Meet Emma: Our EVERYday Brand Ambassador for Affordable Equestrian Gear

For over a year, Emma has been the face of our EVERYday Collection, helping equestrians find quality gear at budget-friendly prices. It's about time we gave her a proper introduction! Emma owns several horses and juggles two jobs to cover the ever-rising costs of horse care. She knows first-hand the struggle of unexpected vet bills and the endless cycle of hay and feed expenses, especially through the winter. 

Like so many riders, she understands the financial challenges of equestrian life, which is why she’s the perfect ambassador for Country & Stable’s EVERYday Collection. Head over and follow Emma - @adventures_ofabaldequestrian - to see what products she has tested so far.

EVERYday Collection: Affordable equestrian supplies, for every day horse riders

We’ve gathered all your affordable equestrian essentials in one place to make shopping for you and your horse easier - and cheaper. Keep reading for Emma’s top money-saving tips and her go-to affordable horse supplies!

Meet Emma, our EVERYday Ambassador

Hit us up with 3 words you would use to describe yourself? 

So I asked my Mum this question, and I'm not sure I can write this down! ? Gosh, its hard to describe yourself isn't it! I would say, loyal, determined and an occasional worry wart!

How old were you when you began horse riding and tell us a bit about your horses? 

I was on the back of Ponies before I could walk! I'm very lucky to say that I've never known life without horses, and I've been even more lucky that the horses have been at home since I was around 7 years old. We don't have any fancy facilities (though my Dad built a fabulous stable block 10 years ago), and I didn't have any form of transport until 2019. Just muddy fields and a love for my hobby. 

I had a brief sabbatical from my hobby when I was training to become Vet Nurse in 2014. I currently have 3 horses of my own, Poppy, a 27 year old Welsh Section A Mare (my first ever pony!) as well as Prince a 14.3hh Asthmatic Cob and Charlie, a very 'typical' Welsh Section D if you know what I mean ?

What is the one task you dread doing? How do you tackle this? 

I hate doing hay nets! As I share the yard with my mum, we take on each others dreaded tasks to make things more bearable. Mum hates filling and moving water buckets as it agitates her back so we swap! If I ever have to do the yard myself, I'll prepare the hay in the steamers the night before and fill as many haynets as possible so then it makes my life easier the next day.

What are your top tips for looking after your horses on a budget?

Plan Plan and Plan! I'm not necessary talking about your next lesson or competition, but I plan for example when I'll be having my rugs washed/reproofed and how I can spilt the amount I'm sending throughout the year to make things more cost friendly for myself. 

There are 6 horses between Mum and I, so we also tend to club together and try to buy things in bulk to again spread the costings. I also HATE paying full price for anything - I like to get the most out of what I'm spending, so I have a list of discount codes that I will try in order to save pennies! My Grandma always said to me, 'Pennies make pounds, pounds make notes, and the notes look after themselves', and its always something I've remembered.

Name 3 must-have bits of horse equipment when keeping your horse DIY?

1. A whiteboard! This is my tack room bible! I have all my horses important information on there to include farrier visits, worming program, vet visits, dentist, vaccination status and more! I also update my weekly schedule so I can plan for each week as it comes. It's brilliant for Mum and I as we both know what the other is up to. 
2. My 2^nd bit of equipment is kettle on the yard that is pre-filled! Great for thawing out frozen taps, creating hot mashes or even making yourself a cuppa after a morning of yard chores ? 
3. I'd also be lost without decent yard tools - if you don't have the correct tools for the job, then it just makes the job 10x harder!

In your opinion, what do you think is the best budget equestrian clothing?

Aubrion! My wardrobe is full of base layers, outerwear and even socks! They last a long time, wash well (can you tell I'm over 30?!), and look much more expensive than they are.

What are the best affordable equestrian brands and why?

I love the Whole Shires umbrella (Aubrion/Velocti etc), as I find the quality of the products excellent and the price point is perfect for my bank balance! Toggi is also a brand I find myself leaning towards, which I think comes from the influence of my Mum. She wouldn't be seen without something Toggi back in the late 90's and I think that has rubbed off on me. Testament to the brand, she still has some 'original' Toggi items now!

Equestrian Items you can't live without?

• A Leather head collar; I only every use a leather headcollar from a safety point of view when tying up, travelling etc. 
• A headband to keep my ears warm! I wear wigs everyday, so it's already like wearing a hat, but find my ears get cold. A headband is the perfect 'in-between'. 
• Finally I absolutely can not ride with gloves! Come rain or shine I'll be wearing them - I try my best to find a glove that I can use for both yard work and riding as I'm not particularly organised in swapping and changing.

Top rated products? / Your favourite EVERYday item?

I can not go anywhere without the Carr & Day & Martin tack cleaning wipes! I have a pack in my truck as well as my tack room. I HATE tack cleaning, but these make it super easy and quick, and are perfect for those little touch ups on competition days. I actually clean my tack more often now because of these wipes. Team it with the CDM Belvoir conditioning balm (which comes with a perfect size sponge) and I’m away! No more dirty tack for me! 

Also cannot live without my Toggi Barnsdale Wellies! They are now in their second winter with me and are as good as the day I got them! I hate cold feet and they keep me toasty warm - no more doubling up on socks for me!

What equestrian items would you happily splurge on rather than save? 

Safety wear - Body Protectors/Riding helmets/air Jackets. I personally don't feel like I can save on this one. Don't get me wrong, I always have a budget in mind, but if its in my best interest to splurge, then I do. Whenever I'm jumping you wont see me without a body protector or Air Jacket on!

What do you enjoy most about working with Country & Stable and their EVERYday selection? 

The team at Country & Stable are great and really understand that there are many of us EVERYday equestrians out there! I for one have definitely felt the pinch when it comes to horse ownership in recent years and its great that Country & Stable have developed a dedicated and vast selection of products all in one place. I don't always have time to be searching the internet aimlessly for hours in the hope of finding affordable and good quality products, and it's great that Country & Stable have done the hard work for us! 

I love that the products really have been tested by real people (I've been lucky to test some of them myself), and as well as being interested in the feedback I provide, they really are in my corner and that of their customers too. I feel very lucky to be an EVERYday Brand Ambassador, and I am very proud to be a part of team of genuine people who really do have you and your animal's best interests at heart.

Finally, do you have any top money saving hacks for equestrians? 

Double check that you're not potentially paying for things twice without realising. My Vets for example offer a 'package' which includes a yearly dental check and rasp, vaccination, Worm egg count and any necessary wormers. This is cheaper per year than paying for everything individually. Of course this may not be suitable for everyone though. 

I always keep baler twine on hand too. If the string goes on hay nets, I use baler twine to replace it rather than throwing the whole net away. I also try and buy items from previous seasons. So for example, I usually buy fly rugs from the summer sale and keep them aside ready for the summer after. 

As lovely as it is to keep up to date with the latest trends, I don't think my horses are that concerned and I have a few extra pennies saved for when I really need them!

Find all your equestrian supplies online at Country & Stable

Explore a wide range of essentials for you and your horse today. Don't forget to check out the EVERYday Collection for affordable equestrian gear and rider wear for combine quality and value.