Emma Flockhart is a well known face both in the world of equestrian social media and on the grassroots eventing circuit in Scotland. As a result of her social media success, Emma has had the chance to work with some of the top brands in the business. She is currently supported by Charles Owen and Whale of a Time Clothing. Emma joined me to talk about the secret to her success and some of her favourite experiences as a result of it.
Did you deliberately grow your social media, or was it something you found happened organically?
I started my account in January 2020, and the year before I had had quite a bad riding accident. When I was recovering I found myself wishing I had had a place to record all of the progress, and so I started it as my own little diary where I can post as much Fendi stuff as I want to! A month or so later when we all went into lockdown, I think everyone was just sitting at home on their phones and the account just took off from there. I think horsey people were some of the only ones who were able to still go out and do stuff, so people were kind of living through us? It definitely wasn’t planned, I didn’t even realise people really made accounts like this! I definitely didn’t set out thinking I was going to make this account and work with these brands, it was all just really organic.
What is it like working with the different brands, are there certain expectations or requirements?
They’re all different, some brands it’s a casual thing like a gift and they want you to post about it. Others have contracts where you are told exactly what is expected with you and what you’ll get in return and your post will get reviewed before you can share. For some there’s a definite etiquette, obviously for the likes of Charles Owen, I have to be aware of the safety aspect of everything that I share because that is core to their business.
For product based stuff, you might get to see their next season collection and you have to sign something to say you’re not going to go out and show it to everybody or share it everywhere. Sometimes it’s just sharing stories and posts, and sometimes you do actual photo shoots, it just depends.
Do you feel like having a presence on social media effects you when you are out competing?
At the beginning not at all, I had never been eventing before and so I was very new to the scene and I didn’t know anyone! It was 2021 when we had our first proper season, and you know yourself, the Scottish eventing community is quite small, and everyone starts to get to know each other.
At the start you are just enjoying it for what it is but the more you do the pressure starts to build as you want to do better and get more results. I’m aware that with Eventing Scores being online, everyone might be looking and thinking “oh, she’s had a pole” and I am very protective of Fendi! I don’t want people thinking anything bad about her.
What do you think your favourite experience is that you have had as a result of equine social media?
Well, one of them is seeing Fendi on the LA Saddle Fitters van! She’s been my sponsor for years now, and when we did the reveal we had Fendi all plaited up in this massive stubble field next to the van for the photoshoot, and she just stood there next to it, taking it all in. She was so good bless her, and she looked amazing. That was one of my favourite moments for sure, doing that photoshoot.
Another was doing the Apt Cavalier Spring/Summer shoot a few years ago up at Dunbog, and it was just a really great group of people. It was so fun, just riding, taking photos, eating cake and wearing nice clothes. When we got all the footage back it looked amazing. I think what was so nice about it was that it just a load of eventers and our horses, and there was nothing force about it at all.
Do you have any ideas about how we can use social media as a force for good in the wider equestrian industry?
It’s tricky because social media has so many positives but also a lot of negatives. It has the ability to help things get called out, like to do with welfare, but we also have cancel culture. Social media can be very powerful, but it can also be a blunt instrument. You can lose a lot of nuance in conversations because topics can get reduced to clickbait.
So often on social media we only see the best, and I try to not shy away from being really honest. Nobody wants to show the bad stuff, but if I have had a bad day and I have pretty photos from an event, I am going to post them! I think it’s healthy to be able to show what the real ups and downs of riding and competing are like. You get bottled up if you try to just constantly paint a nice picture.
One of the amazing things about social media is that being open and honest has helped me to make some amazing friends through it. Like you can post something on there and folk will give you their experiences or opinions and it’s really valuable.
Do you have advice for anyone who is looking to consciously grow their social media?
I liked this one, because I just wanted to say, it’s not that deep! Just try to be genuine and interact with people. When you have loads of people commenting on your post, I think it’s a bit rude to not reply. I like to have a chat to people and get to know them and that just seems like the right thing to do. I just think if someone was to say something to me in person, I wouldn’t not reply to them, so really I am just being myself! I think forging relationships is really important.
And, finally, the last question I ask everyone – how have horses changed your life?
Well I mean, Fendi is my first horse and she’s just my life’s work. We have both learned a lot together and she’s just everything… This is Fendi’s world, I am just living in it! I’ve met my best friends because of her, it’s a whole lifestyle. I’m always thinking about what can we do next weekend, or what adventure can we have next?
Horses make your life colourful, without them, it would just be black and white.
You can follow Emma and Fendi’s adventures on Instagram and TikTok @emma_eventing_fendi_. You can also listen to the full conversation on Spotify on EQUK Chat.