08/01/2025
As a coach and a yard owner:
I have had too many yard owners shed a tear in my kitchen and seen too many posts on social media of politics in the sport and between yards to not have a rant…
It takes a special kind of person to be a yard owner and a coach…
We seem tough on the outside but we are who we are because we are passionate and caring. We do this job because we love horses. And because we love horses we have a deeper sense of empathy with any living being ( even humans).
The horses in our yard become part of our herd. We care for them and often spend more time with them than their owners as we see them every day. We therefore often love them as much or even more than their owners. And yes, it breaks our hearts when horses grow old, pass away or move out of the yard. And yes, we do morn each one, as they are part of our family too.
Riders and clients become family. We watch them grow in their equestrian skill. We get to know their personalities, their joys and heart ache. We hear about school and home dramas. We share memories of little league, pony riders and juniors, The dating stage and then most disappear at around 17 - to finish school, study, find true love and themselves- and then they return to ride in their late 20s or early 30s. To us they become family and some see us the same. To some we are sadly just a phase….the kids grow up and they forget…
As yard owners and coaches we pour our knowledge and equestrian passion into our clients. We want them to succeed and we share in their victories, no matter how big or small.
Just like each person is different and need a yard to suit their personality, Each yard offers something unique and caters for different personalities.
I therefore find it sad as a yard owner, when you find a client cause politics within a yard or when clients talk badly about yards they have been at. Yards who have invested into them and cared for them. They feel the need to slander just so that they can fit into the new crowd. It causes devisions between yards. Our sport will be a lot stronger if yards support each other better.
To all yard owners : Please Do not listen to each tattle or tale clients spread. They are often twisted and untrue. Frankly, they need to be stopped abruptly. Those spreading the stories are normally the ones that probably owed the previous yard money….Or those who have no self esteem and need to belittle others to feel better.
To clients : Respect the fact that yard owners and coaches work hard to help you achieve your goal. Remember we sacrifice family time, evenings, weekends and holidays for your horse and dream and it is mostly for no financial gain. Do not spread animosity within the yard you are at or bad mouth yards you were at before.
Remember these yards existed long before you started your equestrian journey and invested knowledge, care and time into you and your horse. Do not attempt to destroy a business or legacy through jealousy and animosity.
As yard owners/ coaches we actually do not mind each other and are often friends. We will all work together when there is a crisis ( like we have when someone’s horse got out, or there was a fire or with the current grass crisis). Clients often turn yards against each other through their twisted stories. This is totally unnecessary!
We are here for the Love of the horse! Let’s build each other up! Rant over!
