If you’re an Instagram fan then we know you’re going to recognise the name ‘RaytheGoth’!! Ray, short for Rachael, is one of Instagram’s rising stars, seeing her Instagram account not far off the huge 20k mark right now! Ray spends time documenting her life with her super cob, Peps and as last year's Halloween Hamper winner and a wearer of Vivendi Apparel’s silicone grip riding leggings, we couldn’t think of anyone more fitting to start off our '60 seconds with' segments! So here we go… here’s 60 seconds with Ray The Goth, including Ray’s very own Edit!
Thank you so much for joining us Ray! Now, we want to keep this short and sweet but let’s face it, we’re pretty rubbish at that! We’ll try our best though! To start off, I guess it would be great to find out more about your blogging journey! What drew you to blogging your life with Peps?
I actually started my instagram account whilst I was at uni and it gradually became more horse-related content when I started up my university's equestrian club. After leaving uni I had a part loan horse for 6 months and then a full loan for a year after that. I documented my journey with both of these horses so it seemed only natural that when I got my very own horse I had to shout and scream about her to the world! Since then my social media platforms have been focused on my journey with Peps.
We know you’ve suffered from trolls on your account like so many other vloggers and social media users out there, so know first hand the difficulties being on social media can bring. What’s your advice to other equestrians who might be going through the same thing?
The best advice I can give you is to remove hateful comments/messages and block users that leave them. You can also filter certain words from being commented on your posts if you have something that comes up frequently. I've been much happier since I did this. At the end of the day the only opinions that matter are those of the people who work directly with you and your horse. Their vet, physio, farrier etc not someone who has seen a snippet of what you choose to share online.
What do you look for when buying equestrian style clothing?
I am always on the go so I need equestrian clothing that's versatile and comfortable. Something that I can go to the yard in but follow that by a trip to the park with my daughter or a quick run around Tesco's without too many stares.
As a mum as well as horse owner, what are your top tips for managing what can be a difficult balancing act?
Gosh, I don't really know an answer to that. No two days are the same with kids or horses, I kind of have to take each day as they come but I think you find your own ways of working around things. If your heart is in it and horses are such a big part of your life you'll find time for them.
What’s your top time saving tip for the winter with Pepper?
Good question! I actually try to plan my routes around the yard so that I'm not walking to and from areas like my tack room, the muck heap, the hay barn or the field too many times. I try to optimise my time at the yard and with Peps by thinking ahead about the tasks I need to do and time manage myself accordingly. I wish I would do that with my other day-to-day tasks!
What’s your favourite thing to do with Pepper? Hacking, schooling or competing?
Hacking is by far our favourite thing to do together but sadly the thing that I have the least time for at the moment. I'm hoping that once Hazel starts nursery again we can up the hacking. Peps will hack out all day long, she loves every minute of it and loves exploring new places with me.
You look like you’ve had so much fun on the BedDown Ambassador challenge! What is it about content creation that you enjoy so much?
I had so much fun with the BedDown ambassador programme and it is actually what made me start using the reel feature on instagram. I wasn't really interested in doing them at first but it really took my content to a new level and now I love making reels and TikToks the most! I actually come from a Fine Art and photography background and have a strong interest in theatre and film so I think creating in this way comes very naturally to me so this is just my creative outlet.
Who are your favourite equestrian instagram accounts to follow?
I absolutely love Jess (@lifeonthebuckle) she is so raw and absolutely hilarious! She is also the reel queen!
Who do you think demonstrates the best horsemanship on Instagram?
Holly Lenehan and Megan Elphick are both incredible horse women. You only need to watch how they work with their youngsters to see how dedicated, kind, patient and talented they are when it comes to producing them.
If there were anything you could change about the equestrian industry, what would it be?
I would love to see more inclusivity within the equestrian industry. A wider variety of models (shapes, sizes, ethnicities, colours, sexualities etc) used to showcase clothing, more inclusive and clearer sizing (an XXL is sometimes labelled a UK 14 and sometimes a UK 20) and less criticism. Most of us aren’t Olympic or Grand Prix athletes at the top of our game; a lot of us are amateurs just trying to learn and enjoy horses.
For anyone wondering, Vivendi Apparel sizes start from a UK size 4 and for their way up to a UK size 20/22! You can find our sizes by clicking here.
Last but of course not least, what is your favourite Vivendi item for ‘Ray’s Edit’?
My favourite Vivendi Apparel pick is the Pine C180 Compression Leggings. I just think they are the most gorgeous colour!
Our C180 Compression Leggings in Pine are available with matching base layer and offer silicone grip on both knees in the iconic Vivendi Apparel wings logo. They also boast a small zip pocket on the rear of the waist band for change and keys when in the saddle. Thanks to their compression material, they can help reduce DOMs and keep your muscles and joints supported during even the most strenuous of workouts.
If you'd like to keep up to date with Ray The Goth, you can find her here...
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/raythegoth/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/raythegoth
Photography by Cat Barr Photography