The Importance of Performance Wear

The equestrian world is a pretty wonderful world to be a part of. It’s full of amazing, generous and intelligent people who share the same passionate lifestyle that revolves around a wonderful, unique species

This lifestyle that we live and breathe has evolved over the years but our love for our horses never changes. We are like no other athletes because we share the ring with our best friends, communicate with a partner who doesn’t speak our language and trust something ten times our size with our life. 

However, there is no question that the well-being of our horses always come first, and the innovation in the equestrian world really is mind-blowing. We have seen brands like WOW and Fairfax change the way we think about saddles, Ice-Vibe boots give us a whole new level of aftercare for our horses legs and companies like Eqclusive who have even changed the way we groom! Our horses are without a doubt are the most comfortable they have ever been and are getting the best care they have ever received.  

But what about the rider? During the 2016 Olympics we all tweeted the hashtag #TwoHearts because there are two athletes in partnership out there on the track. To ensure the horses are safe and performing well, the riders on board need to be 100% concentrating and riding to the best of their ability.

 Sweaty, overheating riders are more likely to make mistakes; when your body temperature starts to increase, the blood flow to the skin increases and puts strain on the heart. Overheating can also cause dehydration, headaches, agitation and even confusion, none of which are ideal when you are galloping at 25mph around a cross-country course. A comfortable rider rides more effectively, makes less mistakes is much more likely to bring their horse home safe and happy.

 I created Apt Cavalier because I think rider comfort and safety is absolutely paramount to the progress of our sport. Other sports such as running and cycling have been using technical fabrics and designs that aid performance and radiate innovation for years now and we want to translate that into the equestrian world.

Take our Performance Skin for example; I originally designed this top to solve the problems I had on the cross-country course.  I was sick of finishing my round sweaty, red and uncomfortable so I wanted to create a Skin that would ensure I finished feeling fresh and would be able to focus first and foremost on caring for my horse rather than running off to the lorry to rip off my body protector and top. 

With this the AC Performance Skin was born; a silky compression top that boosts microcirculation, encourages the flow of oxygen to muscles and transfers perspiration away from the skin. It is also highly breathable, pilling resistant repels oils and stains and is UV protective and has received amazing reviews from riders up to 4* level, all of whom couldn’t believe the difference a simple item of clothing could make to their comfort and performance.

So, there you have it, looking after ourselves is just as important as looking after our horses because just like them, we are athletes. So, eat clean, get plenty of sleep, hit the gym and invest in equipment and clothing which is going to help you perform to the best of your ability- once you do, we guarantee you that you won’t want to ride in anything else.

Sarah 

Photos by Dave Cameron Photography