Kings Horses & Forever Living

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King’s horses

Mary King is one of Britain’s most prolific equestrians.

Her eventing career has spanned over 30 years, including winning two World Championship gold medals and entering six Olympics between 1992 and 2012, where she gained bronze and silver medals with Team GB. As proud sponsors, we at Forever were keen to catch up with Mary to discover her secret to success.

Forever | November 2013

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November 2013 | Forever

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My secret to success I think is a combination of a very competitive nature; being able to cope with the highs and lows, patience while training the horses – plus good health!

How did you find out about Forever?

has prescribed something, I will always

any worries about other things when you

It was through a mutual friend who

check with the team doctor that it is fine

are trying to focus on being successful.

approached me and asked if I’d ever

to take. Obviously, with Forever’s aloe

heard of Forever. I actually hadn’t, but

vera-based products, you know that they

What do you do to relax?

I’d obviously heard about the benefits

are all natural. [Forever also offers batch

I play tennis, which I really enjoy, as it’s

of aloe vera. He talked me through it all,

testing from independent drug surveillance

such a social sport. It complements

and asked if I’d be interested in trying

laboratories, HFL Sport Science, on a

my other activities as it involves a lot of

anything. He let me have a bit of product

selection of our sports-related products,

stretching and sprinting to get the ball – in

and I really liked it. I like the fact they are

available on request].

eventing, you become very strong in your

natural products, because when you are

upper body, your arms and your core

competing at international level we have

Eventing is obviously very

muscles, whereas you’re not really that

to be very careful about what medication

competitive and physically

powerful in your legs. So, running around

and lotions we use on our horses due

demanding. Do you ever suffer

on the tennis court helps that, and keeps

to very strict dope testing. So, to have a

from nerves or stress? How do

the rest of your body loose and supple.

product that I knew was guaranteed to be

you overcome this?

natural was very appealing. I’ve found the

I’m quite fortunate that I don’t get too

What has been the biggest challenge

moisturisers have been lovely, keeping my

stressed about things. I think I’ve got a

you have faced in your career to

skin soft, supple and comfortable.

reasonably level temperament – which

date?

I think you need to be consistently

Coming back from injury can be tough.

Do you have to be careful about the

successful at the top level. You can’t get

I’m quite fortunate in the way I think, I try

products you use as an elite sports

too stressed out, because it would just

and stay really positive, which you have

person?

drive you around the bend! There are so

got to do. It’s such a mind game in the

I try not to take anything unless I know

many ups and downs in our sport that

sport of eventing. It’s a dangerous sport

it’s absolutely fine and you have to be

you’ve got to be able to keep cool and

and you can easily let your mind prey on

extremely vigilant. If I am ever ill and need

calm, and cope with the down times,

the fact that it’s dangerous and the fact

medication, I phone the team doctor

because they do happen. Your health is

that you can fall off and hurt yourself. But,

and check with him. Even if a doctor

really important; you don’t want to have

you need to override those thoughts and

Forever | November 2013

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keep really positive; that’s how you stay at

Your daughter, Emily, is also an event

Forever recommends

the top level I think. People who let it get

rider and hopes to compete at the Rio

Animals can benefit from the

on top of them can easily start to lose their

Olympics. It must be fantastic for

properties of aloe vera too. We

nerve and not ride so well.

her to have a mentor like you. Do you

recommend the following products:

train together a lot?

What has been the greatest moment

Emily has always been pretty independent

Aloe Veterinary Formula

in your career so far and why?

and wanting to do things herself. We

Easy to apply spray for cleansing areas

I’ve been very lucky. I’ve had lots of

work our horses together, but she only

before applying dressings and soothing

excitement and great moments because

sometimes asks for my help. I really enjoy

irritation.

I’ve been at it for so long! But, when

helping her, but generally, we do our own

anyone ever asks me that question, I still

thing!

Aloe Vera Gelly To be applied topically to help soothe the

say my first ever win at Badminton Horse Trials back in 1992. The fact that I came

Finally, your career has spanned over

from a non-horsey family made it seem

30 years. What would you say is your

so impossible that I could ride at that

secret to success?

Forever Aloe Vera Gel

level, let alone win. When I was a young

My secret to success I think is a

Suitable for all animals and containing

child, I went on pony club coach trips to

combination of a very competitive nature;

over 200 different compounds, this is

Badminton. Looking at all the shiny horses

being able to cope with the highs and

readily absorbed into most normal feeds.

and riders, everybody seemed so rich and

lows, patience while training the horses –

it just seemed so impossible that I would

plus good health!

ever manage to ride at that sort of event.

skin.

Forever Bright Toothgel A gentle non-flouride formula.

We lived off my father’s naval pension, as he’d been invalided out of the navy, so we had very little money as a family. But part of me still wanted to try and get there one day. It just seemed impossible, so when I did it, it felt unbelievable.

November 2013 | Forever