Barbour Way of Life

It’s those days spent exploring and finding adventure in the everyday. Spending time with friends and family, savouring a slower pace of life. It’s the day trips, the long walks, the weekend getaways and still getting out in the downpours. It’s that pull you feel to be out in nature’s playground, no matter how old you get.

The Barbour Way of Life is tough to describe. But you know it when you feel it. For this month's episode, we met equestrian champion Olivia Kennedy, a former world champion Irish dancer turned equestrian. This is a story of versatility and endurance (your Barbour jacket knows the feeling.) Watch It’s a Way of Life, Episode 11: One Neigh or Another.

Stage to the stable

When we first meet Olivia at the muddy stable, you see she has swapped her dancing shoes for something more practical, Barbour wellies. This isn’t something her horse Aphilia has to worry about, with an extensive cleaning toolkit at the ready. It’s an exciting new chapter for her and Aphilia—a bond built on trust, hard work, and just a few nuzzles.

“If she is unsure, she looks for me for guidance. If you wrap your legs around it’s almost like giving a hug.

It’s like saying I’m here for you and she’s got this, and she’ll go.”

Jumping to new heights

Next, with a Barbour jacket on and Aphilia at the ready, we’re out on the field. Olivia describes riding as magic, telling us about her competitive plans, all the way to the Olympics. For now, she is balancing her new life from long days in the stables with Ophelia to spending time with her Mum, June, and son, Eoin.

“It feels like magic because all your worries disappear, and your anxiety goes away. You can breathe.”