Battles

What Battles does

Battles is the retail trading brand of Battle, Hayward & Bower Limited, a UK private company founded in 1832 and headquartered in Lincoln, operating under parent DC Holdings. The company manufactures and distributes over 12,000 products across four core verticals: equestrian supplies (horse feed, supplements, grooming, rugs, tack, rider apparel), pet care (food, grooming, toys, accessories for dogs, cats, and small animals), agricultural supplies (livestock health, fencing, barn equipment, poultry), and smallholding/household/garden categories including pest control. Its proprietary and distributed brand portfolio includes Hy Equestrian, Lincoln, Supreme Products, Coldstream, StormX, Benji and Flo, Little Rider, Little Knight, alongside third-party brands such as NAF, Omega Equine, Global Herbs, Hilton Herbs, TRM, and Science Supplements.

The business operates two complementary channels: a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at battles.co.uk offering free next-day delivery on UK mainland orders over £150, and a B2B trade/wholesale distribution channel serving over 2,000 retailers nationwide following the February 2026 acquisition of Trilanco Ltd. Wholesale operations are consolidated at the Wesham distribution centre, while manufacturing and brand management remain in Lincoln. The underlying technology is a standard e-commerce retail platform with no disclosed proprietary systems or AI capabilities, and revenue is generated through unit-priced retail sales and wholesale trade accounts rather than subscriptions or licensing.

The combined group is led by Managing Director Richard Dewey Clarke, with Martin Balmer retained as Managing Director of Trilanco post-acquisition. Battles holds British Equestrian Trade Association accreditations (2014, 2015) and serves a customer base spanning individual equine/pet owners, smallholders, farmers, and independent retailers across the UK.

Name

Battles

Legal name

Battle, Hayward & Bower Limited

Website

https://battles.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1832

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Battles is a UK equestrian, pet care, and agricultural supplies retailer and wholesaler founded in 1832, offering over 12,000 SKUs directly to consumers via battles.co.uk and to more than 2,000 retailers following its 2026 acquisition of Trilanco.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equestrian, Pet Care & Agricultural Supplies Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991)

SIC

Retail-Miscellaneous Retail (5900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sporting Goods & Outdoor Inventory-led Online Retailers (CRAFADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pet Supplies Inventory-led Online Retailers (CRAFADAH)

Keywords

• Equestrian supplies
• Pet care products
• Horse supplements
• Agricultural supplies
• Rider apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of equestrian supplies, pet care products, and agricultural supplies through the battles.co.uk website. Offers free next day delivery on orders over £150 for UK mainland customers.
2. Trade/Wholesale Distribution: B2B wholesale distribution of animal health, equine, pet, and agricultural products to over 2,000 retailers across the UK following the Trilanco acquisition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Battles manufactures and retails a 12,000+ SKU range of equestrian, pet care and agricultural products under its own brands (Hy Equestrian, Lincoln, Supreme Products, Coldstream, Benji and Flo) plus distributed third-party brands, sold direct to consumers via the battles.co.uk e-commerce platform and wholesale to over 2,000 UK retailers through trade accounts.

Product overview

Battles is a leading UK equestrian and pet care retail company operating as part of DC Holdings. The company offers over 12,000 products across multiple categories including equestrian supplies, pet care, agricultural products, and smallholding essentials. Their portfolio combines Battles' own branded products with an extensive range of distributed third-party brands. The core offerings include horse feed and supplements, grooming and health products, riding wear and safety equipment, horsewear (rugs, boots, fly protection), tack and saddlery, and pet supplies. Battles operates as both a direct retailer and wholesale distributor, serving over 2,000 retailers nationwide following the 2026 acquisition of Trilanco. The company distributes numerous named brands including Hy Equestrian, Lincoln, Supreme Products, NAF, Omega Equine, Global Herbs, Hilton Herbs, TRM, Protexin Equine, and many others, offering products through their e-commerce platform with free next-day delivery on orders over £150.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hy Equestrian: Equestrian brand offering rider and horse care products
• Lincoln Equestrian
• Supreme Products
• Coldstream
• Benji and Flo
• Little Rider
• Little Knight
• StormX

Products and services

• Battles Equestrian Supplies Equestrian catalogue covering grooming, tack, horsewear, stable equipment and rider apparel, available to individual consumers via battles.co.uk and to trade accounts wholesale.
• Battles Pet Care Products Pet care catalogue supplying supplements, health products and accessories for dogs, cats and other companion animals, sold direct and through trade accounts.
• Battles Agri Products Agricultural supplies catalogue covering rodenticides, household and garden products aimed at smallholders and rural lifestyle customers.
• Battles Horse Feed Dedicated horse feed and nutrition range covering everyday feeding and specialised nutritional products for horses.
• Battles Rider Equipment Rider-facing equipment and apparel catalogue, including own-brand and distributed riding wear, footwear and rider accessories.
• Battles Own-Brand Supplements Own-brand herbal and nutritional supplements manufactured in-house at the Lincoln facility under the Battles label, including apple cider vinegar and other herbal preparations.
• Trade / Wholesale Distribution Service B2B wholesale distribution service supplying third-party and own-brand equestrian, pet and agricultural products to over 2,000 UK retailers from the Wesham distribution centre following the February 2026 Trilanco acquisition.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TrilancocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 February 2026Battles Group acquired 100% of Trilanco Ltd, combining two established UK wholesalers serving the equine, pet, agricultural, and animal health sectors. Trilanco was founded in 1979 and had been managed by Martin Balmer for 45 years. The acquisition consolidates wholesale operations at Battles' Wesham distribution centre while maintaining manufacturing and brand management in Lincoln.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Farmcare: UK farm supply retailer offering agricultural and smallholding equipment. Adjacent competitor in Battles' agricultural vertical with regional focus.

Direct peers

• Wynnstay Group: Welsh-based UK agricultural and rural retailer serving farmers and smallholders with feed, livestock supplies, and hardware. Comparable to Battles' agricultural/smallholding vertical and trade distribution model.
• Farm & Stable Supplies: UK retailer and wholesaler of equestrian, agricultural, and smallholder supplies. Directly comparable to Battles in the dual D2C + trade distribution model across overlapping verticals.
• Houghton Country: UK-based equestrian and country clothing retailer selling online and through trade channels. Direct competitor to Battles in equestrian supplies, riding wear, and stable equipment for horse owners across the UK.
• Jollyes: UK high-street pet retailer operating 100+ stores selling pet food, accessories, and health products. Comparable mid-market competitor to Battles in the UK pet supplies retail segment.
• Country & Stable: UK equestrian retailer specializing in riding equipment, stable supplies, and rider apparel. Direct competitor to Battles' core equine product range across D2C channels.
• Mole Valley Farmers: UK farmer-owned agricultural and equestrian retailer with nationwide store network and digital presence. Comparable to Battles' agri and equine verticals and overlapping wholesale/customer base.
• EQ Saddlery: Independent UK equestrian retailer offering tack, rugs, supplements, and rider clothing online. Comparable to Battles' equine D2C assortment and customer profile.

Broad incumbents

• Pets at Home: Largest UK specialist pet retailer with 450+ stores and omnichannel offering. Overlaps with Battles' pet care segment at scale, providing a benchmark for the addressable pet supplies opportunity.

Others

• NAF (Five Star Animal Health): UK equine supplement manufacturer whose products Battles distributes. Comparable as an ecosystem participant (supplier/customer) rather than competitor, and a proxy for the brand portfolio depth Battles aggregates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Battles-Ltd/100058599048251
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/battles/?originalSubdomain=uk

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Battles