Tuesday, 19 April 2022

Derriere products are an essential on the holiday packing list!

What happened when Derriere Equestrian’s sales, customer care and marketing coordinator Charlotte Goodall took a trip to Romania in her Derrieres?

I’ve always wanted to go on a riding holiday abroad and having previously experienced some of the UK trips offered by The World on Horseback, their organised trip to Romania seemed like a fantastic opportunity. I was not disappointed. Traveling back in time to explore the unspoilt, unfenced bucolic ambience of Transylvania was a truly staggering experience.


Our itinerary consisted of 4 days in the saddle through never-ending countryside, woodland, and traditional villages, passing herds of goats, cows, sheep whilst being cautious of meeting the black bears (thankfully passing fresh prints in the soft ground was as close as we got!) It is safe to say the experience wouldn’t have been the same if it wasn’t for my Derriere Equestrian® underwear!

Averaging about 20km per day, experiencing nothing short of ultimate comfort in the saddle enhanced my ridden experience, both feeling good and looking stylish allowed me to further soak up the sun, relish the beautiful scenery, trusted horses, and charming company. 



Our days included stops at visiting beautiful sights and majestic churches in various local villages.  The food definition of field to fork,  elegantly presented, traditional, organic, and sustainably sourced, every mealtime was a delight, definitely keeping standards as high as the overall riding experience was.

The Derriere Equestrian® Performance Padded Panty combines science with style, scientifically designed for the equestrian sport, eradicating discomfort, and reducing concussion. The use of high quality Italian breathable, bacteriostatic and moisture wicking fabric ensures a feeling of both optimum health, hygiene, and comfort.




The new bespoke Derriere Equestrian Activewear collection pleasantly compliments the equestrian underwear range. They work in harmony together to provide core pieces for your equestrian wardrobe. The technical tops and riding leggings combine high quality, functionality with exceptional comfort. The advanced moisture wicking and temperature regulating properties incorporated into the breathable, quick drying sporting technology fabric encourages high performance whilst providing ultimate comfort and support. The elegant design is flattering to the body and offers a secure yet subtle grip to the saddle. 

I would recommend both the underwear and activewear combination of products as essential to riders of all disciplines.  The Derriere Equestrian Underwear has been designed to eradicate seamlines diminishing the risk of the dreaded VPL. Ensuring discretion and style whilst enabling riders like myself to ride for miles in the saddle with no negative implications.


The World on Horseback provided me with the most mesmerising riding holiday in Transylvania,  the trip assured adventure as well as a feeling of being immersed in culture. Derriere Equestrian® provided me with ultimate confidence and comfort on these rides.


What did the other riders think about riding in their Derrieres? 





 

 


Monday, 11 April 2022

Boosting rider balance and core stabilisation on the lunge

 

Balance and core stabilisation are key for all horse riders; these aspects, essentially two sides of the same coin, not only keep us safely on board, but also allow us to be more explicit with our aids when riding. This can relate to the accuracy of the aid, for example using a leg aid at the spot that the horse responds to, based on its training; but can also relate to the subtly of an aid. For example, a barely-perceptible half halt based on the tautening of the rider’s abdominals and a subtle shift in shoulder position, as opposed to a visible rein aid.

 


Balance is perhaps something we take for granted, if we’re more experienced riders. In the days when we were learning, our balance was probably quite inconsistent, occasionally hitting the sweet spot when the rising trot felt coordinated, or euphorically landing from a jump with the weight flexibly anchored down into our ankles, heels and stirrups.

 

Mutual movement patterns

But as we progress with our riding and the training of our horses, in whatever discipline, we probably take balance for granted – yet we’re always influenced by our own and our horse’s own individual movement patterns. That’s why riding our own horse is like wearing a comfortable piece of clothing – we slip into what we know – and that can include posture that isn’t optimal. For example, an old hindleg injury that our horse has, and protects himself from aggravating, can easily translate into us dropping a shoulder or sitting with our weight too heavily on one seat bone. Often unconsciously!

 


Lovely lungeing

Here we’d like to highlight the importance of lunge lessons to identify our own limitations where symmetry and balance are concerned, and improve core stabilisation. This can be on your own horse, but it can also be revelatory to have a lesson on a different horse, to experience a different movement pattern. (Similarly, a lesson on a mechanical horse can have the same effect of being a wake-up call to our own riding patterns – and these horses have the benefit of being extremely balanced and straight!)

 

So let’s look at the benefits of lunge lessons:

·       They’re great to teach balance and lightness to the rider, or brush up on these skills.

·       Depending on how advanced the rider is, most of these exercises can be done at all three gaits: the walk, trot, and canter.

·       Lunge lessons gives the instructor control over the horse, so the rider can focus on their body, and become more mindful of the process of riding.

·       Additionally, the rider can focus on themselves and their own needs and goals, not ‘training’ the horse, which is often where their attention lies.

·       Lunge lessons with a trainer (or a session with an experienced friend who can lunge you safely) offer a chance to go back to the basics, in order to reinforce a strong foundation of posture and position.

 


Back pain and mobility

Many horse riders experience lower back pain, and working on your balance can actually promote mobility and wellness in this area. Chronic or subacute discomfort in the lower back is often called ‘subacute nonspecific low back pain’ (NSLBP); years of horse riding and falls can cause such discomfort. Studies show that core stabilisation exercise can help reduce pain, improve proprioception (awareness of the position and movement of the body), and even reduce ‘fear of movement’ – that sense that we have to protect a weak spot, in case it is aggravated. Commonly in the saddle, this can show up as the rider maintaining a very contained trot, instead of embracing (and moving comfortably with) a big, bold, forward-going trot; hunching the shoulders to protect a weak area of our back (or to avoid ‘bosom-bounce’, for women – the Derriere Sportief Bra is a boon here); or tucking our tailbone under too much, because extending the lumbar area (e.g. to create a driving sitting trot, for example in a medium trot movement), is uncomfortable.

 

Having lunge lessons therefore helps us face ‘fear of movement’ by encouraging and developing the skill of core stabilisation, for example by doing work without stirrups in a safe environment.

 

What to wear

When you’re training, consider the Derriere Equestrian range, designed for both men and women. The Derriere Equestrian Treviso Training breeches for example are great breeches to consider. They’re designed to promote optimal comfort and performance, and work in harmony with the Derriere undergarments, ensuring all fabric surfaces come together in a symbiosis that completely eliminates chaffing, abrasions and discomfort! The material content is a comfy mix of cotton, microfibre and elastane.

 


Talking of undergarments, remember to equip yourself with some comfy, supportive riding underwear. For ultimate comfort in the saddle, so you’re not thinking about discomfort when trying to hone your balance and stabilisation, try the Derriere Equestrian Performance Padded Panty, which is designed to eradicate seamlines visible through breeches and ensure no rubbing, chaffing or abrasions are created. Incorporating the Derriere Equestrian Padded Support System (DEPSS), the garments protect the perineal area (the bit between the pubic arch and the tail bone), from discomfort, and also prevent rubbing, due to innovative stitched seams. In particular, if you’re a male rider taking lunge lessons, you may find that having subtle, extra padding in your undergarments improves your intuitive riding, as you may not ‘brace’ to protect yourself in terms of ‘fear of movement’, and can instead go with the horse’s movement more naturally.




Find out more at www.derriereequestrian.com

Monday, 21 March 2022

Tackling transitions by Derriere Equestrian ambassador Erin Orford

Walk to trot transitions sound so simple, but it is so important to get the foundations right, and these basics must come before all else if you are to progress up the ladder as a successful partnership with your horse! Many horses rush the upward transition, and can hollow out in the downward transition; both should be performed consistently if you want to achieve good marks in a test. The horse shouldn’t anticipate the next move, e.g. you would lose valuable marks in a dressage competition if going from a free walk on a long rein into a rushed jog, rather than a medium walk! 

When schooling, try to establish a soft medium walk; forward but not too fast or rushed! The horse should not lean on you, but should be working into the reins and accepting of the contact - this is your communication line. ‘Sponging’ the reins with your fingers can be used to encourage them to soften rather than pulling or using the reins for your own balance. The horse should keep the momentum going without you having to nag with the leg but you should also be able to use it to influence their body without them blocking against it or rushing forward so they stay between the leg and the rein. (If you use your schooling whip as an adapted leg aid, be sure to use it to back up the softening rein aid, to encourage forward movement.)
Handy halts 
Once you have established a nice walk, as an exercise, ask for a good, square halt. Use your body as a half-halt to shorten the steps, whilst still riding forwards into the halt. One of the most common errors I see is riders stopping from the rein and taking the leg pressure completely off, which would encourage the horse to fall into the halt, and to lean on you. Ride forwards into any transition to keep the horse stepping under and pushing forwards and upwards into the transition, rather than doing it front to back from the rein, resulting in the hind legs being left behind.

The preparation for the halt is the most important part of getting a good halt, so check the horse’s balance and straightness (e.g. are they falling one way or another?), as if they’re crooked and falling one way going into it, this will be how they halt. You should be able to prepare for the halt without the horse anticipating it, so in training, only ask them to actually halt when you have them in the right place during the steps before it. They should step forwards into the halt, and stand in a nice balance, ready to push forwards out of the halt. If they leave a leg behind, always correct them by stepping forwards, rather than backwards. 





Walk-trot transitions 
For a nice upward walk-trot transition, the horse must be walking for himself, so that you can give a light aid to ask them to move up into trot. If you’re having to nag them in the walk, you’re going to have to make even more effort to move up into trot, so think about how much effort you’re having to put in, compared to your horse! Give a light aid and then if they don’t respond, back it up with a quicker leg aid, making sure to reward them when you get the response you want. As in the walk, the horse should trot for themselves without you needing to constantly remind them, so if you have a lazy horse that relies on the leg, your goal is to be able to use less leg, and for them to keep trotting. If you have a hot or sharp horse that runs away from the leg, your goal is to be able to keep your leg on their side a bit more (almost hugging), without them running away from it. You can use your body weight by moving your shoulders slightly forwards (marginally!), to ask for them to move forwards, and by sitting up a bit more, to ask them to wait. 


Trouble shooting 
To check if your horse is truly on the aids, you can set yourself markers to trot or walk at, and then you can see how long it takes your horse to respond, as in a dressage test, you need to have the control to be able to perform a movement or transition right on the marker. You can do transitions both on and off the track to check you have control of their body before during and after the transition, and notice any changes during this. It’s also worth checking your own rider balance and position; it’s easiest for the horse to carry us when we’re in balance, and they want to be directly under our weight. So, if we’re moving all over the place, it makes it more difficult for them to be straight! Once you are able to do these transitions effectively, you can also add in transitions within the pace by riding forwards and then collecting the trot a little, and then forwards again. This will also help to develop the expression within the trot, and allow you to play with the gears; but make sure to start with small changes within the gears before building this up, so that the horse stays soft and supple over the back! 


Downward transitions 
To gain a pleasing downward trot-walk transition, you should go into sitting trot, maintain your forward energy and use your body to ask the horse to start to sit and shorten the trot steps to help their balance, going into the walk. If you need to, you can use the outside rein to give a half halt, but make sure to give it straight after, so that you don’t rely on it to slow down, and you’re not pulling the horse into walk. If they are bracing going into the transition, try to play with slowing the trot down within your trot work, whilst keeping the softness, so that you can keep them in a good balance, and soft during the preparation of the transition. This will allow you to ride forwards into the transition, rather than using the rein to pull them backwards into it. Over time and repetition, this will improve and your horse will get stronger within this, so that he can maintain a good balance and outline throughout. 





What to wear 
When you’re training, the Derriere Equestrian Treviso Training breeches are great breeches to consider. They’re designed to promote optimal comfort and performance, and work in harmony with the Derriere undergarments, ensuring all fabric surfaces come together in a symbiosis that completely eliminates chaffing, abrasions and discomfort! The material content is a comfy mix of cotton, microfibre and elastane. 
All about Erin Orford Derriere Equestrian sponsored rider Erin Orford is one of Britain’s most determined and inspirational dressage riders. A qualified UKCC Level 2 Dressage coach, Erin has her sights set on the Paris 2024 Paralympics and beyond. Visit - www.erinorforddressage.com



Friday, 20 August 2021

Only the Breast for our DE Sportief Bra

 Why our hybrid sports bra, the Sportief, is the go-to bra for comfort and performance when riding

A recent study on breast support during exercise (ref 1) has found that poor bra fit is unfortunately common, with approximately 85% of women reported to be wearing ill-fitting bras. This has been attributed to three primary factors: a lack of knowledge among women regarding both the need for proper breast support during physical activity and how a bra should fit; poor standardisation of bra sizing by many bra manufacturers; and inadequate bra designs. (With our beautiful Sportief bra, we are hopefully alleviating such issues! We’re helping to spread the word about the need for proper breast support, have a comprehensive range of sizes with clear size guides, and have created what we believe to be the ultimate sports bra. The Sportief is a fashion-focussed product that ticks every functional sports bra box as well, for the ultimate in comfort and support, when riding).


 

Jog on

Demand for sport-specific bras began in the 1970s, after the United States introduced legislation that prohibited sexual discrimination in sport; sports medicine research followed, which identified that breast pain during exercise could be very problematic for women, and could impede their sporting prowess. The first bra designed specifically to support a woman's breasts during running is thought to have been developed in 1977, when a costume designer sewed two jock straps (very supportive male groin protection garments!) together for an avid female runner, to form the prototype ‘Jogbra’ (Ref 2).

Since the earliest research investigating breast motion, numerous biomechanical studies have confirmed that running and jumping (research that also translates well to horse riding, with its vertical forces when trotting) results in such degrees of breast movement that a female’s ability to move her upper limbs and flex her torso can be affected, if external breast support is not worn.

 

Unhappy-slappy

The total amount of breast movement during physical activity is a combination of how much the breasts are ‘displaced’ and the number of times they bounce. (The wince-inducing term ‘breast slap’ is often used.) Most sports bras have traditionally been designed to minimise the amount of breast displacement via compression (effectively compressing them down), or encapsulation (encasing each breast in a separate, structured cup.)

However, sports bras that reduce breast displacement purely via compression have been perceived to be the most uncomfortable to wear. Encapsulation bras are often not the most attractive. Hence, hybrid bras like our Sportief have been developed, to offer both benefits.

 




Sports bras for horse riding

Rather than just minimising breast displacement, well-designed hybrid sports bras like ours can reduce exercise-induced breast discomfort by simultaneously elevating and compressing the breasts. Elevating the breasts can reduce tension and loading of the anatomical breast support structures, the overlying skin, and also the Cooper's ligaments. A compressive element decreases what’s called ‘flexion torque’, the lateral and rotational movement generated by the breasts. (Just take sitting trot without an adequate sports bra, and you will fully understand the term!)

The DerriereEquestrian Sportief bra for riding has a racer back, padded support, and a clever front opening, offering breast compression as well as a shaping and an encapsulation effect, for more of a ‘comfort’ fit. This bra is so attractive, you can easily wear it at the gym or exercise class, and feel confident as well as supported. The material and structure in the Sportief cupping system seam is designed to lift, separate, shape and support the breasts, which in turn leaves the rider’s shoulders and upper back more comfortable and in a healthier, ‘open’ posture, as opposed to more ‘closed’ and protective. It’s the perfect garment to take your mind of your ‘breast bounce’, and concentrate on your riding.


 

To summarise, the Sportief sports bra is designed to provide additional support during horse riding and exercise, minimise breast movement, alleviate discomfort and reduce potential chest ligament damage. It comes in seven bra sizes, which covers fourteen to eighteen common bra specifications. We are sure you will not look back once you have tried it! It’s a garment we’re super proud of, and our customer feedback corroborates this.

 


Visit derriereequestrian.com to check out the Sportief sports bra from Derriere Equestrian.

 

Ref 1 - Biomechanics of Breast Support for Active Women; McGhee, Deirdre E.; Steele, Julie R.Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews: July 2020 - Volume 48 - Issue 3 - p 99-109.

 

Ref 2 - Schuster K. Equipment update: jogging bras hit the streets. Phys. Sportsmed. 1979; 7(4):125–8.

Wednesday, 18 August 2021

Antoine Nowakowski – top tips for an effective warm up and cool down


Continuing our recent series of ‘how to’ articles from leading riders, leading dressage competitor and trainer and Derriere ambassador, Frenchman Antoine Nowakowski, shares with us his suggestions for the warm up and cool down stages of flatwork training.

 


Warm up

Let’s think about what are the practical reasons behind warming up? This phase prepares the horse’s muscles and tissues for work, and can also have a psychological aspect, in terms of preparing the horse mentally. Each horse’s warm up and cool down programme should be tailored to its level of fitness and discipline. Generally speaking, the warm up period is a phase of gentle exercise that stimulates the muscles to safely contract by increasing blood flow; allows synovial joint fluid to lubricate the joints; helps prevent lactic acid build-up by stimulating the circulatory system; and prevents injury caused by strain to tissues, such as tendons and ligaments. Generally I find that horses work best when given around twenty minutes of initial slow work, especially in walk, before they are asked to perform anything taxing.

 

Warming up and cooling down is fundamental to training! If you are not effective in your warm up, you will be building on tight muscles. The primary purpose of this stage for me is to get blood to the horse’s surface muscles, and warm them up. My golden rule is, never stretch cold muscles; stretching longitudally and laterally comes afterwards, when the muscles are more supple. After this happens, the next stage is to get the horse responding to my aids.

 

 

Non-mounted warm up

Ground work can be very beneficial to a horse’s exercise programme. In colder weather you can walk the horse in-hand in the arena for five to ten minutes before mounting. This allows the horse to physically warm up and get used to its surroundings. I would advise only mounting when your horse has relaxed sufficiently. Other ground-based warm-ups include lungeing and long reining, which can help a horse to supple up through his body, begin working from behind and stretch down into a relaxed frame.

 

Mounted warm up

An important piece of advice is not to neglect the walk in your mounted warm up, especially if you have not done any ground work first. A useful show warm up is often lots of walking - straight lines and lateral work. This relaxes the horse and prepares them for the subsequent work. Warm up is key, as horses working and competing at high levels need to be physically and mentally able to meet the demands of competition.

 

Cool down

A cooling down period is also vital! At the end of a flatwork session, you could do around five minutes’ worth of ‘long and low’ work, keeping the horse’s concentration by putting in lots of transitions. You can then walk on a loose rein for up to five minutes, or even take him for a walk outside the arena, to cool off.

 


Comfort and performance

Antoine is French vice-national champion in the 7-year-old division, and recently won the Inter II at the CDI Deauville event in France with Quatergirl, in the pair’s second ever international competition, culminating in their first victory at this level. “If you are a big fan of flatwork training, as I am, then you need to be comfortable in the saddle. I like Derriere riding underwear. Remember that when the rider is comfortable within the saddle, they can move more easily with the horse’s gait. Comfortable underwear and breeches are a must and the Derriere Equestrian range is designed for both men and women; it’s hard to find great riding underwear for men, but I find these products excel at their job, offering exceptional comfort and performance,” he says.


Friday, 25 June 2021

Do you know the half of it?

By Andrew Stennett

I know from our pupils and students that the term ‘half halt’ conjures up all kinds of confusion! So what exactly is this mysterious riding term? Essentially, it is the ability to shorten one stride of the horse’s gait, be it in walk, trot or canter, and is a very useful skill to acquire for riders in all disciplines. It can slow you down, re-balance you, prepare you for your next move in dressage, and set you up for the right stride when jumping. Here are some tips you may find useful:

Starting from scratch:

With either a new combination or a young or inexperienced horse, begin with halting in an arena at a certain letter, and ensure that your body is in line with that letter. You need to be able to do this to perfection each and every time it is asked for, wherever and whenever you please. As you ask for halt, you should slightly ‘grow taller’ with your upper body, using body language to explain your instructions to the horse. Once this move is well established, you can use the same technique, but as the horse responds to your commands by coming back and listening, keep your lower leg on to support, so that you actually maintain the walk. Continue the education until you can do this at will, on either rein and at whichever place in the arena you choose, whether it be on or off the track.

horse walking, horses, horse riding,


Moving on:

Repeat the same exercise in trot, asking for walk for a half stride, then pushing back up into trot. Eventually you will be able to merely slow the trot and not drop back into walk. Once this is established, you are ready to repeat the task in canter. If well trained enough, your horse should respond just from your upper body aids.

Applications:

When training in an arena use your half halt before a turn, circle or change of rein, to help re-balance and set up your horse for a new movement. This will improve your chances of smoother, well controlled actions. Practise your half halt between two poles on the ground with at least five or six trot or canter strides between them. Use it also before a series of trotting poles, again to set him up and make him use himself to the best of his ability. Some horses will benefit most from half halts on the turn before the exercise, and others on the straight line approach – there is no right or wrong way; use trial and error as to what works the best for your combination.


half halt, horse riding, dressage training,


Jumping:

The half halt is invaluable in a showjumping or cross country event, as it is vital to get the right take off point before a jump. Should your horse be a little too enthusiastic, this skill can be applied either on the turn before a fence, or if you have a long run up, on the straight setting him up properly for his jumping effort. Should he land on his forehand, use your half halt to re-balance him.

Horses tend to get a little quicker towards the end of a dressage test or a jumping event, and this is where the half halt becomes invaluable, to help maintain a level head, for both horse and rider.

 

Andrew Stennett is a registered instructor, NVQ/UKCC Assessor & Verifier. He is a Qualified Teacher of further Education specialising in Equestrian Learning and Development, and is a British Equestrian Federation Elite Recreational Coach. Andrew is a fan of Derriere Equestrian products, telling us they make a big difference to his riding. “Derrieres enabled me to get back riding in comfort after a break, and they are helping me compete at the same level as in my youth,” he says.

When you’re training and perfecting your half halts, the Derriere Equestrian Treviso Training breeches are great breeches to consider. They’re designed to promote optimal comfort and performance and work in harmony with the Derriere undergarments, ensuring all fabric surfaces come together in a symbiosis that completely eliminates chaffing, abrasions and discomfort!

Andrew offers group and private lessons from his base at Grove House Stables in Misterton, Nottinghamshire, as well as Covid-safe clinics and competitive events. Visit www.grovehousestables.co.uk. The team hosts BHS Pony Stars Junior Challenge Awards throughout the year, helping under 12s to discover, develop and nurture their love for ponies and the outdoors. “It ignites a passion for ponies, builds knowledge and cements friendships that will last a lifetime,” Andrew says. Visit Facebook for info.

The Derriere Equestrian range can viewed online at www.derriereequestrian.com 


Thursday, 3 June 2021

Catching up with Bex Mason

We find showjumper Bex Mason in a positive frame of mind, as she updates us on her horses’ plans, and embraces the power of flexing your goals!

It has been a hectic period, as sadly my top rides Vancurtis, Pure Pleasure and Korenosa are all out of action with injury, at the moment.


Bex Mason & Vancurtis, show jumpers, horses, horse riding

It’s changed our plans dramatically – I do tend to build my competitive schedule for the year based around the more experienced horses – I can then pop the young horses’ weekday training shows in the schedule around the older ones’ events. 

But the injuries have thrown spanner in the works! This is horses, though – and I have been so lucky not to have experienced a great deal of injury issues in the years I have been competing. Luckily these are not old horses, and the time off gives them a chance to heal, iron out any other niggles or physical issues, and grow into themselves, at least in the case of Korenosa.

show jumpers, horses, horse riding, bex mason, showjumper


Finding the positives

I am finding the positives, and am excited to be concentrating on the younger ones.

For example, we went to Bicton Arena recently, and took four youngsters. I went with the goal of just jumping some clears, but each horse was competitive, with all of them placed most days. It is only a few years away until the youngsters are out jumping bigger things. I like to keep looking onwards and upwards!

A big goal for me was to jump a world ranking class, and even with the altered schedules, I still like to work backwards – I am being flexible with my goals, but still with an eye on working backwards from a big event when the horses are sound again, so consistently jumping 1.40’s in a big arena. 

My main goal for now is to continue progressing the youngsters quietly, and aim for British Novice and Discovery second rounds – it’s nice for them to get experience at different arenas. Because I want to ideally keep the youngsters that I produce, I am looking into syndication. I do have half shares in Vancurtis, Pure Pleasure and Korenosa, and having syndicated owners would help with our running costs! The syndication model is quite new for us, but I think it has many benefits for the owners and the rider, who gets to keep the ride on a horse they’ve invested time in.

 

show jumpers, horses, horse riding, bex mason,

Busy business plans

I am also developing a busines plan for the stables – I need my arena extended! We have been here for ten years, and it’s time for an upgrade. And I am currently focussing more on teaching and developing my clinics. I got more into teaching during the 2020 lockdown, and I love it – I like seeing client’s results and progress. It’s very rewarding, and I like to give something back and serve people. I have lots of projects I can get on with now that I have a little more time – I have over thirty training videos to edit and do voice overs for! There’s so many more elements to doing what I do, in addition to ‘just riding’, which makes it a really interesting profession.


show jumpers, horses, horse riding, show jumping, bex mason,

Powerful positivity

I think it’s important to be positive and live in the moment. It’s a mindset that serves me well. I listen to a lot of self growth podcasts, and like to maintain a good mental wellness routine. I for example start the day with gratitude affirmations, meditation, some body stretching, and some crazy music to get me into a positive emotional state. When I got particularly busy, I neglected this regime, and I could feel the negative results of it – I am back into it after a pause now though, and find that keeping on top of mental wellbeing is really the key to so many things – not least when it comes to dealing with setbacks and horsey challenges!

Bex has worked for many years breaking in horses and competing at an international level and specialises in producing competition horses. “I find myself expressing love for my Derrieres daily,” Bex says of the underwear range. “I openly discuss the results and versatility of the products, whether it’s to customers at my yard, or fellow competitors at shows; I don’t even realise I’m doing it - these pants change riders’ lives!”

Please keep an eye on Bex's social pages for details of forthcoming clinics - Insta: @bexmasonsj 

www.facebook.com/bexmasonsj


Shop the Derriere Equestrian underwear range today:
www.derriereequestrian.com