Equestrian wear for wheelchair users inspired by family friend
By Chris Birkle | Published on 28 May 2025
Categories: Press office; School of Art & Design;
Equestrian wear for wheelchair users inspired by family friend
Wheelchair users will be able to ride horses with increased comfort and a sense of belonging thanks to pioneering designs by a fashion student who was inspired by the experience of a family friend.
Daisy Brace, 21, wanted to make equestrian wear more inclusive after her mother’s friend felt disconnected from her love of horse riding after an accident left her paralyzed from the waist down.
Although horse riding for her mother’s friend remained possible, Daisy wanted to help her regain a sense of belonging to the horse riding community, so she created an equestrian wear outfit which is designed to accommodate a wheelchair user’s needs.
“Her love of horses never went away,” said Daisy, from Moorhouse, Nottinghamshire, who is a lifelong horse rider herself and an undergraduate student at Nottingham Trent University (NTU).
“Even after her injury, she wanted to continue riding and I realised there was very little on the market that was both functional and fashionable for people in her situation – especially when it came to equestrian clothing. I wanted to change that.”
Daisy dedicated her final year fashion design project to the cause and undertook research into adaptive clothing and incorporated the lived experiences of her mother’s friend.
Picture credit: Iwan Cromack
Her designs include:
- A lightweight Harris Tweed double-breasted jacket which has back and forearm panels that are quilted with upcycled saddle cloth wool to provide comfort and support in a seated position. The design incorporates an arched back to reduce bulk when sitting in a wheelchair, and has magnetic fastenings and a ribbon tie on the inside for ease of use
- A breathable pure cotton shirt has a specially lowered neckline, which reduces fabric bulking up when seated. It features open arm seams to assist wearers with limited mobility, and an adjustable gathered waist to accommodate body changes over time
- A multifunctional bag designed to attach to various parts of a wheelchair, provides practical storage solutions for essentials like keys, gloves, and phones without adding bulk to pockets
Daisy, who is studying in the Nottingham School of Art & Design, said: “My mum’s friend has been incredibly encouraging and gave me honest advice that I couldn’t have found online.
“From understanding how uncomfortable wheelchairs can be over long periods, to why accessible fashion often lacks personality – these are the things that guided my work.”
While saddles and other riding equipment for para-athletes are often adapted, Daisy saw a gap in the market for contemporary heritage riding wear that supports both physical needs and emotional wellbeing.
“There’s a limit to what’s out there – everything feels purely functional,” she said. “After an injury, you're not only adapting physically but also redefining your identity. I wanted to bring personality and positivity back into clothing for disabled riders.
“Clothes should help people feel part of a community. For horse riders, it’s more than a hobby – it’s a way of life. Your disability shouldn't define you, and your clothes shouldn't limit you.”
Daisy’s designs are on public display for the 2025 Graduate Festival. The show – which takes place at the University’s City Campus - is one of the largest displays of graduating art and design talent in the country.
Krystyna Kolowska, senior lecturer in Fashion Design at NTU, said: “Daisy has spotted a gap in the market for wheelchair users who have a love of horse riding but are let down by a lack of inclusive designs that are made available to them.
“Her designs are very thoughtful and take into consideration the functional and emotional needs of people who, like anyone else, require clothing which allows them to pursue their interests whilst allowing them to feel good.”
Notes for Editors
Press enquiries please contact Chris Birkle, Public Relations Manager, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 2310, or via email.
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has been named UK ‘University of the Year’ five times in six years, (Times Higher Education Awards 2017, The Guardian University Awards 2019, The Times and Sunday Times 2018 and 2023, Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023) and is consistently one of the top performing modern universities in the UK.
It is the 3rd best modern university in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023). Students have voted NTU 1st in the UK for student employability (Uni Compare 2025)
NTU is the 5th largest UK institution by student numbers, with over 40,000 students and more than 4,400 staff located across six campuses. It has an international student population of almost 7,000 and an NTU community representing over 160 countries.
NTU owns two Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for outstanding achievements in research (2015, 2021). The first recognises NTU’s research on the safety and security of global citizens. The second was awarded for research in science, engineering, arts and humanities to investigate and restore cultural objects, buildings and heritage. The Research Excellence Framework (2021) classed 83% of NTU’s research activity as either world-leading or internationally excellent.
NTU was awarded GOLD in the national 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) assessment, as it was in 2019.
NTU is a top 10 for sport (British Universities and Colleges Sport league table 2023).
NTU is the most environmentally sustainable university in the UK and second in the world (UI Green Metric University World Rankings, 2023).