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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