31 Day Social Media Challenge Day 8 - Topical Tuesday

Day 8: What do you think about choosing the right saddle cloths, what is most important 1) comfort, 2) style or 3) matching your other accessories? Do you think cheap imports are to blame for companies like Nuumed having to close?

 When choosing my saddle clothes I always go for a brand that I can trust to have manufactured a good quality product that will last for years, which has been designed with the horses' comfort in mind. I then pick a colour or style that I like, which normally matches my other accessories. But for me, comfort and great quality will ALWAYS come first. I’ve seen so many articles and Facebook posts recently condemning everyone who enjoys matchy matchy, but being matchy never hurt anyone... 🙄 I personally don’t get the "lets own 200 pairs of shoes and hand bags" thing but I’d certainly never go and insult those that are happy collecting shoes and hand bags. Yes it might frivolous and trivial, but I love it and I prefer to have my horses looking smart in their new sets with me in matching clothes.

 Do I think cheap imports are to blame for companies like Nuumed having to close? I'm going to go against the majority right now and most of the British equestrian public and say no, cheap imports weren't the reason why NuuMed had to close. Yes it is a BIG shame whenever a company goes bust however, if you look back on what products NuuMed brought out, to me it looks like their business plan hadn't been updated since a decade ago and they weren't utilising social media like the newer brands are. I agree with a part of their statement: "NuuMed’s business model simply does not work when faced with the challenges of trading in what is now a very flooded saddle pad marketplace". So no I don't think it was cheap imports, I think it was NuuMed not reacting to the changes in marketing, not realising the power of social media and being too traditional in their products by not bringing out products that catered to younger generations who are willing to buy brighter coloured, bigger patterned saddle pads. I've seen many comments like "I guess fashion has won over horse comfort...", "the fads for matchy matchy badly made imported rubbish will come and go but quality products will always last and have a place in the market". Nope. I 100% care about my horses' comfort and will only buy pads that are perfectly designed for their comfort. And no, they are not 'badly made rubbish' either, I have seen 15+ year old Eskadron pads that are still in good shape, so in no way shape or form is it rubbish or badly made. Yes there is a very flooded market for saddle pads and other products, but successful brands with good marketing plans can survive it! 🤗