Strong Performance Coaching

25/03/2025

💚🐴The Art of In Hand Workshop🐴💚
April 26th there is only 1 spot left! This workshop incorporates work from the ground and theory around the Art of In Hand work. You will learn the theory behind the exercises and then get to practise lateral work, balance and contact with your horse.

This workshop incorporates work from the ground and theory around the Art of In Hand work. You will learn the theory behind the exercises and then get to practise lateral work, balance and contact with your horse.

20/03/2025

💚🐴 4 Day Easter Rider Retreat🐴💚
I just have 1 sneaky little spot left in my 4 day camp!
So if you are looking to elevate your riding and have some fun with like minded people in a peaceful location then do not delay in booking!
Click on the link for booking and all the info.

It is sort of boot camp, sort of fun camp, sort of in depth learning and sort of connecting with other like minded equestrians.

19/03/2025

💚🐴 It’s a tough life being emotional support dogs! 🐕 Wednesdays coaching day, how many times do we go up and down the arena? Are we there yet? 🐴💚

17/03/2025

💚🐴What is coming UP and how you can get involved 🐴💚

April 7th to 10th 4 day Easter Camp - only one spot left so get in quick!
https://www.strongperformancecoaching.com/product/easter-camp-april-7-10/
April 26th The Art of In Hand Work - only 2 spots left
https://www.strongperformancecoaching.com/product/the-art-of-in-hand-workshop-26-april/
May 30th, 31st & 1st June - Working Equitation Boot 3 Day Camp.
https://www.strongperformancecoaching.com/product/working-equitation-3-day-boot-camp/

07/03/2025

💚🐴 Do you want to be helped, hugged or heard? 🐴💚

Do You Want to be Helped, Hugged or Heard?🤔

I just finished reading a super book📖 called Super Communicators by Charles Duhigg.

This is the third book of Duhigg’s I’ve read, the others being The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better📚. All have been great reads✅, but this one pointed out something so elegantly that I need to share it.

Duhigg is an interesting character, and when he wants to understand something, he goes all in. This time, he wanted to figure out why he sometimes struggled with conversations, even though he’s a professional communicator and writer. The result is a really insightful book on human connection and conversations.

He explains that research shows the most significant factor influencing our health and wellbeing is the quality of social connections in our lives. But how do we build those connections?

One important way, Duhigg says, is through conversation. And here comes the cool bit…

➡️When a conversation starts, you need to be aware of what this conversation is really about. Because that determines whether it will be meaningful and connecting or frustrating and disconnected. Duhigg summarises that most conversations are driven by one of three needs: to be helped, to be hugged, or to be heard😎

This is why unsolicited advice can go down like a lead balloon. If someone is simply venting their frustrations or seeking validation, they’re not looking for a solution—they just need you to listen, be understood or have you show them you care how they feel.❤️

That doesn’t mean you have to nod along in agreement with something you disagree with, or stay silent when you have important information to share. But if you first meet the other person where they are, it can help open the discussion to a place where they’re more receptive to your thoughts and ideas.

I’m sharing this because I think it’s such a simple yet powerful concept to keep in mind when engaging with others.😃

For me, it has clarified the complex dance I navigate when helping people with their horses. I realised early on that people don’t just come to a lesson or a clinic for technical help. Many are also seeking reassurance—testing whether I’m a safe person to trust with a part of their life that is deeply personal and, therefore, vulnerable.💗

Recognising this has changed the way I approach conversations, not just in my work but in all aspects of life. When we take a moment to consider what someone truly needs from a conversation—whether it’s help🤓, comfort❤, or simply to be heard👂—we can respond in a way that fosters deeper understanding and connection.

It’s such a small shift in awareness, yet it can completely change how we communicate. And in a world where real connection matters more than ever, that feels like something worth paying attention to.

➡️If you enjoyed this please share it, people love book recommendations and this is a great book with an excellent collection of simple ideas📖💡‼️

05/03/2025

💚🐴 Dance away🐴💚

02/03/2025

28/02/2025

💚🐴 Anybody that works with me knows how much I love Groundwork and In Hand work. Read the following article and the study result 🐴💚

“Horses regularly trained with ground work are more relaxed when ridden”

A recent study of dressage horses in Germany that looked at rein length and tension revealed a surprising finding: horses who were regularly trained in ground work/in-hand work had lower heart rates during ridden work than all of the other participating horses. This wasn’t what the researchers were investigating, but it was clear in the results. From this, the researchers concluded that, “Perhaps horses trained in ground work had more trust in their rider.”

So why would it be true that horses who regularly learn via ground work/in-hand work are more relaxed? There are a few possibilities.

1) Horses trained regularly with ground work are more relaxed because their trainers are more relaxed. It’s possible that humans who take the time to teach their horses from the ground are less goal oriented and more concerned with the process. They may be more relaxed in general and foster this same relaxation in their horses. As you are, so is your horse.

2) Horses trained regularly with ground work have trainers who are more educated about a horse’s balance.

Their horses learn to move in correct balance which allows them to be healthy and sound in their bodies and, therefore, more relaxed. Physical balance is emotional balance.

3) Horses trained regularly with ground work understand the trainer’s criteria better. They have mastered the response to an aid before the rider mounts and know the “right answer” already once under saddle. They don’t experience any conflict when the rider asks for a behavior because the neural pathway has already been installed. They are more relaxed about being ridden because it rarely has caused confusion for them.

For us highly visual humans I think that ground work is often a better way to begin exercises because we are much better at seeing our horse doing the right thing than feeling it from the saddle. Often, my feel in the saddle is enhanced by the fact that I have watched my horse perform an exercise over and over in our in-hand work. It feels how it looks. In-hand work is also a good way to teach our horses because our own bodies are often more in balance when we are walking beside our horses. With the ground under our feet we are able to be more relaxed if something goes wrong and less likely to be so busy wrapped up in our own balance that we give our horses conflicting or confusing aids. It’s a good place to figure things out. I am a huge fan of in-hand work.

I’m glad to learn research revealed ground work is good for horses. Horses with a low heart rate are relaxed and relaxed horses perform better and live longer. In this day and age of people starting horses under saddle in under an hour and increasing monetary rewards for the “young horse dressage program“, everything seems to be done in a hurry. The entire horse culture seems to privilege “getting up there and riding your horse”. But as one of my favorite writers and accomplished horsewoman, Teresa Tsimmu Martino writes, “In today’s horse culture there are clinics that brag about starting a c**t in a day, as if the quickness of it was the miracle. But old horse people know it takes years to create art. Horses as great masterpieces are not created in a day. An artist does not need to rush.” We need more scientific studies like this one to encourage us to slow down and take our time with our horses.

So why were the horses in the study more relaxed? Likely it was a combination of all three factors – a relaxed trainer, better overall balance and clear understanding of criteria.

These are things that matter to your horse, and yes, will allow him to trust you when you ride. Take some time to slow down and work from the ground, learn a bit more about equine balance and teach new things in-hand before asking for them under saddle. You can take your riding to a whole new level and help your horse become more healthy and relaxed in the process.” - from the article by Jen of Spellbound Horses https://spellboundhorses.com/2013/03/07/horses-regularly-trained-with-ground-work-are-more-relaxed-when-ridden/

24/02/2025

What a wonderful opportunity for someone!

17/02/2025

💚🐴 Foundation Clinic March 1/2🐴💚
Have you booked your spot yet?
I only take 5 participants so that you get plenty of one on one time and not left standing around waiting.
Individualised program for you and your horse do you get the most out of the week end!

https://www.strongperformancecoaching.com/product/foundation-clinic-mar-1-2/

15/02/2025

💚🐴 RM’S Equestrian Dressage. & Jumping event🐴💚
Team 💪 out and about this weekend supporting local Clubs.
Once again it is not about the ribbons and placing but putting a solid foundation on some Younger/ greener horses. Trying new test levels and getting a feel for them. Looking after our horsemanship and allowing horses to find relaxation in a strange and at times hectic environment. Supporting each other and building up confidence. Proud of the Ladies 💓
Thank you to the organisers Jo & Peter Williams and team. Sponsors and supporters 🙏

14/02/2025

💚🐴 RM S Equestrian Venue looking fantastic this morning 🐴💚

14/02/2025

💚🐴Happy Birthday to this pair 🐴💚
Avondale Lindt 💜
Avondale Valentine 💙

10/02/2025

💚🐴What a great start to the year so far!🐴💚
Students have been doing really well the last 2 weekends with wins and placings and some personal goals met already!
What have we been doing behind the scenes? Well it all started with the NQEG Online Competition Series. We have been getting together and filming our tests once a month which has been an absolute game changer. It finishes up at the end of March but what a valuable exercise it has been over summer. I really feel having the pressure of learning a test, riding a testing reviewing your test, then getting feedback has given us all clear goals and purpose.
We also set some goals/plans for the year and I have done up a PDF on this so shout out if you would like a copy.
I also have just done another one on All things Competition, which covers a bit of everything incl mindset, visualisation, learning tests, breathing etc.

What is next?
RM's Express Eventing and Dressage this Saturday 15th.
DDWE Training Day Twba Showgrounds 23 Feb where I will be coaching the dressage section. You must be a member and suggest getting in quick as it is filling fast!
March 9th Allora Dressage
So if you are out and about come say Hi 💚

07/02/2025

💚🐴 What’s coming up?🐴💚
Feb 22nd Working Eq/ Obstacles Fun morning, only a couple of spots left.
March 1/2 Foundation Clinic. Yes we have all breeds and disciplines that come along and have a great time :)
April 26 Art of In Hand Workshop.

I will be at RM’s Express Eventing and Dressage Saturday 15/2. No there will be no jumping involved🤣
Allora Dressage March 9th.
So come say Hi if you are in the area!
All bookings
https://www.strongperformancecoaching.com/shop/

07/02/2025

💚🐴Another great resource from Shelley Appleton to check out🐴💚
https://www.facebook.com/share/19wecTYSvn/

04/02/2025

💚🐴Working Equitation Fun Morning🐴💚

Working Equitation Fun Morning Feb 22nd

$120.00

Come have a play on some obstacles and learn more about the fast growing sport of Working Equitation. You will get to train on each obstacle and then ride a shortened course of your choice and receive feedback.

22 February 2025

Avondale Warmbloods Deuchar(near Allora)

7am for a 7.30am start and finish at 12.30pm.

Morning tea provided.

Only 6 participants so that everyone gets plenty of time on course and one on one instruction.

$120pp

https://www.strongperformancecoaching.com/product/working-equitation-fun-morning-feb-22nd/