7 Case study: Equestrian sports

Different sports have different impact. And I’ve been speaking to 2012 double para equestrian gold medalist Natasha Baker. Horseriding is the highest impact sport, currently ninth in the list of participation sports in the UK. 74% of those who do horseriding are women. So a sports bra, absolutely essential for Natasha.

I think I was actually a little bit late on the whole sports bra thing. I always used to ride with a normal bra. And I had numerous problems with my bra straps falling down, the whole bra falling down. And it just wasn’t a very pleasant experience. And so mum took me into, I think, it was a Debenhams somewhere and got fitted for a sports bra. And I think I was probably around 15, 16. And it just totally changed my life really. It was such a dramatic change. Because when you’re competing, you want your whole focus to be on you and your horse and what you’re doing to get the best results. And constantly worrying that your bra straps are falling down, it’s not really very helpful. So you need to be able to have your complete focus. And to be comfortable, first and foremost. You’ve got to be comfortable when you’re doing your performance. And when it relies on you winning a gold medal, you really need to be on top point. And when you’re worrying about other things and your mind’s drifting about things that really are not necessary at all, it’s not helpful. So I think I could have done with it a few years earlier really.

Were you and are you aware of breast health issues, as well as getting a sports bra for comfort, just for in terms of protection and safety and looking after your breasts?

Nowhere near enough. I think it’s not put out there enough. And I don’t think, young girls are aware of breast issues. I do a very bouncy sport. I sit on a horse’s back. And they trot around. And it could be very, very, very bad for me if I did ride in a normal bra. And I wasn’t aware of that as a young girl.

Can you understand why young girls, when they start developing breasts, might be put off doing sport and getting out there and doing it?

Yeah, I can understand why. It’s a big thing for girls I think to make that plunge and to go out there and buy a sports bra and then find something that really fits there. And I can understand why there is some tension around it. And I think it does help with all of these celebrities that do work out, that post pictures on Facebook and Instagram, promoting the fact that it is attractive to be in a sports bra, there are feminine sports bras out there. And it doesn’t have to be strapped in and boring colours. And there’s so many options out there that anybody can find something that suits them, that suits their sport, and that they find comfortable, and that’s flattering, and that’s feminine, and everything. So I can see why women and girls are a little bit worried about it, but I think that it just needs a little bit more promotion and for them to see that there are things out there. And I do think the celebrities and sports people are doing a great job of promoting that on social media.

And they’re making cup sizes bigger and bigger now, so that is a good thing, isn’t it? Because they say that women are getting bigger.

Yeah, absolutely. And I think riding is probably one of the most popular sports, whether it be sports or whether people just fancy going on a ride on holiday or here in the UK. It’s so popular, especially with young girls. And to kind of put that out there that there are all shapes and sizes, you don’t have to be an elite sports person to be able to ride, and sports bras can cater for everybody. I’m not tiny. So it’s nice to have something that is fitted, but still maintains your shape.

Well, that was Natasha Baker speaking to Alison now. She talks, doesn’t she, about coming to sports bras a bit late Ali, but better late than never, I suppose.

Yeah, and what a great role model. I mean, she’s young, she’s in her early 20s. She absolutely recognises the value in terms of her sport, her posture. And she’s emphasising that whole comfort thing, which sometimes, I think, we forget. It’s not about performance necessarily. If you’re not comfortable wearing one, then it doesn’t matter whether you run, skip, jump, whatever. You’ve got to be comfortable, that’s the first priority. And particularly, in horseriding, can you imagine the impact there if you weren’t wearing a sports bra? I mean, how uncomfortable. 74% of people that horse ride are women. If you’re listening and you’re a horse rider, are you wearing a sports bra when you get on the horse? Let us know.