2. Workshop Outcomes
explain the main characteristics of the three stages of Developing, Sustaining and Rejoining participation
explain the relevance of the ‘C’ system to your own coaching
demonstrate how to include the ‘C’ system when coaching young riders
use adapted planning material for both session and medium-term planning
know where you can access further support to grow your equestrian business

3. Equestrian Headlines 1 million horses in the UK
3.5 million people ride a horse once a year in the UK
1.6 million ride more than once a month
Horse riding is dominated by women – 75% of riders are female
72% of the equestrian market is an informal market – hacking out, pony trekking
25% of UK riders are under 16 years old
The BEF represents all these riders, vaulters and carriage drivers through its 19 member bodies.

4. Sustaining Participation Rejoining Participation
Regular involvement, with enjoyment
Social networks
Diversion and relaxation
Promoting emotional and physical health and well-being
Level of intensity chosen
Take part as a lifestyle choice
Rejoining Participation
Have previous activity experience
Return after some kind of lapse: time; injury; dropout
Develop life skills
Individual reasons and capacity are important
Varied, flexible and tailored support is offered
Value the enhanced customer care
Developing Participation
Completely new to the activity
Empowers young people to make informed choices
Sensitive transition period
Own tastes and habits are important
Consultation is important

5. Hannah 13 – 18 years old Loves animals and being outdoors
She feels she has outgrown Pony Club
She wants more independence and wants to be involved in planning events and activities that she is part of
Key Motivations
Spending time with friends
Spending time with horses and riding
Developing skills for her C.V
© BEF

6. Appropriate Coaching

7. Young Equestrian Sessions
A mediocre coach tells
A good coach explains
A superior coach demonstrates
A great coach inspires
Young Rider develops the rules for the group
Coach enhances and endorses
Young Riders plans the sessions as a group
Coach facilitates
Young Rider sets goals
Coach supports goal setting
Young Riders constantly interacts with the coach and other riders during the riding session
Coach ‘coaches’ 45min riding session in a fun group approach
(No instruction)
Group evaluates the session together

8. The C System (adapted from Lerner ) Community Competition Volunteering
Leadership
Change diagram to include competition

9. Confidence
Ensuring young people understand how to define success and how they can get better
Self-worth
A person’s evaluation of their worthiness:
‘I am worthy’
Differentiation through STEPS:
Space
Task
Equipment
People
Speed
Self-efficacy
A person’s belief in their ability to succeed in a situation:
‘I can do this’
What can contribute to participant confidence?
Feeling welcome and part of things (eg being shown round the yard)
Rider registration form and rider assessment process – delivery style not scary
Coach knowing what participant wants (eg what kind of riding they want, happy hacker, jumps etc)
Understanding how goals will be achieved and participants involved in the process, being in comfort zone and feeling safe with the opportunity to be stretched appropriately
Being matched to the right horse
Knowing the unspoken ‘rules’ of the yard and rules of the school
Having images that returning participants recognise, including kit that is acceptable
Knowing you won’t be judged on what you wear
Coach to provide positive and constructive feedback

10. Connection
Helping young people connect with each other and the benefits of being young equestrians
Connection
Horse
Coach
Session
Stables
The Wider Sport
Fellow Riders
What can contribute to participant connection?
With equine:
Provide time to touch, smell, feel, groom horse
Coach to ask questions about the horse and what the rider notices
Handling, leading, being with the horse
With session:
Understanding what the session is about
Input from riders into planning
‘Bring a friend’ sessions
With fellow riders:
Provide social opportunities
Help with networking and getting to know people
Build in social time
Coach/trusted ‘other’ from centre to initially lead informal social activity
With coach:
Respect, professionalism
With sport:
Talk about other disciplines
Other events that riders could attend as spectators etc

11. Competence
Coaching for the level of competence identified by the young equestrian and coach
Physical health
Social motives
Sense of achievement
What can contribute to rider competence?
Ideas for developing fitness and well-being
Providing personal challenges for individuals
Helping riders to set appropriate goals for themselves
Achieving new skills
Rediscovering previous ability
Helping riders to see when they have achieved and reminding them of how they have improved – fitness, making new friends, confidence etc
Overcoming physical/fitness barriers
Helping riders to develop new peer relationships within a group
Coach being able to respond appropriately to weight limits for some riders
© BEF

12. Competition Ensure young people want to compete outside of your club
Host on your site
Compete against clubs with similar approach to own club
Keep competitions local
Carefully consider governing body of sport competition pathways
Focus on self-improvement
Friendship groups first
Practice competitions
Different levels of competition
League within club

13. Creativity
Encouraging young people to find their own ways to practice, ride, play and perform
For Themselves
Rules and game making
Scenarios
Goal setting
For Others
Organising events
Fundraising
Planning games sessions for others
What can contribute to riders developing creativity?
Giving riders choices about challenges
Creating an environment where ‘having a go’ is valued
Asking riders what they want to do, including anything considered non-standard
Not making assumptions about what riders want to do in the short, medium and long term
Coach feeling able to reduce the structure of a session and go with the flow
Coach feeling able to remove the script and deliver within a fluid framework
Coach thinking of new activities and ideas to offer
Coach looking for examples of great practice within the sport, as well as in other sports
© BEF

14. Character Respecting the codes of sport
Having standards for correct behaviour, a sense of right and wrong and integrity
© BEF
What can contribute to riders developing an appropriate character?
Understanding horse welfare
Rider understanding of own responsibilities as adults in an equestrian environment
Having codes of practice, including feeding, safety, stabling, equipment (optimum vs acceptable and functional clothing)
Awareness of different equestrian disciplines
Challenges and annoyances for riders specific to equestrian
Taking over the session
Horse ‘snobs’
Disrespecting horse welfare
Wanting the same horse as last session

15. Caring and Compassion A sense of sympathy and empathy for others
Supportive
Allow for individual differences
What can contribute to riders feeling cared for?
Dealing with disabilities in the right way, responding to individual needs
Recognising how a rider might feel around a horse
Treating everyone with the same respect and being a role model of how to behave
Know your participants, including parents and carers and their circumstances; getting to know who you are coaching
Showing flexibility in start times, making up missed sessions
Providing positive and constructive feedback
Finding time to talk to your riders as a group and individuals
© BEF

16. Customer Service Principles
Play
Be There
Make Their Day
Choose Your Attitude
Where this model came from
(It is also used in the training equestrian has completed with some coaches through a partnership with John Lewis.)
On a visit to Seattle in 1997, John Christensen, owner of ChartHouse Learning, observed how happy and playful the employees at Seattle's Pike Place Fish Market were in their work. They filled orders by flinging fish to each other, generating laughter from the customers. Employees would often invite customers to join the fun. They gave their complete attention to each customer and ensured each had an enjoyable visit.
Christensen noticed the actual work of selling fish was repetitive, cold and exhausting. It occurred to him that the fishmongers might not enjoy every part of their job, but they chose to bring joy to how they approached it. They also sold a lot of fish. He asked the fishmongers if he could film them, and they agreed. When Christensen and his team examined the footage, they identified four simple practices anyone could apply to their work and life:
Be There: When people need you, they need all of you. Setting aside distractions and judgements to be mentally and emotionally present is a sign of respect. It improves communication and strengthens relationships.
Play: You can be serious about your work without taking yourself so seriously. Play is a mindset more than a specific activity. It allows you to throw yourself with enthusiasm and creativity into whatever you are doing, in a way that is natural, not forced. ‘Playing’ with ideas helps you find solutions to everyday challenges.
Make Their Day: Simple gestures of thoughtfulness, thanks and recognition make people feel appreciated and valued. When you make someone else feel good, you feel good too.
Choose Your Attitude: To actually choose how you respond to life, not just react, you must be intentional. When you get up, decide who you want to ‘be’ today. Moment-to-moment awareness is key. Ask yourself throughout the day, ‘What is my attitude right now? Is it helping the people who depend on me? Is it helping me to be most effective?’
FISH! materials © 2007 ChartHouse Learning. While every effort has been made to trace and seek permission from copyright holders, the publishers, Coachwise Ltd, invite any unacknowledged copyright holders to It is the publisher’s intent to fully credit any unacknowledged copyright holders at the earliest opportunity.

17. Coach Influences Awareness Making an enquiry Before I leave Journey
How are Equestrian centres marketed? What information is provided? What is the tone/style/feel of session? Is it value for money?
Making an enquiry
Window shopping – phone call, drive by, website reviews, personal recommendation, stables tour offer, recommendation
Before I leave
Key contact point, equipment needed, dress code, expectations and concerns
Journey
Venue directions, postcode, contact to call, clear signage, different transport modes
Arrival
Car parking, stable location, reception/entrance, other riders and animals
Walk/Check-in
‘Participant service’, meet and greet, welcoming body language, the first hello, orientation to facility, paperwork, session outline, parent involvement, young people led goal setting
Session
Connection, confidence, competence, creativity, character and caring
Enjoyment and active participation in planning and running the sessions
Successful outcomes/achievement of personal goals
Facilities
Food and beverage, changing facilities, what unwritten codes exist for behaviour, opportunity to assist and learn about stable duties
Value added services
Social media, physical items provided (handbook, stable business card, contact sheet for group), social provision outside of session, competitions

18. Continuing Your Learning
Local information and contacts
The Pony Club –
British Equestrian Federation –
Hoof –
Young Equestrian Leaders Award –
Young Farmers Club –

19. Workshop Outcomes
explain the main characteristics of the three stages of Developing, Sustaining and Rejoining participation
explain the relevance of the ‘C’ system to your own coaching
demonstrate how to include the ‘C’ system when coaching young riders
use adapted planning material for both session and medium-term planning
know where you can access further support to grow your equestrian business