Sally Ede - Horse and Rider Coaching

23/07/2026

The watershed moment, or rite of passage that we all go through.
Mine was transitioning from how the horse looked to how the horse felt. ❤️

I’m pretty sure I lamed my horse by riding her “leg into hand.”

That’s not an easy sentence to write.

Nine years ago I bought Daisy, a bum-high ex-broodmare with more than a few trauma triggers and set out to “do dressage.”

I did everything I believed was right.

I lunged her in a Pessoa because I’d been told she needed to learn to work over her back.

I took lessons with talented, successful competition riders.

I was taught to ride her more firmly from leg into a firm hand.

She fought the contact but eventually her head came down.

She produced huge amounts of power from behind but all that power poured onto the forehand and into a heavy contact.

At the time, I thought we were making progress. We could eventually do a lot of advanced tricks.

Now I watch those old videos and see:
- a horse with no real thoracic sling stability
- dysfunctional movement patterns
- hind limbs producing force without being able to carry weight
- stifles and hocks under strain
- a body that was becoming stronger at compensating rather than stronger at functioning

Then she went lame.

The diagnosis was catastrophic damage to her left stifle.

Looking back now, I think I spent years asking a body with significant asymmetries to work harder instead of helping it work better.

She was naturally built on the forehand; her right hind was weaker; her pelvis lived in an anterior tilt.

I didn’t know how to address any of that
so I did what I’d been taught.

I added more leg, held a firmer contact and chased more power and eventually the left hind succumbed to the stresses of over-compensation.

I don’t write this because I want to blame trainers or say everyone riding leg into hand is harming their horse.

I write it because I know there are riders doing exactly what I was doing: following well-meaning advice, trying their absolute hardest, and believing that more power must be the answer.

Sometimes it isn’t.

Sometimes the answer is improving the quality of movement before asking for more of it.

Now I know more, I can do better. Daisy reminds me that learning is about giving our horses a better future than the one our yesterday knowledge would allow.

If this story resonated, follow my page. I share the mistakes I’ve made so your horse doesn’t have to pay for them.

19/07/2026

Love ❤️ this post from Rosie Bensley Equine. I also have lessons from Rosie and we have great fun learning from each other.

It can be easy to *think* that you are at one with your horse, however, to get to ‘one-ness’ it truly is a feeling and noticing process. To really gain a horse’s attention and consensual access their bodies, we need what I call fascial and tonal attunement.
First you need to notice the tone of your own body, then the horse’s body, and then positively influence both. Then the art of doing less really is possible, because both bodies are stable, resilient and attuned, and then giving and receiving clear information from each other.

12/05/2026

Very honoured to receive this, and very grateful to be part of the centre 10 community. ❤️

And last but by no means least, our 2026 Contribution Award goes to the wonderful Sally Ede🥳 .and.rider.coach

Sally embodies what it means to be part of a learning community. Her contribution goes beyond her own coaching - she shows up for others, shares generously, and helps to create the environment that Centre10 stands for. Whether through support, encouragement, or simply being present, her influence strengthens the whole group. This award recognises not just what she does, but how she does it; with openness, commitment, and a genuine desire to see others succeed.

If you would like to become a Centre10 Advanced coach, applications are NOW OPEN for our Autumn 2026 course! Head over to the Centre10 page to check it out... https://www.centre10.com/

If you would like a Centre10 Advanced coach that is psychologically informed, check out our Find a Coach page on the Centre10 website to find a coach near you!

22/04/2026

I was very honoured and proud to receive the Centre10 Contribution award.
I do always feel that whatever you put into something, comes out multiplied.

06/04/2026

Understanding how your fascia influences your horse is fundamental to the success of your riding, as Mary Wanless explains below. 👇

Mary is hosting 7 consecutive webinars in fascia which will be unmissable.

I have a discount code for an extra 15 % off 😍

TMCSE426

02/04/2026

Fascia webinars - Exclusive discount code !!

If you are curious about the role of fascia in the connection between horse and rider - I thoroughly recommend this series of seven live webinars with Mary Wanless starting in May.
There is an Easter special offer - plus - use my discount code for an extra 10% off

Here is the link for more information

https://dressagetraining.tv/join-fascia

And here is my exclusive discount code:

TMCSE426

21/02/2026

This is a great post from The Rider Mechanic. I strongly recommend looking on her page at the previous two posts she has written on how to use your back 👍

Riding and Your Back Awareness Series - Part 3

Before moving on to some tools to help you realize the power of your back when riding, it's important to clarify some details about 'shoulders back and down'. Some of you may have noticed when practicing rolling your shoulders back and down that you unconsciously lift the front of your ribcage away from your hips. This is one of the reasons shoulder shrugs work better to drop the shoulder blades down and into a biomechanically helpful position than thinking 'shoulders back'.

If you look at the photos below you can see how if I exaggerate my shoulders back and down, I inadvertently lift and elongate the front line of my body and shorten my back. My back also hollows as a result. Why does this matter? Sit up to the front of your chair and try it. Exaggerate your shoulders back and down and feel your chest lift. If there is someone else in the room, ask them to gently push you from both sides, front and back. Notice your ability, or lack thereof to stabilize yourself in this position.

Reset, and now think of your shoulder blades sliding down your back without contorting your front. If you tend to round your shoulders forward, it can help to think of putting the tip of each shoulder blade into your opposite back pocket. Don't exaggerate the movement, but notice how this brings the bottom of your rib cage closer to your hips and vice versa. If you can do this side-on to a mirror, it is super helpful to ensure you are equal in your front and back lines. Think of your torso as a cereal box, with an equal front and back, top and bottom and sides. Any distortions in this 'cereal box' will result in energy leaks and loss of power. Have your helper push on you, as described above and notice any difference from the first exercise.

Sitting on a thousand pound animal which is continually exerting random forces on us requires our bodies to be in tensegrity. Any unevenness, such as an elongated front line or a collapsed side, does not allow us to resist the mechanical stressors the horse places on our bodies, nor absorb them evenly, which ultimately creates instability and loss of power.

I hope you will experiment with this and as always, let me know what you find or if this leaves you with questions. I look forward to continuing our conversation in the next one. ❤️