more than the goodsthey just want.

American retailer John Nunn gets readyfor some seasonal trading.

A VIEW FROM AMERICA

When timing is everything

Two- thirds ofall our book andDVD sales are inNovember andDecember.

About the author JOHN NUNN is the owner of Bit of Britain Saddlery located in Oxford,Pennsylvania. Bit of Britain specialises in the discipline of eventing butbranches out to include dressage and show jumping. Within 20 years,John has grown his business from a delivery lorry at the racetrack intoone of the largest retailers in the US today. Over 6,000 sq ft of storefront, three mail order catalogues a year, a mobile unit that attendsover 30 shows per year and five websites reach out to every type ofequestrian consumer. John is also a horseman who loves to ride andcompete when time permits.


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oninWhether it’s something for the horse or something towear, practical presents will be in high demand this year.Stocking a few frivolous and fun items is also a must.

Hounds, please!THESE delightful jugs and mug arefrom the Hound Ware range bySally-Anne Lugg Ceramics.

Sally-Anne specialises inpainting horses, country scenesand wildlife. Her work hasappeared on lamps, tile murals, trophies and gifts.

Her printed designs are aimed at the larger market being lessexpensive, jolly, colourful and characterful. The Hound Ware Range,made in bone china, is a good example. t Sally-Anne Lugg Ceramics 01773 550301.

Colourful Christmas cheerSUPREME Products’ Leg Bandages and Bandage Pads comes in pinkponies, red with white spot, cow print, harlequin, navy with red spot ornavy with red star. Great for seasonal retail display.

Bandages have Velcro fastenings, pads are available with or without.A set of four bandages retails at £14 pony, £18 horse size. Four legpads have an RRP from £14 to £20.t Supreme Products 01377 229050.

Rewarding ideaMINI Horslyx, the healthy and nutritiousreward for horses and ponies, comes in aRainbow Mixed Gift Set.

With uses including catching, loading,stretching exercises or simply as a treat, thebright box contains all four Mini Horslyxformulations – Original, Respiratory, Garlic andMint – and retails at around £13.80. t Horslyx 01697 332592.

Christmas!Cash

Every home should have oneHAND-CRAFTED from attractive hardwood,this beautifully made boot jack comescomplete with a non-slip rubber tread.

Ideal for use at home, in the car or horsebox, the RRP for this eminently practicalpresent is £7.99.t Abbey England 01565 650343.

Stars in their eyesHI-VIZ silvery stars adorn these half chapsfrom Just Chaps, makingthem a super seasonalyet practical present.

Made from hard-wearing, washableneoprene with matchinghi-viz piping, they arefun and functional withan attractive RRP of£24.99.t Just Chaps 01730 825797.

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Timeless classic WHAT a treat to wake up to a pair of Ariat Grasmere bootson Christmas morning,

Bristling with Ariat technology, they’re fashioned in suedeand leather, with a dual lace system, modern eyelets and ariding outsole.

It’s a package that makes these boots perfect for walkingin the country, riding or simply keeping warm about town.Available in chocolate or black, the RRP is £245. t Ariat-Europe 0800 600 3209.

Treats for friendsWHEN it’s time to temptyour customers totreat their horseyfriends, thank thelivery yard owner orcheer up the children,Battles has stacks of ideas.

The Silly Moo gift basket is packed withitems to keep skin feeling silky smooth evenwhen working outside. There’s hand creamand lip balm, the latter featuring a sunprotection factor of 20 making it perfect forskiing too.

Heavenly Horse Treats are also availablefrom Battles. This luxury selection boxcontains 19 heart-shaped treats in a goldchocolate box tied with a red taffeta ribbon.It’s easy to forget that they’re for horses! t Battles 01522 529206.


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A bit of blingCALDENE’S charming Diva headcollar brings festivebling and to any equine head.

Featuring diamonte horse detail on the nosebandand two adjustable buckle straps, it undoes via a quickrelease clip without the need to fiddle with buckles.

The Diva is available in black, navy and brick, pony,cob and full sizes, with an RRP of £39.50.t Matchmakers International 01274 711101.

YOUR customers – especially female ones -are likely to be stressed in the run-up toChristmas, so do everything you can tomake their lives easier.• Offer a gift-wrapping service and keep a

stock of wrapping paper, gift tags, sticky tape and cards. • Display lots of small, fun gifts for presents to take to children’s

parties or for office/yard/college ‘secret santa’ gifts. • Suggest gifts ideas for ‘shooting mad husband’ or ‘dog walking

friend’ with signage around the shop.• Offer gift vouchers to spend in your shop and advertise them

prominently. Horse owners/riders always need something, and thesemake a great practical present.

• Even your most ‘bar humbug’ customer can’t fail to melt at thesound of Christmas carols, twinkling fairy lights and a mince pie.

Whip up some excitementEYE-CATCHING Xquisit whips from Edward Goddardfeature soft velvet handles embedded with a choice ofcoloured crystals or glitter thread.

Both designs are fitted with a blingy collar and cap.They are available in five colours and two lengths - jumpor schooling. The RRP is £23.99. t Vale Brothers 01922 624363.

Eventing artTHE latest additions to Gabriella Shaw’s range ofchina and melamine products are designed incollaboration with equestrian artist Terry Kirkwood.

Terry’s sketches of top event riders competingappear on trays, mugs, coasters and mats. Canyou guess who they are?

Wipe boards and feed charts are other ideal Christmas present ideas.t Gabriella Shaw Ceramics 01730 821101.

Ponies for playPONY World, a successful toy rangefollowing its 1995 launch at Olympia, isre-launched and has a new distributor.

There are just four products in theeasy-to-handle range of 7” riders and 8”horses. Within that, different styles andcolours are available in packed assortments to enable retailers to offer theircustomers a choice.

The Horse & Rider (pictured) retails at around £9.99 and comes in threestyles – the red-coated show jumper on a black horse, an eventer with bluejacket on brown horse and white horse ridden by a green-jacketed rider.

Pony World also has a show jumping set (RRP £14.99), Shetland poniesand a budget horse with accessories at just £5.99 (retail).t Surprise Marketing 0118 947 9886.

RETAILTIP

All wrapped upTOGGI has a tantalising selection of Christmas gift ideas for 2011.

In pure lambswool, the Harriet quarter zip style sweater features a cabledesign. In camel or pink, it has an RRP of £52.50.

For a stylish gift with an equestrian slant, the Toggi Saddle Shoulder Bag isperfect. Made in soft brown leather, with an RRP of £120, there’s an Amberpurse to match.

For children, the Shine polo shirt has a fun sash design. In two funky, stripyshades, it has a handy RRP of £25t Finest Brands International 0113 270 7000.

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MANY of your horsey customers havedogs too. This Comfort Zone brandedLapel dog coat is just the job forchilly days at the stables.

The luxurious fleece has thermaland wicking properties, there’s aturn-back collar to reduce rubbing atthe neck – and it looks really cutetoo!

Fitting overthe dog’s headand securedwith a bellystrap, the Lapeldog coat comes insizes to fit all breeds in black, portand navy. The trade price is £9.50.t Tagg Equestrian 01636 636135.

Canine Christmas cheer


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His ‘n’ hersGRAY’s of Shenstone has muchthat’s new for Christmas 2011.

Winter tube socks are now available foradults (RRP £5.95) and children (RRP £4.95), there’s a funkyHorse Flash Drive with 2GB memory store (RRP £14.95) andhunting gift wrap set of two sheets and tags (RRP £1.95).

For a lovely ladies’ gift, we’ve chosen this bronze stallion lamp,retailing at £99.95 and including shade and cable switch - andfor him, racing cufflinks in a presentation box (RRP £12.95). t Gray's of Shenstone 01543 483344.

Watch and learn

Kids will love...BANG On The Door Hoodies fromCarrots come in three designs includingthe Horsehead and Pony Girl Hoodie inlilacs and pinks. For boys, there’s aCool Rider Hoodie in bold blue.

Carrots also offers hat covers andgloves sets retailing from £25. Fromsporty to sweet, girly to glam – the stretch covers fit over any skull cap and theversatile riding gloves come in kids’ or adults’ sizes.

For a bit of festive fun, Carrots has hat covers in Christmas Pudding design,Christmas Shetland scene and a new Father Christmas Hat Cover, each retailingat £15.

Socks also come in Christmas, Shetland and Father Christmas designs.Available in kids’ and adults’ sizes, they retail at around £6 per pair.t Carrots 01245 445362.

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Staying ahead in hatsCLASSICALLY styled hats at sensibleprices always go down well withChristmas shoppers.

The epitomy of fashion elegancefor more than 100 years, the Panamais so called as it was originally sold inPanamanian ports.

This version from Horka is madewith fine tequila straw from palmtrees grown in the Ecuadorianprovince of Manabis. The RRP is £54.95.

Also from Horka’s headwearcollection is this lovely Reed hat, thecoolest you can get!

Finished with a leather band and achic furniture buckle, it comes innatural or white and has an RRP of£15.95.t Horka 00 31 (0)38-465 57 70.

EQUESTRIAN Vision offers the titlesyou need - top event reviews,fascinating documentaries and trainingwith top riders – to keep yourcustomers and their friends entertainedthis Christmas.

New releases include At Home WithCarl Hester, Badminton 2011 and TeamFredericks in Control parts 1 and 2.

Thrills and Spills 3 is released thismonth (October) while review DVDs ofthe 2011 FEI EuropeanChampionships include Britain’s firstdressage team gold medal.

Equestrian Vision is the exclusivedistributor for Laura Bechtolsheimertraining DVDs, due out soon.

Free DVD display units, posters,web images, trailers andpromotions are offered to retailersduring the run-up to Christmas. t Equestrian Vision 01403 864173.

Christmas for childrenis magical. For theirparents it meansfinding the ‘next big

thing’ on their offspring’swish lists.

The run up to the festiveseason sees much hype andmedia frenzy surroundingcertain toys and gifts, makingkids want the items evenmore. Trends are extremelyimportant to kids these days;peer pressure, TV and theinternet make these ‘crazes’even more accessible; youonly have to look atprogrammes like the X-Factor!

When you’re dressing yourshop for the festive season,consider the styles you see onthe high street and borrowinspiration from popularshows and personalities whenit comes to window displaysand colour schemes.

Target all markets with abalance of products. Kidsmature at different rates and


(and their grannies and aunties)How to keep kids

Get your stock ‘on trend’ – and you’ll profitfrom an influx of pre-Christmas customers, sayMary Hart and Anna Wiltshire of Carrots UK.

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happy...

what one eight year old likescould differ greatly fromanother’s taste. Cutesy stuffis not necessarily cool, andcool stuff is not cutesy!

Often non-horsey relativeswill be buying for their lovedones, so ensure your shopprovides a welcomingenvironment for all-comers.Gift ideas should be clearlyindicated with staff on handto offer friendly advice.Promoting a product simplybecause it has good marginswill not instil a warm feelingon Christmas day whendisappointment sets in overgrandma’s choice of T-shirt.

Merchandising and gooduse of point of sale isimperative to grab and keepthe customer’s attention. Eyecatching, well lit displays areessential, while ensuringstock is kept tidy with clearsignage and pricingstructures helps customerschoose wisely.

Most customers come in witha clear budget in mind; it’s yourjob to ensure they spend it all inyour store! Offering ‘add on’purchases such as matchingitems will help boost the sale.

You need to separate theconsumer from the customer;they represent very differentmarkets, yet it’s vital to appealto both. The consumer – in thiscase the children – are primarilyinterested in the latest trend andwhat their peers are ravingabout; secondary to that comescomfort, cost and durability. Thecustomer – usually an adult - isinterested in value for money,whether the item is hardwearing and if it will wash well.

Above all, the customer wantsto avoid purchasing an item thatwon’t be used - so seeksguidance from the all-knowingyoung consumer. And kids arepretty powerful when it comesto pestering!

This year, the internet willagain feature prominently inChristmas shopping. So if you’rerunning a bricks and mortarshop, it’s even more importantthat customers are met byattentive, knowledgeable staffand efficient sales operators.Offering extras such as giftreceipts, Christmas wrapping ormince pies boosts the feel goodfactor.

Kids can be very critical,making Christmas shopping forthem a sensitive subject. Despitepractical presents being on mostparents’ agenda this year,children never veer from thetrends and styles that their peersare talking about.

‘Names’ are always popularand with more licensedproducts available, such as the

Saddle Club Collection andBang On The Door rangefrom Carrots, kids are givenmore choice and ultimatelythey have already made adecision on what they want! t Carrots UK 01245 445362.


Perfect presentsfor special people

“I need a present for...” is a phrase you’ll be hearing a great deal in therun-up to Christmas. Many customers rely on their retailer for gift buyinginspiration, so ETN asked wholesaler Weatherbeeta to suggest somesuitable purchases for particular people.

Pony mad 12 year old girl...HV Polo Rubber Chucks are a rubberised,waterproof version of the classic chuck sneaker;they incorporate a mock lace front fastening andprinted contrast stitch effect. With a fabric lining and removableinsole for comfort plus a ridged tread for grip, colours are darkbrown or navy and the RRP £34.99.

30-something horse-owninghappy hacker...

Dublin Easy-care Half Chaps are durable andmachine washable, making them ideal for thebusy horse owner who loves to ride out. Insynthetic suede, they have a zip closure andelasticated back for a good fit. Colour choices areblack, brown, black/pink or black/purple. The RRPis £21.99 (adults’ sizes).

Non-riding dad or other half...Buying something suitable for these dedicatedhorsey helpers can be tricky. They deserve somethingnice, and if it’s suitable to use around the horses, somuch the better. New Dublin All Elements NeopreneBoots are made from thick (1.8mm) neoprene and are lined forwarmth and insulation. The rubber outer is waterproof while thegrippy outersole provides traction in slippery conditions, makingthem ideal for cold, wet equestrian occasions. The stretch calfprovides an adjustable fit for varying calf widths, so there’s noneed to stock different widths to suit various physiques. In black,the RRP is £59.99.

‘Thank you’ gift to a livery yard owner or riding instructor...

The stylish, practical HV Polo Folding Bag co-ordinates with the HV Polo Winter 2011 range.Made in nylon, with a zip closure, leather effecthandles and flap fastening with popper, the bag canbe folded down and stored away until needed.Colour choices are beige, black, dark brown, navy,teal, violet. The small bag has an RRP of £9.99 andthe regular version £11.99.

Teenage girl show jumping addict...The Collegiate Grackle Bridle is made from finequality leather and it comes with rubber reins. Thisattractive bridle features extra soft nappa paddingfor the horse’s comfort, while all fittings are madefrom highly polished, rustproof stainless steel. It willdefinitely look the part in the ring. In black orbrown, cob or full size, the RRP is £99.99.

Dressage diva...The HV Polo Mones Bodywarmer is from the HVPolo Winter 2011 range, the theme of which ispolo heritage. Harking back to an era when polowas an Olympic sport, the Mones features theOlympic laurel wreath in a contrasting colour onthe embroidered badge. Made from apolyester/nylon mix fabric, with warm imitation down padding andwaist belt, the bodywarmer offers a flattering fit while blendingfashion trends with the rider’s practical requirements. In darkbrown, ivory, navy or rock grey, the RRP is £99.99.

Pony owning five year old girl...Effol Kids Star-Shine is a long-lasting glitter-spray tobe applied to a pony’s coat, mane and tail. Small,completely harmless glitter particles combined withthe delicious scent of apricots make this spray reallyspecial. 300ml has an RRP of £7.99.

Hard pressed owner of six horses...A time-saving way to work horses, the KincadeLunging Training System comprises ropes andpulleys that attach to a lunge cavesson androller. Different positions are available toencourage horses to improve balance, postureand muscle development. The RRP is £39.99

Country-loving, dog walking friend The new range of Weatherbeeta dog accessoriesincludes a Dog Treat Bag with a drawstring and toggleclosure plus clip to hang onto a belt. There’s also ahandy fold-away fabric water bowl and a dogdroppings bag dispenser, again with a belt clip (bagsnot included). Each product comesin matching navy 600 denier ripstopfabric for a smart set. RRPs are treatbag £9.99, water bowl £8.99 andbag dispenser £6.99.

Fun gift for stables party ‘secret santa’Any horsey friend will be thrilled toreceive this new Dublin Beanie Hat witha knitted outer and cosy fleece lining.Featuring a fun pompom on top andbraids from the extended ear flaps, itlooks cool while keeping the wearerwarm. In blue, green and pink, and onesize, the RRP is £7.99tWeatherbeeta 01295 226900.

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BETA has just returnedfrom another successfultrade mission, withmember companies

making the most of exportopportunities at Cologne-basedtrade fair Spoga.

British exhibitors that set uptheir stands at the Septembershow included Abbey England,Cedar Clothing, Tayberry, PatrickSaddlery, Gray’s of Shenstoneand Vale Brothers.

“BETA-led trade missions are afantastic way for companies todevelop their export potential,”said BETA executive directorClaire Willliams. “As a tradeassociation, we have vastexperience of international showsand are keen to support ourmembers with information,logistical support and advice, aswell as helping them to securefunding from UKTI.”

Abbey England is a wellknown name on the internationaltrade-fair circuit. Corporate ITmanager Peter Phillips, freshfrom AETA in Philadelphia,headed up the company’s twostands at Spoga.

“Although I think footfall wasdown, the people that were therewere pretty serious,” he said.“We had a separate stand for ournew acquisition, Equus Polymer,which makes rubber overreachboots and rein grips.It is known

Thru the Keyhole, Aberdeen(retail shop) – Retail,Provisional

Eezhay, Chesterfield (Internetretail) – Retail, Provisional

Snack and Tack, Runfold(equestrian country store) – Retail, Provisional

Glacialis, Grantham (Swarovskicrystal garment customisation) – Associate

Bliss of London, London (saddlemanufacturer) – Trade

Jumpstack, St Albans(manufacturer) – Trade

Moorhill Saddlery, Newry(saddlery shop) – Retail,Provisional

Somerset Equine Laundry,Clevedon (rug washing)– Associate

Edwin Tucker & Son, Ashburton& Crediton (country store) – Retail, Full

Horse Heaven Saddlery,Bideford (mobile retailer)– Retail, Full

Pony Cob & Horse Saddles,Accrington (mobile saddlefittter) – Retail, Provisional

CONTACT TINA ROGERS AT BETA:Tel: 01937 587062

Website: www.beta-uk.org or email us at [email protected] Park, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS22 4AW

A MISSION TOEXPORT TRADE

New members welcomed

BETA Conference brings CPD pointsTHE BETA Conference, at The Belfry, near Birmingham, onMonday 17 October, has been awarded nine CPD points byAMTRA. SQPs that would like to attend the conference and gainvaluable points should contact Tina Rogers in the BETA office fora booking form. Remember to register your interest in the pointsand provide your SQP number. You will be required to sign in onthe day and bring your SQP card with you.

Day rates for the event range from £50 plus VAT to £99 plusVAT for the conference, overnight accommodation and dinner onthe previous evening.

THE following applications for membershiphave been approved by the BETA Council:

Abbey England has participated inBETA-led trade missions for many years.

by its trade name, Equus, and isthe only manufacturer of theseproducts in the UK.

“Trade fairs such as Spoga andAETA are a strong part of ourexport strategy and we havebeen doing the former for 20years. We do Spoga in autumnand BETA International in thespring.

“We used to go to showsindependently but, when BETAstarted organising its trademissions, we joined them and wehave gone with the BETA groupfor a long time now.

“They are a great way to startfor any companies consideringexport. The BETA team does anextremely good job and reallymakes things happen. If you haveany issues at the shows, BETA isalways there to help.”

Giftware specialist Gray’s ofShenstone has enjoyedsignificant growth in export salesduring the first part of the yearand believes that exhibiting at anoverseas show is an importantpart of its sales campaign.

“We exhibit at both springand autumn Spoga, and BETAInternational,” said companyowner Nick Gray. “We go toshows independently, to anextent, but we stay close to theBritish contingents, as weassociate ourselves as part of theBritish mission.

“The BETA trade missions are areally good idea because, if you goas a new exporter, you can gleanlots of advice and the experience ofshowing alongside fellow Britishexhibitors is invaluable.

“Spoga was disappointing thistime, as the attendance was slightlyless than I remember from last yearand we didn’t come back with thevolume of orders we’d have hopedto have done. But, that aside, it isstill an important show for us.”

All BETA-led trade missions areopen to members and non-members, and future shows includeLe Salon Du Cheval, France, from 3 to 11 December, AETA, UnitedStates, from 28 to 30 January, andthe Dubai International Horse Fair,United Arab Emirates, from 22 to24 March.

“We are also looking to puttogether a small group for Equist– the Horse and Equestrian Fair inIstanbul, Turkey, from 13 to 15April 2012,” added ClaireWilliams. “This mission iscurrently unfunded, but thesituation might change.”

Limited availability means thatpotential participants shouldregister their interest as soon aspossible. BETA is a UK Trade andInvestment-approved tradeorganisation providing exportfunding for eligible member andnon-member companies of anysize, whether manufacturers,distributors or retailers.

For further information,contact Tina Rogers in the BETAoffice, telephone 01937 587062or email [email protected]

EQUESTRIAN TRADE NEWS OCTOBER 2011 31

From long-established Yorkshire wholesaler B. Jenkinson to totalnewcomer The Perfect Fit, exhibitors booked for BETAInternational 2012 are as diverse as ever. The latter will offer anintriguing saddle fitting kit. If it’s craftsmanship you admire,Patrick Saddlery, headed by multi-award winning saddler PatrickKeane, is exhibiting too.

From outside the UK, Sarm Hippique is back with its Italian ridingclothing and leather boots; while HKM, from Germany, bringbright and breezy equestrian products that look fantasticdisplayed in store. Durango, who hail from Ohio, USA returns withits Western performance footwear. For a full list of exhibitors, visitwww.beta-int.com. Exhibitors are also listed in BETAInternational’s advertisements.

The exhibition’s organising team will sport corporate outfits,courtesy of official clothing supplier Finest Brands International(FBI). Staff will be easy to spot in their Toggi Esher and Tivertonblack quilted gilets, plus long-sleeved cotton shirts. Said FBIproduct director Sarah-Jane Fedarb. “Dress and personalpresentation are so important for making a good impression. TheToggi clothing will ensure the team looks smart and professional.”

If it’s new, innovative and interesting it should be in The RedpinPublishing New Product Gallery. The display area is open to newproducts (including new designs and styles) that haven’tpreviously been exhibited at BETA International. Only exhibitorsare entitled to display slots – and inclusion in the accompanyingleaflet that’s freely available to visitors. The cost of participationis £130 plus VAT per product,or £100 plus VAT for three ormore products. The area ismerchandised by Sue Moxon,managing director of R & RCountry, one of the UK’s mostexperienced equestrianretailers and a member of theBETA trade fair committee.

One lucky visiting retailer will leave BETA International 2012 with£1,000s worth of stock – for free - when his or her name is pulledout of the prize draw to win the 2012 ETN Hamper. Productsfeaturing in the hamper get the full publicity treatment – amention in ETN and their names on posters at the exhibition – soapply now if you’d like your product to be among them. Thehamper is open to all BETA International exhibitors and ETNadvertisers. Contact Nicki Lewis on 01937 582111 for moredetails.

Watch this space for more details about a saddlery competition tobe held in conjunction with the Saddlery Pavilion.

Congratulations to trade fair manager Lynn Pattison and herhusband Richard who became parents to a baby girl, HarrietFlorence, on 23 August. Lynn’s stand-in for her maternity leave,and your contact for all matters trade fair, is Jackie Woolley.

• BETA International 01937 582111 or www.beta-int.com

2012

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ETN – the official media partner of BETAInternational – reveals some exciting exhibitors toappear the 2012 show, plus more inside stories.

MAIN SPONSOR

BIG BRANDSAND FRESH FACES


For 15 years, MarkSharwood-Walker spenttime and dedication

nurturing his passion for watersports alongside bringing up histwo children. Not the mostconventional start to anequestrian business but with thefoundations for a successfulcompany already put in place byhis father, Mark spotted anopportunity to create a lucrativeand innovative solution forconsumers.

A simple startThe early years of Pegasus

Health ran predominantly in theareas surrounding London’s M25,selling good quality but simplecommodities, such as garlic andcod liver oil to the trade. It soonevolved into one of the firstequestrian businesses to sell arange of herbs for equestrian use,with the original Dr Wheelerproducts playing a starring role.Making a comfortable profit, thebusiness had a presence on theinternet from early in the year2000, however in Mark’s ownwords, “it wasn’t a great site”.

“In December 2010 after myfather gave up the business dueto ill health, I saw a gap in themarket for my own interpretationof horse supplement retailing,”he divulges. “I was under noimpression that selling just the 50odd products in the PegasusHealth range would be enough,however to sell them alongside acomplete range of other brandsshowed promise.

The new website really took offin January this year, this is whenthe optimisation all took effect,so in just 8 months we havedeveloped a full portfolio of over1,000 individual product lines onthe site, with more being addedall the time.”

Significance over strategyBy his own admission, Mark

likes attention to detail, “I like tothink of it as being pro-active,”he says. “I have to admit to notbeing at all ‘horsey’ and the sitehas really grown organically withsome decisions being made onthe run! I am not a businessman,in fact in the previous 15 years Ihave been a ‘stay at home Dad’and have done a lot of internetshopping!”

It seems though that this webbased retail experience has givenMark a natural understanding ofweb sales and puts him in afantastic position to understandwhat consumers really want. “Thenew Pegasus Health website is ahybrid of the many years ofinternet shopping I have doneand the positive parts from all ofthe sites I have known andtrusted,” he admits.

A learning curveHaving relocated his family to

Lincoln, Mark began his steeplearning curve of the equestrianindustry, “We moved to within15 minutes of the distributorBattles,” he says. “It was aconscious decision as I didn’twant to commit to large stocklevels. We are in no wayassociated with Battles but theystock very good brands which sellwell and the team there havebeen very helpful.”

“I have really learned along theway,” Mark admits. “The previouswebsite was very helpful asGoogle already recognised it as asite for supplementation.Optimisation is one of manyelements to a successful onlinebusiness, I had no previousexperience of this but last year I

bought a book by Vanessa FoxMarketing in the Age of Googleand it has helped me greatly. Ittaught me how search engineswork and that you have to bewilling to evolve with them,content is an important elementand Google knows everything!

Google likes sites that arecurrent and pro-active with freshcontent, this is the main reasonthat we have created a blog andsocial media portals. We don’taim to have thousands of ‘likes’or ‘followers’ we just want toprovide relevant content forcustomers and something newwhen they return.”

Mark quickly learnt never tounderestimate the power acustomer has on a business’ssuccess. “I quickly noted theimportance of customer service,”he tells us. “Responding quicklyto people is important and withsocial media and forums being soaccessible now it is so easy togain negative feedbackovernight!”

All it takes is a few uniqueselling points...

It is clear that the PegasusHealth website is focused onfunctionality, with simple, freshand easy navigation. “Productphotography is very important

and I have a graphic designerworking for me specifically toensure this all stays in formula –in fact we watermark the imagesas it is our time, effort and moneythat goes in to them,” explainsMark. “I don’t even think it isdown to price anymore –although it is important still,content is the most importantthing and a few USPs such as ouroffice opening hours. Obviouslypeople can order online any time;however we man the phonesfrom 8am until 10pm, seven daysa week.

Word of mouth is everythingand we have a lot of repeatbusiness, some customers havebeen with us since the originalsite launched a decade ago, andsince the new launch newcustomers are up to their 7th and8th orders now and offer ustestimonials without beingprompted.”

Mark is also very aware oftrends in the market place andfor this reason has created asection on the site called ‘BestSellers’. “These are genuinely theproducts we sell week in, weekout,” he says. “I have noticed thatthese products are oftenproduced by the companies whoare the most pro-active in

Over the past 18 months, the internet has been graced with a new, innovativesupplements retail outlet. Lauren Barber speaks to the brains behind PegasusHealth, Mark Sharwood-Walker, to find out how this former windsurfercreated a website that many in the trade are talking about.

Making a mark online

I’ve been a ‘stay athome Dad’ anddone a lot of

internet shopping!


MARK’S MANTRA• Buy local whenever possible.

• Offer customers good, unbiased, educational advice enabling them tomake informed decisions.

• To build a strong, successful website you need to be prepared to spendmoney in the right places – not just initially but as it grows as well.

• We follow the RRP from companies and if we offer a discount it is fromthat price, we don’t elevate the price to give the appearance of a greatersaving.

• Trust is important, we are a BETA member, something that’s recognisableto shoppers. We also use a secure shopping system with ‘Verified byVisa’ and MasterCard SecureCode, which is not only good for thecustomer, but good for us as it means goods are definitely paid for.

• Websites are competitive – you can lose a sale with one click – thereforemake a customer’s visit to your site easy.

• Monitoring buying habits and trends helps you learn more about yourcustomers, analytic tools are there so they should be utilised.

marketing themselves. Someexamples this year have been theTri-Tec fly repellent from LeslieSutcliffe, Equilibrium’s MassageMitt, Vetricyn Wound Care,Lincoln’s Muddy Buddy MagicMud Kure Powder and Cream andKeratex Zeolite, it is important torecognise these trends and seepatterns in sales emerging to helpplan and develop the site further.”

Removing the mysteryThe change of labelling

legislation, Mark believes, willmark the alteration of the waypeople purchase supplements.“Labels are becoming moretransparent enabling customers tosee and understand theingredients they are purchasing,leading them to investigatefurther,” he suggests. “I canalready see it changing bymonitoring my analytics and thetime they spend browsing the siteand making decisions, customerscan leave items in their basket fora week and then come back whenthey are ready to purchase – it isnot so much of an impulse buy –they like to do their research andmake informed decisions. “

For this reason Mark believesstrongly in providing customerswith in depth product informationand useful content to add value tothe site. “I aim to demystify thingsfor them, offering them furtherinformation and we have ajournalist and independentnutritionist working with us tomake this possible. I don’t believein trying to pull the wool over acustomer’s eyes, they won’t betricked into buying somethingwhich is one of the reasons wedon’t price match withcompetitors.”

How do Pegasus Healthproducts fit in?

Having undergone a re-brandand a re-launch, the new look ofPegasus Health now stands strongagainst the other major brands.“We offer over 50 products frombasic commodities such as garlicand rapeseed oil to more specificherbs which are the activeingredients in already establishedproducts, such as Echinacea, VitexAgnus-Castus and BoswelliaSerrata.

Pegasus Health products are notsubstitutes for complex

formulations from the likes of TRMor Kentucky Performance Products,but we sell the highest-qualityequine essentials and straightherbs to serve a variety ofcustomers from recreational ridersto racing yards. Now that the re-brand has occurred we will beexhibiting at next year’s BETA

International to push in to the UKtrade and European markets.”

• Pegasus Health is atwww.pegasushealth.com[See the gallery of supplementsin this issue of ETN for moredetails about trade supplies]


What horsesreally want...There are plenty of feeds tomake horses fatter and gofaster – but what mostordinary owners seek is acalm, co-operativecompanion. ETN asked Nicola Tyler B.Sc.(Hons), nutrition director, TopSpec Equinehow feed balancers help horses relax.

Top specification feedbalancers help horsesrelax in many ways.

Difficult horses are givenas much time out aspossible in order to helpthem behave in a moresettled way. It is notunknown for horses tocompete at a very highlevel e.g. 4* eventing, offgrass.

Whether this turnouthelps mentally solelybecause the horse has thefreedom of outdoor space, Ivery much doubt. The other, atleast equally important, factor toconsider is that the horse is free toeat little and often, for about 18hours in every 24.

By feeding intelligently,providing small hard (bucket)feeds and allowing horses to eatforage ad-lib (to appetite) wemimic nature. The higher theforage to concentrate ratio, thecloser your customers get to theirhorses’ natural way of feedingand more relaxed they will be.

For laid-back horses the generaladvice would be to buy the bestquality haylage available in orderto reduce reliance on hard feed;however sharp horses can becomedifficult to handle on early-cutryegrass haylage and I wouldadvise feeding later-cut, high-fibrehaylage or meadow hay.

If your customer’s horse is fullof beans and a very good-doer, itwould be advisable to soak thehay for twelve hours in amplefresh cool water before feedingrather than restrict hay intake.This is because restricting hayintake will reduce the amount of

fibre reaching thehindgut of the horse. Ifthe bacteria in thehindgut do not receivesufficient fibre for theirneeds, they will start todie off, creating anacidic hindgutenvironment. There is aconsiderable amount ofanecdotal evidence thatshows an acidic hindgutcan lead to behaviouralproblems.So how can a feedbalancer help?

1) By improving the forage toconcentrate ratio.

Feeding a top specification feedbalancer improves the amount ofnutrients a horse can utilise fromforage in three ways: -i) The amino acids, vitamins andminerals in a feed balancerbalance the deficiencies in thesenutrients in forage, comparedwith the requirements of thehorse, improving their utilisation. ii) The pure yeast, sometimesreferred to as pro-biotic, in a feedbalancer optimises the digestionof fibre in the hindgut allowingthe horse to gain more benefitfrom the forage part of the diet.Research has shown that specificyeasts significantly improve fibredigestibility in the horse. iii) Another useful yeast product,sometimes called a pre-biotic, ismannan oligosaccharide (MOS).This is a constituent of yeast cellwalls. It bonds with pathogenic(bad) bacteria, removing themfrom the gut, leaving the


Horses that are turned out are free to eat little and oftenwhich can foster relaxation. Photo (c) Keith Barnes 2011.

beneficial bacteria free to multiplyand therefore digest fibreefficiently.

Because the horse can extractmore nutrients from forage, theamount of concentrate that needsto be fed can be reduced. Thisbenefits digestion and is a morenatural way of feeding leading toa more relaxed horse.

The forage to concentrate ratiois also improved because feedbalancers are very nutrient-dense.They are fed in very smallquantities, for example just 500g,approximately two beakers, a dayfor a typical 15.3hh middleweightweighing 500kg. A small amountof hard feed obviously leavesmore space in the digestivesystem for forage than a largehard feed.

2) By containing very lowlevels of sugar and starch in a ‘non-heating’formulation.

Ideally, in my opinion, feedbalancers are formulated withoutthe use of cereal grains. If theprotein quantity and qualityspecification is high enough thereis simply no room for cereals inthe formula. The use of high quality proteinsources and lack of space forcereals results in a low level ofsugar and starch in the finishedproduct which itself is fed in verylow amounts. Thus the chance ofexcess sugars and starchoverflowing from the foregut tothe hindgut and causing amicrobial imbalance leading to

acidic conditions is virtuallyeliminated. Therefore the chancesof horse behaving badly due to‘acid guts’ are minimised.

3) By including generouslevels of micronutrientsknown to help horses ‘chill out.’

B vitamins have long beenconsidered helpful for theirrelaxing effect, particularly vitaminB6 or pyridoxine. This vitaminhelps to catalyse (it is a co-enzyme) the conversion of 5HTPto serotonin and therefore has apotential role to play in calminghorses as raised levels of serotoninin the brain cause horses to feelrelaxed and focused. Althoughwe would expect a contentedhorse on a high-forage diet toobtain sufficient B6 from bacterialproduction in the hindgut, astressed horse, or one on a low-forage diet, could havecompromised production andtherefore respond tosupplemental supplies, a theorysupported by anecdotal evidence.

Niacin can be helpful in three

ways. The first might seem a‘backwards’ way but it is correctthinking nonetheless. It is thattryptophan, a serotonin precursor,is used to make niacin, but it is avery inefficient process using agood deal of tryptophan to makenot very much niacin. Thus byadding niacin directly in abalancer, the tryptophan presentis ‘spared’ and therefore more isfree to form serotonin and help torelax the horse. Secondly niacin isa co-enzyme for the reaction thatconverts tryptophan to 5HTP andtherefore it promotes theproduction of serotonin in thebrain.

Thirdly niacin inhibits theenzyme that breaks downtryptophan in the liver andtherefore it again, albeit indirectly,promotes the production ofserotonin in the brain. Theavailability of niacin to the horsefrom bacterial production in thehindgut is subject to the sameinfluences described for vitaminB6.

Vitamin B1, commonly referredto as thiamine, plays a direct rolein transmission of nervousimpulses. There is considerableanecdotal evidence for itseffectiveness in reducing anxietyin horses. It has beendemonstrated to improveconcentration and reduceexcitability in humans and thesame appears to apply in horses.The availability of thiamine to thehorse from bacterial production inthe hindgut is subject to the sameinfluences described for vitaminB6.

Other B vitamins may also help;in particular a case could be madefor folic acid, vitamin B12 andbiotin.

4) By including high levels ofanti-oxidants

In addition to the other importantroles they play in a horse’smetabolism, the anti-oxidanteffects of nutrients such asvitamin E and selenium cancertainly help to neutralise theeffects of stress in a horse and byso doing may help him relax.

5) By including consideredlevels of magnesium.

Magnesium remains a fashionablenutrient when a horse’s behaviourneeds modifying. Some feedbalancers now contain 0.6%which will contribute 3g ofmagnesium per day to the diet ofa 500kg horse. This may helpsome horses to concentratebetter, particularly when stressed.

6) By contributing oil to the diet

Some feed balancers containsignificant amounts of ‘full-fat’soya i.e. the whole cooked beanrather than a high-proteinextracted soya bean meal. Thesoya oil, and in some cases linseedoil, found in balancers can act asa calorie source for the horse,slightly reducing the need foradditional starchy feeds. t Nicola Tyler can be contactedon the TopSpec Equine free,multiple BETA Business Awardwinning helpline 01845 565030.

Anecdotal evidencethat shows anacidic hindgut canlead to behaviouralproblems.

So you thought youknew aloe vera...Santé Franglais has brought a new twist to an old favouritewith its Aloeride supplement. ETN talked to company director Han van de Braak. Q. What is aloe vera and whyare its health-givingproperties so widelyrenowned?A. Aloe vera is a succulent herbthat belongs to the lily family yetlooks like a cactus. It’s growncommercially mainly in countriesbelow the equator but alsonorth of it in Andalusia, Spain.Frost is the enemy of aloe verawhich contains about 95%water and no antifreeze!

There are many differentspecies, all with differentconcentrations and scope ofnutrients. The most nutrientdense aloe vera is Aloe Vera

Barbadensis Miller - the typeused exclusively for Aloeride.Our product is also grown andharvested under certified organicfarming conditions.

Aloe vera has been famousthroughout the ages in everyculture, from 2100 BC Sumariauntil now and from Ayurvedic toWestern herbalism. In the oldendays, people used unprocessedplants, which is still fine forexternal use; but taken bymouth, aloe’s laxative moleculescause a strong purgative effect.

Modern manufacturers canremove such molecules. Aloeridesits below the lowest detectable

levels, making it viable forsensitive digestive systems.

Aloe vera affects theepithelium, the covering tissueof the digestive, urinary,respiratory tracts and skin. Weget consistent feedback abouthow amazing horses’ coats lookwhen on Aloeride.

The added bonus is that inconjunction with this, a loadingof plant based molecules helpshorses relax with focussedenergy. It also helps them copebetter with inflammation, givingthem greater resilience toinfection.

Just as aloe vera is no panacea

- it’s a natural compound with avery broad sweep, EquineAloeride is far from being a onetrick pony. It has just as muchvalue for a horse feeling its ageas a racehorse needing an edge.

Q. Han, what is yourbackground?A. I’m a recently retiredchartered physiotherapist,registered acupuncturist andnaturopath who, after severalyears in the NHS, started anintegrated medicine practice.

Aloeride for humans was bornout of a need within my ownfamily to address a problem


without side effects. I witnessedfaster than ‘spontaneousremission’ recovery and similar,positive outcomes were observedby my colleagues.

Living in rural Leicestershire,with many riders as patients andwith Aloeride Extra Strongcommercially apace, I took thenext logical step and made anequine version.

Q. But there are alreadyplenty of aloe vera productsavailable for horses... A. Amid a mountain of productswith aloe vera on their labels,Equine Aloeride delivers moremolecules of a superior spectrum,is purer and reasonably priced.We are unique in sharing productspecifications and explaining whythis makes all the difference tohow well a horse may respond.For instance, if an aloe vera isprocessed via spray drying then50% of its methanol precipitatedsolids will be inert matrix. Whilesuch inflated mg/L values areuseful for an aloe vera label,they’re of no help to horseowners hoping to achievesomething by supplementing.

Externally applied aloe vera isfine for small, superficial issues.But remembering that skin growsfrom the inside, if you want toaccelerate safe healing, then youshould fuel skin cells withnutrients delivered systemicallyvia the blood stream rather thanby putting something on theoutside.

Q. Is there any speciesspecific research available tounderpin the usefulness ofaloe vera in equines? A. Aloe vera is one of the mostresearched herbs. Much of thework is robust too, albeit not veryrecent. It’s useful to know thatthe biochemical and physiologicaleffects of nutrition in horses issimilar to that of humans.

Where misappropriationoccurs, it’s often when productsrefer to such research withoutdelivering the molecules to createthese effects. And this is by nomeans a harsh statement whenone reviews product studies wehave commissioned withindependent laboratories.

When a full molecularspectrum (bar laxative ones) isdelivered in a quantityproportional to the body mass,then aloe vera can make asignificant difference. Forexample, you can’t takesomething that’s made for

humans and expect it to workthe same for a mammal six timesthe weight. When all thosecommonsense boxes are ticked,aloe vera holds amazing benefitsto horses.

We have talked to university-linked vets about the possibilityof a study with Equine Aloeride.‘Gastric lesions’ was suggested asa topic, not least because theseare easily monitored viagastroscopy compared with, say,quantifying improvement in thequality of a horse’s coat.However studies in part dependon university funding. Hopefullyan opportunity will soon arise.

Q. Aloeride clearly has manybenefits for horses. Whatbenefits does it offerretailers?A. Retailers like Equine Aloeridebecause it works, is attractivelypackaged, has a long shelf lifeand is unique. In short, there’s noother aloe product giving theequivalent of 12 litres of aloevera liquid presented as aconvenient, versatile palatablepowder.Aloeride can be sprinkled overfeed, mixed with water for oralsyringing or blended with acream for topical application.

We offer excellent margins,great point of sale material andremote staff training on video.

Q. And finally, we’re all busybusiness people. Would webenefit from taking aloevera? A. Yes, absolutely, alongsidespending more time laughingwith your near and dear onesand riding your horses!t Santé Franglais 01858 464550.

Han van de Braak presenting prizesat a charity horse show where

Equine Aloeride sponsored someclasses.

Q. Why are supplements an invaluable stock item? A. Effective, well formulated supplements are always a good stock

choice because if the customer has been sold the correctproduct for the job, it will lead to repeat purchase. Also sellinga product from a well respected range will foster brand loyaltyand the opportunity to ‘up sell’ whenever the customer returnsto the store to purchase the supplement.

Q. There are many supplements brands on the market.What mainly drives a customer towards a particularbrand?

A. Effective, well formulated products that work - such as thoseproduced by NAF - all but sell themselves because, once thecustomer has seen the benefit, they will repeat purchase. Clear,

easily understood packaging encourages purchase, especiallywhen the customer can see recognised accreditations andquality standards have been strictly adhered to duringmanufacture. These points lead to a confident purchase.Word of mouth, which again relies on product efficacy, is apowerful driver.

Q. What’s the best way to display supplements in-store? A. Eye-catching packaging with clear messaging combined with

good, strong merchandising will attract attention. However,this must be combined with tidy, clean displays – nobodywants to purchase something that looks dusty and dirty withdamaged packaging! So, clean, orderly display is a must – andthis is something everyone can do.

Think of a company that’s synonymous with supplements and Natural AnimalFeeds (NAF) surely springs to mind. So that’s where ETN went to find out...

How to sell moresupplements

Q. Can NAF help retailers withmerchandising?

A. NAF’s area sales managers areprofessional in their productknowledge and theirmerchandising skills; their serviceand attention to their customers’needs are second to none. Theyalways have a wide range of POSmaterial at their disposal to helpstockists sell NAF.

Q. If a customer needs adviceabout using a particularsupplement, how far shoulda retailer go in trying tohelp?

A. Our team of area salesmanagers are all experienced,trained and well qualified within-depth knowledge of theirproduct range, equine nutrition and horse care. They’re alwaysready to pass on their knowledge to stockists using a carefullystructured staff training programme that NAF has in place.Retailers and their customers also have the support of the NAFadvice line, which is manned by qualified nutritionists and theNAF in house chemist, senior nutritionists and veterinarydirectors should they need further information. Any of theseexperts will always recommend the consumer’s vet is contactedif appropriate.

Q. Which are NAF’s current top three best-sellingsupplements?

A. Superflex, Magic and Pink Powder.

Q. Please remind us about three useful-to-stocksupplements that sometimes get forgotten...

A. Mare Foal & Youngstock, EnerG and Respirator Boost.

Q. In what other ways does NAF support stockists? A. We offer support in every way we can! The NAF sales team is

extremely strong and continually offers product advice andstaff training. Stockists also have the support of a bold,extensive and well planned advertising campaign to help driveconsumers in store - with next day delivery on any size of orderto enable the consumer to have the product of their choice assoon as possible.

NAF also believes in giving back to the industry with carefullychosen sponsorship. The available budget is targeted at NAF’sloyal, highly valued consumers in order to support those whosupport NAF. Organisations and governing bodies are supportedrather than the ‘lucky few individuals’. Hence NAF sponsorsBritish Riding Clubs, British Dressage, British Eventing, BritishShowjumping and the British Equestrian Team squads.



Balanced diet, happy With an increasing understanding thathorses thrive best on a forage based diet,feed balancers have come into their own asa nutritional ‘safety net’. Supplements canalso top-up the diet with essential nutrientsand, in some cases, address specific issuesfrom joints to behaviour. ETN looks at thelatest launches and popular products in thisimportant sector.

Why Horse First equals qualityHORSE First, the supplements manufacturer from Newry, NorthernIreland, already works closely with top international riders acrossall horse sports.

Now the company has been awarded BS EN ISO 9001:2008 forthe mixing, making and distribution of high quality animal feedsupplements and feed additives.

According to the International Organisation for Standardisation(ISO), 'the ISO 9000 family addresses quality management.’ In otherwords, does a company meet its customers’ quality requirementsand applicable regulatory requirements while aiming to enhancecustomer satisfaction – and achieve continual improvement of itsperformance in pursuit of these objectives?

It’s a tall order, but from day one, Horse First has worked hard toprovide its customers with high quality products that really work. t Horse First 028 3084 8844.

Calmer sales fizzingMORE than 2,700 of Blue Chip’s new calmers –subject of a clever ‘calm down, dear...’ advertisingcampaign – were sold between the product’slaunch on 26 July and the end of August.

In carrot and apple flavours, each syringecontains three ‘calms’ and retails at around£12.50. Counter display boxes are available.

The product has found favour with the likes ofshow rider Katie Jerram and show jumper Geoff Billington. t Blue Chip 0114 266 6200.

Perfectly poisedSPILLERS’ Balancers make it easy foryour customers to ensure theirhorses receive the right nutritionevery day.

From a company that’s beeninvolved in research, innovation and development in equine nutritionfor 50 years, it goes without saying that these balancers have beenformulated using considerable expertise.

They are low calorie and contain concentrated amounts of vitamins,minerals and essential proteins, allowing them to be fed in smallquantities. There’s a product to suit every type of horse or pony too.

Your customers can choose from Spillers Original Balancer, LiteBalancer, Senior Balancer, Performance Balancer or Gro ‘N’ Win StudBalancer.

With clear point of sale materials and easy-to-use product guides,Spillers helps consumers make the right feed decisions in-store too. t Spillers 01908 222888.

y horse, contented customerStaying as sound as a poundTHIS summer may not have been of thebarbecue variety, but in many parts ofthe country, it’s been one of the driestand the ground conditions the hardestfor many a season,

It’s been challenging for many horses,particularly the older, less supple ones.Indeed, there are plenty of horses aboutthat are struggling to stay sound.

Even as the ground turns from dust tomud, there will be many horses thatcontinue to need a little extra help. Theones whose legs fill overnight whenstabled, those that come out of theirboxes a little pottery, the hard-workingcompetition horse who deserves to bepreserved.

In these typical scenarios, more andmore owners are successfully feedingVetrofen and, increasingly, doing soalongside Vetroflex. And they are tellingtheir friends. So what’s going on here, ETNasked Ross Riley of supplier Animalife?

"You can use Vetrofen to maintain thebody’s inflammatory response associated with the stiffness andarthritis common with old age,” he said, “and, if needed, in parallelwith Vetroflex to strengthen and protect the joint now and for the future

whilst regenerating the joint cartilage where damage has occurred,therefore reducing the likelihood of the swelling and stiffness in thefirst place or in the case of hard ground just simply taking it theirstride."

A vet’s viewOne owner who has witnessed excellent results from using Vetrofen

and Vetroflex in tandem is vet and event rider Natalie McGoldrick MAVetMB MRCVS.

She said: “I’ve owned Promise Me (Harry) since a four year old. Hehas always been an incredibly flexible and supple horse. However, hestarted experiencing a low level of post competition stiffness in themiddle of last season, and would take a few days to work out of this.

“This year, I decided to try Harry on the combination of Vetrofen andVetroflex, and he has never felt better. Competing in pure dressagealongside eventing at 2* level is obviously tough on any horse, but thisyear, whilst being fed Vetrofen and Vetroflex, Harry was able to finishfourth in the Open Intermediate at the South of England, where we ranfast on hard ground, and then, only four days later, finish 5th atAdvanced Medium level at the National Winter DressageChampionships.

“I’m also an equine vet, so feeding horses the correct supplements,and not throwing away money on products that have no scientific proof,or no clinical evidence of working, is of great importance to me.

“I’ve started a couple of much older horses on Vetrofen, as analternative to reaching straight for the NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and the owners have reported that their elderlyhorses and ponies seem much happier with much lower levels ofstiffness.” t Animalife 01527 857920.


THE TRUST FACTORLIKE all consumers, horse owners aremost comfortable buying brands theyknow and trust. But unlike directfamiliarity with a brand purchasedpreviously, trust can result fromrecommendation by a friend, a trainer, a fellowcompetitor - or a retailer.

TRM’s vice president Europe North AmericaTom Barrett works with many of the world’s mostsuccessful retailers in 50 countries. Here heoffers some pointers to maximise the salespotential of familiarity and trust.

1. Understand seasonal problems andrequirements to open up additional salespotential, which at this time of year, might include:

• Joint Supplements. Particularly for older horses, cold canexaggerate symptoms of arthritis and general stiffness. Ajoint maintenance programme could enhance both comfortand well being.

• Preparation for the breeding season. In foal broodmaresshould be supplemented with Calphormin to help ensureoptimum skeletal development for the foal. Beta Carotene canbe given to maiden mares to support early fertility.

• Feed balancer/multivitamin supplements. Horses’ routinescan be changed in the winter, with many spending less timewith access to fresh forage (grass). It is important to ensurethey still receive the correct minerals and vitamins from theirrestricted diet.

• Hoof Supplements. With reduced competition and less wearand tear on the hoof, winter is an ideal time to supplement fornew growth before the next competition season.

• Winter Coughs and colds. Traditional remedies such as Garlicor Garlic, Honey and Glucose are often fed to promoterespiratory wellbeing.

• Oils. If, after the long competition season, the horse lackscondition, oils and fats can be supplemented to maximiseweight gain - and a great looking coat.

2. Know the ranges you sell – in full – the products, theirspecifications and the reasons why they can be trusted to fulfil thecustomer’s expectations. This will enable every member of staff toencourage the purchase of additional products from a range theyknow, or from a new brand, because they trust your advice.

3. Always think about the ‘up sale’ as it presents a veryimportant opportunity. If someone purchases a wound dressing,surely they will need bandages; if they ask for a hoof supplement,perhaps they also need a hoof oil or conditioner.

4. It’s essential that everyone at the point of sale looks at theshopping basket and suggests products to complement thecustomer’s selection. Don’t be afraid to suggest products from analternative brand based on your own experience.

5. Have contact details to hand for manufacturers, so either youcan call for additional advice, or your customer can get in touchlater. It is another way to develop both familiarity and trust,helping underpin repeat or cross brand sales.

RETAILTIP

The secret’s in the ingredientsPEGASUS Health has re-launched its own-brand range of everydayequestrian essentials and herbs for horses.

The company specialises in sourcing high-quality, pure ingredients.“The rebranding of the Pegasus Health range is expected to increase

demand as it raises the profile and brings these products to an evenwider audience,” said the company’s Mark Sharwood Walker.

Pegasus Health’s multi-vitamin and mineral supplement has beenreformulated in line with the latest findings in equine nutrition andrebranded as PegaVite.

Top-selling FlexiMover has also been reformulated to become a five-in-one “powerhouse of natural nutritional support” for older, or hard-working, equine joints. MSM, rosehips and turmeric have been addedto the original blend of boswellia serrata and glucosamine HCI.

The Pegasus Health range includes popular products such as garlicgranules, supplied at trade prices of £3 per kg or £8.25 for a 3kg refill –and biotin. Rapeseed oil, now believed to be one of the healthiest andmost beneficial oils to feed horses, according to Mark, also features inthe range.t Pegasus Health 01526 861976.

The first and only...TOPSPEC Senior Feed Balancer is the first and only feed balancer toinclude the scientifically recommended rate of glucosamine to helpmaintain mobility.

It’s one of six ‘non-heating’ feed balancers which provide nutrients tobalance the rations of all types of horses and ponies, whether hacking,competing, breeding, growing or elderly.

TopSpec’s concise collection addresses every issue, including theneed to behave, to gain or lose weight and to improve hoof quality.

All TopSpec feed balancers are formulated without cereal grains andare low in sugar and starch to help horses relax.

TopSpec Comprehensive Feed Balancer promotes muscledevelopment and topline. It also contains several supplements. Abroad-spectrum supplement is backed up by others including a hoofsupplement, generous levels of anti-oxidants and sophisticateddigestive aids.

TopSpec LeisureTime Feed Balancer is designed for equines in lightto medium work. It contains a broad-spectrum supplement and a pure,protected yeast combined with a feed designed to promote muscledevelopment and function.

TopSpec Lite Feed Balancer is ideal for good-doers in light tomedium work. It combines a broad-spectrum supplement and a hoofsupplement with a high-fibre, exceptionally low calorie feed. It will notpromote weight gain when it forms part of a calorie-controlled diet.

TopSpec Senior Feed Balancer is designed for elderly horses. It isthe first and only feed balancer to include the scientificallyrecommended rate of glucosamine to help maintain mobility. Itcombines the benefits of a joint supplement with a feed balancertailored to the needs of elderly horses.

TopSpec Stud Feed Balancer is designed for broodmares,youngstock and stallions. Its use helps to prevent over-topping ofyoungstock and incorrect limb development. It containsseveral supplements combined with afeed designed to promote muscledevelopment and function. A broad-spectrum supplement is backed up byothers including a hoof supplement,generous levels of anti-oxidants andsophisticated digestive aids.

Topspec Racing Feed Balancer isperfect for customers with race horsesand point-to-pointers.t TopSpec 01845 565030.

Cost effective and convenientIN winter, when grazing is scarce and horses mightbe stabled for longer, forage quality can vary.

So offering a cost effective, balanced, vitamin,mineral and trace element package provide peace of mindthat horses are receiving the vital nutrients they require for optimumhealth, says Horslyx.

Four different formulations - Original, Respiratory, Garlic and Mobility - allowowners to feed specifically to their horses’ requirements in one convenient system.Horslyx is available in 5kg, 15kg and 80kg weatherproof tubs, with retail prices from£9.95.

Horslyx provides optimum levels of anti-oxidants to help boost the immunesystem, a high oil content to promote a shiny, healthy coat and a healthy hoovespackage containing biotin, methionine and zinc to maintain horn quality.

Feeding Horslyx not only balances the deficiencies in forage, but also provides atrickle feeding pattern to promote gut health and reduce boredom. t Horslyx 01697 332 592.

Daily top-upsDODSON & Horrell Daily Vits & Mins is abroad spectrum supplement that providesan easy means of 'topping up' vitamin andmineral levels.

It can be added to mixes, cubes or chaffsand is suitable for all types of equines. It’sideal when your customers are feeding lessthan the recommended amounts of a feedin order to ensure a fully balanced diet.

The RRP is £10.15 for a 1.5kg tub.Dodson & Horrell Ultimate Balancer can

be fed in small quantities to avoid weight gain, either on itsown or to complement an existing feed.

Suitable for all horses and ponies, including laminiticsand non-Thoroughbred breeding stock, it provides correctlevels of vitamins and minerals.

Other beneficial ingredients include biotin for hoofcondition, MSM for its anti-inflammatory properties,mobility herbs, prebiotics to help maximise digestiveefficiency and omega 3 and 6 oils for skin and coatcondition.

The RRP is £32.75 for a 20kg bagt Dodson & Horrell 0845 345 2627.

New range is ‘full of life’FULLOLIFE, from Hull basedAAK, is a new collection of oilbased supplements.

AAK specialises inproducing oils for the retail,bakery, food service and manufacturing markets. As wellas an equine range, Fullolife extends to products for dogsand small-holder animals such as chickens, pigs and goats.

For horses, Fullolife Pure Cod Liver Oil is a naturalconditioner that provides an excellent source of vitamins Aand D, as well as polyunsaturates to help maintain goodhealth, skin and coat. It also promotes strong teeth, firmbones and bright eyes and is suitable for all horses andponies.

Fullolife High Strength Joint Care, designed to helpmaintain supple and mobile joints, is ideal for both youngand veteran horses. It contains a unique blend of omega 3oils.

Also in the range is Fullolife Soya Oil to help promotehealthy skin and a glossy coat. Containing omega 6 fattyacids and a source of linolenic acid, Soya Oil provides anexcellent source of slow releasing, non-heating energy forimproved stamina. t AAK UK 01482 701271.

Price fixed until 2012GWF Nutrition has extended theintroductory offer on its newEquilibra 500 + Omega 3 balanceruntil January 2012.

The move means your customerscan enjoy an RRP of £23.99 (ratherthan £28.99) on the product that wasre-launched earlier this summer.

“We’ve been delighted with thestrong demand for Equilibra, fuelledin no small part by a wave of newcustomers migrating from muchmore expensive and lowerspecification products,” said GWFmarketing director Simon Vowles.

“As a manufacturer, we have muchgreater control over production costsand will do everything we can to keepprices low during these difficultfinancial times.”

New Equilibra 500 + Omega 3 hasall the key benefits of the oldEquilibra 500product, but with theextra advantages ofOmega 3 and a newnon-GM soya freeformulation for peaceof mind. It’s packedin 20kg bags.t GWF Nutrition01225 708482.

Good gut feelingACTIVATED carbon hasbeen used for hundredsof years to aid gastrointestinal health.

Now it features asthe sole, 100% naturalingredient in a newsupplement, Comfort Gut.

“We are so very excited about thisproduct as it is not a drug and has nodirect action on any organ in the body,also it doesn't enter the blood stream,”said sales manager Louise Kennedy.

Comfort Gut is said to remain in thegastro intestinal tract where it activelyabsorbs acid, toxins and other impuritiesbefore being expelled from the body inthe horse’s dung.

“We strongly believe that stomachdiscomfort is one of the biggest plaguesof sports horses,” added Louise. “Gutdiscomfort can lead to some of the mostunwanted habits in equestrian circles.”

Fed daily, Comfort Gut is beneficial inreducing gastric acid and its effects,reducing a ‘gargling’ gut and, it’sclaimed, reducing the chances oflaminitis due to toxin build-up.

Due to its ‘settling’ ability, ComfortGut may also act as a calmer in times ofstress. t Comfort Gut 028 9030 1040.

Are youe-compliant?E-shopping offers fantastic opportunities for retailers.Safeguard your burgeoning e-business by checking it’s legal,advises lawyer Alexandra Weston.

Selling online enables small or medium sizedbusinesses to connect with millions of potentialcustomers worldwide. In 2009, internet salesrepresented 3.5% of total UK retail sales.

Online businesses are particularly important to the ruraleconomy with a recent survey by the National Federation ofEnterprise Agencies showing that 44% of online businessesare based in rural areas. The arrival of faster broadbandspeeds will push the figure still higher.

The increase in online sales has been matched by anincrease in regulation to protect consumers when they arepurchasing online. But the majority of e-commerce businesses in the UK are notoperating in accordance with the law.

A study by the Office of Fair Trading in 2009revealed that over 79% of online businessesfailed to comply with key legislation. Thepenalties for not complying can be investigationby Trading Standards, fines and, in extremecases, having your website shut down.

In addition to the regulations that apply toselling online, businesses also need to thinkabout copyright, contract law and consumerprotection legislation. Another key issue is dataprotection particularly as it became law on 6April 2010 that businesses can be fined up to£500,000 if they lose individuals’ data.

It is sensible for new online businesses to seeklegal advice to guide them through the complex web oflegislation and regulation, while businesses that are alreadyonline should review their website to ensure that they arecompliant. If businesses follow these top ten tips, they will avoid themost common mistakes encountered by online traders. 1. Don’t accept an order as soon as you receive it. Send out

an order acknowledgement and then when you’vechecked the order, follow up with an order confirmation.That way you can correct any errors in the order includingpricing mistakes.

2. Who owns your website? It is a common mistake to thinkthat because you’ve paid a web designer to produce awebsite for you that you must own it. In fact, the webdesigner will own the website unless you’ve agreedotherwise in writing. This can become a real problemwhen you want to sell your business in the future.

3. Do you hold any data about your customers? If you dothen you must notify the Information Commissioner underthe Data Protection Act 1998. It only costs £35 a year. Ifyou don’t notify, you can be fined.

4. The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations2000 gives consumers the right to cancel the contractwithin seven working days. You must tell the consumer

about this right or you will be committing a criminaloffence and you will have an unenforceable contract withthe consumer.

5. Make sure that you have terms and conditions on yourwebsite and that your customers accept them. Tick boxesare commonly used for this. Set up your website so thatthe customer cannot proceed with their order until they’veaccepted the terms and conditions.

6. Do you accept orders from customers outside the UK? Ifso, then your terms and conditions must make it clear thatEnglish law applies to the online contract.

7. Do you collect email addresses to use inmarketing? You must have the consentof the customer to use their email formarketing.

8. You must include your name, postaladdress and email address on yourwebsite. If you sell through a companythen your company name and companynumber must be on your home page.

9. If the customer returns the goods thenyou need to make sure the goods are in asaleable condition. The ConsumerProtection (Distance Selling) Regulations2000 don’t deal with this so set out inyour terms and conditions that you wantthe goods returned in their originalpackaging etc.

10. If a consumer cancels the contract under the ConsumerProtection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 andreturns the goods then you have to refund the price ofthe goods and the postage and packaging charged insending the goods to the consumer.

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Headed by Serena Brotherton,Langleys’ Equine Law Groupoffers one of the largest andmost experienced commerciallegal teams dedicated to advising businesses and individuals in theequine sector. Equine Law is a highly specialised area of law; the lawyersin Langleys’ Equine Law Group are experienced in the business andregulation of the equine sector. To speak with one of the teamtelephone 01904 610886 or email [email protected] or visitwww.equinelawyers.com.

Businesses can be fined up to £500,000if they loseindividuals’data.

About the authorAlexandra Weston has more than 10 years’ experienceof advising online businesses, from software retailers tosuppliers of veterinary products. She also advises clientson commercial contracts and intellectual property law.


OCTOBER9 – 10Association of British Riding Schools’(ABRS) annual AGM, dinner andconference in Oxford. Details on tel01403 790294.

17The open-to-all 2011 BETA Conference atThe Belfry, the luxury golfing and spahotel near Birmingham, incorporates themembers-only trade association’s AGM.An impressive line-up of speakersincludes Tim Hadaway on opportunitiessurrounding London 2012; JuliaAndrews, managing director of KateNegus Saddlery, on merchandising; theAdvertising Standards Authority’s LauraCoffey; digital advertising guru, Bauer’sCharlie Brookes; and equestrian explorersRobin and Louella Hanbury-Tenison.Special rates are offered for pre-conference overnight stays with dinner.For tickets and information, contactBETA on 01937 587062.

22 – 23Countryside Live at the Great Yorkshireshowground is a family day out with anexpanding equine element. This will bethe ninth running of the event run bythe Great Yorkshire Show organisers;last year it was attended by 10,221people.

For the first time, the show is aqualifier for the Mountain andMoorland Ridden section at Olympia.There are also classes for first ridden,coloured horses and ponies, workinghunter ponies and a Fancy Dresscompetition.

DECEMBER3 – 4South West Christmas Equine Fair,Westpoint, Exeter. This popular consumerevent, run by Contour Exhibitions, willprovide horse enthusiasts of all ages,levels and disciplines with a full scheduleof exciting entertainment. The show alsofeatures a dedicated shopping villagewith more than 150 companies offeringadvice and great show offers on 1,000s ofproducts for horse and rider. Celebritiesappearing include Mary King and PhilipSpivey.Contact Lisa Scattergood on 01392421500 or 07710 743045, visitwww.contour.uk.net

FEBRUARY19 – 21BETA International 2012at the NEC, Birmingham.The world’s leadingtrade exhibition for theequestrian, countryclothing, pet productand outdoor sectors.More information at www.beta-int.comor contact James Palmer on 01937582111. ETN is the official media partnerof BETA International.

MARCH1Merial Animal Health is to repeat itsWorm Egg Count (WEC) MasterClass atthe Moredun Research Institute,Edinburgh. The event is designed to trainSQPs to undertake WECs at their stores.It’s also worth 52 AMTRA CPD points. Ledby parasitologists Professor JacquiMatthews and Dr Dave Bartley, the daywill include seminars on equine parasitesand drug resistance, problem solvingtutorials and practical work in thelaboratory. The cost is £200 per delegate.To book or find out more, contact MerialEquine Health 01279 775851 or [email protected].

Welcome to ETN’s guide to upcoming shows,events, training courses and conferences ofinterest to the trade.

HOW TO GETYOUR EVENT LISTEDETN welcomes submissions to What’s On from allorganisations, commercial companies, shows andevents. Please include your dates, venues, contactdetails and why your fixture/event/training is ofinterest to the trade.

The Search for a Talented ShowJumper competition made its debutlast year. Hosted and judged byinternational riders Graham and TinaFletcher, it’s to be repeated this time.

Tradestand space is available forCountryside Live. Contact MichelleMackey on 01423 546204 or via [email protected]

29 – 30LovePets is a consumer show at theEast of England showground,Peterborough. Visitors can meet 55species of animals, from meerkats torabbits. Also at the show will be 100companies, traders, organisations andcharities from across the UK. Moredetails at www.lovepets.me.uk

NOVEMBER12 – 13The organisers of Your Horse Live arehoping to hold onto their BETABusiness Award - Joules Event of theYear - for a second time. The event atStoneleigh Park, Warwickshirepromises some of the UK’s leadingequestrian stars, live demonstrations,Q&A sessions, ‘Improve your riding’zones, celebrity rider signings andshopping.

Laura Bechtolsheimer headlines theshow; also appearing are OliverTownend and Geoff Billington, whilethe Rockin' Horse display team blendsCossack trick riding with traditionalSpanish equestrianism.

Your Horse Live 2010 saw morethan 15,000 visitors – anotherincrease in numbers. The show issupporting the industry by running acompetition to win free stand spaceand contributing towards the buildcosts to allow an inspiring, innovativeand new company to exhibit. Moreinformation about exhibiting atwww.yourhorselive.co.uk or contactNicky Townshend on 01733 395011.




When deciding what to stock,think about what you, as aretailer, want from a product?• Good margin• Products that work therefore

generate repeat business• Stock availability• Rep support: staff training,

stock-taking, merchandisingand promotional support

• Product information. Whatare the actives in it and whydo they work?

Currently, some suppliers areoffering attractive deals fromhuge discounts on bulk ordersto S.O.R (sale or return)schemes; but do these comewith a hidden agenda?

Although these deal aresometimes tempting -especially when you don’thave to pay for products untilthey have sold - are retailersbeing overloaded with rangesthat aren’t turning overenough to justify the valuableshelf space they’re taking up?

It may seem like an excellentdeal when a supplier offers toremove an out-of-dateproduct from your shelf andreplace it with the same in-date product, but is that reallya wise business move whenit’s keeping a competitorproduct at bay that could beturning over quicker at abetter margin?

Some products can offersmall returns and margins dueto set RRPs. Products linked to

RRPs can open the door forthem to be sold under the RRP,especially on internet sites.

Merchandising tips• Don’t overcrowd products

on shelving - I used to beguilty of this, especially withlimited space and storage,but it can lead to spillages,damage and doesn’t make itattractive to the consumer.

• Rotate stock regularly,checking best before datesat the same time. Inevitablyproducts go in and out offashion, but better to sell offat a small discount before itgoes out of date completely.

• Keep shelving and productsdust free. It does not instilcustomer confidence ifproducts look grubby andhave been around for a longtime.

• If possible, allocate a displayarea or shelf with relevantseasonal products. Raise theprofile of products with PoS(point of sale) material,laminate cuttings frommagazines or tried andtested testimonials anddisplay those too.

• Where possible, keepchanging the display area tokeep it fresh and give allranges a chance to be seenwithout becoming stale. The season’s big topicsWe’ve yet to see what sort

of winter this one will be. Last

year, with a prolonged periodof snow and ice, I saw latesales in mud fever productsand also noticed a rise inhorses ‘tying up’ from beingstabled for long periods.

There were also more horsessuffering with foot abscesses,possibly from having to standon soiled bedding for longerperiods, causing soles tobecome softer. When thesnow thawed and horses wereturned out onto nowwaterlogged pasture, theirsoles became more susceptibleto puncture wounds andabscesses forming.

One of the ways stores canhelp promote sales for theseailments is to suggestproducts – via goodmerchandising - to helpprevent these conditionsstarting in the first place.

For instance, you couldadvise customers to cut backon hard feed and recommendhigh fibre, low energy dietsduring periods of prolongedstabling. Hoof barrier creamssuch as Net-Tex Winter Hoofto strengthen hooves againstabsorbing excess moisture,electrolytes such as Net-TexFast Electrolyte Recovery tohelp combat tying up could beother suggestions.

Agony aunt or retailer?With the cost of owning

horses increasing, ownersappear to be asking morefrequently for advice in storebefore calling their vet for fearof a large bill.

When asked for advice,shop assistants should neverattempt to diagnose acondition. If there is anyuncertainty or doubt in whatthey think the customer isdescribing, they shouldstrongly recommend veterinaryadvice is sought immediately.

However, it is helpful for theretailer to ask as manyquestions as possible to form aclear picture. If he or she hashad personal experience of aproduct that has worked ontheir own or another(unnamed) customer’s horse,it’s worth passing on theinformation – with thewarning that it may not workfor every horse.

Mud fever is a primeexample. Many inexperiencedhorse owners miss thewarning signs of the onset ofthis condition, which isperhaps excusable if they’venot seen it before.

If the condition has juststarted with hair loss, it can becontrolled with Net-Tex Muddy

Effective retailing of products in potsrequires some imaginative thinking,says Serena Kidd.

A pack of products to make life easier for your customers this winter.

How to sell lotions and

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Marvel Barrier cream toprevent it spreading anddeveloping into scabs.

If the condition hasprogressed to scabbing, it canbe gently cleansed with asurgical type of skin wash suchas Net-Tex Equine SurgicalShampoo which containschlorhexidine making it idealfor this type of skin condition.

The customer shouldthoroughly dry the area afterwashing, then apply MuddyMarvel De Scab which willgently but effectively removesurface scabs without the needfor picking them off, whichmay cause bleeding, then re-scabbing in a vicious circle.

Once the scabs are removedand legs are dry, a disinfectantcan be applied such as Net-TexMuddy Marvel Disinfectantthen the barrier cream applied

before turn out the next day. If, when questioning the

customer about this condition,you hear that the horse’s legsare very swollen and hot, scabsare pussy or the horse is lamedue to the condition, insistthat they seek veterinary adviceimmediately.

Sexing up the potsSince joining Net-Tex, one of

my main priorities has been toassess existing labels andproducts. Net-Tex originatesfrom a farming backgroundand within the agriculturalmarket products must work –you don’t get a secondchance! The upshot is thatNet-Tex’s equine range is veryeffective, however the labelscan appear a little bland andgeneric, not giving theproducts the credit theydeserve.

I’ve recently updated the flyrepellent labels, making themeasily identifiable on the shelfand extended this idea to theleather care range. I’m alsoconscious of trying to offerbetter margins and yet moreinnovative products.

New for 2011, our EquineFeather Mite powder has hada tremendous response. We

will be re- launching the CarlHester range next year too. t Net-Tex 01474 813 999.

What everyhorse owner

needs inwinter – helpwith reducing

groomingtime.

potions

About the author

Serena Kidd formerly worked for retailer Frogpool Manor and is nowequestrian business manager at horsecare product specialist Net-Tex.She’s also a horse owner.

“I take pride in the fact that I use the products and have first-handexperience in how effective they are,” she said. “It’s so satisfying when Ican pass on advice to customers when they call the helpline for adviceat their wits’ end, asking if Net- Tex have a product to help their horse.

“Job satisfaction is when they call back to say ‘thank you’ for helpingthem find a solution to their problem.”

You and your customers can call the Net-Tex helpline on 01474 813999.

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There’s protection in these potsSUPREME Products doesn’t just supplyproducts to make horses look good. Ithas products that protect them too.

The company’s Horse Care rangeincludes Leg & Mud Guard and Heel,Sole & Frog Care, both of which are idealfor combating wet and muddyconditions.

Supreme Products Leg & Mud Guardcontains mild anti-bacterial propertiesand waterproofing agents to challengewet and muddy outdoor conditions.500ml has an RRP of £9.99.

While Heel, Sole & Frog Care, RRP£9.99 for 450g, helps keep feet in primecondition and assists the repair of softsole and frog conditions.t Supreme Products 01377 229050.

First aid solutionFABTEK Solutions’ Meditek SilverWound Dressing contains Zorflex,an antibacterial activated carbonfabric.

Zorflex has a permanentelectrostatic charge that draws bacteriatowards it, says Fabtek. When they reachthe fabric, they are immobilised, removedfrom their source of food and die. Theprocess is accelerated by the particulates of silverwith which Zorflex is impregnated.

The other elements of the dressing absorb wound odour anddischarge, providing all usual benefits of a wound dressing - withsomething extra.

Zorflex is scientifically proven against a number of bacteria types,and is also used in human wound care.

Meditek Silver Wound Dressings are available in 10cm x 10cm and15cm x 25cm sizes, but can be cut to fit the wound area. They areavailable individually or in packs, retailing from £8.t Fabtek Solutions 07794 094011.

ETN looks at the latest lotions, potions and therapy productsto take the worry out of winter for your customers.

Warm to these winter winners...

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Helpful herbsDODSON & Horrell Mud Heal is a herbalblend containing echinacea, devil’s clawroot, clivers, burdock root, marigold andnettle.

The combination of these soothing andimmune boosting herbal properties canhelp equine defence mechanisms not onlyto prevent infection but also to soothe anypre-developed sores.

The RRP is £13.58 for a 1kg tub.t Dodson & Horrell 0845 345 2627.

X-Static stable therapyFAL PRO Therapy Stable Boots douseful work while a horse isstanding in his stable.

Featuring Pro X- Static silverinteractive technology – similar tothat used in some Fal Pro rugs -they fasten around the leg withhook and loop fastenings.

The conductive properties of X-Static have been shown toincrease blood flow and reduceswelling, enhancing the horse’snatural healing system andminimising fatigue.

This is particular helpful inreducing the pain of mud fever byeliminating many types ofbacterial and fungal micro-organisms, thus helping relieve the allergic reaction and encouraginghealing. The heat transfer properties of X-Static are also perfect forhorses whose legs fill after work.

Available in four sizes in a choice of blue or green with contrastingbinding, they retail at around £54.50 per pairt Tagg Equestrian 01636 636135.

Waging war on winterROBINSON Animal Healthcare has awhole armoury of products withwhich your customers can wage waron winter.

Animalintex Hoof Treatment issuitable for the rapid treatment offoot conditions. It’s the onlyveterinary licensed poultice on themarket for equine treatment.

Highly absorbent, it can be appliedeither as a wet, hot or cold poultice,or as a dry dressing, to suit the needsof the injury or condition.

It contains an antiseptic to clean and prevent re-infection and naturalpoulticing agent, Tragacanth, which, when it reacts with water, drawsout any infection and creates a clean area for the wound to heal.

When applied as a hot, wet poultice, Animalintex increases the bloodsupply to the hoof, providing more oxygen, and white blood cells, whichfight infection. The improved blood flow reduces the swelling, whilstthe warmth of the poultice relieves the horse of pain, providingcomfort.

Animalintex Hoof Treatment is distributed in packs containingconvenient Hoof Shaped dressings, ready for foot poulticing, so there isno need for cutting to shape. Each pack retails at around £5.50.

Your customers can also help prevent winter skin problems withActiv Wash from Robinson Animal Healthcare.

Activ Wash is a mild, antibacterial cleanser which gently removesscabs and debris caused by mud fever or rain scald. Available in a 500ml bottle, it’s applied with a damp sponge. The RRP is £9.50.t Robinson Animal Healthcare on 01909 735000.

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• Although it’s now morefashionable – if not alwayspossible – for many horses tolive out during the winter, winter ailments such as mudfever and rain scald are exacerbated by exposure to wetconditions. In fact, horses positively thrive in the snow andice – provided they have enough forage to eat and aresafe underfoot. They love dry, cold conditions; it’s thecontinual rain and wind that gets them down.

• As well as stocking products to help your customers dealwith the effects of winter ailments, they will find itemssuch as lightweight but waterproof rugs – and a spare -are useful. Oil, such as flax oil, cod liver oil or soya oil,added to horses’ feeds can help make their coats moreresistant to damp conditions.

• A regular dusting of sulphur power in horses’ heels makesa great barrier against mud-borne threats.

• There’s always a debate about whether trimming horses’heels and/or feather makes them more vulnerable to mudfever. Of course, really hairy equines’ feathers need to bekept in check or they can themselves become a muddyand wet hazard. Trimming is essential to ‘get at’ the heelarea to attend to it. However, for many horses, the hairybit at the back of the fetlock is probably the best drain-pipe nature ever invented.

• When horses spend longer stabled, as many do in winter,they encounter respiratory challenges from dusty, sport-filled hay and bedding. There are many clean alternativesto straw on the market now, but it’s also advisable to keepa stock of supplements that address respiratory issues.

RETAILTIP

WHEN IT’S WETAND WINDY

Prevention better than cureMUD fever is a classic case of preventionbeing better than cure.

Using turnout boots designed to keep theleg dry and clean can be very useful.However, the boots must be breathable orthe skin could become over-hydrated andvulnerable to infection.

Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps fromEquilibrium Products fit like a second skinand help to keep the horse’s legs dry andmud free. Made from breathable Stomatexin six sizes, they are tough, fast drying andeasy to fit.

For the ultimate in leg protection during turnout, Equi-Chaps HardyChaps (pictured) are made from a water resistant, fast drying 7mmRotex (a tough PU coated neoprene). They are ideal for use on fithorses which are turned out for a few hours each day, or on accident-prone or boisterous horses. t Equilibrium Products 01442 879115.

Iodine based shampooNEW from the Funnell Range of horse healthproducts is Heel Clean & Protective Wash.

The iodine based shampoo is ideal for usewhen the horse is exposed to muddy conditionseither when competing, exercising or turned outand when the skin is at risk from mud borneinfections -especially if there are small cuts orgrazes on the skin surface.

Used routinely, the product may help preventinfections such as mud fever taking hold,especially in the vulnerable heel area. Two litres retailsat around £12.t Tagg Equestrian 01636 636135.

Fast and effectiveNEW Lincoln Muddy Buddy Magic Mud KurePowder and Cream is said to offer fast, effectivetherapy for mud fever.

Said to be scientifically proven to kill the bacteriaresponsible for mud fever, it contains Metalosan 47- described as a breakthrough in woundmanagement.t Battles 01522 529206.

Wrapped up warmWARMWICKING Leg Wraps are made in England fromsuperior quality, close knit, thick and warm thermalfabric that wicks moisture away from the body.

This three layer fabric with two thermal outerknitted layers, sandwiching a layer of cushioningpolyproplylene fibres, has a padded, quilted pattern.

Warmwick Leg Wraps helps get equine legs warmand dry, therefore helping prevent conditions such asmud fever setting in.

Wide Velcro straps cover the whole length of thewraps, spreading pressure and giving gentlecompression. The wraps are also available withmagnets for magnetic therapy.t Harpley Equestrian 0115 9611537.

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MR TIM LOCK T/A HEDSOR STUD, HARVEST HILL, BOURNE ROAD, BOURNE END,BUCKS SL8 5JJ £461 & £516 & £854

EUROSPORT HORSES LTD, 4 CEDAR PARK, COBHAM ROAD, FERNDOWN IND. ESTATE,WIMBORNE, DORSET BH21 7SF £7,398

OLYMPIC HORSE FEEDS LTD, 812 ANDOVER HOUSE,, GEORGE YARD, ANDOVER,HAMPSHIRE SP10 1PB £13,936

JUDITH THURLOE, POND HEAD FARM, OULSTON, YORK, NORTH YORKSHIRE YO61 3RD£2,763

MR MICHAEL HAMMOND T/A MICHAEL HAMMOND EQUINE ENTERPRISES, 18 LESTERPIGGOTT WAY, NEWMARKET, SUFFOLK CB8 0BJ £11,316

HORSEBOX & TRAILER REPAIRS LTD, LEONARDS COURTYARD, SLAPTON ROAD, LITTLEBILLINGTON, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, BEDS LU7 9BP £1,938

EMMA WILSON T/A E W EQUESTRIAN SERVICES, 158 LANCASTER ROAD, CARNFORTH,LANCS LA5 9EF £2,893

MS MICHELLE MILLS T/A NARFORD STABLES, NARFORD HALL, NARFORD, KINGS LYNN,NORFOLK PE32 1JA £820

MS JANE SMITH T/A R J SMITH RACING, TATTENHAM CORNER STABLES, TATTENHAMCORNER ROAD, EPSOM, SURREY KT18 5PP £116

EQUITHERM , CHURCHILL FARM, ALDERMINSTER, STRATFORD-UPON-AVON,WARWICKSHIRE CV37 8NU £32,017

MR BEN COUSINS T/A HOME EQUESTRIAN SUPPLIES, HUGHFIELD HOUSE, HOLME-ON-SPALDING-MOORE, YORK YO43 4BZ £879

TRENT RIDING SCHOOL, 90 SHAW ROAD, NEW HEY, ROCHDALE, LANCS OL16 4LX£322

GOYT MILL SADDLERY, THE LODGE, UPPER HIBBERT LANE, HAWK GREEN, STOCKPORT,CHESHIRE SK6 7HX £2,996

AIREDALE EQUESTRIAN SUPPLIES LTD, THE BARN, AIREDALE MILLS, MICKLETHWAITELANE, CROSSFLATS, BINGLEY, WEST YORKSHIRE BD16 2HP £1,374

MR JOHN WISE, WOLVEN COTTAGE STABLES, COLDHARBOUR, DORKING, SURREY RH46HG £308

MR GREG RADMORE T/A THROUGHBRED HORSEBOX, POLTIMORE BARTON, MOORLANE, POLTIMORE, EXETER, DEVON EX4 0AQ £700

THORNCLIFFE HALL FARM STABLES LTD, THORNCLIFFE HALL FARM, HOLLINGWORTH,HYDE, CHESHIRE SK14 8JJ £729

CAROLINE GREEN T/A TEMPLETON STUD, TEMPLETON ROAD, KINTBURY,HUNGERFORD, BERKSHIRE RG17 9SG £3,503

MISS DIANNE JORDAN, WRENES NEST STABLES, THE LANE, BETWEEN 354 & 356BARKHAM ROAD, WOKINGHAM, BERKSHIRE RG41 4DL £1,015

ASHLYN HOUSE VETS, ASHLYN HOUSE, TERRANCE ROAD NORTH, BINFIELD,BRACKNELL, BERKSHIRE RG42 5JA £174

MR JOHN MABBETT T/A BRYN ANIMAL FEEDS, BRYN FARM, LLANMORLAIS, SWANSEASA4 3UQ £4,527

GERALD PAYNE T/A EZEE FEEDS, UNIT 33 ENDEAVOUR CLOSE IND ESTATE, PURCELLAVENUE, SANDFIELDS, PORT TALBOT, WEST GLAMORGAN SA12 7PT £903

MR D RIGGS, BELBY STUD, HOME FARM, BELBY, GOOLE, NORTH HUMBERSIDE DN147XB £1,724

MRS ANDREA PAVET-GOLDING T/A NORTHBROOK EQUESTRIAN CENTRE,NORTHBROOK NEW ROAD, OFFORD CLUNY, ST NEOTS, CAMBRIDGESHIRE PE19 5RP£3,233

County Court Judgments from England and Wales andthe Scottish version, which are called Court Decrees.

The judgments listed are those recorded by the RegistryTrust Ltd and appear to be of a commercial nature.Judgments/Decrees can be for damages rather than debts,and their listing here does not imply an inability to pay.

T h e Vo i c e o f t h e E q u e s t r i a n I n d u s t r y

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Editorial for consideration should be received by 1 October. Telephone: 01937 582111 Email: [email protected]

• A clean sweep – epos, shop fitting and displays

• One-stop shop – a retailer’s guide to wholesalers

• The best leatherwork – and lorinery

• Allergy attack – feeds and supplements for horses with allergies

DECEMBER ISSUEComing soon in ETN. . .

List your website hereFor more information call 01937 582111

ETN - Equestrian Trade News - October 2011

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Transcript of ETN - Equestrian Trade News - October 2011