Our first product to launch was the Equihandee Harness, I launched this for the safety of my own daughter Matilda.
As a parent you always want your child to be safe and whilst Matilda was young and sitting on ponies I really struggled to hold her securely. I would pop an extra jacket on her so I had something to hold onto, but this wasn’t safe enough for me. It also meant my body was positioned in 2 different direction, my top half was pointing towards Matilda and my bottom half forward as I tried to walk and hold her in this very awkward position.
The Equihandee Harness was born. This fabulous little harness meant I could hold onto Matilda securely without being a contortionist. Equihandee is UK Manufactured and weight tested by a Blue Chip Safety Harness Company accredited to ISO9001 so you can be assured Equihandee is of high quality.
The Equihandee Harness is fully adjustable and fits a 2 year old up to a 10 year old, this is based on the measurements of the average child. The harness is available in 2 different colours, the very bright yellow, this acts as a Hi Viz and a very stylish black. I did look into materials with ponies on etc but this would have compromised the safety aspect of the harness, this wasn’t something I was prepared to do.
The Equihandee Harness alleviates the need for a second helper whilst your child rides, Equihandee has been designed so you can walk next to your child holding the handle of the Harness and the lead rope attached to your pony. This also allows the child to feel completely independent, as if you have let them go and they are doing it all by themselves, this in turn gives your child confidence in the saddle, it also allows them to build core strength and does not interfere with their personal space. The handle has been designed to site snuggly in your hand and won’t cut or burn if grabbed at speed. To top all of this Equihandee gives the parents, instructors or equine riding assistant’s peace of mind our children are safe.
Equihandee Freedom
As Horses and ponies are used widely for therapy for children with disabilities and special needs I want to ensure all riders can also experience the feeling of safety whilst in the saddle. A chance conversation with a lovely lady who works with children with Autism uses riding as therapy, this lady had the same safety concerns we all do for our children. She asked if I could create a harness for children who are sensitive to touch, this wasn’t something I had any experience in but soon learnt what I needed to create, and Equihandee Freedom was born.
Equihandee Freedom has all the same safety aspects as the original harness but I have incorporated a very comfortable neoprene jacket that sits against the body under the harness which alleviates the pressures the riders experience with Autism/Sensory Needs. The Freedom fits a 4 year old to a 12 year old and the harness comes in a vibrant Red colour.
We are currently working on a third product, this product came about from a family who visited us on our trade stand at a show. Their daughter was not able to site up unaided due to her disability. We did sit her on a pony and her little face lit up, I knew I had to create something for children like this little girl so she too could enjoy riding like any other child. The joy she experienced was tremendous whilst she sat on a pony, I will never forget her happy smiling face.
