At the helm right now
Aimi Clark took over as editor in January 2018. She says: “I arrived on this earth a few years after Your Horse did, but I remember my ponies wearing string girths (the ones without rollers on the buckles — ouch), baler twine for grass reins and large-holed sweat rugs. “Arenas were a few cones used to mark out a rectangle on grass; we hacked for miles on the road without worrying about concussion; and most farmers (my grandfather being one) would allow us to canter around the edge of their fields. You could win a one-day event on a lowly dressage mark by pulling off a double clear, because first-phase leaders usually bombed over jumps. “Oh, how times have changed. Roads are busier and drivers are less knowledgeable about horse riders and less tolerant. Every single dressage mark counts — and the only fields I get to ride around are my Dad’s. “Google and social media remodelled the whole world, and equestrianism with it. In magazine terms, there’s no more typing up handwritten letters and articles we receive in the post (yes, that really happened) or scanning in images. Words arrive by email and pin-sharp images are transferred digitally for instant download.
A new audience
“The magazine you’re reading remains at the centre of our brand, but we also have a website (yourhorse.co.uk) and social media platforms helping us talk to hundreds of thousands of riders. Our show, Your Horse Live, brings Your Horse to life every year. “Print products have had to move with the times. Readers want answers and they need them now. Battling to balance horses with careers and family is an indentifiable theme, so we have more real-life features. “Several of Liz’s points still stand, in particular confidence being a key topic. Every issue of Your Horse aims to educate, motivate and inspire — and long may it continue.”