Staying busy to stay sane in uncertain times!
In this quite extraordinary time we find ourselves in, life feels rather unsettling doesn’t it? Social interaction is very important for most of us, so to be shut away (especially when the weather is finally playing ball!) is quite unnatural. Whilst many of those who work in the farming, equestrian or rural sectors are still able to go to work, others are stuck in their houses for nearly all of the day.
We’ve seen lots of debates on social media about what the lockdown means for horse owners. Aside from the necessary trips to care for horses, lots of them centre around whether riding is a chance to get some much needed freedom and fresh air (using our one exercise outing of the day!) or a risky activity that carries a higher likelihood of having to use the services of the NHS when they are already under so much pressure. For now, that decision is with each individual horse owner, which is probably about right!
Here at Elevator Equestrian, we think that there are three things you can bear in mind to ensure that you come out the other side of lockdowns and social distancing happy and healthy, ready to focus energy on getting back to normal.
- Firstly, this will end.
- Secondly, stay busy to stay sane
- And thirdly, support small British businesses where you can!
Elevator Equestrian’s Jo has certainly been busy using the time to research and design new bridles for the brand. As you would expect from a business that is entirely built around crafting tack that put the horse’s comfort first, that has meant spending lots of time with her horses! Jo takes all the time she needs to carefully watch her horses to see how they react to different types of tack and the pressure it puts on their bodies. She also takes intricate measurements to ensure a full understanding of the biomechanics at play. This learning then goes into the design of everything that Elevator creates.
Elevator’s product range includes bridles (where it all started for the brand, which you can read about here), girths, headcollars, reins, stirrup leathers and bridle parts. The leatherwork is all crafted in the UK (in Walsall, to be precise) from the finest quality English leather. This is carefully worked to ensure it is soft and supple, before being cut and stitched into the Elevator designs.
If you find yourself with a little more time to spare around your horses than you have ever had before, why not take Jo’s approach? Observe their behaviour before and during tacking them up. Think about the way they respond to pressure from tack and perhaps take time to audit the tack you have and play with what works best! It could make all the difference once we’re able to get back out there and enjoy life once again. And, if you’re stuck in your house with a little too much time on your hands, why not click here to explore the different Elevator products that have been so carefully designed to allow a horse to move freely whilst wearing them!