Are You Actually Coachable?

I’ve spent a lot of time lately thinking about what happens in the space between a rider’s ambition and their actual results.

We buy the better horse. We upgrade the tack. We book the extra lessons. We do the "doing." But after years of working with high-performance athletes—and navigating my own messy, wonderful journey from being an SA triathlete back into the equestrian world of dressage, eventing and show jumping—I’ve realized that the greatest performance enhancer isn’t something you can buy at a tack shop.

It’s coachability.

Now, before you say, "Of course I’m coachable, Linda! I pay for lessons every week," let’s pause.

Showing up for a lesson is a transaction. Being coachable is a state of being. It’s a vulnerability. It’s the willingness to let someone see the "shaky" parts of your riding and, more importantly, the shaky parts of your mindset.

What Coachability Really Looks Like

In my world, being coachable isn't about how well you follow an instruction to "shorten your reins." It’s about how you handle the discomfort of change.

• A coachable rider says, "I feel stuck and frustrated, and I’m willing to look at why."

• A coachable rider values the process more than the rosette. They are willing to look a bit "messy" while they learn a new way of being.

• A coachable rider takes responsibility. They don’t blame the horse, the judge, or the windy morning. They look inward and ask, "What is my mental tack telling me right now?"

The "Uncoachable" Roadblocks

We all have "uncoachable" days. I certainly do! It’s that voice—the Inner Critic I’ve written about before—that wants to be right more than it wants to be better.

If you find yourself hiding your mistakes, getting defensive when things go wrong, or treating a "bad" jump like a personal character flaw, you aren’t being uncoachable—you’re just being human. But you are also being blocked.

Why This Matters Now

Lately, I’ve been working with riders navigating heavy things—grief, the loss of a horse, or the crushing pressure of high-performance environments. I am not a psychologist, but I have sat in the fire of high-pressure change for many years.

What I know for sure is this: You cannot coach a closed heart. You cannot fix a performance block if you are unwilling to admit that you are afraid, or hurting, or simply overwhelmed.

The Challenge

As I prepare to head back to South Africa for the season, I’m looking for a specific type of client, in the UK and in South Africa. I’m looking for the riders who are ready to stop "trying harder" and start "thinking deeper."

So, I’m asking you: Are you coachable?

Are you ready to sit with the discomfort? Are you ready to dismantle the habits that keep you "safe" but stuck?

If the answer is a nervous, shaky "yes," then we should talk. Because that is exactly where the gold is found.

Warm regards,

Linda