Finding out about Sam Hathaway...

In the second part of our series we catch up with Sam, the lovely lady behind Lofthouse Equestrian & Country. Find out what she got out the day, what her husband Martyn took away from it, and plenty more too!

Tell us a bit about your business/blog/what you do

Lofthouse- Equestrian & Country is a boutique based in Lancashire. We stock a range of countrywear & horse riding equipment always striving to find that something different & special for our customers. We are not just a tack shop! We are a little corner of the world where you can grab a free cuppa, a biscuit, have a natter and walk out feeling on top of the world!

Why did you decide to come to Style, Skills & Silver?

The Style, Skills & Silver event really stood out to me. I could think of nothing better than getting together with all those inspirational business owners, vloggers and bloggers, talking all things country and sharing ideas! As a small business I really think it's important to jump on opportunities that come your way, some will be brilliant and some you won't find as good but it's all a learning curve. I think I would've regretted not attending. Style, Skills and Silver did not disappoint! Plus the cake was amazing!

What did you enjoy the most?
To be honest it was lovely meeting people face to face who I've spoken to on Social Media. You quite often feel as if you know a person really well just because you watch their Instastories! It was fantastic to meet all those people in the flesh! Everyone was so lovely and welcoming. 

I also really enjoyed the style sessions and came away with lots of great tips! My husband loved the flatlay session and we came away with some fantastic pictures, which have gone down really well on social media!! Although it's slightly easier when you've got so many gorgeous brands at your fingertips to choose from! My Christmas list just got a heck of a lot longer! My husband is dreading it! 

Have you/are you planning to use any of the skills you learnt there?
Definitely! I've already put lots into practice! My wardrobe has had a complete overhaul and we are working really hard on producing better images for our website and social media. We are even looking into stocking some of the brands that attended! The products were so gorgeous. I came away with so many ideas I was up til 11pm that night trying to scribble them all down before I forgot!

Thinking of style, what are your most loved products  what will we always
see you in when you're out and above?

For Christmas last year (2017) my husband bought me the Hiho Silver Snaffle Bit Ring, since that day I've never had it off! Honestly! I love it! It goes everywhere with me and Hiho do not lie when they say the jewellry is made of stern stuff. It still looks brand new and it's taken a fair bashing down at the yard! Other than that I usually have some form of Sporting Hares on. I usually go for what's practical as I can't be faffing about, I've too much to do!

Whose style would you like to steal?
I must admit I think Harriet Lily has a great style. Very practical, which is essential for me, but she adds that little bit of country into everything even when she's at the office! Plus her boot collection is amazing- I'm very envious!!  

In a flatlay of your day to day life, which items would we find in there?!

Coffee, definitely coffee! I cannot function without a cup of coffee in the morning whilst I drive to the yard! My tassimo machine is always well stocked! Then probably my Hiho ring as it goes everywhere with me, flowers (I love lillies) and my Grays handbag as I'm always flying out the door to go somewhere!

Now for the serious stuff!

What’s your favourite type of cake?
Chocolate cake! I can't live without chocolate! The Coco May brownies we had in our goody bags lasted all of 2 seconds! Talk about melt in the mouth!! 

What’s your favourite event  horse trials or other
I haven't actually attended a 3 day event yet, that's on my list for next year! I think Badminton is first! I loved going to the Game Fair this year at Ragley Hall, I was in my element, I've never been to a show like it! I'm also a huge dressage fan so the National Dressage Championships are also a highlight for me every year! 

Where can we find you on social media?
We can be found in quite a few places! You'll often find me popping on 'live' at some point in the day, our links and handles are: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lofthouseequestrian/

Twitter: @LoftyEquestrian

Instagram: @LoftyEquestrian

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJXDSnJDIOu1YTVbFl2IiPw?view_as=subscriber

Where can we find you online?

https://lofthouse-equestrian.co.uk/
 
I really hope Hiho put on another instameet, it was a brilliant day. There was definitely something there for everyone and the value we got from the day far exceeded the ticket price! Plus the goody bags were unbelievable!! xx