“Helen has the ability to spot the problem, unpick it, sort it then put the horse and rider back on the right track with more knowledge and understanding of what they are doing but also full of confidence to go and enjoy themselves.
The facilities at Breckenborough are fantastic catering for all standards of horses & riders.
She runs brilliant clinics, sometimes I join Helen as a fellow coach for clinics or camps.”
Hon Karen Dixon MBE – Olympic Rider
British Eventing Coach and Advanced Centre10 Coach
Whilst competing at the highest-level, Helen began her career as a British eventing coach over 30 years ago.
She has coached many riders from Pony Club to International level. Her clients have included amateur riders starting British Eventing to Advanced Riders competing at 4-Star level and an Individual FEI Pony Silver Medalist.
Helen enjoys teaching all ages and levels of experience. She offers both private and group lessons for riders on their own horses.
“I have always been very interested in the sports psychology side of training. I used to struggle with being the best version of myself riding during competition.
I learnt to use self-hypnosis techniques to help me very successfully. Then after meeting Charlie Unwin, who has a distinguished reputation in the field of human performance and psychology, I signed up on the Centre10 Applied Psychology Program for Equestrian Coaches.”
Prices
| Private Lesson (45 mins including use of facilities) | Group Lesson (per rider/horse) |
|---|---|
| £75 | £60 |
Coaching Facilities at Breckenbrough
As well as the fantastic cross country course and all-weather gallop at Breckenbrough, Helen has a large outdoor arena for lessons with a full set of show jumps. Plus, in the dry months, a course of show jumps is set up in one of the large grass paddocks.
How to Book
To book a riding lesson or chat through your requirements get in touch with Helen.
Learn More About Helen as a Coach
How did you first get into coaching?
I always really enjoyed the learning process when I was competing, training the horses and working on myself in and out of the saddle. Coaching was a natural progression as I started helping younger riders in the 1990’s. I was always very interested in how to be the best version of myself in competition and took up hypnotherapy which really helped me to compete under pressure. As a British Eventing Coach I have trained with Charlie Unwin in the Centre10 program since 2018 and I am now an Advanced Centre10 Coach.
Who has been the biggest influence on you as a Coach?
Chris Bartle who’s Coaching has helped transform so many riders at all levels of eventing. I have been lucky enough to have watched many of his lessons and seen the confidence that he inspires. The system he uses translates to all levels of riders .
How do you approach Coaching someone for the first time?
I like to know some history about the combination and then discuss what the goal is for the session. I ask them open questions throughout and discuss what we are practising and why. We finish the session discussing what has been learnt and the wins.
What is your favourite motto?
Enjoy the journey as you work towards the destination/goal. Celebrate the small wins along the way. For example, pick out a transition or jump you really enjoyed in a training session .
What has been the best equestrian quote that resonates with you?
There are only two emotions that belong in the saddle: one is a sense of humour and the other is patience.
What’s a common issue that you see Young Riders face?
I see the pressures of social media as an issue for young riders. Watching everyone else posts and using comparison can create a fixed mindset attitude. I see riders feeling under pressure, putting on posts explaining themselves sometimes almost straight after an event. If they allow time to process their performance, putting things into perspective themselves taking out the parts of performance they saw as a win .