What Shires Equestrian does

Shires Equestrian is a privately held, UK-founded (1968, Leominster) specialist retailer of equestrian apparel and equipment, operating through both a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (Shopify-based, with global shipping and a US-facing site branded Shires Equestrian USA) and physical retail locations accessible via store locator. Its catalog spans four merchandising pillars — Horse (blankets/rugs, saddlery and tack, horse boots, fly protection, saddle pads, halters and leadropes), Rider (women's, men's, and young-rider clothing, footwear, rider safety, riding accessories), Yard (grooming and health supplies, haynets and haybags, equipment, luggage, travel essentials), and Pet (dog collars, leads, coats, beds) — and is sold under a portfolio of sub-brands including ARMA, Moretta, Karben, Tempest Original, Highlander, and Aubrion.

The company's core technology layer is a standard commerce-stack rather than proprietary software: the storefront runs on Shopify, with merchant-defined product taxonomies, free delivery above a $100 order threshold, and content-marketing assets (educational blog articles, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook) used for top-of-funnel acquisition. Its principal proprietary technology is the EQUI-FLECTOR® high-visibility reflective material, a registered trademark applied across horse sheets and rider safety apparel, alongside materials-level differentiation such as Air Motion breathable fabrics used in ARMA and Karben performance boots, saddle pads, and fly masks. Pricing is unit-based, with products ranging roughly from $45.99 (entry-level boots) to $239.99 (premium riding boots), and the business monetizes exclusively through one-time retail sales of physical goods.

The business model is straightforward D2C specialty retail under a multi-sub-brand house structure: a long-tail customer base of horse owners, riders, equestrian yard operators, and pet owners purchases directly via the e-commerce site or in physical stores; brand credibility is partly supported by a Pro Riders ambassador program featuring equestrian athletes such as Danica Meyerhoff. Operating geographies span the UK home market and North America (US storefront with Canada currency toggle), with broader global shipping disclosed. Headcount is reported at 11-50, there is no parent company or external investor disclosed in the source data, and the company has no disclosed funding history, M&A activity, or financial filings.

Name

Shires Equestrian

Legal name

Shires Equestrian USA

Website

https://shiresequestrian.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shires Equestrian is a privately held UK-founded (1968) specialist retailer of equestrian apparel, tack, horse care products, and adjacent pet goods, selling direct-to-consumer via a Shopify e-commerce storefront and physical retail stores under sub-brands such as ARMA, Moretta, Karben, and Aubrion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equestrian Supplies & Riding Apparel Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (459910)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Sport/Show Horse Training & Performance Programs (AFAEAGAF)

Keywords

• Equestrian supplies retail
• Horse riding apparel
• Horse tack equipment
• Riding boots footwear
• Equestrian safety gear

Headquarters

HQ city

Leominster

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct retail sales of equestrian supplies and horse riding clothing through e-commerce storefront. One-time product purchases with free shipping threshold at $100 for US deliveries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shires Equestrian is a designer, manufacturer, and retailer of equestrian supplies and apparel, operating since 1968. The company sells horse rugs/blankets, saddlery, tack, horse boots, fly protection, saddle pads, halters, riding clothing, footwear, rider safety gear, grooming supplies, yard equipment, and pet products through both its own e-commerce storefront and physical retail locations under multiple sub-brands including ARMA, Moretta, Karben, Tempest Original, Highlander, and Aubrion.

Product overview

Shires Equestrian is an equestrian supplies retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of horse riding clothing, equipment, and horse care products across multiple sub-brands. The product lineup is organized into four main categories: Horse (blankets/rugs, saddlery/tack, boots, fly protection, saddle pads, halters), Rider (women’s, men’s, and young rider clothing, footwear, safety gear), Yard (grooming, health, haynets, equipment, travel essentials), and Pet (dog accessories). Key sub-brands include ARMA (featuring Air Motion breathable technology), Moretta (footwear), Karben, Tempest Original, Highlander, and Aubrion. The company also offers EQUI-FLECTOR high-visibility reflective products for both horse and rider safety. The site operates as a B2C e-commerce platform with free delivery on orders over $100 and global shipping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aubrion: Brand of equestrian products sold by Shires Equestrian USA
• Moretta
• Karben
• ARMA
• Tempest Original
• Highlander

Products and services

• Horse Blankets & Turnout Rugs Waterproof, breathable, and insulated blankets and turnout rugs for horses, available in multiple weights and styles under sub-brands such as Tempest Original and Highlander. Designed for horse owners seeking weather protection and seasonal coverage for stabled and pastured horses.
• Saddlery & Tack Saddles, bridles, reins, bits, and associated riding tack equipment for horse riders and trainers. Targeted at equestrians requiring functional riding hardware.
• Horse Boots & Leg Protection Protective boots for horses including brushing boots, overreach boots, tendon boots, and travel boots, marketed under the ARMA sub-brand. Designed for horse owners seeking impact and strike protection during riding, turnout, or transport.
• Fly Protection & Summer Horse Gear Fly masks, fly rugs, and summer sheets designed to protect horses from insects and sun exposure during warmer months. Targeted at horse owners in temperate and warm climates.
• Saddle Pads & Numnahs Quilted and shaped saddle pads and numnahs for everyday and competition riding, sold under the Karben sub-brand. Designed for riders needing cushioning and sweat absorption under the saddle.
• Halters & Leadropes Headcollars (halters) and leadropes for daily handling, turnout, and travel of horses. Targeted at horse owners and stable staff requiring basic restraint and handling equipment.
• Women's Riding Clothing Riding breeches, base layers, tops, gloves, and outerwear for women riders, sold under the Aubrion sub-brand. Designed for female equestrians from leisure to competition riding.
• Men's Riding Clothing Riding breeches, base layers, tops, gloves, and outerwear for male riders. Targeted at male equestrians across riding disciplines.
• Young Rider Clothing Riding apparel sized for children and young riders, including jodhpurs, jackets, and gloves. Targeted at families with children participating in equestrian activities.
• Riding Boots & Footwear Long riding boots, short jodhpur boots, country boots, and yard boots for riders, sold under the Moretta sub-brand. Designed for riding, stable work, and country use.
• Rider Safety Equipment Body protectors, hi-visibility wear, and air vests incorporating EQUI-FLECTOR® reflective technology. Targeted at riders needing protective and high-visibility gear for road and competition use.
• Grooming & Health Supplies Brushes, combs, dandy brushes, body brushes, hoof picks, and first-aid supplies for daily horse care. Designed for horse owners and stable staff performing routine grooming and health checks.
• Haynets, Haybags & Yard Equipment Slow-feed haynets, haybags, muck-out tools, and stable yard equipment for horse owners and yard managers. Targeted at stables requiring feeding and stable management infrastructure.
• Travel Essentials Travel boots, tail guards, head bumpers, and travel accessories for transporting horses by road. Designed for owners transporting horses to events, vets, or new yards.
• Pet Products Country pet accessories including collars, leads, coats, and beds for dogs, leveraging the equestrian customer base. Targeted at rural and country-pet owners who are also equestrian customers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SmartPak Equine: Large US equestrian retailer specializing in supplements, horse care, riding apparel, and tack via subscription and DTC — directly comparable in target customer (US horse owners) and product breadth including apparel and equipment.
• Dover Saddlery: US-based leading equestrian retailer offering apparel, tack, boots, and horse care across DTC e-commerce and a national store footprint — directly comparable to Shires' assortment and omnichannel model, but at significantly larger scale.
• Riding Warehouse: California-based online equestrian retailer offering apparel, tack, boots, and horse care with deep SKU assortment — closely comparable to Shires' DTC-first model and category mix in the US market.
• State Line Tack: Long-running US equestrian retailer (now primarily DTC) carrying apparel, tack, boots, and stable supplies — directly comparable assortment and customer base to Shires' US e-commerce operations.

Broad incumbents

• Horseware Ireland: Global horse-rug/blanket manufacturer (Rambo, Amigo, Rhino brands) with broader brand and geographic reach than Shires — comparable in the rugs/blankets category where Shires competes via Tempest Original and Highlander.
• Weatherbeeta: Established global horse-rug and turnout-rug brand with deep retail distribution — directly comparable to Shires' turnout/fly/stable rug assortment and a key competitor on shelf at equestrian retailers.
• Chewy (equestrian & pet category): Mass-market US online retailer with growing pet and equestrian assortment — relevant comparable for Shires' pet-accessories line and as a broader competitive threat on price and convenience for overlapping SKUs.

Emerging players

• Kerrits: US equestrian apparel brand focused on women's riding wear, technical performance fabrics, and lifestyle crossover — comparable to Shires' Aubrion and women's rider apparel lines with a similar DTC-and-wholesale hybrid model.
• Tucci Equestrian: Italian-made premium equestrian boot brand competing in the same rider-footwear category as Moretta — comparable premium-leather-boot positioning and DTC distribution.

Regional players

• Equus Britannia / Equus Retail UK: Regional UK equestrian specialists and independent tack shops serving the British market — comparable to Shires' UK parent heritage (Leominster) but operating primarily domestically rather than transatlantically.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOFn7sVMrZ-a66dubb5w-CQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ShiresEquestrianUK
• Instagraminstagram.com/shiresequestrianusa?igsh=dmw4MTB3Zm45ZXpl
• Xx.com/Shires1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shires-equestrian

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shires Equestrian