Travellers are still at risk on flights as compression socks are being worn incorrectly. But what if our compression leggings could do the same job as compression socks by reducing the risk of DVT AND help ensure you're wearing them correctly by becoming part of your #airportoutfit?
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As international travel becomes more and more common place, the topic of risk during flights has become more prominent. As we all know, due to the changes in pressure and of course lack of movement, travellers can put themselves at risk of blood clots however, to combat this, compression socks are normally worn. But what about compression leggings? Could your Vivendi compression leggings that you wear to ride in, run in and hit the gym in, now become your new #airportoutfitinspo?
Sitting on an airplane seat for a prolonged period of time, naturally increases anyone’s risk of DVT. Lack of movement, cabin pressure reductions and dehydration come together to create the perfect environment for deep vein thrombosis.
DVT, when a blood clot develops within the leg and subsequently travels to another area of the body ie lungs, can be deadly up to 8 weeks following a flight. Symptoms range from swelling to tender and painful legs as well as fever and discolouration.
Due to the great risk of DVT, especially on long haul flights, doctors recommend that people where compression socks however today we’re looking at compression leggings and how these could actually be more beneficial than socks. Why?
Doctors are now warning travellers that they could actually be putting themselves at heightened risk by wearing their compression socks wrong. All too often, travellers leave it until the last minute to put their compression socks on however in doing so, it makes them far less effective.
Doctors are actually suggesting that compression socks should be put on much earlier in the day. This is due to it being the time when legs are less swollen. This helps your body to adapt to the compression over time, before the flight itself. Another big error that people make time and time again is taking the socks off as soon as they disembark their flight. Another major error according to Dr Marc Shaw of Worldwide Travel Clinics. By removing compression socks to soon after your flight, you’re not allowing your body to adapt.
Instead of leaving to don your socks until the very last minute, our compression leggings are worn day-to-day as part of any casual outfit. Pair with trainers or heels and instead of leaving till the last minute to put on, you can travel safe in the knowledge that you put your leggings on in plenty of time. What’s more, by wearing our compression leggings as part of your regular outfit, you won’t be inclined to remove them straight after your flight and will instead wear them for an extended period of time following your flight, during transfers. This ensures your compression wear is worn in plenty of time before the flight and for plenty of time after the flight.
Simple yet highly effective.
Want to make sure you’re travelling in safety and style? Then check out our C180 Compression Leggings as well as our C360 Compression Leggings. Look as good as you feel on every flight from here on out.
]]>With bespoke panelling, designed to ensure optimum compression, our leggings help increase blood flow, support muscles and joints and in doing so, aid in muscle, tendon and ligament repair. With injury within the forces sadly on the increase, it’s a subject that’s constantly at the front of our minds.
In 2018, the rate of injury and ill health reported in UK Armed Forces organisations was 40 incidents per 1,000 personnel. This represents an increase from 2014/15 when it peaked at 35 reports for every thousand people on active duty or employed by them. While the increase may be small, it’s still an increase and any increase is quite simply not acceptable. Surprisingly, most injuries seem to occur during training, over half in fact. Out of the injuries, 35% affect the lower body whether that’s the foot, leg, ankle, knee or the hip. Injury occurrence is also higher for untrained personnel, in the case of the military, those who are yet to complete phase 1 of training. With Naval and RAF personnel, those who hadn’t yet completed phase 2 of training. These are startling figures but ones we want to help with. How? With our compression leggings.
Compression Wear
Athletes, general fitness fanatics and of course those in labour intensive work have been wearing compression wear for years. Many wear compression wear during training as studies have shown that it can help improve performance through something known as better perceived performance.
What is better perceived performance? We’re glad you asked. It’s simply a case of compression wear allowing your blood to flow better, supporting your muscles and joints and therefore wearers hit muscles fatigue later. Thus allowing them to run further, cycle faster, rider stronger etc. While the science surrounding improvements in performance are difficult due to the inability to blind study, many research papers do note that athletes likely recover much better while wearing compression clothing, simply for the reasons listed above. Compression clothing quite literally ‘compresses’ out those chemicals such as lactic acid that would otherwise build up and cause muscle soreness. Through increased blood flow, those chemicals can be removed and expelled from the body quicker thus increasing recovery. It’s also worth noting that increased blood flow allows for much faster muscles recovery, whether that’s torn muscle fibres from regular exercise or worse than that, actual injury.
Compression wear and injury prevention/recovery have therefore become synonymous and while some may be sceptical with regards to its benefits, you simply cannot argue with science.
To find out more about promoting recovery while wearing compression wear, simply click here. If you’d like to find out more about the compression wear we have on offer, simply check out our C180 and C360 compression leggings now!
Forces Equine
On Armed Forces Day, we also wanted to draw attention to the incredible Forces Equine. Forces Equine are the UK’s No.1 award winning equestrian organisation that supports every single one of those who protect us on a daily basis, everyone from Armed Forces and Government Services, both serving, ex-serving and even dependants as well as our emergency responders from the fire service to the police.
Through the art of equestrian sports, Forces Equine give back to those who’ve devoted their loves to their country and the Forces Equine Games is becoming a huge. Want to take part yourself or show your support? Simply click here for more information on membership.
]]>Rockingham was another date on the calendar that saw immense efforts and even more fun and frolics from the spectators because let’s face it, it’s not just the rider’s who’ve missed this sport.
And if we’re being honest, there’s just something about a crowd of people cheering everyone on that makes it all the more exciting.
With that being said, while the eventing season is in full swing, it’s safe to say we have plenty of eventing ahead so it’s the perfect time to make sure you’re eventing ready with the best eventing leggings out there. Leggings? For British Eventing? Yes you heard us right, Vivendi Apparel compression leggings are taking the eventing world by storm.
Just check out the likes of Kim Constable competing in the White & Silver C180 Compression Leggings here on Big Cat and Peter.
Rider Support & Recovery
Eventing is a tough sport, requiring great strength, stamina and agility from both horse and rider. As riders, we do everything in our power to make sure our horses are feeling at their best, with optimum recovery time as well as the right support during each event and of course training. Rightly so too. These elite animals give their all for us and should come first without a doubt but what about us?
As riders, it’s our duty to stay fit and healthy, and ensure we’re looking after ourselves as much as possible? Why? Because in order to ride those great courses, to ensure we have as light a seat as possible and the stamina to keep up with our equine friends, we must be in the best physical and mental condition possible. Let’s face it though, with so much time and effort going towards the horse, we can and often do forget about ourselves.
Gym work is paramount but what if we told you our compression leggings, that you can wear during your rides, your gym visits and even for recovery AFTER your events, will work as hard as you do?
Our technical C180 Compression Leggings are made from compression material, designed with specific panelling to provide medical grade levels of compression. But what does compression do exactly? Well, not only does it increase blood flow to those tired muscles, but also helps reduce swelling, supports muscles and joints as well as help riders recover faster. That means while you’re flying around those courses, while you’re hitting that weights rack and even while you’re chilling in the lorry (or bed) after your three day event, your leggings will be working to make sure your leg muscles are not only feeling good, but are ready to hit the gym or jump back in the saddle as quickly as possible.
Compression Leggings For Riders - Because Horse Riding Is A Sport!
It’s so important that we look after ourselves as riders and with our White and White & Silver colour options in our C180 Compression Leggings, we truly believe we have you covered when it comes to your eventing season.
Our high waisted riding leggings complete with silicone grip at the knee, will work just as hard as you do; so you have more time to focus on your riding, and more importantly, your horse.
Find our range of C180 Compression Leggings, for both training and competition right here!
]]>With a super short turnaround time, we got to work creating a kit that wouldn’t just promote the charity with their fiery orange colours emblazoned across them, but would help keep them comfortable and well supported on this journey of a lifetime. The team was made up of a range of people, including Guinness World Record Holders and even one mighty 11 year old girl, Iris.
As the team took off on day one, we were awash with watery eyes, watching their journey begin but nothing could prepare us for the daily updates of seeing these guys smiling every single mile. From the UK, across the channel into France, we watched with bated breath as the team tackled every obstacle possible, including some pretty hairy traffic.
Iris was a soldier amongst her peers as she cycled diligently every single day, never missing a beat and cycling as far as her legs would allow.
Over 13 incredible days, the team at Maggie’s raised not only huge funds but high doses of awareness for their charity that provides much-needed support for sufferers and their families during some of the most difficult times of their lives. The team at Maggie’s cycled this whopping journey - which actually ended a little over 1200 miles - to help this charity continue to deliver the support it does.
Helen Butters, one of the teams cyclists said, “Thank you to Vivendi Apparel for our extremely comfortable kit and compression tights, which have kept sores at bay!”
We couldn’t be more proud to have been a part of such a challenge and take our hats off to these athletes who have selflessly given up over two weeks of their time, enduring huge strain on their bodies to raise funds for the Yorkshire Centre.
Can You Help Maggie’s?
With the race now having finished and the team no doubt recovering from this unbelievable feat, we wanted to remind everyone that their purpose and sole aim of this adventure is far from over.
You can still help Maggie’s Centres in Yorkshire but donating now.
All donations will be going direct to the Yorkshire centre itself where they provide support for FREE to those with cancer and their surrounding family. These services can amount to over £2400 per day, and with the limited support they received throughout the pandemic, these donations are needed now more than ever. Can you help?
If you’d like to donate, simply follow this link… https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/helen-butters2
While the team have managed to raise a whopping £38,000 already, your help is still needed now more than ever. Please do what you can to help these services remain within our community for those who need it most.
]]>We’re not sure about you, but we’ve always had a hard time finding the perfect jacket to wear during the summer months. Whether you’re a horse rider, a runner, a cyclist or even a gym goer, sometimes that cool breeze can just get a little too much.
Horse riders and cyclists especially, still need that coverage out on rides and being too hot on a warm sweaty horse can make even the biggest horse lover feel anything but pleasant.
Here at Vivendi, we wanted to create something that was as stylish as our other products yet just as versatile. We wanted the ultimate summer jacket that would provide coverage, style and practicality - all the while keeping us cool. Summer jackets are a tough one, especially when dealing with the unpredictable weather we have here in Britain. One minute it can be sunny and warm, the next minute it can be cold and wet.
With discreet pockets, lightweight padding and our incredible C360 compression material along the sleeves and shoulders offering its amazing temperature regulation capabilities, we truly feel we’ve created the ultimate women’s summer jacket. It’s not heavy or bulky, but the perfect combination of style and comfort! For our first release, it was important we kept it in our signature colours of Black & Gold, one of our firm favourites and to complement it, we’ve even decided to release our C180 Mesh vest in the same colour way - giving everyone the opportunity to take their matchy matchy to the next level.
This presale collection has been an awesome one. Not only have we two brand new releases, but we’re also restocking some of your Vivendi favourites including our Vega Phone Pocket Leggings in Black & Gold - are you noticing a theme here?
Here at Vivendi Apparel, we're always looking for new ways to reduce our impact on the environment, which is why we offer some items up in advance. This allows us an opportunity that's not possible with traditional distribution methods - assessing interest before we place our final order! If demand exceeds expectations then we can simply increase our order, which means all potential buyers can get something special at a lower price, just by being a part of this pre-sale program!
So, whether you’re a horse rider or gym goer who needs a new wardrobe this summer, know we have you covered. Whether you’re looking for our full seat riding leggings with phone pocket, our lightweight riding jacket or our cool summer gym vest, we have everything you could need and what’s more, we’ve got it at 25% off too - for a limited time only! Use code PRESALE25 at checkout for 25% off your purchase! Will you be taking advantage of this exclusive offer? We hope so! Shop our Summer Collection Presale here!
]]>When Maggie’s reached out to us to ask us if we would help them on their 1,200 mile journey, we were more than a little excited to sink our teeth into another fantastic project for another well-deserving cause. And to provide kit for a race that would be covering 1,200 miles from Maggie’s Yorkshire HQ to their Barcelona base was even more exciting.
Who Are Maggie’s?
Maggie’s is a wonderful charity, located all around the world, giving people support, for free, to those with cancer and their families. With their centres running alongside the NHS, and their work offering support for everything from treatment side effects to dealing with financial concerns, their work is more important than ever and we could’t be happier to be partnering up by designing and manufacturing their cycle kit for this huge challenge.
Tour De Maggie’s
Tour De Maggie’s will comprise of cyclists including Dr Helen Haywood, a Leeds GP as well as her husband Dr Tim Haywood, consultant at Leeds Teaching Hospital. Helen Butters is another participant who brings with her huge experience with great challenges, having previously rowed across both the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in a female only team gaining a Guinness World Record as well as huge amounts of funding for Maggie’s Yorkshire.
The team will also boast the sensational 10 year old Iris, who’ll be cycling as much as she can throughout the 1,200 miles, unsurprisingly the biggest race she’s ever done, “I lost my grandad to cancer a few years ago and if there was a Maggie’s centre, I am sure it would have helped grandma and grandad. I am doing the ride to raise money for charity and to have a good challenge at the same time. I enjoy cycling because I find it fun, and I love going fast”
This race, that will cover four different countries over the course of 13 days, will be raising much needed funds for the Maggie’s Yorkshire at St Jame’s University Teaching Hospital in Leeds. All money raised will go towards funding their cancer support service which includes everything from complex grief management, as well as family support and bereavement support. With the cost of services like this equating to around £2,400 per day, fund raising has become vital, especially as the last few years have hit the charity extremely hard.
Vivendi Apparel Cycling Kit Designs
To say we were honoured to be asked to design and manufacture the kit for these incredible cyclists is an understatement to say the least.
Vivendi has a strong sense of social responsibility and is a great supporter of efforts to assist charities through fund-raising sporting events. Our founder, Elizabeth Davies truly believes in this great cause and its superb sporting effort, “Cyclists are increasingly turning to our compression wear to improve their performance by keeping their muscles and joints supported, optimising blood flow and providing sweat wicking properties to allow for temperature regulation while ensuring the cyclist remains dry. Our cycling kit is going to help this Maggie’s team reach their goal.”
And They’re Off…
The Maggie’s team will be leaving Maggie’s Yorkshire HQ April 30th. If you want to keep up to date on their journey, keep your eyes on their socials via the links below, as well as ours and don’t forget, you can donate yourself too!
Tour De Maggie’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tourdemaggies/
Vivendi Apparel Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vivendi_apparel/
Donate Here - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/helen-butters2
]]>How often have you heard that riding doesn’t require fitness?
But we know different. We know that in order to be the best partner possible to your horse or pony, you need a certain level of fitness. A good rider must be balanced. A good rider must be able to move with the horse, whether they’re just training, hacking or performing a dressage test or covering serious ground cross country.
If a rider doesn’t work on their own fitness, it can cause issues such as poor balance and uneven pressure on the horses saddle as well as a whole host of other problems. With the right fitness routine however, a rider can avoid slamming into their saddle, can enjoy a light seat and as a result, their horse will benefit in a multitude of ways.
When it comes to rider fitness however, there are several routes that you can take. Whether you hit the gym or hit the pavement is entirely up to you however it’s worth noting that a well-rounded fitness routine would benefit any rider in the long run.
Fitness comes in all different shapes and sizes. Equestrian fitness looks a little different to the usual gym routine, for the simply fact that horse riding requires the use of unique muscle groups in order to help a rider with both balance, stability, suppleness and lung capacity. While mucking out does indeed help build a certain level of muscle and fitness, it may not be enough depending on the level that you’re riding at or competing at; this is especially so if you have multiple horses.
With that in-mind, it’s no surprise that incorporating a mixture of workouts can be of huge benefit. Here’s a run-down of a few different routines that we think would be of benefit for you…
Here at Vivendi Apparel, our compression wear is here to help you run faster, rider stronger and more importantly recover quicker. By supporting your muscles and joints, increasing blood flow and oxygenation, you can enjoy a much lowered level of muscle soreness following workouts.
From our C180 Compression Leggings, worn in and out of the saddle to our Vega Phone Pocket Leggings, all of which provide compression benefits, we have you covered for virtually any activity in sizes 4 to 22.
For more information, check out our collections online now, currently with 40% off in our Spring Sale!
For more in-depth help regarding rider fitness, we recommend contacting your nearest qualified personal trainer who'll be able to help create a bespoke plan to suit you, your body and your physical needs.
Always consult a doctor before carrying out any new exercise routine.
]]>The majority of those who spend a great deal of their time working will understand the need for getting as much rest as possible after exercise. Not only is this beneficial for your next performance but it’s beneficial for proper recovery too. Recovery is so essential in fact that without it, your body simply cannot repair and strengthen itself in between workouts.
Recovery allows the body to replenish its energy stores while also repairing damaged tissue such as torn muscle fibres that occur during exercise. By not recovering properly, you don’t give your body time to do this correctly and as a result, you could be more inclined to injury and at the very least, poor performance.
Another hugely important aspect of recovery is for the body to remove chemicals that can build up during a workout - this occurs throughout the body due to cell activity during exercise. By overtraining, the body simply cannot go through this natural and much needed process and therefore recovery becomes impaired.
Thankfully, with the help of compression wear, faster recovery is much more attainable.
By wearing compression garments such as compression tights or compression base layers, wearers can reduce muscle fatigue as well as the likelihood of injury. Compression material was designed to be worn much like a second skin, and as a result reduces an action known as muscle oscillation as the legs for example, strike the ground.
The higher the frequency of the oscillation action (vibration within the muscle), the higher the likelihood of muscle soreness and fatigue following a workout. Therefore by reducing these vibrations within muscles, you reduce the severity of muscle soreness following exercise. It really is that simple. While it may sound too good to be true, it’s worth noting that countless studies that have been carried out around the world and while findings in some are small, they’re still very there showing compression wear to be impactful upon everyone from those who carry out gentle workouts to high level athletes.
In fact, a recent study highlighting track athletes, reported this who wore a lower body compression garment such as compression leggings or compression shorts, reduced their muscle impact by around 27%.
The benefits aren’t just offered by wearing compression clothing during workouts however, as many note the benefits of wearing compressive clothing after workouts also. The terms DOMs relates to Delayed Onset Of Muscle Soreness. This refers to the muscle soreness that creeps up on most of us the day after or in some cases, two days after an intense workout. Full leg compression sleeves or even compression leggings however can help reduce these symptoms by being worn following exercise too. They do this by increasing blood flow and in turn helping to speed up the removal of lactate acid which would otherwise sit in the muscle and cause soreness.
This method of wearing compression tights is considered the easy method as individuals can promote faster recovery, simply by wearing them following exercise however it’s important to note that this method works best when worn between 12 to 48 hors after exercise. To make it even easier, individuals can even wear them to bed, allowing the compression wear to do its job as they sleep.
By reducing swelling, pooling and gathering of lactate acid, compression leggings ultimately help reduce muscle soreness which in turn allows individuals to return to training sooner. Not only this, but it allows them to return to training feeling much better than they otherwise would. By doing so, they can train muscles and recover quicker, making the process of improvement much more efficient.
Another benefit of compression wear is the ability to help those with injury during the injury recovery process. When one experiences an injury that doesn’t encompass a broken bone, the best advice given is usually I.C.E - Ice, compress and elevate and that’s exactly where compression wear comes in. From an injured knee to a twisted ankle, a sore shoulder or even tight hamstring, compression wear can aid with the recovery of all muscle related injuries, allowing individuals to recover faster and ultimately return to training much sooner.
Here at Vivendi Apparel, we provide compression wear for use across sports. Our garments were originally designed and manufactured specifically to aid with injury recovery, more specifically those with spinal injuries however, following research surrounding compression wear and our specific garments, we discovered their benefits for those in sport and as a result, our C180 Compression Leggings as well as our C360 Thermal Compression wear is now worn by a multitude of athletes. From horse riders to runners, weight lifters to cyclists - Vivendi Apparel compression wear has you covered.
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Medical Benefits
When it comes to the medical side of compression wear, there are some very clear advantages. Compression stockings and compression leggings for example can be an excellent component in the treatment of venous disorders for their ability to provide additional support to muscles and help pump blood through the limbs. Not only does this improve blood circulation but also enables the muscles to receive a better blood flow when needed the most.
It’s this effect however that’s of most benefit to athletes as an improved blood supply to muscles leads to an improved performance. How? It essentially manifests as a ‘lower subjective perception of stress… and improved running times.’
On top of this however, athletes are now debating whether compression tights and other compression garments can actually support exercise recovery. A recent study in New Zealand, investigated this exact topic and its findings were subsequently published in the Journal Of Strength & Conditioning Research. Here’s what they found.
Compression & Recovery: The Findings
The New Zealand study encompassed the New Zealand national rugby team. During the study, compression leggings were held up against regular leggings (leggings with no compression effects at all). The 22 study participants, all professional level players, were monitored during a game in which they exerted themselves.
After the game, all 22 players were given compression tights to wear for a full 24 hours before undergoing a performance test.
The purpose of this test was to fully investigate the effects of the garments on recovery following exertion. In order to see direct comparisons, each New Zealand player went through this process twice; once wearing a pair of compression leggings and once wearing no compression leggings in order to monitor the differences.
To ensure the rugby players weren’t showing any preconceived bias, they were all told they were testing out the effects of two different compression garments. The exercised used within the performance tests included 10 x 40m sprints followed by a 3km timed run. While small, the most significant differences were noted during sprints 5, 6 and 7. The timed run also showed players running between 1.9 and 2% faster following wearing compression garments. The overall conclusion of the test was that wearing compression wear during recovery was, ‘advantageous’.
Vivendi Apparel Compression Wear
Here at Vivendi Apparel, we provide a range of compression wear that doesn’t just provide faster recovery for wearers, but compression wear that looks as good as it performs. Our C180 Compression Leggings and Base Layers wear like a second-skin and come complete with silicone grip at the knee for additional support in the saddle and out. Find C180 Compression Wear Here…
For those battling the elements, we have our Thermal C360 Compression Leggings and Base Layers to provide the same great compressive qualities as well as additional thermal properties, giving those in winter the ultimate sports wear. Find C360 Compression Wear Here…
We also boast our Luxe Vega Compression Wear that offers additional silicone seat plus a zip phone pocket along with an incredible technical compression material for all sporting activities. Find Luxe Vega Compression Wear Here…
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Kimry spent quite some time prepping Thomas, ensuring he was Vivendi Apparel photoshoot ready and boy did she do an incredible job.
But Kimry isn’t just Thomas’ owner. She also happens to be an equine Vet too. With that in mind, we thought it only fair to pick her brains, not only about her stunning equine friend but her favourite top tips for this winter. We might be super protected in our thermal compression wear, but what about our horses and ponies?
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Hi Kimry, we really loved our shoot with you and were absolutely blown away by Thomas. What a beautiful boy he is. We couldn’t however, let you get away without featuring you on our blog and fingers crossed, getting some fab advice from you, considering you’re a vet! So let’s begin shall we?
Jenni: How long have you owned Thomas? And could you tell us a bit about his personality?
Kimry: We bought Thomas in Sept 2019 with the intention of standing him at stud. We wanted to offer something different to the Friesian market in the UK. Just ask Beth (Vivendi Apparel’s Founder & Designer who orchestrated the photoshoot), he is such a sweet, loving cheeky chap. There’s no malice in him whatsoever. My 4 year old daughter rides him around the show ground car parks when we’re out competing; he’s just a little lamb.
He’s pretty happy being stabled next to mares and loves a foal too, having real cuddling sessions with them. He does anything for food though. He follows his tummy. He loves attention, cuddles, grooming and just pretty much loves everyone.
J: What drew you to Friesians and what makes them so incredibly special?
K:I grew up in the Netherlands and part of my family is from Friesland - I’m not personally from Friesland, I’m from a neighbouring county. My parents had a friesian stud too, so I’ve grown up around the breed and always ridden them, from the age of 12 to 13. I get on with the breed so well. I’ve always had ponies and warmbloods but I just click with the friesian so much better than other breeds. They’re very trainable and very amendable.
I feel they have a very human-centred personality too, and really bond with their humans. They’re stunning to look at, and really draw the attention of anyone around them. They drew me in as a child and it’s been that way ever since.
J: Being a vet, does it make ownership easier? Or actually does it make it more difficult as you’re now acutely aware of what can happen/go wrong?
K: I guess it does make it easier for me as I will do a lot of things that will prevent injuries that others may not. I might also spot irregularities a lot quicker, which helps me out hugely. I’ll then be able to determine the appropriate treatment much quicker. So it definitely makes things easier for me.
I also own another youngster which I’m hoping to bring on to stud as well as a brood mare who’ll be going into foal to Thomas this coming year too - being a vet, I can cut out a lot of costs in that respect.
J: We’re coming into the real bitter winter now! What’s your top time saving tip?
K: I’m not really sure what my top time saving tip is to be honest or whether I have an actual time saving tip.
Perhaps, try to avoid getting lured into a hot drink with the yard owner haha! If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself chatting away for hours instead of actually getting jobs done.
I guess something that saves me time is ensuring I’m ready. I like to get what I can prepped ready, to make things as easy as possible, so for instance competing; I like to have him prepped the night before. It’s the same for work really, I like to have the car ready with all my equipment for the next day - so all I need to do is flick a brush over Thomas or grab a coffee and go.
J: What’s a common equine condition or injury you come across during winter months the most?
K: I think the most common condition in winter is colic and especially impactions; basically where the large colon gets impacted with fibrous material. That most commonly is related to decreased exercise which typically happens in the winter. The turnout gets reduced or the exercise is reduced thanks to rain or thunder. The horse’s guts work when they’re moving, so when they’re stood still, their guts slow down so if they have reduced movement, it isn’t great for the gut. It’s so important to keep them moving, even if there’s no turnout, I can’t emphasise enough the importance of exercising them. Whether that’s riding or going for a gentle in-hand walk around the yard - it’s so so important. If you have access to a walker or an indoor arena, just keep them moving moving moving. Horses at stand still just get so many problems.
I also notice horses stop drinking, or at least drink a lot less as the temperatures change. I think horses aren’t huge fans of extremely cold water or sudden temperature changes. This can lead to dehydration, which in turn again can lead to impaction colics and other displacements.
It’s so important to keep tabs on your horses drinking, so add a kettle of boiling water to your horses water buckets if you can to take the chill off it. Another great way to encourage them to drink is to add shredded apple or carrot, or even offer a bucket of electrolytes when you get those drops in temperatures.
Another hugely common problem we find during the winter, and it may surprise you, is over-rugging. People tend to treat horses like humans and think, ‘well I’m cold so they must be’ but that isn’t the case. Our comfort temperature (basically defined as the temp for humans that we don’t need to sweat or shiver) is around the 19-23 degree Celsius mark. In horses however, it’s between -5 and 15 degrees Celsius. Horses in 5 degree weather are still not cold. Of course, there are numerous factors to consider, such as whether you’ve let them grow a winter coat, whether they have shelter from wind and rain, constant forage etc. They don’t tend to get cold until about -5 which to them feels like 15 degrees Celsius feels to us. It’s important to have a decent rug that protects them from wet and wind but actual liners, I’d be very cautious with that. They don’t necessarily need it.
My main reason for rugging Thomas is to stop him from growing that thick a winter coat, so he isn’t sweating heavily when worked. He’s only in a 200g rug at the moment. Funny story actually. About 7-8 years ago, I was asked to visit a pony who was severely laminitic. He looked a really odd shape so I asked them to de-rug because he was so sore, and I wanted to take a closer look. We went from a turnout rug to a duvet, to another duvet to a fleece - this tiny welsh section A was rugged up to its eyeballs. When the rugs were off, it was actually able to move around a million times easier. It definitely had a problem but a great deal of that went away as each rug lifted haha.
J: What are your top tips for keeping condition on a horse during winter? Any products you recommend?
K: Overall, ensure your horse has a good health status. Make sure going into winter that they’re fit and well. Make sure they have a good health check before the winter sets in so teeth etc. Give them plenty of roughage i.e. hay and haylage. Having their teeth checked will ensure they can get as much nutrients as possible out of their roughage too.
You should also ensure they’re up to date on their vaccinations, to prevent any viruses like influenza. Make sure they always have shelter from wind and rain and if you have an older horse, make sure they have no underlining health conditions like cushings etc. If the horse isn’t healthy it’s not going to put weight on - it’s as simple as that.
J: What are your plans for Thomas in 2022?
K: The plan for Thomas in 2022? Well, he will be available for stud at the Pottofields Stud for both fresh and chilled. We’re currently also looking at getting a small stash of frozen that we can ship further afield, however this isn’t confirmed yet. If the demand was there however, it’s something we could likely arrange at short notice. In terms of his dressage career; we’re hoping for him to compete in the winter regionals, and then ideally I’d like to be competing him at medium by the summer. I might pop a few shows in there. I’m not sure where but we might pop in a few shows, if we think it’s worthwhile. Right now however, the focus is definitely on his dressage career.
J: What’s your favourite Vivendi Apparel piece?
K: I think my personal favourite of Vivendi Apparel is anything with the classic Black and Gold colouring. I love it so much and think it looks stunning on a horse like Thomas. It just looks so beautiful, it’s so classy. Black is black and luxury on its own but add the touch of gold and it’s pure class; absolutely stunning. I’d love to see the Black and Gold range expanded further, it’s just beautiful.
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We’d like to say a huge thanks to Kimry for taking the time to join us in this interview and we cannot wait to get back out to Thomas and Kimry for our next shoot. If you’d like to follow Thomas and Kimry’s journey, make sure you check them out via their links below.
Thomas is on Facebook and Instagram
Facebook - Thomas H - Friesian Stallion
Instagram - @thomas_friesianstallion
My vets page is New Generation Vets (FB)
Pottofields is on Instagram
Instagram - @pottofields_stud
]]>But what if you normally have an active lifestyle or, you want to take advantage of a few days off work to stretch your legs or the legs of your 4-legged friend?
It can seem so hard, especially with the cold days, dark mornings and even darker evenings to have the motivation to keep your activity ticking over - let alone the activity of your horses.
I personally think the festive period is a great time to get active, especially as January is just around the corner. These are a few of my top tips to take advantage of this merry time.
Plan in your activity – it seems so simple, doesn’t it? But actually, having a diary and planning what you and your four-legged best friend are going to do over the festive period will help hold you accountable. It also gives you the chance to plan for the family get together and social occasions and then see the gaps to keep ticking over. Plus, if you are on a livery yard where you have to book the arena it’s great to plan ahead!
Have a buddy to team up with and keep each other accountable - There is nothing worse than doing things alone, especially if staying active is your goal. So why not ask a friend or family member if they will help you. Ask them to check in with you, plan your activities together and keep each other motivated.
Go for a hike with friends and/or family to a new place - Most of us have some time off over Christmas and New Year and it’s all too easy to stay at home, eat, drink, and get pretty merry. So, why not plan a walk in a new place. It’s a wonderful time to visit the countryside, up your step count, get some vitamin d and all the feel-good hormones. Plus, a great time for a gossip and catchup.
Christmas is actually the best time to join the gym - It's generally very quiet and you will get a head start on the January rush. Who doesn’t love the idea of that?
What if you can’t ride because the weather is so awful? Try to get those odd jobs done around the yard. Need to poo pick? This is a great way to up your step count. Playing games with your horse can also create valuable bonding time and social interaction – especially if you have waterlogged fields. Why not set up some fun in-hand games in the arena and get the whole yard involved (plus it's great de-spook training)
Don’t get in the car - We are all guilty of this at some point. Getting in the car for those short journeys for the carrots we forgot at the local supermarket. But why not try to walk there instead. Get a backpack so you can put your shopping inside and save your cold fingers from the heavy bags. Its also doing your part for the environment. Win win if you ask me!
Check out your local all-weather gallops and avoid the mud - Better yet, if you live near the coast there are often beach friendly sea views to go and have your very own Lloyd’s bank moment (or insert other horse related advert/movie moment here).
Enjoy a Christmas Day hack - The roads will never be quieter. You won’t get looked at oddly if your horse is more decorated than your Christmas tree and you build up an amazing appetite for the dinner later that day. Plus, everyone you meet is super friendly.
Whatever your plans are for the festivities, I hope that you and all your four-legged friends have a happy and safe time.
Love Charlotte xx
Editors Note - To find out more about Charlotte Mitchell and her amazing work, you can find her links below...
Instagram @charlottemitchellcoaching
Facebook @charlottemichellcoaching
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Riding leggings are always going to be a sure fire hit for any equestrian this Christmas but what makes our C360 Compression Leggings so special? The technical compression material for a start providing you with all the support you need in and out of the saddle! Pair this with the silicone knees for stability and of course the thermal properties keeping you super warm through even the toughest winter and it's a no-brainer that these need to be on your Christmas shopping list now! Grab our Thermal Compression Leggings here.
Everyone thinks they have the best horse in the world and guess what? Everyone is right! That’s why equine photoshoots are so special. Joanna Fair Photography photoshoots are something to cherish forever and we guarantee will bring a huge smile to all when they find this under their Christmas tree. Grab some Joanna Fair photography vouchers right here.
With Equihandee, your little ones will remain safer in your hands, allowing them the freedom of riding in the saddle while grown ups feel safe having something more substantial to grab on to. The Equihandee makes the ideal present for parents with little ones venturing into riding and even the little ones themselves! Grab the Equihandee here.
We all a gift box of surprises and there’s no better gift box for the horse lover than a gift box from Hooves & Love. Not only do they offer ready made gift boxes but they offer personalised ones too, allowing you to make this years Christmas gift as personal as you want to. Grab the most beautiful equestrian inspired gift boxes right here.
If you, like us, are constantly looking for ways to make your tack room that bit tidier than you need these bags! The Tidy Tack room have an array of tack room bags, from rug storage bags to basic kit bags for your car, guaranteed to keep everything in its place and you a lot less stressed when it comes to finding your favourite things! Grab yours right here.
Our Faux Fur Bobble Hat has got to be the best stocking filler out there. Not only is it beautiful and incredibly comfortable but it’s this season’s must have and what’s more, it matches perfectly with almost every item of Vivendi Apparel clothing. Grab yours right here.
It’s starting to get super chilly now and we all know that it’s going to get even colder come January and February, which makes riding gloves the perfect accompaniment to our Faux Fur Bobble hat. These gloves are a little special however as they’re eGloves, which allow you to use your phone at the same time, without ever having to take them off! Genius! Grab yours here.
It isn’t just the humans in our lives who deserve a gift this festive season. For all they do for us; from carrying us across country to being that undeniable shoulder to cry on, our horses are without a doubt a special figure in our lives and allow us to enjoy our true passion.
As they say, no hoof, no horse so making sure their hooves are on point, especially throughout the brutal winters we’ve been having is more important than ever. Thankfully, Tyler’s Hoof Products are the brand to keep your horses hooves looking and feeling great! Check out the full range of hoof butters, hoof oils and more right here.
We have an incredible range of saddle pads available, from our Vega Luxe Memory Saddle pads, currently available in a dressage cut as well as our stunning Vega Close Contact Saddle pads currently available in GP. These saddle pads offer maximum comfort, making them the perfect, ‘I Love You’ gift for your equine friend. All available in Pony, Cob and Full with some sizes close to zero! Get yours in our horse wear section here.
Whether you want the full on matchy matchy look or simply want a fly veil for your horses, ready for the summer, then check out our stunning fly veils available in Pony, Cob & Full in all three colour options, Black & Silver, Black & Gold and White & Silver. Get yours right here.
Keep their legs well supported with our Fleece Leg Wraps, available in Black & Silver as well as Black & Gold. Get a stocking big enough for Neddy and you’ll be able to pop them in there too! Grab yours here.
We know Christmas shopping can be tough but with our Christmas Gift Guide, we can guarantee we have you covered for the equestrian in your family. From little ones to not so little ones, and of course the equine in your life, this gift guide will have you Christmas shopping with ease!
For more Vivendi Apparel magic, head to our Shopping pages now by clicking here.
If you haven't yet entered our latest competition, in conjunction with these incredible brands, enter now via our Christmas Competition page!
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Fast fashion has become a hot topic of late, with a lot of attention surrounding companies that churn out outfits within days and continually add clothing lines that remain ‘on trend’ for a very short & limited time.
Here at Vivendi Apparel, we’re consciously making an effort to design and manufacture clothing that not only lasts, but can be worn across a plethora of activities.
Our compression wear isn’t just clothing that provides benefits during and after exercise, but it can be worn day to day, for the gym, in the saddle; be it on a horse or on a bike. Our brand new No-Logo compression leggings look incredible paired with your favourite stilettos and top to add a touch of evening glam while our C360 Compression leggings provide riders with the ultimate winter thermal, as well as skiers, ice skaters and just about anyone wanting to keep the chill away during those bitterly cold winter months.
How does this help? Because it counts toward our mission to ensure people start to #buylessbuybetter. With Vivendi Apparel, we’re here to help you reduce the size of your wardrobe but increase the number of outfits you have to hand.
Of course, this is the reason behind our Pre-orders. If you’ve been shopping with us for a while now, you’ll see that before every release, we run an opportunity for our shoppers to pre-order our new designs. Why? Because it allows us to gauge interest on our new pieces and through that, order the right amount fo clothing instead of too much. We want to ensure we meet demand without adding to our already overflowing landfills and our pre-orders allow us to do better each and every time.
We’re also introducing print-on-demand items, which means we only create the items when they’re ordered. That allows us to provide brand new designs while creating zero waste.
Of course, we know that we can do more, which is why we’re looking to source material from which we can begin constructing our entire line, from clothing and even horse wear that will be made from fully recycled plastic while still offering those amazing benefits we’ve all come to love.
By doing so, we’ll not only provide you with new items but we’ll be taking yet another step toward unburdening those heaving landfills around the world.
For this, we not only need to work hard to source the materials to provide our manufacturer with, but we also need to educate ourselves about what we can do, throughout our company, to improve at every single angle. While we are a clothing brand, we also know there will be processes we can introduce to help us reduce our own carbon footprint and reduce our use of un-recycled materials where possible.
In order to do this, we need to seek the help of those who know better and more importantly, educate ourselves too. And that’s exactly what we’re doing; and what better time to do it than on a cold winter’s evening, wrapped up in our thermal riding leggings and our brand new army green print-on-demand hoodies?
]]>Here at Team Vivendi, we’re incredibly proud to be celebrating Women’s Entrepreneurship Day. It’s no secret that being a woman in business can be an arduous task but the tides are turning and women are becoming more powerful than ever before.
We couldn’t let this annual dedication go by however, without giving a shout out to our very own team, consisting of three tenacious, gritty, down right awesome women who work their socks off every single day to make this brand what it is.
Being a successful woman in business today, requires courage to not only own what you’re doing but own who you are. It’s our differences, our foibles, our pasts, hell, even our greatest mistakes that make us such great assets when it comes to Team Vivendi, especially when you consider all three women of Team Vivendi come from a military or emergency services background. It’s this connection that makes this team an even more bonded and unique one than we believe, any other out there.
As successful women, we know that powerful can still be feminine, confidence can still be vulnerable and success can still be humble. Today we want to put the spotlight on the three women behind this brand and just what makes them so incredibly amazing, amazing enough to make up the trio that is Vivendi because… We Are Vivendi. #IAmVivendi
We couldn’t possibly dive into a celebration of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day without first beginning with the very reason Vivendi Apparel is the brand it is today - Elizabeth Davies. Elizabeth is not only the founder of Vivendi Apparel, but the Creative Director too, being the artistic brains behind the incredible designs you wear each and every day. While Elizabeth did in fact study design in her University days, her journey to becoming the founder and creative director of a globally recognised compression wear brand isn’t as straight forward as some may have thought,
Elizabeth’s journey actually began within the medical industry, working within physiotherapy for children and adults with learning disabilities. From here, she moved on to working in children’s homes for those in care. Here she spent a great deal of time working in conjunction with the Police which inspired her own career change to become a police officer herself. Dealing with emergency incidents, downright dangerous scenarios and every possible situation you could imagine turned Elizabeth into the powerful, driving force that first began Vivendi Apparel.
Elizabeth spends her time overseeing the entire running of the business while also designing our compression wear to ensure it’s not only medical grade quality but as stylish in its design as it is functional.
Having horses herself during her time living in France and now a passionate fitness fanatic, Elizabeth designs compression wear that she knows will do the job intended while making sure every woman feels as wonderful as they look - something she felt to be missing from the market, especially within the equestrian industry.
Elizabeth has a vision, and she’ll do everything in her power to bring that to life. Now with her incredible team around her, it’s coming to fruition in ways she never imagined.
Having run the brand herself for the first almost 18 months of its journey, Elizabeth knew it was time to bring on a new member of the team and where better to find that person than from within her own ambassador group.
Jennifer became an ambassador for Vivendi Apparel in December 2018, just a few months following the brand’s launch. Having spent the next year and half not only promoting the brand but wearing it herself when riding her own horses and keeping fit in between operations, Jennifer not only knew the benefits of the compression wear in the saddle, but out of the saddle, having worn the C180 Compression Leggings following major surgery to provide her with the compression benefits she so needed.
During her time as an ambassador, Elizabeth and Jennifer had formed a special connection thanks to their past history both working for the emergency services. While Jennifer had spent the best part of 8 years perfecting her content writing skills and social media marketing wizardry, she’d also spent 15 years from the tender age of 19 working as a frontline firefighter, attending emergency situations from huge commercial fires, domestic house fires, car crashes and terrorist incidents.
While Jennifer had felt the fear of being ‘stuck’ in her public sector career, it was Elizabeth who’d given her the confidence (and a job for that matter) allowing her to move away from the emergency services to pursue her dreams of marketing stardom in January 2020 - and so the beginning of Team Vivendi was born.
Jen is our Marketing Director and while the first 18 months of her Vivendi Apparel life may have consisted of wearing a number of different hats, from customer services to wholesale accounts, Jen is now focusing solely on the marketing aspect of Vivendi Apparel, running all social media platforms, as well as creating content. The words you see on our website and just about anywhere this brand has a voice, will be hers. With her wordsmith like ways, Jen will be pushing the brand forward to ensure its message of medical benefits really gets itself out there and makes this brand exactly what Elizabeth dreamed it would be - a brand with a purpose, a brand able to help.
Last but most certainly not least, we have the infamous Emma Davies. While she may be Davies by name, she’s not related to Elizabeth Davies however their love of Disney Karaoke would have many questioning that.
Emma was brought in to the team in April 2021 to become the corporate voice, and officially the Commercial Director. What makes this incredible female entrepreneur such a great fit for the team? Perhaps her military background that saw her taking on leadership roles and gaining qualifications during her four years at Uni. While most were sleeping off hangovers, Emma was experiencing true camaraderie (something she brings to each Vivendi meeting), keeping her and her military partners going in the cold, dark and damp mornings as they crawled through wet grounds. Not only did Emma develop a deep respect for the military but it set her in good stead for keeping Elizabeth and Jen on track as Team Vivendi’s Commercial Director.
With 15 years in global business development for leading British premium brands, to say Emma is experienced is an understatement. But before you plug this incredible woman as a corporate body, think again. Thanks to this truly unique experience, Emma has since developed her own preferred approach to leadership and now makes it her mission to ensure fun is always introduced into the workplace. With a transatlantic lifestyle, having spent three previous years living and working in Los Angeles, and now spending 3 months of the year in Canada while spending the rest here in the UK, Emma isn’t just an incredible asset but our global voice. Emma is the moral compass of our brand and is making it her mission to ensure we grow and expand at a rate that’s sustainable for not only the brand but the world around us.
Team Vivendi is a unique, powerful trio. With experiences in the police, the fire service, the military and of course the corporate business world, it’s no wonder this brand is making waves and equally, should come as no surprise that we had to shout from the rooftops about our fabulous team. In the infamous words of Reese Witherspoon, ‘Ambition is not a dirty word’ and this trio have bundles of ambition!
]]>As equestrians, we’re pretty spoilt for choice when it comes to equestrian events. Whether we’re looking at low level competition or large scale shopping events, there’s always something to attend and enjoy. Your Horse Live is just one of the many horse themed events that take place in the UK every year but what sets this one apart from the others is that it also happens to be the UK’s largest equestrian specific shopping event.
While Vivendi Apparel has been online for 3 years, we were still yet to attend our first event thanks to the year of COVID. With 2020 behind us, a rather uncertain 2021 had still managed to instil a little caution when it came to booking events. With unwavering certainty that Your Horse Live 2021 would be going ahead however, we decided to go full steam ahead and make the biggest equestrian shopping event of the UK our very first location… and boy did we.
Team Vivendi
We hit this event with gusto, with our team, Elizabeth, Jen & Emma setting up our stall on Thursday afternoon well into the evening. We did our best to display our compression riding leggings, riding tops and even our incredible memory foam saddle pads to showcase them in the very best light. One of our biggest aims for this event was to show those who’d only ever seen us online just what all the fuss was about and that’s exactly what we did from Friday through to Sunday evening.
One of the most wonderful feelings throughout the three days was seeing so many people bowled over by the incredible fabrics and the luxury feel of our horse wear. This was and always will be a message we have pushed from the very beginning - luxury and premium quality at every angle - but just as every other online retailer understands, it can be difficult to really get that message across through imagery and video alone.
Thankfully, with hands on our thermal riding leggings, our compression leggings and everyone actually getting to see and feel the exquisite detailing of our horse wear - the feedback we received throughout the weekend was nothing short of phenomenal.
Meeting Our Ambassadors & Customers
As well as meeting new customers, we were also incredibly lucky to meet up with some of our amazing ambassadors as well as our long time customers. From Farah Ataii and Kay Ashford below
…to Christina Fischer and her beautiful daughter.
We also met the wonderful Yasmin Holliday as well as a whole host of our customers. On top of this, the ever lovely Ray The Goth stopped by our stall as well as a million faces we’ve only ever spoken to through our social media channels.
To say Your Horse Live was a success is an understatement. Actually getting to speak with all of you, show you the quality of our fabric, talk to you about the benefits of our compression wear and better still, let you actually try it on was nothing short of mind blowing for all involved. Not only can we not wait to see you all at Your Horse Live again in 2022 but we cannot wait to see you all at as many equestrian events throughout the entire year too. From Badminton to Burghley, HOYS to London International, we’re making it our mission to make 2022 the year of the show for Vivendi Apparel, and we can’t wait to see you there.
Will you be joining us?
Don't forget, if you shopped with us, to check the Vivendi Apparel postcard in your bag! It contains a little thank you discount code for you to enjoy until November 22nd!
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Thank you so much for joining us Ray! Now, we want to keep this short and sweet but let’s face it, we’re pretty rubbish at that! We’ll try our best though! To start off, I guess it would be great to find out more about your blogging journey! What drew you to blogging your life with Peps?
I actually started my instagram account whilst I was at uni and it gradually became more horse-related content when I started up my university's equestrian club. After leaving uni I had a part loan horse for 6 months and then a full loan for a year after that. I documented my journey with both of these horses so it seemed only natural that when I got my very own horse I had to shout and scream about her to the world! Since then my social media platforms have been focused on my journey with Peps.
We know you’ve suffered from trolls on your account like so many other vloggers and social media users out there, so know first hand the difficulties being on social media can bring. What’s your advice to other equestrians who might be going through the same thing?
The best advice I can give you is to remove hateful comments/messages and block users that leave them. You can also filter certain words from being commented on your posts if you have something that comes up frequently. I've been much happier since I did this. At the end of the day the only opinions that matter are those of the people who work directly with you and your horse. Their vet, physio, farrier etc not someone who has seen a snippet of what you choose to share online.
What do you look for when buying equestrian style clothing?
I am always on the go so I need equestrian clothing that's versatile and comfortable. Something that I can go to the yard in but follow that by a trip to the park with my daughter or a quick run around Tesco's without too many stares.
As a mum as well as horse owner, what are your top tips for managing what can be a difficult balancing act?
Gosh, I don't really know an answer to that. No two days are the same with kids or horses, I kind of have to take each day as they come but I think you find your own ways of working around things. If your heart is in it and horses are such a big part of your life you'll find time for them.
What’s your top time saving tip for the winter with Pepper?
Good question! I actually try to plan my routes around the yard so that I'm not walking to and from areas like my tack room, the muck heap, the hay barn or the field too many times. I try to optimise my time at the yard and with Peps by thinking ahead about the tasks I need to do and time manage myself accordingly. I wish I would do that with my other day-to-day tasks!
What’s your favourite thing to do with Pepper? Hacking, schooling or competing?
Hacking is by far our favourite thing to do together but sadly the thing that I have the least time for at the moment. I'm hoping that once Hazel starts nursery again we can up the hacking. Peps will hack out all day long, she loves every minute of it and loves exploring new places with me.
You look like you’ve had so much fun on the BedDown Ambassador challenge! What is it about content creation that you enjoy so much?
I had so much fun with the BedDown ambassador programme and it is actually what made me start using the reel feature on instagram. I wasn't really interested in doing them at first but it really took my content to a new level and now I love making reels and TikToks the most! I actually come from a Fine Art and photography background and have a strong interest in theatre and film so I think creating in this way comes very naturally to me so this is just my creative outlet.
Who are your favourite equestrian instagram accounts to follow?
I absolutely love Jess (@lifeonthebuckle) she is so raw and absolutely hilarious! She is also the reel queen!
Who do you think demonstrates the best horsemanship on Instagram?
Holly Lenehan and Megan Elphick are both incredible horse women. You only need to watch how they work with their youngsters to see how dedicated, kind, patient and talented they are when it comes to producing them.
If there were anything you could change about the equestrian industry, what would it be?
I would love to see more inclusivity within the equestrian industry. A wider variety of models (shapes, sizes, ethnicities, colours, sexualities etc) used to showcase clothing, more inclusive and clearer sizing (an XXL is sometimes labelled a UK 14 and sometimes a UK 20) and less criticism. Most of us aren’t Olympic or Grand Prix athletes at the top of our game; a lot of us are amateurs just trying to learn and enjoy horses.
For anyone wondering, Vivendi Apparel sizes start from a UK size 4 and for their way up to a UK size 20/22! You can find our sizes by clicking here.
Last but of course not least, what is your favourite Vivendi item for ‘Ray’s Edit’?
My favourite Vivendi Apparel pick is the Pine C180 Compression Leggings. I just think they are the most gorgeous colour!
Our C180 Compression Leggings in Pine are available with matching base layer and offer silicone grip on both knees in the iconic Vivendi Apparel wings logo. They also boast a small zip pocket on the rear of the waist band for change and keys when in the saddle. Thanks to their compression material, they can help reduce DOMs and keep your muscles and joints supported during even the most strenuous of workouts.
If you'd like to keep up to date with Ray The Goth, you can find her here...
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/raythegoth/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/raythegoth
Photography by Cat Barr Photography
]]>Let’s face it, it’s going to be cold. It’s going to be wet. And at times, it’s going to be no fun whatsoever BUT, and it’s a big but, it can be made a whole lot easier with a few time saving hacks, ensuring you still get to ride and your horse is still happy, warm and content.
Here at Vivendi Apparel, with a whole team of equestrians behind the brand, we thought it only fair to share our favourite time saving tips to help us all get through this cold and rainy season! We can’t promise you we’ll help you stay mud free - because that’s impossible here in the UK - but we can promise you a few extra hours saved a week!
Saving time is vital when winter hits to ensure you still get to enjoy time spent with your horse without having to cut corners. Here are our best time saving tips to keep your mind and your horse in tip top condition without sacrificing that much needed time in the saddle.
If you use hay as opposed to haylage, it’s worth making those nets up in bulk at the start of the week. You’ll be surprised just how much time this saves when you don’t have to do it each morning or evening. Whether you soak hay or not, your net is there ready and waiting to simply be picked up and soaked or picked up and hung. This is also great for those times when life gets in the way and you need a friend to give your horse some extra hay. The net’s there ready and waiting!
Sharing jobs with neighbouring liveries can be fantastic for saving time. Whether you turn out and your friend brings in or you muck out both one day and your friend the next, it can mean a few extra vital minutes in the saddle before the sun has had a chance to sink for the evening. It can also mean saving a few pennies on your livery bill too. Win win.
How much time do you think you waste changing clothes from the school run to head to the stables? Or perhaps changing out of your gym clothes to head to the yard? This can mount up quickly, costing you vital hours that could be spent mucking out or better still, riding! Instead, wear clothes that allow you to do both. Whether you’re wearing our C180 Compression Leggings and matching Base Layers or our C360 thermal riding leggings and thermal base layers, you can hit the school run, or hit the gym with ease and head straight to the stables without having to change clothes at all. That could mean a few minutes for some or even a solid hour for others.
Deep littering can save huge amounts of time throughout the winter months. Instead of doing a full muck out, you can instead utilise the necessary bedding such as Easibed or even wooden pellets, that will hold the waste at the very bottom of the bed, allowing you to remove all droppings and simply top up with clean bedding for a fresh and thick bed. Whether you choose to do a full muck out once, twice or even three times a week, deep littering can be a life saver during the winter months!
Want to head somewhere straight from the yard? Perhaps you’re bring in before hitting the supermarket or the school run? Or even coffee with the girls? Don’t worry, the simple trick of using overalls can mean you mucking out, bring the horses in and then shedding your overalls to reveal beautifully clean clothes ready to take on your next errand without people wondering where that smell is coming from…
We all need to keep our phones on us, especially at the stables but how often do you find yourself moving them from your pocket to your storage box outside of your stable, then back to the barn as you move from one place to another? With our Vega Phone Pocket leggings, you get to stop the faff and simply keep yourself hands free while your phone sits snug in your riding leggings with phone pocket. It couldn’t be easier!
Here at Vivendi Apparel, we spent time designing clothes that weren’t just incredible for riding horses with technical compression material and silicone grip, but just as at home in the gym, on the school run or running your daily errands. Our compression riding leggings have been designed with the modern person in mind, because let’s face it, with family, horses, jobs and even side hustles, we don’t have time to waste but that shouldn’t mean we have to compromise on style. Thankfully, with our compression wear for equestrians, including our Limited Edition Vega Phone Pocket riding leggings that let you carry on with your jobs hands free, we have you covered for an efficient and horse filled winter!
Now tell us in the comments below, what are your top time saving tips for equestrians!?
]]>Having spent a great deal of lockdown training in Vivendi Apparel compression wear, not only has Orla Deacon got some incredible experience with our compression leggings and high impact sports bras but she's also found her firm favourites! And to celebrate this amazing woman, we're bring you Orla's Edit with a cheeky discount too!
Orla has chosen our C180 Compression Leggings in White & Gold as well as our matching C180 Sports bra as her firm favourites, as demonstrated beautifully below!
For one week only, we're giving you the opportunity to grab a whopping 60% off any one of our C180 Sports Bras when you buy a pair of our C180 Compression Leggings! That's unbeatable value, allowing you to look as good as Orla in her Vivendi Apparel favourites!
Boxing is a pretty brutal sport, usually associated with blood stained men and screaming crowds. But as a woman making her way into the sport, not only pursuing a professional career but paving the way for young women behind her; Orla Deacon is showing that she doesn’t just have the brute force required to take her to the top, but the sheer grit, determination and brains, that are going to allow her to make her dreams come true.
We took the time to chat with Orla about her boxing career, her health and fitness behind the scenes as well as the benefits of compression wear… because of course, we’re Vivendi Apparel right? Here’s how we got on…
Jenni: Orla! Thanks so much for agreeing to chat with us. It’s been a while since we’ve done a Q&A with anyone and we have to say, we’re pretty excited to be chatting with you! So why don’t we start from the beginning? When did you first get into boxing?
Orla: I have been doing martial arts since I was 4 years old, training and competing at a high intensity in karate, kickboxing, Muay-tai and taekwondo. I then decided to choose just one to focus on. I chose boxing, an Olympic sport, as I also trained in some athletic events. I started training at the gym, the same place my dad trained and haven’t looked back since.
J: Was it a tough decision going pro or a natural progression with your obvious talent?
O: For me it's always been clear that I wanted to breakthrough into the professional game. I love the amateur game so much as a sport, but the professional game suits me with its more aggressive style of fighting. It’s more about the stoppage rather than simply point scoring. I have a ‘fighters instinct’ and my fighting nickname is “The Hunter”, as I hunt down my opponent. I aim to execute, pick my shots and finish the fight before its scheduled end.
J: Having boxed myself as a child, purely for fun I might add, I'm aware that females weren't greatly represented back then (too long ago for me to admit) - would you say that's the same now?
O: It wasn’t that long ago that female boxers were not widely respected at all. There were far less females involved, and due to many barriers - females were unable to train and compete at the same level as males, both technically and fitness wise. There was little respect, hence little investment and promotion, leading to many young females not having that role model in terms of boxing as there was for other sports.
J: Do you feel a lot of pressure to provide the role model that so many young girls are looking for in the sport?
O: I’ve been organically trained since a young age and nurtured into the athlete and boxer I am today. All videos, photos and content seen of me is always absolutely real and raw. So, I guess in some ways, I do feel some pressure to always be a role model but, I’m only 18 and I’m still learning every single day. Having said that, pressure is good – it shows people believe in you. I am so humbled and grateful to already be inspiring young athletes and love chatting to everyone and offering any advice or information I can.
J: What does an average training day look like for you? How many days a week do you train?
O: I generally train 6 days a week, and during camps, 2-3 times a day!
Sometimes I have days off, just to let my body recover but most days off, I’ll do some sort of recovery work, physio or yoga, or sometimes more intense sessions such as cryotherapy tanks, Epson salt tanks, sports massages etc. Rest and recovery is so important, especially on a growing body.
J: How important is compression wear for you? What benefits do you see?
O: So important. With my heavy training load, a pair of compression tights and a compression top allows warmth to be held in, to prevent injury. It’s also vital during my actual sessions, since I put my body through many obscure, unnatural movements for the human body. Compression is vital for support. I work a lot on foot drills, on leg work and it provides much needed support.
J: How important is nutrition? Is it true what they say? 80% nutrition, 20% gym work?
O: Nutrition is crucial to aid training and exercise. It’s the fuel that allows us to move in the first place! It helps us recover after we’ve pushed our bodies. Without the right nutrition, you could find physical activity much harder and struggle pushing yourself to your maximum. I'd say it's paramount that you gain some understanding about food and nutrition, we all have a basic understanding of how to ‘live healthy’ however, if you’re pushing your body through tougher exercise, it's important you understand how to fuel before and afterwards to see the results you're after.
J: Aside from boxing, where are people most likely to find you? What do you enjoy outside of the ring?
O: I love spending time with my friends and family. Staying in... going out, I’m easy. I also take my studies extremely seriously, you'll most probably find me with my head in a book and working for hours on end, as I aspire to qualify to the Bar and become a Criminal Barrister after my career in sport. I love Law and it's what I’m going to be studying at University.
J: Has there been someone vital in your career to date that's really helped you get to where you are?
O: Most definitely my Dad! My Dad has been my coach, manager, nutritionist and mentor, since I started the sport. As well as my best mate and of course Dad! He is the best at what he does and supports me every step of the way! My mum is just as important too. She’s our rock and does whatever she can for me, I am eternally grateful for them! I am also very fortunate to have amazing friends and family who have always been there to support me and help me wherever they can, as I hope I do for them too. Plus, I’ve got a very hardworking and passionate team around me who I love to spend time with.
J: How important is mindset for you?
O: Mindset is so important and can really put you in that top 1%. I believe this definitely applies to life outside of sport too. During training and camps the mind and body might tire, but its those of us who continue to get up in those cold early mornings that succeed - “either sleep with your dreams OR get up and work to make them a reality.”
J : Do you have any top tips for aspiring boxers out there? Any snippets you wish you'd have known when you were younger or even right now?
O: Tips for boxers especially, I would say anything is possible if you’re willing to work exceptionally hard. Always be the hardest worker in the room and never let doubt enter your mind. What is meant for you will find you. NO ONE can do it for you!
J: Lastly, what do you hope for the coming 12 months?
O: I turned 18 in September, so I'm hoping to turn professional now! Other than that, I simply hope everyone has a much better year, remaining as happy and healthy as they can. Never ever give up!
You can find Orla on Instagram at @team_orladeacon
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Whether you’re an equestrian or an avid runner, winter can spell all kinds of problems when it comes to being in the great outdoors.
You aren’t making a quick dash to the shops. You’re working. You’re getting sweaty and you’re staying active. That requires clothing that’s going to support you and not only keep you warm but stop you from getting too sweaty when you’re at your peak level of activity - be it in the saddle or out running trails - and that isn’t an easy task.
Well, unless of course you have our incredible thermal C360 Compression Leggings and Base Layers on hand…
With our thermal riding tights, you can enjoy a delicately soft and thermal lining throughout the compression leggings and running/equestrian base layers.
We designed this line specifically so that it could be worn on its own on your regular cold winters day, allowing you to move freely without the restriction of bulky layers as well as being worn underneath your hoodie or coat and even your leather chaps on those days when the temperatures dive into the minus range.
Our range of thermal horse riding clothes can be worn in the saddle, in the gym or even day to day, on the school run or at the supermarket - regardless of where you are, you can rest assured that Vivendi Apparel Thermal Clothing will be keeping you warm and well supported.
Our thermal C360 compression tights and riding tops have been designed utilising a specific thermal compression fabric that offers:
We guarantee, that thanks to Vivendi’s TC Technology, these thermal compression riding leggings and matching base layers are going to be the only pieces to keep you going through winter without the shivers!
To ensure you’re looking good at all times, and of course enjoy a little colour in your winter wardrobe, we’ve made this line available in our classic Black & Silver as well as Black & Gold.
We also have them available in Eclipse for those wanting a more understated look, as well as a vibrant Red and a subtle Grey. Throw in some limited pieces in a dark Navy and we guarantee you’ll look incredible all winter and won’t be fighting to feel your limbs again when it comes to jumping out of the saddle at the end of a long hack.
Then all you need to worry about is stopping the water buckets from freezing... now is that a half filled plastic water bottle bobbing about or a tyre filled with straw around the bucket? What works for you? Let us know in the comments below...
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While the onset of winter may mean cold temperatures and rain, here at Vivendi we’re feeling on top of the world. Why? Because we’re still on cloud nine from a very successful trip to Monaco in aid of Caudwell Children.
If you follow us on our socials then you’ll no doubt know all about the Cycling with Champions event as well as the Butterfly Ball. Last year, in 2020 during the pandemic, we supported Caudwell Children on their 5th annual Cycle Monte Carlo event by designing and manufacturing the kit for the race. This year however, we decided to go one step further with two of our very own Team Members completing the race themselves as well the rest of our team acting as support staff for both the 85km race and 30km race.
Elizabeth Davies completed a masterful move, creating perhaps the most beautiful cycling kit the race has ever seen, (which is available to purchase right now with just a handful of kits left) and set to work having it manufactured in time for the event itself. As you can see from the images, her efforts were not in vain and the kit was one that will be remembered for a long time.
Mark Waters and Jennifer Hyde both carried out at-home training, with Mark absolutely obliterating a seriously hardcore training regime that often left him with some pretty harsh DOMs. Luckily, having a compression wear brand to hand made his recovery a million times easier.
While Jen initially felt the competitive edge, her distinct lack of lung capacity on the day was evidence enough that her training was in fact spent leisurely on the indoor bike in front of Youtube equestrian vlogs as opposed to thrashing out her Strava best to compete with Mark.
Despite this, on the day, both were super enthusiastic and set off into the busy Monaco traffic, tackling super steep hills and even at one point, a flat tyre.
The support team members, Emma Davies, Emma Waters and of course Elizabeth worked just as hard, with Elizabeth actually coming to Mark and Jen’s rescue and showing them how to change the tyre… oh the embarrassment!
Despite the red faces, from not knowing how to change a tyre and of course feeling the sting on those famous Monaco hills, both crossed the finish line with huge smiles and more importantly, in one piece.
While the race day may have felt like seriously hard work for all involved, that wasn’t the only event of the trip as the Friday race was swiftly followed by the infamous Butterfly Ball the very next day.
As always, Team Vivendi were at the helm helping to set up for the event before rushing off to glam themselves up to not only attend the ball but to help during the live auction by highlighting bids and pledges.
The night itself was nothing short of amazing and the evening’s auction, coupled with the cycle race managed to raise a whopping £1.5m for the charity. This amount of money, along with the money we managed to raise ourselves with our Move Miles Challenge will go towards helping disabled children and their families up and down the UK.
Here’s to 2022, where we hope to join Caudwell Children on even more adventures and raise as much money for this incredible cause as possible.
In the meantime, if you’d like to contribute towards Caudwell Children, why not check out our Caudwell Purple C180 Compression wear. This kit not only provides you with a great addition to your wardrobe but also donates £5 towards Caudwell Children for every piece of kit sold! Check out our Caudwell Purple riding leggings and riding base layers here.
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Compression wear has numerous benefits and is worn around the world by athletes of all kinds. From runners to triathletes, cyclists and now thanks to Vivendi Apparel, equestrians. If you’re a regular reader of our blogs or simply follow us on social media, then you’ll be aware that the pressure qualities of compression wear can also help those with numerous conditions related to chronic pain such as arthritis and even fibromyalgia; but did you know that compression wear can also help those with autism and sensory processing disorders?
Before we dive into the why’s and how’s, let’s first look at exactly what autism and sensory processing disorders are.
What Are Autism & Sensory Processing Disorders?
Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), relates to a range of conditions which can be characterised through shared challenges with social skills, speech, non verbal communications and repetitive behaviours. While there isn’t one type of autism there is a number of subtypes, most of which are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.
Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD is a condition that affects the way the brain communicates with the rest of the body. A person with SPD will receive information via the nervous system, which the brain has trouble interpreting correctly and therefore signals non-typical reactions. As a result of the brain’s inability to interpret these signals correctly, an individual with SPD may experience social, emotional or even physical responses which may appear unusual to others.
So how are ASD and SPD related? It’s worth considering ASD and SPD as overlapping conditions. Consider them both circles. While each is self contained, the overlap between them is significant which sees many with ASD experiencing SPD also, usually a whopping 75% according to the SPD Foundation website.
The Benefits Of Compression Wear For Autism & SPD
The question is, how can compression wear help?
Well, research and studies around the world have shown that compression wear can significantly improve not only the posture of those suffering with ASD but their behaviour also.
A Vincent Guinchat carried out a study on compression wear and the benefits for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The study itself explored whether the individuals with ASD (in varying degrees) would benefit from compression garments and their pressure qualities. The particular study involved full-body compression and focused on behaviours such as hypotonia, hypertonia, abnormal posture, motor control and even stereotyped behaviours such as spinning and even repetitive behaviours.
The study incorporated 14 children and adults, all of whom were deemed to have severe behaviour problems that didn’t respond to multiple types of treatment prior to the study. Participants were asked to wear the compression garments for at least one hour a day and in some cases, the whole day for six weeks. They were not however, to sleep in them. The results showed significant improvement in those who wore the compression garments with areas such as irritability, hyperactivity and lethargy specifically, showing the most improvements.
The benefits of compression garments for those with ASD and SPD are becoming so well known in fact that charitable organisations are now providing compression garments for children with these conditions. Overall benefits are said to include:
Vivendi Apparel Compression Wear
Here at Vivendi Apparel, our compression wear is medical grade, offering a true compression quality, providing the pressure needed to help not only those taking part in extreme sports and intense workouts but also those who need the benefits of compression wear the most.
Our compression wear is available in sizes UK 4 - 22, and also comes in two children’s sizes, XXXS (aged 6-8 years) & XXS (aged 9-11 years). Find our entire junior wear by clicking here.
Source: “Compressive garments in individuals with autism and severe proprioceptive dysfunction: a retrospective exploratory case series,” Vincent Guinchat, Elodie Vlamynck, Lautaro Diaz, Coralie Chambon, Justine Pouzenc, Cora Cravero, Carolina Baeza-Velasco, Claude Hamonet, Jean Xavier, and David Cohen
Source: https://www.autism-products.com/product-category/compression-vests/
Source: https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism
Source: https://genesisbehaviorcenter.com/how-autism-and-sensory-processing-disorder-are-linked/
]]>Compression wear consists of garments woven from a spandex-type fibre. Compression wear is as the name suggests, skin tight and then even tighter. The basic principle of compression wear surrounds the physical compression of the muscles themselves, in order to support and contain them. Compression leggings, compression shorts or even compression tops can also increase circulation in the wearer by squeezing the blood back to the heart. While compression wear offers a number of benefits, it’s worth noting that for many, it goes way beyond the physical and into the psychological. Allow us to explain…
What Are Compression Leggings Made From?
Compression leggings are made from a high-grade fabric, usually consisting of a mixture of nylon, spandex, polyester and even lycra. As well as supporting muscles and joints and increasing circulation, they also help wick sweat away from the skin, keeping your body temperature regulated and allowing your skin to breath.
The Benefits Of Compression Tights
Compression tights are designed to hug calves, thighs, buttocks and of course all areas of the upper body and by doing this, they offer a multitude of benefits…
Reduced Muscle Fatigue - compression wear helps boost a wearer’s performance by helping to decrease the inevitable muscle fatigue that all athletes can experience. Whether you’re wearing our compression leggings as riding leggings or running leggings, the compression fabric will significantly decrease the fatigue and muscle aches that you usually experience after. This can help with longer and faster bursts of exercise without that all-too familiar exhausted feeling in your legs.
Decreased Muscle Soreness - everyone who works out will know that DOMs (delayed onset of muscle soreness) can be difficult, especially after an intense workout and to make it worse, this can last for days. Compression tights however can significantly lessen the pain by allowing you to workout for longer without stressing the muscles too much, thus reducing the DOMs you feel overall. Wearing your compression shorts or compression leggings after your workout can help with this too.
Improved Anaerobic/Aerobic Threshold - the aerobic threshold is the consistent effort that you can perform at. The anaerobic threshold is the point at which lactic acid will start to build up rather rapidly in the blood and it’s at this point that it can be tough during exercise. Recent stats however have shown that garments like our silicone grip compression pants can actually help improve these thresholds in healthier athletes by as much as 6.2%.
Improved Flexibility - unlike numerous other active wear options, compression leggings and compression tops wear like a second skin. Forget restrictive clothing and instead enjoy complete flexibility better than before.
Keeps You Dry - with the help of materials such as nylon and polyester, compression wear can help the body dry faster when sweating as it lifts water upward instead of repelling it. This means sweat will evaporate from the skin faster.
Support For Injuries - if you’re someone who suffers injuries a lot, you may want to consider compression wear as part of your standard exercise uniform. Not only will compression wear help significantly reduce the chance of you getting injured in the first place but it can also help provide extra support for injuries; they’re well know for being amazing for strain support.
Our Compression Leggings Are Versatile Enough For All Disciplines
Here at Vivendi Apparel, while our initial designs were based on providing medical benefits for those spinal cord injuries, we soon realised the benefits of our compression leggings for runners and cyclists. But it wasn’t long before we realised that these benefits could be enjoyed by athletes of all natures, from equestrians to gymnasts, stunt riders to kayakers and much much more.
Our compression leggings are available as riding leggings or running leggings, cycling leggings and even trick riding leggings. All benefit from a silicone grip knee, in a wide range of colours. We also have a range of compression shorts, ideal for the cooler months or even for those who prefer their compression wear to focus on their upper quads and hamstrings.
Check out our range of compression leggings available now and let us know if you feel the benefits.
]]>Fibromyalgia is a condition experienced by many, causing widespread chronic pain as well as fatigue and even cognitive issues. Aside from a multitude of factors, one of the ways in which sufferers can experience particularly bad days is through the clothing they wear. Some find they need to avoid fabrics like Denim while others need to avoid fabrics that struggle to cope with temperature changes.
According to the paindoctor.com, one way to manage the chronic pain that comes with Fibromyalgia is to carefully select the garments you wear. One of the suggestions is to try out compression clothing, something we specialise in, here at Vivendi Apparel. While compression wear may not be the best option for every single case, there have been notable numbers of fibromyalgia patients who have experienced some form of pain relief while wearing compression clothing. So how does compression wear help?
Here at Vivendi Apparel, we’re lucky enough to boast an incredible network of ambassadors. One of those ambassadors, is Georgia Gardner. Georgia is 21 years old and lives in Cornwall with her stunning gelding Junior, who she’s owed for 7 years. Georgia was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 2019 along with ME, otherwise known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. We decided to speak with Georgia about her experiences with fibromyalgia and the benefits she’s seen with our compression wear.
Jenni: Hey Georgia, thank you so much for speaking with us. You’ve had a really tough battle over the last few years. Could you tell us a little more about what you’ve been through?
Georgia: In 2018 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as ME or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). Then in 2019 I was diagnosed with stage 2 endometriosis, which I have since found has progressed to stage 4 after my last surgery in December 2020. I have also struggled with my mental health over the years, so I have become a huge advocate of mental health and chronic illness/disabilities within the riding world.
J: You’re incredibly strong and resilient to go through what you do. How does the fibromyalgia in particular effect your riding?
G: Having fibromyalgia and ME makes riding sometimes difficult, I tire out easily and I struggle with strength within my back and knees, my shoulders and elbows are now also starting to impair my riding. Riding with pain is difficult, especially when my hip locks up in a training session (worse when jumping!) and I have to stop and right myself again. I have found pieces of tack and bits and bobs which help to make my training much more comfortable, compression being one of them.
I try to avoid riding when I have taken pain relief as I don't like the risk of my reaction times lessening and to become drowsy, however sometimes it's unavoidable.
J: Could you tell us a little about how compression wear helps you and your riding?
G: Compression tops and leggings help to keep my joints comfortable, warm and secure so I can focus on my riding instead of my pain.
So how exactly does compression wear help? Compression garments, much like our C180 Compression Leggings, C360 Compression Leggings and of course, their counterpart base layers, can help decrease the chronic pain by helping to increase the oxygenation and blood circulation. Compression wear can also help to reduce swelling and oedema. With the additional support to muscles and joints that compression wear provides, many find this clothing helps prevent or in some cases lessen the extent of injuries - all of which can help with those suffering from Fibromyalgia.
If you'd like to follow Georgia's story, check out her Instagram account via Bandmastertales.
If you’d like to see if our compression wear can help relieve and ease pain and fatigue for you, please do check out our C180 Compression Wear as well as our C360 Compression Wear. While our C360 Compression Wear offers a lesser level of compression, it does offer a super soft internal fleece like material. Our C180 Compression Wear, while a thinner and more lightweight material, offers a much higher level of compression.
]]>You already no doubt know that exercise is great for the body. Our line of compression leggings and compression tops has been specifically designed to aid your body in fact, during and after exercise by helping you reduce DOMs, provide additional support to muscles and joints and even helping reduce inflammation. Today however, we’re looking at the mind and how exercise can actually help elevate your mood, improve your sleep and even help you deal with depression, anxiety and stress - something a lot of us have been dealing with especially over the last year.
So let’s dive in…
When you suffer from depression, anxiety or stress, for the most part, exercise is the last thing you feel like doing, however, once you get motivated, it can actually make a huge difference. Research specifically on depression and anxiety has shown both psychological and physical benefits fro exercise. In fact research has even shown exercise to help ward of the return of depression and anxiety once you’ve got yourself to a better place. But those aren’t the only mental health benefits associated with regular exercise…
If you’d like to support your body while you’re exercising to support your mind, please do check out our compression wear now. The C180 Compression Wear offers our highest level of compression for those taking part in more strenuous schooling sessions as well as heavy gym sessions. Our C360 Compression Wear is slightly thicker and offers a lesser level of compression for easier workouts and everyday wear.
All of our clothing has been designed to provide complete versatility, taking you from the arena to the gym and even on the school run. By avoiding having to change outfits, we believe can provide a real boost and almost encourage you to make that gym session, instead of skipping. With Vivendi Apparel, you buy less and you buy better.
Support both body and mind with Vivendi Apparel and make this week the week you focus on you.
]]>Phone Pocket Riding Leggings, Saddle Pads & Ask The Vet...
Spring is here and so too is our spring addition newsletter! In this latest offering, we have two huge new releases to tell you about and we cannot wait for you to see!
Check out our hotly anticipated riding leggings with phone pocket as well as our matching base layers. This new, limited edition set is guaranteed to blow up, so keep your eyes peeled on a pre-sale release date because these will fly! We know you’ve all been waiting a long while for these so to say we’ll finally be releasing them is music to our ears! These phone pocket leggings, equally as suitable as fitness and gym leggings, are high waisted and figure flattering, constructed from a new technical material complete with new branding.
On top of that, we’ll also be discussing the release of our new saddle pads, fleece wraps and fly veils. This matching saddle pad set will be available to purchase as individual pieces, giving you to option to go full matchy matchy or totally individual. Our thick, cushioned saddle pad and matching accessories feature our new metal logos, that you’ll also see featuring on our new forthcoming lines in future - so watch this space. These won’t be on the shelves for long.
As if that wasn’t enough, this newsletter also boasts our brand new “Ask The Vet” feature with the incredible Alex Fuller of Fuller Equine. This issue, Alex talks about Platelet Rich Plasma otherwise known as PRP and how it’s used to stimulate cell growth, promote healing and ultimately repair injuries in our equine friends.
You can find out more about Alex Fuller at https://www.fullerequine.co.uk or visit Alex and his team on his Instagram and Facebook pages.
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If you’ve followed us here at Vivendi Apparel for a while, then you’ll know that we spend a lot of time in the UAE. It’s become almost like a second home. During that time, we met the amazing Alex Grant, who not only became a friend but soon became involved with Vivendi Apparel after discovering an instant love for our brand. Since then, Alex has now become a direct supplier of Vivendi Apparel within the UAE but that’s not all she does.
Alex is also now the founder of an incredible initiative called Life After Racing. We decided to speak with Alex and find out more about this incredible thoroughbred based training initiative and what she does to help racehorses find their forever homes when their days on the track have come to an end.
Jenni: Hey Alex, thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. So tell us about Life After Racing. Why did you set it up and what’s it all about?
Alex: It’s an initiative very close to my heart and something I’ve dreamt of for a number of years. I want to show what these amazing race horses are capable of post racing and their career on the track.
With the right training and rehabilitation, they can actually transition very easily into regular riding homes
Whether that’s in another discipline entirely or as a happy hacker.
J: You’ve said you’d like to shed more light on the racing industry itself and change people’s perspectives, maybe even showcasing how well these horses are actually looked after - how do you want to do that?
A: The racing industry gets a lot of flack but I can tell first hand that these horses are in fantastic condition, sometimes maybe even a little too good haha. The trainer I work with is amazing and he’s supportive and on hand for anything. He puts these horses first every second of the day.
J: What’s your experience with racehorses previously?
A: It all started with Speed Hawk and his legacy continues in my passion to give other retired horses like him the right restart and chance at a second career.
Speed Hawk was one of the Barns leading Racehorses with 11 placing & 7 wins. He was retired at 6 with a small twinge to his RF distal flexor tendon and was rested, but his trainer decided not to bring him back and to find him a good home. I am so very blessed I was lucky enough to call him mine. It was a rough road to begin with as he was a little wild, so I turned him away. We had to over come an array of issues - feet being the main one - but with the help of his change of diet, movement, farrier and a great chiropractor, we were off riding 5/6 months in.
He very quickly developed from then and became the most kind, sweet, curious, hard working little horse. He suddenly became the biggest, softest baby. He was ridden bitless and even hacked with my novice partner. I personally always wanted to jump and he eventually became a very confident and strong, talented jumper. We entered 5 shows, 2 dressage and 3 jumping.
He passed away in the May. It was the worst day of my life.
A tragic waste of a horse that had so much ability and so much promise. Gone to soon at only 8 years old. Life After Racing is very much in Hawk’s legacy.
J: Why is the thoroughbred such a special breed do you think?
A: They’re extremely smart and dynamic sports horses. They have a huge heart, stamina and strength. Unfortunately, sometimes with the wrong handling or training, they’re often wrongly labeled as scatty, flighty and unpredictable but I really don’t think they are, certainly not any more then any other sports horse.
J: How can people get involved and utilise your services?
A: I’m going to be offering bespoke rehab/retraining programs that cater for owners and their individual horses. I’ll be creating a step by step guide to help these owners transition their horse from racehorse to riding horse.
J: What help are you receiving at the moment? Are you working with any brands?
A: Well, I’m working with yourselves at Vivendi Apparel. I love riding in the silicone grip compression leggings. I really struggle to wear normal breeches these days. I’m also hoping with this new initiative, that I may be able to gain new sponsors to help with the care of these special horses while I retrain them and find them new homes.
J: How can people help?
A: I’d be forever grateful if people simply supported and followed our journey. I’ll also be offering a meet and greet service for the horses to help spread the love and good word of the OTTB.
J: What do you hope for the future?
A: Really, there is no mountain high enough. Everyday is a new day, a new challenge with a new gift. If I can help 1 or 100 horses, I’m happy to be part of the journey of finding these fantastic horses their new forever home after an incredible career in racing.
If you’d like to follow the journey of Life After Racing, head over to their instagram page at @life_after_racing_.
]]>We could not be more excited to shout about our brand new launch of our compression cycling shorts. Available in both Cherry & Eclipse, our compression shorts are guaranteed to take your wardrobe to the next level but their look isn’t the only amazing thing about them. Our cycling shorts are, much like our leggings, made from compression material. This technical compression fabric brings with it not only a superior fit, allowing the material to mould to you but a whole host of medical benefits.
We’ve taken the time to list these benefits for you below, so you can truly understand just why our compression shorts are your next wardrobe must-have.
Our compression cycling shorts are now available to purchase at their presale price of £30 instead of £35 so grab them while you can. You’ll find them online now in our October Presale collection! They’re available in cherry and eclipse and don’t forget, we also have matching base layers available, as well as cropped base layers and bras to take your matchy matchy to the next level.
]]>If you follow us on social media then you will have undoubtedly seen us mention the Caudwell Children charity a fair few times over the last month. You may have also seen us discuss Cycle Monte Carlo as well as a few different names to our usual line up of equestrian followers.
Just a few months ago, we were approached by the incredible philanthropist John Caldwell and his partner, Modesta Vzesniauskaite. Every year, in aid of the Caudwell Children’s charity, they throw the famous Butterfly Ball and run a 85km - 125km cycle race beginning and ending in the heart of Monte Carlo.
Modesta had seen and enjoyed the quality of Vivendi Apparel for herself, through the beautiful Nigora Bannatyne (who you will have seen wearing our leggings, bras, shorts and hoodie) and approached us to design the kit for the huge cycle race that’s hosted every year in Monaco.
This would be the biggest design task of our life and despite incredibly tight deadlines, we were up for the challenge. Over the course of just a few months, Elizabeth, the owner and incredibly talented designer of Vivendi Apparel worked her fingers to the bone behind the scenes to ensure the best designs possible were created. Elizabeth worked on several different designs before creating the perfect kit that you’ll see displayed on all participants of the race today. She then spent time working with numerous manufacturers, before eventually deciding upon one right here in the UK - and so the Cycle Monte Carlo kit was created. Emblazoned with Vivendi Apparel, as well as a number of other incredible companies supporting the charity, such as Burgess Yachts, Arctic World Club and Edmond De Rothschild, the kit would be a fundamental part of the race and draw huge attention to the charity at hand - Caudwell Children.
Elizabeth Davies, Vivendi Apparel’s owner and designer has not only created amazing designs for breathable and supportive cycling kit but she’s done so in perhaps the shortest time frame possible. This years Cycle Monte Carlo kit is truly one of a kind and will be worn by some of the world’s most talented minds from Mark Cavendish, John Caudwell and Modesta Vzesniauskaite themselves. We couldn’t be more proud of the incredible things that Elizabeth has achieved and we cannot wait to see her kit racing through the streets of Monte Carlo today.
Want To Win Your Own Customised Vivendi Apparel Kit?
If designing the kit for the race wasn’t enough, here at Vivendi Apparel, we’ve also put forward an incredible prize for those attending the ball as well as those who wish to bid from afar. We’re offering one lucky bidder the chance to have their very own personalised compression wear designed and created for them by us. From colours to shape and size, we’ll create made to measure compression wear just for you. Want to bid? Simply head to the Caudwell Children website now to find out what’s being auctioned off and how you can get involved.
Caudwell Children Charity
We couldn’t be more pleased to be involved in such an incredible charity. Caudwell Children, founded in March 2000, was formed by John Caudwell in order to help disabled children reach their very full potential, with the help of both practical and much needed emotional support. Caudwell Children is committed to changing the lives of these disabled children and it does so by providing services, equipment, treatments and therapies - all of which simply couldn’t be done without the donations they receive through charity events such as the Monte Carlo Cycle today, the Butterfly Ball taking place this Saturday and of course, the numerous events that take place throughout the year. Both John Caudwell and Trudi Beswick have been the driving force of Caudwell Children and continue to see it’s growth year on year. To date, this incredible charity has provided a whopping £45 million worth of services to help disabled children and will continue to do so, with your help!
If you’d like to donate to this incredible cause, please don’t hesitate to do so right now on their website. Every single donation helps, no matter how much. As the Caudwell Children motto states, “Whatever It Takes” is exactly what we’ll do to achieve their vision, “A world where all disabled children and their families have choice, opportunity, dignity and understanding.”
If you can donate, please click here and hit the ‘donate’ button. All we ask is that you do what you can. Every penny means the world!
]]>If you’ve been shopping with Vivendi Apparel for more than five minutes you’ll realise we’re a little different to some brands. Aside from our technical fabrics and our original focus on injury rehabilitation, we also happen to be incredibly far removed from the label that is, ‘fast fashion’.
Fast fashion is something that shot into our lives since the early 2000’s thanks to the likes of Primark, Topshop, New Look and more. In more recent years, it’s been online retailers, much like ourselves, who have shifted into the limelight and become household names like MissGuided, Boohoo and of course In The Style.
While cheap clothing and quick turnaround times were a huge bonus for the vast majority of consumers, recent events have seen the ethics of fast fashion being called into practice. This is especially so since COVID-19 swept the globe in March. The recent call for transparency surrounding the corporate practices of some fast fashion houses led to many ‘greenwashing’ in order to appear more ethical than they actually are.
Greenwashing
noun
adjective
Despite sustainability being a very real problem in almost every sector of the world, there are a number of retailers who are grossly overstating their efforts, which has understandably led to a great many now choosing to avoid fast fashion houses. An inability to help our environment however, isn’t the only reason so many people around the world are choosing to avoid ‘fast fashion’ where possible, it’s also down to the poorly-paid and often over-worked workers which have recently been highlighted right here in the UK. Add to this even more excessive environmental destruction within the factories themselves as they burn through excess clothing or even send huge amounts of unworn garments to landfill and it’s no wonder the fashion industry is on the peak of a very big change.
As well as bidding farewell to huge carbon footprints, the fashion industry looks set to change dramatically in it’s usual seasonal output. With people now looking for more long-term options, seasonal styles look set to change as colours and styles remain ‘in-fashion’ in order to encourage consumers to wear their clothing all year round, as opposed to disposing of and refreshing their wardrobe seasonally - as a great many do.
This means instead of changing your look continually throughout the year, fashion houses may well begin focusing on how to dress their staple pieces through the seasons, offering different looks with each. It could also see seasonal lines becoming much smaller, offering far more longevity. While this may see prices increase somewhat, to cater for better material, better pay for workers and a better quality product and company all round, this price increase will no doubt be balanced out by the fact that consumers will be reducing their purchases hugely as lines shrink and clothing is worn for longer.
Here at Vivendi Apparel, we’re often asked why it takes so long between lines to see new items and even basic restocks. The reason being, because we don’t wish to contribute to our planet’s downfall. The fashion industry accounts for almost 8% of the world’s greenhouse gases and by doing our best to provide long-term products, reusable clothing that lasts, we can do our bit to reduce our own carbon footprint as well as that of the industry as a whole.
Our signature collection of compression leggings is what we’ve become known for. It provides medical benefits thanks to the incredible technical material while also offering assistance for those who choose to ride in them, in the form of a silicone grip knee.
More importantly, it can be worn from season to season. We’ve kept our signature line understated and timeless for a reason. It means no matter what new additions may be added to our line in the future, you’ll still be able to pair them with our original leggings and original base layers as well as any other branded clothing out there, allowing you to continue wearing our garments for years to come.
What’s more, our pieces have been designed specifically to offer incredible versatility. They not only cater to horse riding but they’re also great in the gym, walking the dog, hiking up mountains and even ice skating. They’re designed to provide you with the support, comfort and style you need for everyday wear whatever the weather, whatever the activity.
Due to the quality of our products and of course, our insistence on using high quality manufacturers that ensure good working conditions for their staff, we aren’t able to turn around products in just a few days. While other ‘fast fashion’ companies may be able to offer new products and restocks in just a matter of days, ours can take weeks at a time. This isn’t something that we’re looking to change any time soon however as we’re only too conscious that we want to ensure our manufacturers creating our products are treating their workers fairly, as opposed to working their fingers to the bone.
Put simply, it’s a matter of ethics and what we believe as a brand. Here at Vivendi Apparel, we don’t focus on seasonal restocks or changing product lines throughout the year. We believe in our products and we believe in our brand. Fast Fashion is without a doubt out, as consumers open their eyes and see it for it is; and what’s left is sustainable, ethical fashion for everyone.
It’s time for fast fashion to evolve, not only for our planet but for the wide eyed consumer who now wants to ensure they’re purchases are helping our environment, not hindering it and there’s never been a better time to do it. If you’d like to shop our current collection, you can find it all right here.
Until then…we hope you’re all staying safe! Catch it, kill it, bin it guys!
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