14/07/2024
Veldig godt skrevet av Sally Ede - Horse and Rider Coaching ❤️
🥕Reality Bites – From Behind the Scenes🥕
I will be honest – the greatest motivation for my work as an equestrian coach comes from a heartfelt desire to improve the lives of horses. I absolutely love coaching and teaching humans, but not at the expense of their horse’s welfare!
I’m lucky to have a lot of clients who share this motivation, this makes my life much easier, and on the days when everything goes to plan, I pinch myself as I feel I have the best job in the world.
However, it is not always plain sailing. As a coach, observers are measuring you by the success you generate, and in a utopian world, it would be wonderful to announce a continuous stream of clients achieving their goals quickly and with ease, apparently without undergoing any adversity!
That utopia is a fantasy. In reality, my work involves a lot more ‘uncomfortableness’ than you might imagine.
I often find myself in awkward and difficult situations. Perhaps where I have been called out to a new client, and in the most respectful way possible, I find myself needing to speak up as an advocate for the horse; maybe because of poor fitting tack, unnecessary tack, pain, discomfort, anxiety or fear on the part of the horse, that the owner was not conscious of. It’s a careful process of ‘calling people in’, rather than ‘calling them out’ and when done with care, I am able to effect change without shame or judgement and make a difference AND improve results.
Because I make my living from horses, I do not want to go to sleep at night with the knowledge that I could have done better on their behalf. Therefore, I never turn a blind eye.
Or situations can arise where training doesn’t go to plan, whether that’s because of a lack of good foundations, or because an issue surfaces that dictates a total rethink is necessary – this can mean I need to hold space for big disappointment, and the subsequent reframing that is never easy. It often means that humans must dig deep into their courage, hearts or pockets, and it’s hard for them to do this without the right support.
In the wake of unwanted revelations, people are drawn towards the easiest and quickest fix, but as we know in the horse world, nothing good is quick. In selling the long fix to people, I think I could ace even the best salesperson!
Whether it is a welfare issue, unrealistic expectations or talking people out of a quick fix, my work involves providing a great deal of support, understanding and empathy to hold people and their horses through long term change. This isn’t the glamourous side of coaching, and it doesn’t always yield sparkly, rosette clad pictures for social media.
Save for those who only see their horse as a financial commodity, I do believe that everyone wants to do the best by their horse, and that is where I see my role. Not just as a coach, but as an advocate for horses, supporting and guiding their humans for the long term, in the best way I can. And what I notice, is that this approach also yields excellent results. It’s not easy, but it’s hugely satisfying when meticulous and careful work pays off, and that’s why I’m in it for the long haul. ❤️
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