Ride, Learn, Innovate: Exploring the Future of Coaching at The Dutch Masters

Coaching in equestrian sport draws on experience, instinct and close observation. Over time, evaluating patterns and subtle strengths shapes the direction of training.

Alongside traditional practice, new forms of insight are emerging bringing measurable clarity to what experienced coaches already observe.

This year, that wider conversation will be explored at The Dutch Masters in ’s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands,  one of Europe’s leading indoor equestrian shows, bringing together international dressage and show jumping, including the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Freestyle.

I’ve always loved watching international sport. In freestyle dressage, it’s the artistry that draws me in; the choreography, the musical interpretation, and the way you begin to sense the personalities within a partnership.

Equestic is hosting a  coaching forum at the show, bringing together leading voices from dressage and show jumping to explore how insight, data and experience can integrate within modern training. It’s a conversation that will resonate with riders and coaches who are thinking carefully about how they prepare and develop their partnerships.

At Equestrian Heroes, I talk about riding with feel and awareness, recognising how you and your horse communicate and develop together over time. I’m interested in how Equestic’s SaddleClip and app can add a further layer of insight to that evolving partnership.

When you look at the symmetry data after your ride, a simple question sits behind it: did you ride equally on both reins?

The time spent on each rein tells a story about how you organised the session. Seeing that clearly encourages more intentional riding and balanced development. The data reflects the choices you made during the session and how your horse responded within that work.

A different perspective comes from looking at intensity and workload across sessions. Seeing how demanding a ride was and how that compares with previous days or weeks, supports more thoughtful planning.

Rather than guessing whether you are building gradually or asking too much too soon, you can review patterns over time. That context helps riders structure training with long-term development and horse health in mind, encouraging preparation that is progressive, consistent and sustainable.

Conversations like this reflect how coaching continues to evolve. The integration of technology into training broadens the way we access and interpret information.

The Future of Coaching forum at The Dutch Masters sits naturally within that progression. As technology becomes part of everyday preparation, the opportunity to consider how insight and feel align within modern coaching feels compelling.

Through my work at Equestrian Heroes, I’m interested in conversations that encourage growth for riders, for coaches and for competitors. Innovation can support that growth when it’s integrated with care. Riding with feel and then reviewing what the data reveals is simply another way of deepening understanding.