PCA was featured in the Aug 19-Sept 16 edition of Chronicle of the Horse. This article was written by Christina Keim. 

“There is a perception that ‘I have to be really hard on my kids,’ and at some point, we have to break that cycle.”

Suzanne Sillett, vice president of education and innovation with the Positive Coaching Alliance

Recreational riding is, relatively speaking, still a somewhat new activity. Prior to World War II, most horses were used for plowing, pulling and other agricultural pursuits, or in military service. But between the rise of the internal combustion engine and the advent of the atomic bomb, by the late 1940s, the horse’s long­term role in society was supplanted. Almost overnight, thousands of horses-and the cavalry officers who were experts in their care and training-were out of a job. Instead, many of these men began teaching horsemanship to civilians.

“Our old masters did a phenomenal job of preserving horse sport when military horses were not needed anymore,” explains Lila Fore, founder and faculty for the U.S. Dressage Federation’s Instructor/Trainer Development Program.

Most of these former cavalry officers were highly effective in training horses and riders, but did so in an autocratic, military­esque manner. The most sophisticated of their students went on to become the next generation of trainers, instructors and coaches-creating a legacy in instructional methodology and style that doesn’t necessarily complement what we now know about how athletes best develop proficiency and confidence in executing the skills needed for their sport. Fortunately, experts are working to change coaching practices for the better, par­ticularly when it comes to young athletes.

“A lot of coaches coach the way they were coached as a kid, especially at a competitive level,” says Suzanne Sillett, vice president of education and innovation with the Positive Coaching Alliance. “There is a perception that ‘I have to be really hard on my kids,’ and at some point, we have to break that cycle. There is a lot of research that shows if someone doesn’t feel safe in their environment, whether it’s a class­room or a team, they’re not going to learn.”

According to Project Play, a division of the Aspen Institute, sports are more critical than ever to promote physical, emo­tional, psychological and cognitive health in young people. Further, their research shows participation in a sport­ whether recreational or competitive-helps create habits and behaviors leading to enhanced long-term well-being. But when coaches fail to create an environment in which young people feel safe or connected to mentors or other athletes, or when winning is prioritized over personal growth and well-being, there is the potential for great harm.

“There is such a pressure in this country to win. at every age,” says Sillett. “Winning is great, and everyone likes to win. It’s okay to have a goal of striving to win-but there are so many other things to learn through sports. We argue that the role of youth sports is to develop them as people, as well as athletes.”

So what does the research tell us about “best practices” in instruction, and how has this information already started helping the equine industry develop a new tradition, one in which rider-athletes are coached in a positive, healthy man­ner, while still being held to a high standard?