Every horse should be a Comfy Horse
It’s funny – so many Comfy Horse customers seem to believe that it was owning a sensitive or flighty horse that inspired me to set up in business. But it wasn’t that way at all.
A true stoic – not reacting but responding
My horse, Guinness, has always been super calm and well-behaved – you might even say stoic. He’s one of the easiest horses I’ve ever known – he never reacts to new equipment. He barely notices if I put tack on the wrong way or if something is rubbing or uncomfortable. He’s an angel!
That doesn’t mean he isn’t responsive to change. Guinness and I know each other so well – the little tell-tale signs are always there – a slight wrinkling of the nose, a momentary frown in the eye, maybe an almost imperceptible slowing down.
Our beautiful animals have a lot to put up with
This got me thinking… I didn’t want to take Guinness’s sweet nature for granted. How could I ensure that my compliant and unflappable friend was as comfortable as he could possibly be? Horses have a lot to put up with. Primarily, they have to carry us! They have to wear all the gear we impose on them – sometimes not as suitable and well-fitting as it should be. Then, we ask them to work in countless different shapes and angles.
Then I’d look at social media, which was awash with complaints from owners – their expensive saddle pad https://www.comfyhorse.co.uk/vip-saddlepad-faqs/ was rubbing, certain products (typically cavesson bridles) weren’t available in the UK, and manufacturers were producing items more for fashion than function.
Around this time, I booked a straightness training clinic with Guinness. This is essentially classical dressage using a cavesson <link to https://www.comfyhorse.co.uk/about-our-cavessons/>, which gently controls precise movements. The idea behind straightness training was to help the horse be more supple, lighter and stronger on the ground before progressing to ridden work.
A gap in the market
But I had a problem. The equipment needed was expensive and not available in the UK. After a little online research, I came across a classical dressage trainer overseas who was selling the same style of cavesson but at a much more affordable price.
‘Maybe this is an opportunity for the UK market,’ I said.
‘Let’s give it a go then,’ he replied. He set me up with a UK trading account – and we were up and running!
Rigorous testing
And so, almost by accident, The Comfy Horse Company was born!
Soon I was researching and stocking a variety of comfortable and beneficial products. Sadly, with Guinness being so delightfully tolerant, he was a rubbish product tester! I asked friends who owned more sensitive horses to try out the products. I even enlisted help from my physio and vet to double-check that these products were appropriate.
There was one product that did annoy Guinness – considerably. This was girths https:www.comfyhorse.co.uk/product-reviews/tapestry-girth-product-reviews/. No sooner had I fastened a girth than he’d pull faces or even swing round. I tried countless different styles before finding one he was prepared to accept!
An expanding range of equine equipment
Here at The Comfy Horse Company, from day one, we’ve maintained our rigorous testing procedures. Every product you order, we’ve tested on numerous horses. As our customer base has grown, so we’ve carried out testing on a wider range of horses.
We’ve expanded our range too – to include saddle fitters, dressage riders, eventers, show jumpers and happy hackers. If we hear any negative reports about a product, we don’t stock it – simple!
Happy Comfy Horses across the UK
I’m proud of the research and testing we do. It’s a fundamental part of the Comfy Horse ethos. We’re to make horses feel good from one day to the next. Knowing that my lovely Guinness and hundreds of other horses around the UK are comfortable gives me peace of mind and makes all our hard work worthwhile.
After all, every horse should be a comfy horse!
Laura x
Take a look at our complete collection https://www.comfyhorse.co.uk/shop/– every item carefully selected to ensure yours is a happy, comfy horse.
Any questions you have about The Comfy Horse Company – get in touch https://www.comfyhorse.co.uk/contact-us/ We’d love to hear from you!