Coaching is supporting goals and enhancing performance within sport. Riders of any level need a coach who can effectively guide their technical, tactical, and physical development to help them improve at their sport. There were many reasons behind this article and I was on the fence about writing it but in fact the more I spoke about the challenges I was facing as a coach the more other coaches went YES, me too, and a buddy system was created.

My hope is to highlight to the rider population of all levels what coaches go through on a daily basis behind the scenes and that we too can be under stress depending on situations we encounter daily. To our audience we are like a cool and easy mix but on the inside we too have similar concerns just like riders but over time with our own coaches and by using buddy systems within coaching we have learned to overcome them as much as we can.

Coaches can use a variety of educational methods to improve their knowledge in this area and this includes the coaches themselves which we often forget ourselves that learning should never stop regardless of level.

Coaching gives great support to riders by:

•  how to train effectively, safely and efficiently
•  how to recover from training
•  how to manage stress
•  how to avoid injury to horse and rider 

Coaching comes in many forms… be it clinics, webinars, 1:1 sessions, group sessions or in person training sessions. It’s important to hire a coach that really aligns to what you are trying to achieve and to have confidence in that the person is qualified and has the experience required to carry out the session. There is no point in paying money if you’re not getting anything out of it. With ongoing CPD courses allowing coaches to really develop themselves in order to help their clients. To improve clients, coaches should ensure they are familiar with all aspects of the game by studying it in depth. This includes analysing riders strengths and weaknesses so they can create strategies based on these factors when training the client and dealing with challenges as they present.

As coaches, we have a lot of issues to deal with. The real issues that we have are quite vast, and they can be either catalysts for change or catalysts for disaster.

At times, we have unrealistic expectations from our clients, who often will go to the next coach if they do not like what you have to say regarding their expectations on their goals and then comes the over horsing to achieve these goals or buying the expensive animal to fast track the client when they have little understanding of the basics. With side line audiences creating environments that the rider nor the coach can thrive. Good riders is not determined by the rider jumping the biggest fence or doing the most complicated dressage movement it is a rider that has an empathetic approach and can get a tune out of the majority of horses not just the well-schooled. The good, bad and the ugly and a rider that has knowledge of care of the animal and this is offer overlooked which then affects the industry as lack of knowledge returns to industry which then reflects onto the horse and quick fixes are relied on rather than long-term solutions and that is in private ownership and riding schools environments. The get them going and jumping approach doesn’t suit the majority of riders and in a lot of cases, it results in balance and riding error resulting in falls. Then the coaches who do not believe in this method end up being the bad guys rather than the opposite and the rider may or may not want to change; as it’s new, and it’s not what they always have done.

Often the Price that we charge is a blocker and the cheapest person generally wins but this may or may not be value for money and it becomes a game of costs vs prices for coaches and undercutting each other to try to secure clients and there seems to be a lack of understanding from clients that we have to earn a living at the end of it we have mortgages to pay, horses to feed and diesel to be put in the jeep and the all-important coaching insurance we have to pay and every coached regardless of level has these concerns. The pressure this alone forces coaches to find 9-5 jobs in order to pay bills and coaching becomes a secondary income that’s done in spare time.

The other big factor is many coaches get overlooked because they don’t have the fanciest CV and haven’t competed to a certain level or worked for Joe blogs and Mary blogs and gone international but may well be very good coaches on a CV doesn’t necessarily make a good coach same as the counterargument that all the qualifications in the world doesn’t make a good coach it’s a mix of both with experience to top it off. Lastly, access to facilities this can be difficult as not many yards allow external coaches for a variety of reasons but this makes it very hard to coaches to continue if they don’t have a base.

With this all in mind we still have to give a good session in order for return business and when we come into the above difficulty, we have to park it and continue with our work often dealing with difficult situations with clients and hoping to retain them after so trying to cause the least upset possible and treading on eggshells.

So what can we do as riders and coaches to resolve these ongoing issues WE ALL FACE? 

1. Coaching buddy system – lets leverage off each other and send business all ways so that we all benefit – got a waiting list suggest another coach who may suit the person better and which also helps a less known coach become busier than the net effect is they will pass on to others. Or finding that your not getting the results bounce ideas off another coach you align with and if it’s beyond what you can do pass to someone you know can help. If we all help each other we all win!
2. Price vs cost –  there needs to be more understanding from everyone that coaches have costs and still need to make some form of profit if we don’t get good understanding of this more coaches will leave the industry in search of more secure jobs and opportunities  
3. Everyone needs coaching regardless of goals, level, experience etc YOU NEED IT, IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO REACH GOALS WITHOUT SOMEONE SOLID ON THE GROUND. Think about if you don’t get coaching and your doing well but imagine if you had a coach how much better you could be doing and NO ONE KNOWS IT’S ALL.
4. No one coach can suit everyone we all have different approaches and styles to improve riders so find one that suits you not from a cost or convince but who you really gel with 
5. Support crews and audiences remember you or the rider has paid for the coaches time, their opinion and advice but be taken on board and valued even if you have experience yourself it’s important if the rider is seeking coaching that you take a breather and you can always discuss after your thoughts with the coach but value their answer and don’t coach hop until you get someone who will tell you what you want to here.
6. Fast tracking riders with well-schooled animals is great but must be paired with basic knowledge riding of all types of horses and care of horses and there is a severe lack of this in the industry. A good rider is not one who jumps the biggest jump on horse A… it’s the rider that can get a tune out of any horse regardless of breed or experience.
7. Fear of change on both sides change is good and remember good changes makes your horse and rider happier and with a happier environment we can all thrive 

So I put it to the industry, coaches, riders, yard managers, grooms…..

Can we all work together to create a positive catalyst for change and play to everyone’s STRENGHTS instead of leveraging on weakness?

Can we create a positive financial market for all coaches so that we don’t lose talent due to rising costs?

Can we create a coaching buddy system?

Can coaches get more understanding from clients?

Can we create an environment where we all win and thrive? 

LETS WORK TOGETHER …

ARE YOU WITH ME?