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Friday, February 27, 2015

The Many Hats


In my years of coaching the one thing I’ve learnt is you need to know how to wear many different hats. No, I don’t mean the toque versus the ball cap. Horses are in a way like people; every one is different and every one has their own personality. Just like people they all have good days and bad days and sometimes the way that we have to coach the rider will depend heavily on what kind of mood the horse is in – hence the need to be able to wear many hats.








 My opinion of what good coaching is has changed as the years have gone by. It used to be to teach each rider to achieve true greatness and reach his or her fullest potential. The problem with this became, when do you pass the point of motivation and enter into the realm of pushing them too far? It’s an easy line to cross. Today, through the opportunity of being able to coach many riders of all ages and levels I’ve changed my mantra – to teach the passion of riding and have riders discover their niche all on their own, as long as they enjoy it, that’s all that matters.








Each and every rider, just like any athlete, has a different goal. Some ride to stay fit, some ride for recreation, some ride to compete, some have goals of making it to the Olympics. At the end of the day there’s one thing that makes us all the same and that’s the love for these magnificent animals.



The greatest gift you can give your coach is the gift of gratitude and appreciation. If your good at what you do and you put 110% into teaching every student, they will appreciate it and they will tell you. Nothing puts a bigger smile in my heart than the words from a parent saying how much their daughter or son talks about their weekly lesson, and counts down the days till they’re back at the barn again to ride. Knowing that I play a part in their love for horses and riding makes my everyday better than the last.









Proud moments to last a lifetime..














Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself... Memories are made in the moments that make us smile
2014 Regional Show Circuit Awards Banquet



HB

2 comments:

  1. That is a lesson that everyone would benefit from learning. You clearly wear all your hats well! Such an awesome post!

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  2. What a great post I feel as if I can relate to despite not knowing much about riding. When coaching, it's always rewarding when you know that you have pass on something you love to a student.

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