I first met Marta many years ago at Olympia where I marvelled at her products- which were so different from many I’d seen before – we got chatting and I actually left with products from Eqclusive to review and a phone number for someone who became a friend over the years. 

Eqclusive is now internationally known – particularly in the grooming sphere of the equestrian world where both Marta and Alan Davis – one of the world’s best known grooms, expertise really come into play in both developing and selling products that really give your horse that extra “oomph” in the showring.

Firstly – can you tell me a little about yourself, how Eqclusive came to be and how long you have been open for business?
I moved from Poland to the UK in 2006. My journey in the UK started in Basingstoke, and then I moved to Aberdeen to study for two degrees. After university, I worked in Oil & Gas industry, mainly in Executive and Accountancy recruitment. Having been made redundant in 2015 after a short time in a new business – due to oil pieces – I was left with a bad taste in the month and decided to open my own business, which I had an idea for since I was a professional groom in my teenage years. We have been going for eight years, and I’m incredibly proud of where we are in the market.

I have reviewed and indeed bought many of your products over the years – you seem to have a flair for, in particular, the showing and turn-out community – can you tell me where you got this insight from?
I have a passion for clean, shiny horses. My goal when starting the business was to transform people’s thinking about grooming. I wanted and still want people to realise how much you can achieve by daily grooming, the connection you build with the horse and the impact it has on them. Have the shining result as an extra perk – not the primary goal. I hope this translates into everything we do.

You currently sell worldwide -but how does Ireland compare in sales compared to the like of UK and the rest of Europe?
Unfortunately, Ireland is not the country where we sell a lot. Sales to Ireland equate to 0.6% of sales in 2022. Before Brexit in 2019, they were closer to 5% of all sales, so the drop is massive. Believe it is due to increased shipping prices and customs charges that every delivery carries from the UK.

If you were to find Irish stockists for your products – do you have any hopes or dreams that could become a reality by having your products sold here?
If I could think of a dream retailer, it would be one with staff passionate about grooming and already using our products. But, unfortunately, it is easier to sell them once you use them because they are a luxury.

Do you have any new products coming out in 2023?
We have new products to add to our Fairy Tail range. Plus, we are changing the manufacturer of our Pro Diamond cosmetics, which will significantly improve those products.

Alan Davies – super groom to the likes of Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin is a good friend of yours – you even produced a brush line – which I have and yes they are amazing – do you have any tips you could give us that you learned from him?
Alan has been a fundamental part of the growth of the business. Having partially retired from full-time grooming, he has been even more involved with the company, and I hope to learn more from him in the coming months. What I learned to date from him is his signature quarter marks, lots of plaiting tips and his mane tidying way while using scissors.

If anyone reading this is interested in stocking your products – how can they reach you?
They can reach us by email at contact@eqclusive.com – this is the fastest way to get all information and start working with us.