As we get prepared for the biggest show of the year. We wanted to chat with some of our grassroots team about how they are preparing for the RDS next week. We start of this series with the one and only Sharon Bronsveld aka @thehorsetherapist. Sharon runs www.thehorsetherapist.ie and will have a trade stand at next week show. It is her first time there, so I was excited to find out how she was feeling and how the preparation had gone.

Tell us a little about who you are and what you do?

I am an equine cranio sacral therapist, nutritionist and herbal specialist and currently studying equine orthomolecular medicine and epigenetics. I used to live in Holland because I am half Dutch and half Irish but I feel I have more Irish blood running through my veins and this is why I decided to move to Ireland 4 years ago. 

Tell us about your business, and what you’d like from the event?

I have an online shop where people can buy healthy products for their horses. Most of them are based on herbs and I also put together customized herbal mixtures, made to what the horse needs. Rather than selling standard herb mixtures. I also offer nutrition consults at yards and online and cranio sacral therapy. My herbal mixtures are available for both humans and horses and I also treat dogs. I would like to share as much knowledge as possible at the event, when it comes to getting horses healthy again and keeping them healthy with the help of products of nature. So what I would like is to spread the word and let people know I am here to help them and their horses. 

Why are you excited about the RDS?

It is my first time at the RDS. I have never ever been before. So its all new to me and it will be an exciting challenge. Meeting loads of people and seeing some amazing shows in between working at the stand. 

I am also sponsoring one of the riders and her 3 horses at the RDS. It is the first time I am sponsoring someone. Its been great to help her get her horses healthy and fit. So exciting to see how she will get on. 

What has the buildup and preparation been like for you and your business?

It’s been great fun to be honest! A lot of work as well, because I didn’t have any promotional items/marketing stuff. Except for some flyers. I have put a lot of thought into the stand and what it will look like and I hope the people will like it. I did get some help from Elaine Neary who is an equine professional and she will be at my stand as well. She has been going to the RDS for several years. So she told me what to expect and gave me some great ideas. 

How does it feel as a business owner having a stand at one of the biggest shows of the year?

It feels amazing! A bit scary as well. Because any show in Holland that I have been to, would only have big Companies who are running their business for years and have created brand awareness. And I am just a small Business who isn’t as well know….YET 😉 

What are the key messages you’ll be trying to relay to the people you meet at the event?

1. Feed your horse like a horse
2. Feed your horse as an individual, holistic approach
3. Bring nature back to horses by feeding herbs for example
4. Let them know how we can help to get their metabolic ill horse back to health again
5. Explain how certain therapies and change of nutrition can benefit the horse 

Where can people find you at the event, and what days will you be there?

We will be in Hall 4, stand L3 (near the exit to ring 2) We will be there from Wednesday until Sunday. And we will have a competition going on at the stand, where people can smell herbs and guess what herbs they are. They can win some amazing prizes, like a bag of 4 seasons herbs, equine cbd oil, a nutrition plan from me and massage treatments from Elaine and Marie. 

Anyone that enters the competition will get a healthy treat for their horse.

We will also be selling bags of healthy treats, cbd oil and natural ulcers treatments and anyone who buys 1 of these products will get a free bag of herbs with that (while stock lasts).

And we have some amazing brochures available on several metabolic issues. They contain a lot of valuable information and explain how certain metabolic issues arise, such as sweet itch, copd, laminitis and ulcers.