The Hairy Pony Story
Hairy Pony Australia was born out of the need for high quality, functional & stylish horse grooming products within Australia. From humble beginnings in a beautiful little country town in Victoria, Australia, Hairy Pony has quickly grown to become one of Australia's leading manufacturers & online retailers of horse grooming products. We now proudly hold a reputation for producing exceptional quality, thoughtfully designed & functional horse grooming products, with luxurious style & class.
Meet the Team
MEET THE TEAM BEHIND THE BRAND
Meet Grace
FOUNDER, OWNER & Product DESIGNER
"Presenting horses is a big passion of mine & grooming is something that I highly enjoy.
As an 8 year old, for my first pony club rally I spent hours on the Saturday bathing, plaiting & primping my pony with hair ribbons. We turned up to pony club the next day to see that nobody one else had their pony plaited up...! But all my instructors commented on what a great job I had done plaiting my pony & how nice it was to see how much effort I put in! I specifically remember one instructor saying that a judge will always highly respect the amount of effort you put into your presentation, no matter the discipline or how well behaved your pony is. I felt really proud that day & it was the beginning of my lifelong love for horses & horse grooming.
From that day I always had my horses trimmed, tidy & clean, and by the time I was a young teen I was plaiting for other riders at competitions. From there the word spread, and I was asked to present horses for some of the most fastidious & successful show horse teams - there was nothing better than watching a horse I had prepared trot out into the ring absolutely gleaming.
Through my grooming, there grew a demand for me to hold 'How-To' Clinics across Australia, which I loved doing! Meeting people & horses from all different industries gave me an insight in to what consumers wanted in their horse grooming products.
Throughout my grooming career, I had always plaited with a wax type product, but there was nothing out there on the equine market to accommodate this. The highly artificial, chemical-based sprays would not only dry out the horse's mane, but also leave my fingers sore, cracked & sticky after a long day of braiding.
This is how the Hairy Pony journey began - with our flagship product, the revolutionary Taming Wax!
We have since expanded to include a large range of horse grooming products, fuelled by my passion to design & create products from scratch that our customers love!
It is a very long process to develop ideas that are different & innovative but it is something that we at Hairy Pony are very proud of. The following & support we receive from our community is nothing short of amazing & drives us to continue to grow & bring you more game-changing horse grooming products."
Meet Megan
Retail Service Manager
“Hi! I’m Megan, and my role within Hairy Pony team is the Retail Service Manager. I have had experience managing saddleries previously, so it was only fitting to come on board the team to be the support network for our wonderful Hairy Pony retail stockists!
I have been a long-term lover and believer in the Hairy Pony products. And I feel very grateful to be a part of such a fun, creative and innovative team. It’s very exciting to watch Hairy Pony continue to grow its presence around the world!
I entered the horse world at 7 years of age at first having lessons, from there proving to my parents that it wasn’t “just a phase”, and at the age of 13 got a pony of my very own. Eventing was my go-to scene as a teenager/young adult and now I enjoy the dressage scene and the company of my horses.”
Meet Sarah
Warehouse & Dispatch Manager
"Hello, my name is Sarah. As the Warehouse & Dispatch Manager for Hairy Pony, I am so proud to be part of such an amazing company & team! The Hairy Pony brand is passionate for natural & chemical free products which is perfect for keeping our horse's coats healthy & show ready. Organic products of high quality & attention to detail are important to me & I strive to continue help promoting the Hairy Pony brand & enjoy the products with everyone.
From a young age I have been passionate about horses, I started riding around the age of 5 & my love for all things equine has only grown from there. When I was 10 years old, I was surprised with my first pony, with pony club & competing following soon after.
Eventing is my passion, nowadays teaching my young daughter to ride & watching her love of horses blossom is what I enjoy most. She is also lucky to be a part of the Hairy Pony Junior Design Team. We just love seeing the creativity & imagination of our youngsters, which is very much a full circle moment for me
Meet Our Advisory Board
Our products are thoughtfully designed for all horse riders. Our dedicated team of professionals from all facets of the Equestrian Industry, from elite athletes to veterinary professionals, assist us in developing exceptional horse grooming products that are fit for purpose, safe for your horse & luxuriously stylish.
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Eliza Henry-Jones
Follow ElizaRESEARCHER, AUTHOR & HAIRY PONY ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY EXPERT
Eliza lives on a regenerative flower farm in the Yarra Valley with her family & horses. She is a researcher, author & freelance writer who has written for the likes ABC Organic Gardener, The Guardian, The Big Issue, Country Style amongst many others.
Eliza is passionate about the environment & sustainability, and in her spare time is preparing for her first Equestrian Australia dressage competition after a five year break!
Eliza's favourite Hairy Pony product is a tie between the face brush, 2-in-1 Detangle & Shine Spray & the Essential Oil Coat Conditioner. -
Madi Allan
Follow MadiPROFESSIONAL DRESSAGE RIDER & HAIRY PONY PRODUCT EXPERT
Madi is a professional dressage rider based in Queensland. Her affinity and connection with animals started from an early age. What may have started as mustering on foot at her father’s farm, has grown into a career in the refined sport of dressage. She has produced dozens of horses for sale and competition. With a background of professional show turnout to a national level, Madi brings a wealth of experience to the team.
All the Hairy Pony products are used and loved by Madi. Though a daily favourite would be the diluted Essential Oil Coat Conditioner, which is sprayed over each horse after every training session. The 2 in 1 Detangle & Shine is also religiously sprayed in every tail before brushing, to avoid snags and knots. -
Jack
HAIRY POOCH PRODUCT TESTER & EXECUTIVE SNUGGLER
Jack is the newest member of the Hairy Pony team & plays a crucial role as Executive Snuggler & Hairy Pooch product tester.
