Coaching Pathway
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Introduction
You never forget a good teacher. They’re enthusiastic, encouraging and use their knowledge and passion to transform lives. As can you.
A coaching career provides you with an opportunity to instil confidence, impart knowledge and inspire others on their equine journey.
Great for
- Individuals who enjoy inspiring others to be their best; looking to train the next generation from entry level to professional competition riders
- Opportunities to be self-employed in the industry
Whether you inspire grassroots riders to gain confidence to enjoy their leisure riding or your goal is to be the next generation Yogi Briesner, BHS Fellow and previous British Eventing Team Manager, your journey starts here!
As a coach you will be responsible for the planning and implementation of coaching sessions and training programmes to support the progression of your clients and their horses. You will never stop learning as a coach, even after you have achieved your qualification goal we encourage self-evaluation, goal setting, action planning and continuous professional development; skills that will enhance your coaching career and ensure you are one step ahead with current training methods, practices and research.
From a riding school coach to discipline specific, coaching will open many doors and opportunities that can take you around the world – no two days will be the same!
It’s not just gaining the qualifications that we can support you with; we’re here for you throughout your entire career. The Accredited Professional Coach membership facilitates a professional coaching community by connecting people, ideas and resources to embed world class standards, drive continual professional development and promote innovation in equestrian coaching.
An expert in equitation and horsemanship, BHS Fellows are renowned throughout the global equine industry as an ambassador for the equestrian profession and a thought leader in the sector.
A Fellow is often the person that people go to for advice, knowledge, expertise and support during their career – as a Fellow you will be an inspiration for many. To gain the Fellowship, you will have a commitment to equine welfare and the continued development of training practices, both for horses and riders, continuously researching and developing your skills – a Fellow does not stand still in the industry. You will lead others and most importantly, use your enthusiasm to share your knowledge and inspire and influence the next generation of coaches to continue the legacy you will have established.
Follow our stars – find out more about our Fellowship.
Your next steps
To stand above the crowd and utilise the widest remit of knowledge and expertise to coach our current and future generations, a coach requires the ability to ride and train horses, a broad knowledge of stable management and horse care and an industry leading coaching qualification.
The BHS Complete Horsemanship Pathway combines all of these qualities and is celebrated world-wide as one of the leading equestrian coaching careers.
A coach should have a good level of knowledge in areas including anatomy and physiology, tack and equipment, nutrition and fitness, conformation and horse behavior; the welfare and care of the horse should be at the forefront of your coaching. As a coach you may also be expected to deliver stable management sessions alongside ridden coaching sessions.
A coach will be expected to demonstrate knowledge for riding and competing at the three Olympic disciplines (showjumping, dressage and eventing). You will be required to understand and be able to explain the rules of riding in a school or group, and be able to identify when a rider is balanced and showing empathy for the horse. A coach should understand and apply the scales of training for the horse, show an understanding of a horse’s performance and evaluate its way of going, and explain how to adapt your riding style appropriately. A riding qualification will support your understanding in this area.
The BHS Complete Horsemanship Pathway is the one for you!
The career certificates from Stage 3 Coach in Complete Horsemanship demonstrate you have the practical skills and knowledge to support others to develop and reach their goals. Working in a commercial establishment, club environment or as a freelance coach, you are able to develop a horse’s way of going, provide initial dressage guidance and flatwork coaching, and help riders work over grids, small courses and cross-country fences.
As of the most widely recognised equestrian qualifications in the world, a BHS Stage 3 Coach will have great opportunities to develop their career.
As a Stage 4 Senior Coach in Complete Horsemanship, you will showcase appropriate coaching styles to develop riders and train horses to British Dressage Elementary, British Showjumping Discovery and British Eventing 100. You will be confident training and upskilling junior staff and you will be looked upon for guidance and advice. You may also be required to train the young, green or spoiled horses for the centre or clients.
Stage 5 Performance Coaches in Complete Horsemanship are endorsed as leading coaches and ambassadors for the BHS at home and overseas. Skilled in coaching riders and training horses to British Dressage Advanced Medium, British Showjumping Foxhunter and British Eventing Intermediate, a Stage 5 Performance Coach in Complete Horsemanship will have a broad knowledge in all aspects of business management and horse care, including maintaining horse health, care of competition horses and the breeding and management of young horses. Offering a natural aptitude and empathy in their riding and coaching, they will utilise their strength as a good communicator to impart knowledge with enthusiasm, clarity and impact.
Personal fitness! You will likely need to move equipment such as poles and jumps and be on your feet most of the time you are coaching so a good level of general fitness will be an advantage.
This career takes you throughout the year in all elements, so a love of the outdoors is a definite must – or at least needs to be tolerated! Good communication skills and an appreciation of different learning styles are essential as you will need to adapt your coaching style to suit different riders. You will need to be able to problem solve and think on your feet but remain enthusiastic in your approach and calm under pressure – sometimes coaching doesn’t always go to plan. You will need to be authoritative in order to control a group of riders safely, but you also need to remain professional, approachable and have the ability to instill confidence to your clients (and their horses).
- On becoming a qualified BHS Stage 3 Coach in Complete Horsemanship you are eligible to apply for an International Group for Equestrian Qualifications (IGEQ) Passport, administered in the UK by the BHS Equine Excellence team, enabling recognition and acceptance in IGEQ member countries (subject to national legal requirements). To put it simply, it will give you the perfect opportunity to travel the world and earn money!
- Be your own boss! Many coaches are self-employed and run their own schedules and business, giving you the autonomy to create the work life balance for you.
Testimonials
“The BHS structure has always covered a very progressive system, not just for the riding aspect but also the horse care side, which to me is very important. It was a milestone to get my BHS Stage 5 Performance Coach and my BHS Fellowship – the Fellowship underpins, but also umbrellas, the whole system” he says. “Also, hearing the National Anthem and seeing British riders on the podium is fantastic.”
My advice to anyone wanting a career with horses is not to lose sight of why you started out – that fascination and love for the horse. Then, like with any career, its up to you how ambitious you are , how dedicated you are, how hard you work and how you cope with the ups and downs that you encounter.”