Inclusivity and accessibility

We've had a few coaches leave us this year, which is always slightly discouraging. Sometimes life happens and there are reasons beyond the controllable which means that a different path is taken. However there are also some market forces at work which we can't ignore.

Owning a horse or pony costs a lot of money. Times are tight and the ability for people to travel their horses around to events is reduced. We have seen a decline in participation in shows and competitions across the industry, with riding schools struggling and in some cases closing.

It's a somewhat bleak picture. However, those that are still involved with horses are still as dedicated and passionate. It's those people that we are focussed on and adjustments can be made to flex to new conditions.

Disco Dressage works best when there is a flow of inspiration coming in from the coaches that are part of the programme. It's not a one woman show and I need to feel the energy from other coaches around me to keep momentum.

To encourage more coaches to join, we decided to reduce the cost of entry for our coaches and I'm hoping this will do the trick so we can rebuild our network back to a strong position for the rest of the year. Being a disco coach should be a revenue generator for coaches, not a sunk cost. Disco was created from my intention to increase participation, encourage grass roots dressage and improve accessibility for all riders. That's my core goal and that's what I will focus on when things feel harder than before.

We have a strong brand, we have regular enquiries from riders, riding schools and indeed coaches. Hopefully now I've made it easier for coaches to say YES to follow the call of the disco ball....