Can This Nervous Equestrian Entrepreneur Get Back On The Horse? | Dragons' Den

Aileen Holmes, Managing Director of The Happy Horse Company has invented a saddle pad that's made of a non-itch material for horses.
Season 5, Episode 8
An international sensation, Dragon's Den features entrepreneurs pitching for investment in the Den from our Dragons, five venture capitalists willing to invest their own money in exchange for equity.
#DragonsDen #Horse #Equestrian #BusinessPitch

[@James-rd5lu]

This is my beautiful grandma . I miss her so much 😞 rest in peace ❤️

[@colmwhateveryoulike3240]

Ahh she seems like a lovely lady, sorry to hear that James. Thank you for sharing. May she rest in peace and may God bless you all.

[@KingShxdow]

@@colmwhateveryoulike3240 👌

[@learnsimplemelodies2492]

I loved her exchange with Peter in the end. She was quietly feisty. You should be proud of her.

[@fabioaurian]

What a gentle and respectful lady. Sorry to hear she passed away. Sending all my sympathy

[@titusojeh6022]

She really your grandma?. God bless her soul.

[@RydalS]

I like how Theo chats her about the horse to help her calm down. Very good tactic

[@hamzaraza52]

Peter seems really offended when the entrepreneur is nervous

[@sexyhomeowner9345]

I think nerves are endearing, it shows they care about being there.

[@caitlinx3816]

He’s not like that anymore

[@matamorostexas7238]

Entrepreneur: *having a stroke* Peter: ffs 🤦

[@murpho999]

I think that’s how the show,is edited rather than he was doing that during her pitch.

[@onlyme219]

I'm not even religious but all I can say is 'bless her' :)

[@yowhaatsup]

What are you then

[@onlyme219]

@@yowhaatsup Athiest, 'What are you then'?

[@yowhaatsup]

@@onlyme219 Peter Jones

[@melmc3306]

Feel genuinely sorry for this lady. Yes, she was clearly nervous. That’s what happens when you’re not a high-flying business person and not used to that kind of pressure cooker environment, but her manners were absolutely spot on and she clearly knew her industry inside out. I think, in this case, it was the dragons who were utterly appalling.

[@kipicton4941]

They are there to do business - not mollycoddle someone that is delusional enough to think that selling 2 a day is a successful business.

[@TheManInBlueFlames]

What a lot of people don't realise is that this is a program broadcasted to MILLIONS, so even a random stranger could recognise your mistakes - this ironically makes a lot of people nervous..

[@melmc3306]

@@kipicton4941 It has nothing to do with mollycoddling and everything to do with displaying a basic level of courtesy within a so-called professional interaction

[@TheMikster95]

I like that she stood her ground against peter. Who cares how confident the entrepreneur is? He has serious issues

[@CabbageYe]

She should be ready to face the dragons.

[@mohammedkhaliq1475]

It’s not his fault, it’s the producers of the show that tell them how to act/edit to give us the final product.

[@jumble-1238]

I do find on the show now he seems much kinder than the others if the person stumbles a bit.

[@user-wl9gw7xe2q]

yeah I think the whole ‘dragon’ persona was really emphasised in the earlier series, now I think they realise that the concept alone is enough without the simon cowell -esque theatrics

[@stevied8855]

so sorry to read that Hilary has died. She was wonderful on Dragons Den. So funny and direct and had such a caring side too. what a character Hilary was Stevie in fife

[@Mishy475]

Looool Peter had no chill at the end

[@Prog4Prog]

RIP to Hilary. She was a great asset to the dragons.

[@lukeproctor69]

Peter was unnecessarily aggressive. She had proved modest in what she had done for the business, yet Peter trashed her even though her product is probably actually quite good at what it's supposed to do - even if the market is small. What a nasty reaction to her.

[@aaronhurst4379]

Yeah he can be needlessly mean at times

[@chester6514]

True. But if you can’t stand the heat, don’t come into the den.

[@The_Candyman86]

You are right. Pete was rather aggressive but he was correct is summing it up. APPALLING PITCH. Disgrace

[@lukeproctor69]

@@chester6514 What heat? Rudeness and disrespect are not business skills or principles. It was the ramblings of a man with a massive ego targeting a nervous old woman.

[@chester6514]

@@lukeproctor69 The heat of the TV show. I don’t disagree with you, but this is for entertainment so you can expect some heat. Most of the dragons are like this at one point or another. I thought she actually answered him pretty well. By the time they got to that point she’d probably been there for half an hour or so and had warmed up a bit.

[@jokedejojo]

These reaction edits during the initial pitch are ridiculous. They are all sitting there quite patiently in the wide shots.

[@dancutd]

Yeah that’s the problem with these programmes, all edited to fit a narrative, though not necessarily a true representation of whats actually happening in real life on the show whilst filming. ‘Reality TV’ is never real.

[@Jehannum2000]

@@dancutd If I were a Dragon I'd be annoyed at being made to look like a douche by the editing.

[@poppie015]

On the end of the day dragons are for money, but my heart went out to this genuine honest lady, hope she took the experience and goes far

[@apocalypsed8]

This has to be like the only entrepeneur who is being called out for acting like she is worse than she actually is

[@ryanendoh8750]

This ☝🏾

[@EltonJ1981]

Man, these Dragons can kiss me you know what lol. First-person, I felt sorry for being ridiculed for being genuinely nervous

[@jaybestnz]

This is the perfect example where the product and invention is doing the heavy lifting. But she genuinely doesn't have the skills, and only requires a small amount of effort from one of the dragons and its a home run. All she needs is $20k for stock and someone with some confidence to support.

[@ifwecouldvote]

20k is not much. Anyone could save that in a couple of years, on a very basic salary. She's had plenty of time to save that up. Or better still, apply for a small loan.

[@jamesmate7716]

Controversial opinion: If horses don't like saddles on their backs, don't aim to improve the saddles, just stop riding them / forcing them to race.

[@stormchild831]

Horses are ~So, highly sensitive that even a fly on their back is an unsettling experience for them ...

[@cekojuna6930]

And put the Cowboys out of business. Breaking horses is part of their job, whether the horse likes it or not. It’s also called Training, so they get used to it.

[@stormchild831]

@@cekojuna6930 Those who condone the breaking of a horses spirit should have their own spirit broken( IF, they ever had one ) and see how they damn well like it .. This puts me in mind of Amber Turd's father who is into breaking horses....he also delights in forcing innocent dogs to tear each other to pieces in illegal dog fights...

[@ryanendoh8750]

Shame on the Dragons for attacking her in that manner. It's clearly not a large market (hence lacking scale), but that doesn't make it a bad product. Not an investment, but not a bad product either. Shame on the dragons for not focusing on that fact.

[@Kris_Aalst]

"Not an investment, but not a bad product either. Shame on the dragons for not focusing on that fact." Er, the whole point of DD is investments. So the dragons should focus on something else if there's clearly no investable business?

[@tucosalamanca5194]

@@Kris_Aalst yeh but she said she'd not done any marketing. That's what the dragons could of helped with especially Deborah but she couldn't get it through her thick skull probly because of all the make-up

[@10ksubsnovideos14]

R.i.p hillary devey 🙏 one of the dragons btw, she also passed over the weekend cruel world we living in

[@penguinnexus]

RIP Hilary

[@MrDarrencurry]

Duncan's face right off the bat set me off lol

[@Scodouk]

I noticed how the editors edit expressions of derisory disdain on the faces of the Dragons when confronted with a very nervous entrepreneur. It kinda makes them look quasi sociopaths/psychopaths.

[@debbiesunlight7047]

Well I want one. I hope they are on sale. I wonder why they didn’t take off. Horses backs are of primary importance.

[@RockyDave]

She says she breeds Anglo-Arabian show horses, but doesn't have the money to expand this business. Hmm...

[@csud9540]

Some of these dragons need to learn some manners when dealing with a lady like this.

[@ellenkarlsson9490]

I think they were unnecessarily mean to her. 😕

[@khandadonb111]

Especially Peter. She was so polite calling them Sir and Ma'am despite being older

[@herfromafrica2711]

the older peter gotten the softer he becomes, in these first seasons he was so obnoxious

[@davidknowler4719]

The brutal putting down of this clearly decent lady by these arrogant bullies is disgusting. How dare they act like this . Don't forget this verbal thuggery is sanctioned by the BBC !

[@SiriusMined]

2 per day can be fine depending on the sale price.....

[@drunkdunc8738]

Despite what the dragons say the target market for this product is stable 🤔🍻

[@lynnwiltshire6220]

🤣

[@Frosty-Lemon]

I think it was her voice that threw them off..... She sounded a little horse.

[@saltontheslug9067]

Jesus Christ! Are you the narrator?

[@RockyDave]

Stop horsing around.

[@ryanohara8938]

Oh rein it in...

[@reinedesboisiersf1843]

I’ve actually heard of and seen these pads, they’re really nice! Quite expensive from what I can remember though.

[@jmharris251]

2 day, 790 year. If consistent, A small niche market, not investable, but not a failure.

[@goldenmagnolia333]

I think she was rather lovely! So sweet and gentle. She deserved a break! 🤍🕊🌱

[@joshuajones9296]

Peter could be awful when he was younger. So arrogant and rude.

[@watnoudan]

Man...they were so rude to her tbh. Peter lost ALL my respect at the end. And Debby, you that daft you dont know this market belongs to the usa? They got a liiiiiittle bit more horses there dont they.

[@chico1neep]

The dragons didn't have to b so mean like that they should ALWAYS act like ADULTS instead of puttin people down n tellin them mean things they wouldn't like it if they were talked to like that

[@jimmorrison8203]

Is Peter ginger this season?

[@unclephd6190]

she was not nervous.. them stairs took her breath.. it happened mostly during episodes at the liftless site..

[@tonynorman6814]

Those stairs.....ffs

[@ianevans1415]

It’s actually a great product and one that is needed. Sadly, her pitch wasn’t the best, there was so much more she could of said and got a deal over the line.

[@banzanbuddhist1451]

Ah, poor lady.

[@littleboots9800]

Aaargh. The big gulps if air, I can't stand it. All those big inhales, I feel like just watching her I'm contributing to her anxiety 😄

[@ellekay4758]

silly me keeps forgetting the dragons just woke up one morning this arrogant and filthy rich.

[@leenobody3249]

Come on Peter you nasty get .She was just a nervous older lady trying her very best.Also the others taking delight in him abusing her . Makes me sick.

[@samdam108]

FINALLY… Christ I’m so hungry

[@yowhaatsup]

Who's Christ?

[@drunkdunc8738]

So hungry you could eat a horse?🍻

[@leenobody3249]

@@drunkdunc8738and go back for the jockey?

[@maverickstclare3756]

Why didn't Peter offer to buy her horse breeding business to de-risk it!

[@StorytellerDan]

Wtfh? She gave the product the best she could from what she knew, she spared what money she could from advertising probably going in blind, she´s got the experience she doesn´t have the strategy in marketing which she confessed to - HELP HER! For Christ sake, you´ve either got no money and need help with some guidance - it´s too much or... You´ve made enough, you don´t need us - see ya.

[@Haider78692110]

Maybe Rory can give the horsies some seaweed to eat. 😔

[@ianoian1]

What do you call a Dragons Den nag like Peter? A night mare!

[@Khonnell66]

WHO HAS CHANGED THE UPLOAD TIME?! WE NEED THIS FOR LUNCH

[@onlyme219]

We don't all have lunch at the same time throughout the world, also you can choose to watch it when you want anyway, grumpy

[@dazediss6629]

This horse has a saddle, it’s brown in colour, so we fit a flow signal.

[@richardodriscoll5379]

They might have been kinder

[@rickysmyth]

No matter how good the product is they won't invest in an old person. After death it isn't the same

[@khandadonb111]

Unless they can get in, make it valuable and get an exit.

[@tenzing2090]

@@khandadonb111 nah. Too risky since they don't know how long they've got

[@slimtig3r755]

She was such a sweet woman, but her business sense was super frustrating.

[@MADMAX7330]

Debra was on fire 🔥

[@0deepak]

Lovely lady.. Peter’s behavior was the appalling part of this pitch.

[@b18crlxi]

To be fair, two pads a day since 1996 at an average price of £35 would have netted over £600,000....slow and steady wins the race eh 😏

[@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock]

Nervous? Terrified.

[@anubusx]

Jenny: Why such the long face? I'm out.

[@richierich4810]

I was gonna say that haha

[@maniraptavia4008]

I'm snout.

[@jamesheath7601]

Original

[@lesliesylvan]

Peter was mean

[@skywolfx76]

poor lass. hope she finds some kind of business and makes some good money

[@GummyBearWA]

For a paltry 95,000 it would be a crime not to take this over and just see where it would go. With a little actual marketing and a few well placed endorsements this could have taken off.

[@colmwhateveryoulike3240]

Can I have a loan? lol

[@IAmTheJayster]

A paltry 95000? That attitude is why you will never be rich, rich people don't think like that. A pound is always worth a pound

[@nathandrake6531]

please release at lunch time

[@yowhaatsup]

Okay i will upload them at lunch time

[@onlyme219]

You can watch it when you want to, just saying

[@achipinthesugar]

Bit harsh from Jonesy there.

[@WobblesandBean]

I don't get why people are feeling sorry for this lady. If you can't handle a simple pitch, how on earth can you be trusted to run a successful business? She refuses to advertise, then feigns incompetence. The dragons reacted appropriately.

[@Faz-86]

They all said neigh 🐴

[@jamesheath7601]

Aww I feel sorry for her

[@Ass_Burgers_Syndrome]

Damn I thought this was the guy from The Hills Have Eyes.

[@gumusluk05]

Pompous dragons

[@LPCLASSICAL]

She has £5K worth of stock. These pads retail at £35. That is maybe 150 pads in stock and she claims she can't meet demand when she is selling just 2 a day. She placed a 1/4 page ad and had hardly any response so she wants to do a series to generate interest. There is a rule in specialist magazine ads - if the first one does not pull - the product is a dead duck. Ad agents will always try to get you to book a series of course - but 1 ad is enough to test the market and clearly there is no enough interest in this product.

[@samedz3966]

Aren't Charlie and horse slang for coke?

[@moogleking]

Nice old lady

[@chrislaw4189]

She died

[@MarcoEmeryLinden]

The dragons' behavior here was shameful.

[@aliuabdulqudusolalekan2967]

The disappointing look on Peter's face.

[@Panda-qr2ld]

100th comment woohoo where's my sticker

[@stevesalt8003]

Peter was a bell end there.

[@leenobody3249]

🔔END

[@Firedancer100]

Ethereum

[@psychopaul508]

Woman's face in thumbnail 😂😂😂😂😂

[@rogerborroel4707]

Might have been something if she could have spoken English!

[@richardanthonygilbey]

That was a dreadful attitude from the pitcher The market is full of billeted and breathable saddle kit And £39 is a lot for 60p Of foam