The British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) has launched Summer of Safety – a three-month awareness-raising initiative designed to demonstrate how equestrian products play a frontline role in keeping horses and riders as safe as possible.

It replaces BETA’s annual Safety Week and highlights a wider range of products involved in equestrian activities. While Safety Week’s primary focus was on riding hats, body protectors, air vests, hi-viz and footwear, the BETA Summer of Safety will feature:

• Tack (bridles, bits, saddlery, stirrups and equine protective boots);
• Yard, biosecurity, horse and rider safety (yard equipment, security products, insurance and disinfectants);
• Horse health (parasite control, hoof care, dentistry and therapy products);
• Riding and road safety (hi-viz for horse and rider, services and digital aids); and
• Feed room safety (feed storage, feed room and yard practices, vermin control, NOPS-approved companies, EGUS and companies approved for the BETA scheme and feed awareness).

The campaign runs from June 19 to mid-September and is supported by equestrian manufacturers, retailers and some of the horse world’s leading organisations, disciplines and professional riders. These include the British Horse Society, British Riding Clubs, Association of British Riding Schools and the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund.

BETA’s Summer of Safety will be promoted across Facebook (betaequestrian) and Instagram (beta_equestrian) using the #BSOS21 hashtag. There will be a regular stream of helpful, informative content, such as posts from safety experts, rider tips, live sessions, competitions, video clips and podcasts to help share the key messages.

BETA executive director Claire Williams said: “We are really excited about the campaign. With so many of the riding public paying more attention to safety than ever before, we felt it was the ideal time to raise awareness of products themselves, how they work and the best way to care for them.”