SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!

Sidelines MagazineSidelines Magazine

  • LOGIN
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Flipbook
    • Subscribe Options
    • Order Individual & Back Issues
  • Podcast
  • Marketplace
    • Business Ads
    • Directories
      • Barns, Farms, Trainers & Clubs
      • Equestrian Services
      • Real Estate
      • Stallions
      • Tack & Feed Stores
    • Classifieds
    • Horse Trailers for Sale
  • Advertise
  • Blogs
    • Show World
    • What’s Happenin’
  • Partners
  • Contacts
    • Contacts
    • Employment
0
Tuesday, September 13 2022 / Published in Weekly Feature

Your Bravest, Boldest, Best Self Is Worth It: Wendy Latham & Halter Ego

By Britney Grover

Being in the driver’s seat with the ability to change anything that’s not working is one of the things Wendy Latham of Calabasas, California, loves most about running her company Halter Ego. But she’s not out to sugarcoat life as an entrepreneur. “Being an entrepreneur is the utmost ‘rubber meets the road’ test,” she said. “It’s a mindset that requires creativity and strategy, and that forces you to put aside fear and to open the door to what could be.”

“People always think when you have your own business that you have money, freedom and flexibility. The reality is that every single cent goes back into the business for a very long time. There is flexibility in terms of integrating life with work, but days are long, and the customer always comes first,” she continued. “I always say if it were easy, everyone would do it. But the extra commitment we put in as we continue to build is so worth it.”

Wendy’s first encounter with a horse was at a pony ride at a farmer’s market in Santa Monica when she was 3, but when her family moved to England when Wendy was 6, horses became indispensable. “I was a total tomboy and, according to my mum, had enough energy for 10 kids. Nothing kept my attention for long, which worried her sick until I got bit by the horse bug! She loves to tell everyone how the second I found horses, she knew I’d be OK—so long as nothing got between me and the barn!”

After growing up spending every free minute in the barn, Wendy earned a business degree and worked at the London Institute of Fashion & Design. She worked in retail for fashion brands in Paris, then as an analyst at an investment bank where she focused on research within the fashion and construction sectors. “…because those two go hand-in-hand?” she questioned jokingly.

Wendy’s original goal to build a platform to champion up-and-coming equestrian brands that were relatively unknown in the U.S. pivoted because there weren’t enough brands, let alone enough that could produce adequate inventory to sell wholesale to other retailers. “But I saw an opportunity to combine a lifelong dream of designing fashion with my passion for horses and business,” Wendy said. “I had long felt that there was a lack of variety when it came to equestrian apparel and tack, and, given how much money I spent on riding gear, I wanted better, different and more unique options—more style, better quality and more bang for my buck!”

In 2016, Wendy created Halter Ego. “I believe we all have ‘alter egos’—who we are at work, at home, with friends, with family—different situations bring out different aspects of who we are. Riding requires courage, grit and an openness to changing approaches and managing our own emotions to suit the ride. It’s not for the faint of heart and many of us are terrified but still mount up—so we started to dig into that concept a bit more and asked, ‘What kind of person is brave enough to overcome fears and anxieties in the pursuit of a dangerous sport because they love horses and riding, and want to challenge themselves?’ and ‘Who does each of us want to be in the saddle?’” Wendy explained. “Personally, I want to be my bravest, boldest, best self, and to wear clothing that supports my body functionally and that makes me feel and look good.”

Wendy has two horses, is schooling Third Level dressage with Kim Kulesa at Spirit Equestrian and looking forward to competing in 2023—all while running her successful business. Since its creation, Halter Ego has continued to grow and evolve with a passionate, dedicated team of women, seeking to allow customers to showcase their individual style no matter their body type. Halter Ego’s designs often incorporate customers’ and sponsored riders’ suggestions, and some customers have even become close friends.

“We have real connections with our customers—they share their hopes, dreams and fears with us, and we’re invested in supporting them and their horses whatever their journey is,” Wendy said, adding that Asia Biheller joined her at Halter Ego over 3 years ago and has been a game changer helping with the business. “There’s nothing better than when customers email us to let us know how happy they are with the products they’ve bought from us. We love going to a show and seeing people and horses decked out in our products. Knowing how committed people are to our success is something I pinch myself about every day.”

In the future, Wendy hopes to continue making products that are meaningful and impactful for Halter Ego’s customers and their horses—including sustainable products like their recently released eco-friendly shirts made from recycled plastic water bottles, and products with therapeutic properties for both rider and horse now in development. They also hope to establish a scholarship or grant program for riders or equestrian entrepreneurs—and in the meantime, Wendy shares her advice for those considering entrepreneurship.

“There’s no time like the present—act now! Don’t be afraid of failure. It’s not easy; there are sacrifices. Being an entrepreneur or business owner sounds fun—and it is—but when things go wrong, and they do and will, you are the one fixing it and putting out fires. It is 24/7 and not for the faint of heart. Make sure you are truly passionate about your business,” she said. “Be honest with yourself, do your research, accept that you will probably work harder than you ever have before. Make sure you find out more about the not-so-great days, and if those stories don’t scare you off, then go for it. It’s worth it!”

For more information, visit shophalterego.com

Photos by Lauren Ashley Photo & Film

Double D Trailers Info

Tagged under: fashion, halter ego

What you can read next

Rollingwoods Farm: Three Sisters, One Dream
Kevin McCarthy Charts a New Path in the Horse World
Hannah Irons: From Surprise Pony to Gold Medals

Download Sidelines Digital now from your favorite app store!

Sidelines Magazine - Apple store   Sidelines Magazine - Google Play store   Sidelines Magazine - Amazon store
Update iOS app. Re-download Google Play and Amazon app.

Follow on Instagram!

sidelines_magazine

Sidelines Magazine
Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! W Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! We're proud to offer exceptional modern Sporthorse stallions, with wonderful temperaments and quality gaits to North American breeders.
 
Among our stallions are Cum Laude and Kaiman. Cum Laude (Apache x Weltmeyer) is a winning FEI horse and sire of quality dressage horses, breed show champions, and offspring scoring 9.0s on gaits.
 
Kaiman (Dark Pleasure x Gribaldi) earned high scores at his stallion testing and in the young horse classes. He's also the sire of a Licensed Oldenburg stallion. Kaiman's first North American foal crop is arriving now and they are gorgeous!
 
If you're looking for top international bloodlines please check out our 2023 stallion collection, now available fresh, frozen, and by the dose.

Among our stallions are Cum Laude and Kaiman. Cum Laude (Apache x Weltmeyer) is a winning FEI horse and sire of quality dressage horses, breed show champions, and offspring scoring 9.0s on gaits.

Breeding season is underway at Iron Spring Farm! We're proud to offer exceptional modern Sporthorse stallions, with wonderful temperaments and quality gaits to North American breeders.

https://www.ironspringfarm.com/biolink/

@iron_spring_farm 

#stallion #horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #equine #dressage #pferd #equestrianlife #mare #hengst #horseriding #instahorse #cheval #pferde #equinephotography #horselove #dressagehorse #pony #horselover #caballo #foal #quarterhorse #aqha #arabianhorse #showjumping #photography #caballos #horseofinstagram #sidelinesmagazine
❗️George Williams column❗️ The FEI World ❗️George Williams column❗️
The FEI World Cup Final in Omaha is coming up quickly. That means that it’s starting to heat 
up as the end of the qualifying period for both the Western European League (WEL) and the 
North American League (NAL) nears. I started to write this column before the Amsterdam CDI- W, and I was using the FEI Ranking List from January 15 as a reference. As I sit down to finish 
my column, I’m now looking at the results from Amsterdam. While the list of the top contenders 
for the WEL hasn’t changed, they’re definitely moving around on the ranking list. The WEL has 
three more legs, as they’re referred to: Neumünster February 16–19, Goteborg February 23–26, 
and ’s-Hertogenbosch March 9–12, and they could change things dramatically.
Looking at the top 12 athletes from the WEL as they were ranked on January 15, there are five 
from Germany, three from the Netherlands and one each from Great Britain, Denmark

➡️Read Georges's full column by clicking the link in our bio, and never miss an article by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine 🦄 

#horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #equine #pony #pferd #equestrianlife #horselove #dressage #horselover #instahorse #love #cheval #showjumping #horselife #photography #nature #pferde #horseofinstagram #caballo #riding #horsebackriding #pferdeliebe #caballos #horsepower #horsephotography #instagram #Sidelinesmagazine
Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Gre Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Great American $300,000 Grand Prix at HITS Ocala!! 🏆🥇

Crowds filled the stands at the HITS Ocala Grand Prix Ring on Sunday afternoon to watch the world’s top athletes compete in the Great American $300,000 Grand Prix. The day concluded with a thrilling five-horse jump-off featuring athletes 
representing four countries. In the end, it was Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) and Ivaro N who produced the only double clear effort of the day, claiming one of the biggest wins of her career. Scott Keach (AUS) and Noble De La Chapelle earned the second-place prize with the fastest 4-fault jump-off, while Aaron Vale (USA) and Obi Wan placed third as the day’s pathfinders.

“I'm still on cloud nine, I still can't believe it – I’ve used up all my luck for the year,” smiled Goldman-Smolen after her win. “I've been knocking on the door a long time in these bigger classes. I am so proud of my horse – he gave every ounce of effort.”

Sunday’s Great American $300,000 Grand Prix marked the conclusion of the 2023 HITS Ocala circuit. HITS CCO Joe Norick concluded, “We are so excited about the new HITS, with 2023 as the launch. New footing, many new arenas here, and a lot of our facilities across America are getting a lot of love and new footing. Our partnerships with Worldly Martin and others across America including our footing leader Bart Poles overseeing our operations – it really makes a big difference for us. Today is about Ocala and these three riders sitting next to me who supported us this entire winter. We want to be a proud destination for our exhibitors and our friends. We know we have to provide them a beautiful showplace to work from that's horseman friendly, and that's our go goal. 

Congratulations to all of the riders, horses, owners, and groom who participated in this prestigious class!!! 🎉
📸 @esi_photography 
#horseshow #horses #horse #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #horseriding #horselove #horsestagram #instagram #showjumping #equestrianlife #equine  #horsebackriding #dressage #horselife #pony #of #horserider #horseshoe #horsemanship #horseshowlife #riding #instahorse #horseaddict #horseofinstagram #sidelinesmagazine
It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is. It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is...

 ✨PF'S DIAMO BLUE✨
Diarado-Diamant de Semilly- Chacco Blue
17.0hh, Oldenburg International Hunter Derby/ Jumper Stallion
An outstanding Pedigree- Chacco Blue and Diamant de Semilly
WBFSH/ Rolex top ranking Jumping Sires 2017 thru 2022
Standing at Ryan Pedigo Sport Horses, in California

For more information, you can contact 
🖥Ryanpedigosporthorses.com
🖥Ryan.p.f@hotmail.com
☎️(714) 357-2714

You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

@ryanpedigosporthorsespf_

#stallion #horse #horses #horsesofinstagram #equestrian #equine #dressage #pferd #equestrianlife #mare #hengst #horseriding #instahorse #cheval #pferde #equinephotography #horselove #dressagehorse #pony #horselover #caballo #foal #quarterhorse #aqha #arabianhorse #sidelinesmagazine
Load More... Follow on Instagram

From Our Classifieds Ads

  • WOODYS BARNS
    Serving all of Florida 1-866-71-WOODY www.woodysbarns.com

    [Read more]

  • Eastern Hay
    EST. 1923 YOUR BEST HAY “Farming is in our blood. Providing great service and products to our customers has been passed on down thru generations of my family.” - Chris Johnson, Owner EasternHay.com | 845-855-3291 | Pawling, NY PROUD SPONSOR OF MONMOUTH AT THE TEAM

    [Read more]

Sidelines Articles by Email

Subscribe to Sidelines Magazine Articles by Email

RSS Sidelines Blogs: What’s Happenin’

  • Get More for Your Money with an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage
  • Longines Global Champions Tour of New York Returns to Governors Island
  • A Paris Horse Adventure: Saut Hermes 2022

RSS Sidelines Blogs: Show World

  • 2023 Upperville Colt & Horse Show Presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN™ Returns for 170th Year on June 5-11
  • Will Coleman Retains Yanmar America CCI4*-S Lead in Dramatic Show Jumping at Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International
  • First edition of the World Sport Horse Sales was a hit with $410.000 for the most expensive horse

Category

Recent Posts

  • April 2023 – Table of Contents

    Subscribe for just $9.95 or Order Individual Is...
  • Building a Bond With a New Horse

    By Margie Sugarman I just bought a new horse. I...
  • Developing Healthy Relationships With Your Barnmates

    By Rob Jacobs The purpose of this month’s colum...
  • The Value of Self-Coaching

    By Liz Halliday-Sharp The sport of eventing is ...
  • Unbridled With Annette Longenecker

    By Britney Grover  Annette Longenecker wasn’t j...

Copyright © 1987 - 2021 Sidelines Magazine
Privacy Policy · Returns & Refunds Policy · Hosting by Lucian Web Service
· Login

TOP
Get the Sidelines Scoop — your weekly look behind the scenes.Sign me up!