River Tiger Podcast with Dynamics Coaching

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In this episode of the River Tiger podcast, Dr. Alex Lascu joins me to discuss nonlinear pedagogy and its practical applications. Alex explains that nonlinear systems lack proportionality, meaning small changes can have unpredictable impacts, and emphasizes the importance of understanding stability and noise in movement. They explore how these concepts challenge traditional coaching methods, advocating for adaptability and responsiveness over rigid plans. Examples include cricket coaching, where focusing on head movement rather than footwork enhances agility, and the slow development of tendon strength in climbing. The conversation highlights the need for coaches to embrace uncertainty and foster adaptable, meta-stable states in their athletes.

Alex's links to be added.

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In this second part of me conversation with David Farrouk we explore the intricate relationship between ecological psychology, constraints, and the practical implications for coaching and learning. The discussion delves into the differences between behaviourism and ecological psychology and systems approaches, emphasising how the latter offers a more dynamic understanding of behaviour by considering wider time frames, nested events, broader environmental contexts and the fluidity of various interacting scales.

Key themes arise around the concept of constraints, highlighting how both broad laws of nature and local constraints influence behaviour. David points out that effective coaching requires an understanding of these interactions, enabling practitioners to manipulate constraints to promote desired outcomes.

The conversation address the nature of learning and its measurement, advocating for an integrated perspective where learning leads to measurable changes, reflecting a deeper understanding of environmental interactions.

The role of theories is examined as tools that help practitioners navigate their environments and facilitate learning. As theories evolve through practical application, they bring new insights into how constraints affect behaviour and performance.

Through a metaphor of building a dam in a stream, David illustrates how constraints shape dynamics in movement. This conversation invites listeners, particularly coaches and practitioners in sports and animal learning, to re-examine their understanding of learning and leans into a more ecological viewpoint that considers the fluidity of interaction between an organism and their environment in skill acquisition and performance.

This blog post provides an overview to support the main themes of the conversation https://dynamics-coaching.com/learning-and-pedagogy/learning-theories-behaviourism-and-ecological-psychology/

My guest on this episode: David Farrokh is a PhD candidate in the College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences at Sheffield Hallam University. His research adopts an ecological dynamics perspective to investigate multiscaled properties of flow experiences, context-sensitivity, and co-adaptation in sport.

X @bigpicsoccer

Further reading

Fultot et al What are nervous systems for

Polanyi Life's irreducible structure

Johnston & Turvey A sketch of an ecological metatheory for theories of learning

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In this episode of the River Tiger podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Rebecca Ranstead, a clinical psychologist and climbing coach. Our discussion centred on the vital interplay between fear management and performance in adventure sports. Rebecca shared her nearly 25 years of experience in psychology and how her passion for climbing shaped her coaching approach.

We tackled the misconception that fear and confidence are opposites. Rebecca clarified that fear is a natural emotional response essential for survival, and learning to manage it—rather than eliminate it—is crucial. She emphasised that fear conveys important information, encouraging athletes to recognise and understand their unique fear cycles.

We also discussed societal pressures that can affect women's confidence in sports, sharing personal stories about empowerment through peer support. Rebecca highlighted the importance of understanding that skill development isn't linear, especially during significant life changes like puberty and menopause.

Our conversation addressed coping with traumatic experiences in sports, underscoring the need for a compassionate, gradual return to activities after such events. We also examined the roll of “falling practice,” advocating for a focus on a holistic approach rather than simply overcoming the fear of falling.

Rebecca concluded by discussing her books, "Climb Smarter" and the "Fear of Falling Workbook," which provide essential tools for athletes to navigate anxiety and boost their confidence. This episode serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand and manage fear in high-stakes environments.

My guest on this episode
Dr Rebecca Williams BSc D ClinPsy is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and performance psychology coach, working with climbers for the last 18 years. She’s trained and experienced in psychotherapy, including CBT and ACT, holds a level 7 certificate in coaching and mentoring, and is a qualified climbing instructor (RCI).

Rebecca has delivered thousands of hours of individual coaching, group workshops, coach education and lectures, for climbers and coaches interested in improving their headgame for climbing. She has facilitated workshops for Mountain Training Association, the Diploma in Mountain Medicine, NICAS, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), and many climbing and mountaineering clubs. In 2018, she delivered the psychology keynote speech at the International Rock Climbing Research Association Congress in Chamonix, and is a founder member of the International Association of Psychologists in Climbing. She is passionate about using making psychology accessible and practical, and translating psychological research into mainstream techniques and coaching practices.

www.smartclimbing.co.uk Author: Climb Smarter: Mental Skills and Techniques for Climbing

https://www.sequoia-books.com/catalog/climb/

PodMatch
PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

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This episode with Joe Kelly was a treat to record, and equally fascinating to re-listen to before publishing.

My guest is Joe Kelly and you can find him on X (Twitter) @BarefootAthlete and on Instagram: @barefootathlete

I will be adding more detailed show notes and lots of links to books, film clips and other resources.

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In this episode, my guest, Steph Bradley shares her research into the impact of menopause and peri-menopause on women in equestrian sports. In this refreshingly candid and open conversation, Steph delves into the challenges faced by women and the importance of sustaining women's participation in equestrian and other sports. She examines the various symptoms that may lead some women to step away from the sport, while also highlighting the necessity to become more informed and the value of establishing strong support networks for female equestrians.

The discussion focusses on the impact of menopause on women in the equestrian community, addressing the physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms that a high proportion of women experience. Steph shares examples of the many challenges that arise when striving to stay engaged and/or maintain peak performance during menopause.

Finally, she reflects on the significance of adapting coaching strategies to better support older riders and emphasises the importance of decision-making and agency in different contexts. This conversation aims to inspire and empower women to remain active and engaged in the equestrian world and any other physical sport or activity.

My guest on this episode is Steph Bradley from Freedom Saddlery and Whitegate Farm.

"Steph offers a fully qualified, independent professional saddle fitting consultation service. She is an S.M.S. Qualified Master Saddle Fitter & Approved Retailer, qualified Master Saddle Fitting Consultant, she has an MSc in Professional Coaching Practice, is a qualified UKCC Level 3 coach/ BHS Accredited Professional Coach, British Equestrian Level 4 Coach, and a member of B.E.T.A."

Website: https://www.freedomsaddlery.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitegatefarmliveryandtrainingcentre

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Kathy and I have been excited about recording this episode for months. We finally managed to get the time (although I am on a stand up paddle board trip so not at home or on my own computer), and Kathy did not disappoint.

Days before we were due to record, one of the worlds top dressage riders withdrew from the Olympics because of the sharing of a video of a coaching session. We do not focus on the incident or the details, but thought that it was important to share some possible ways forward for training without the need to use whips or force.

This episode is about finding ways forward, embracing contemporary science in the fields of movement and motivation, and leaning in to finding the joy of movement.

If you enjoy this episode, you may want to listen to episode 6.

Links:
Kathy's website and information about her pain science courses and free resources.

The spider robot that learnt to limp.
Self-determination theory. How do we create optimal learning environments?
Learning the ugly zone.

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Staying fit, healthy and injury free is so important to all riders and horses, regardless of age or level of activity.

This conversation covers a wide range of topics around how we can improve both horse and human performance and longevity by improving movement ability, fitness, resilience (or anti-fragility), and rehab.

Katie Wood is a Reg. Physiotherapist, MSc in Equine Science, eventer, gaited horse trainer, and equestrian performance expert. Katie describes her role as "Empowering equestrian athletes of all levels and disciplines with evidence-informed rehab, strength & conditioning, care and education." Her multi disciplinary approach is refreshing and powerful.

Katie finishes this episode with some great ideas about what we can all do to improve our own, and our equines, performance and health.

My guest Katie Wood
"I work with horses, riders, athletes, and anyone with a body. I understand how important it is to have a rehab professional in your corner that understands the demands of your sport. Whether you’re struggling with an injury, pain, performance issue, or just looking for ways to empower your role in the rider-horse relationship, I’ve got solutions for you."

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/theequestrianphysio/

Website
https://www.theequestrianphysio.ca/

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Corran Addison has always combined designing kit with using it. I wanted to find out more about his understanding of how his kit and equipment design was rooted in his unique perspectives on movement within his performance environments and of how design could support or thwart the development of skill by highlighting or dampening perception action coupling. We also talked about motivation, play and safe environments for developing confident, competent and happily active and adaptive youngsters.

About my guest:
Corran Addison

Website:
https://www.soulwaterman.com/

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Corran Addison has always combined designing kit with using it. I wanted to find out more about his understanding of how his kit and equipment design was rooted in his unique perspectives on movement within his performance environments and of how design could support or thwart the development of skill by highlighting or dampening perception action coupling. We also talked about motivation, play and safe environments for developing confident, competent and happily active and adaptive youngsters.

About my guest:
Corran Addison

Website:
https://www.soulwaterman.com/

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My guest this episode is Pete Edwards of Prowess Coaching. Firstly I need to say a huge thank you to Pete for taking some time out a few days before his wedding to talk to me.

As with most of my conversations, this is (I hope) of interest to all coaches of all sports.

I have always loved my conversations with Pete so I was delighted that he agreed to let me record one of them. In this conversation we explored many topics around coaching including the evolution of different sports, developing a personal philosophy, ethics in sports with socially constructed rules, and designing practice. The golden threads through the conversation were evidence informed practice and coach learning.

Here are some of the books and films we recommended in the conversation.
Games climber play, by Lito Tejada-flores, Alpine Journal, 1968. https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1968_files/AJ%201968%2046-52%20Tejada-Flores%20Games.pdf

Valley Uprising, Yosemite's Rock Climbing Revolution, 2014 (film).
Riding Giants, 2004 documentary about the evolution of big wave surfing.

Pete Edwards
Pete Edwards is a professional climbing coach, running his own business, Prowess Climbing Coaching. He runs private sessions with climbers of all ages and abilities, as well as nationally recognised coach-education courses. He recently completed the Mountain Training Performance Coach Training - the top level of coaching award for climbing coaches in the UK - as one of only 24 coaches to have currently been trained, and is currently working towards assessment. Pete also has a Master's degree in Elite Performance from the University of Central Lancashire and is building towards starting a PhD next year.

Prowess Climbing Coaching

https://prowesscoaching.co.uk/

+44 7792 854 863

On Facebook

On LinkedIn

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I love all of my podcast episodes, but every now and again I get to record and be part of a conversation that I could have a profound influence on both me and other equestrians. This is one of those conversations.

My guests on this episode are Bonny Mealand and Emily Kieson:
Bonny Mealand DEP MEPA

Bonny’s niche is trimming the hooves of wild horses, combining her extensive experience as an Equine Podiatrist , fascination with equine behaviour, and her skill as a trainer of the “untrainable”.

Her award winning work with the takhi (Equus ferus ssp.Przewalskii ) of the Highland Wildlife Park has been featured on BBC Inside the Zoo. She is a regular writer for the Concordia: A Voice for Horses magazine and runs courses teaching safe, low stress and effective handling techniques. Bonny is an advocate of ethological study and alongside Dr Emily Kieson runs “Learning Wild” equine behaviour courses. Having been involved for many years with both domestic as well as wild horses she is passionate about sharing the valuable information she has learnt and showing how inextricably linked these two worlds are.

Bonny is an enthusiastic Equine Science Masters student at The University of Edinburgh (Dick Vet). She volunteers as a welfare advisor for the BHS. She is a Somatic Yoga and Mindfulness teacher and a Retained Firefighter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Web site - https://www.touchingwild.com/

Online Course - https://community-touchingwild.mn.co/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/touching_wild

Facebook (Learning Wild) - https://m.facebook.com/learning.wild.global/

Facebook (Touching Wild) - https://m.facebook.com/TouchingWild/

Emily Kieson PhD, MS, PgDip

Emily Kieson serves as Executive Director at Equine International, a US-based nonprofit focused on research, education, and outreach in the fields of equine behavior, welfare, and equine-human interactions.

Emily holds a PhD in Comparative Psychology, a MS in Psychology, and a graduate degree in Equine Science. She also holds multiple certifications in various models of equine-assisted activities and recently served as Chair of the Equine Welfare Committee with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH).

Her current research focuses involve looking at equine affiliative behaviors to study how horses create and maintain social bonds and how those can overlap with human
affiliative behaviors for application in management, horse ownership, equine-assisted activities, and indicators of positive welfare in horses with and without humans.

Emily also has a passion for supporting sustainable systems of horse management an

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I reached out to Sara Bref after reading a translation of one of her articles for the Swedish equestrian magazine Hippson. After a brief exchange of emails, I invited Sara to be a guest and Sara asked if she could bring Petra with her.

I know I always say that my guests are awesome (they are), but this was a very special and rich conversation that also left me feeling more hopeful and thoughtful about the future of equestrianism and equestrian sports. I hope that you enjoy listening to the conversation and please do follow my guests and their wonderful journalism (mot of it is in Swedish so google-translate might be a good companion and well worth the effort to translate).

Sara wrote an article about my concept paper 'Can’t jump, won’t jump: Affordances of the horse-rider dyad underpin skill adaptation in showjumping using a constraints-led approach. (Davies, M., Stone, J. A., Davids, K., Williams, J., & O’Sullivan, M. (2023). Can’t jump, won’t jump: Affordances of the horse-rider dyad underpin skill adaptation in showjumping using a constraints-led approach. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 18(4), 1313-1319).
Research article -https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541221107379
Hippson article -
https://www.hippson.se/artikelarkivet/forskning/forskare-belyser-var-syn-pa-hasten.htm?fbclid=IwAR2wse5e49Wj0TyqADTsRq_wH7QwzqHQBev9VPteV5yokoT4Dtc7JiliafM

My guests on this episode were:

Sara Bref
Sara has a degree in Animal Science and is also a journalist. Sara currently works at the Swedish Farmers Association, before that she worked with science communication at a Swedish university. Sara has also been writing popular science for horse magazines (mostly hippson.se) for 15 years.

Sara can be reached on her LinkedIn, though she only posts in Swedish: Sara Bref | LinkedIn

Petra AnderssonPetra has a PhD in practical philosophy and has a position as a researcher and teacher in practical philosophy at The University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Most of Petra's teaching is in environmental ethics and animal ethics. Most of her research is about horse welfare.

Petra is on Facebook and can be contacted through her university email at petra.andersson@filosofi.gu.se

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In this episode I caught up with my good friend Tyler Yearby from Emergence and US Ski and Snowboard to discuss his work in strength and conditioning, movement technique, biomechanics, and coaching.

I hope that you enjoy this episode. Please get in touch with your reflections and feedback.

Research Papers(Re)conceptualizing movement behavior in sport as a problem-solving activity - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1130131/full
ReserachGate Proflie
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tyler-Yearby

ContactingTyler
X - @TylerYearby
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-yearby-59b89b5a/

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I came across Karen's research while reading up for the discussion section of one of my PhD study papers. In this conversation we explore systems thinking, how it applies to horses and equestrianism, welfare, training and lots more. I hope that you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

My guest on this episode is PhD candidate, Karen Luke.

Karen Luke researches rider motivation and safety as well as horse welfare and welfare assessment at Central Queensland University. Her work includes developing a new approach to horse welfare based on systems thinking and a new ridden horse welfare assessment tool that she used to show a connection between horse welfare and rider safety. She has also investigated equestrians’ understanding of horse welfare and most recently, why equestrians make the choices they do when it comes to horse keeping and training. Karen lives in Melbourne, Australia and when not researching, enjoys riding and training her own horses.

Recommended books:
The Systems View of Life: A Unifying Vision. Fritjof Capra and Pier Luigi Luisi.

Ways of Being. James Bridle.

Karen's ReserachGate profile:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Karen-Luke-2

Twitter/ X
@K_L_Luke

Just Equestrian Solutions Website:
https://justequestriansolutions.com/index.html

The research on rats, motivation, welfare, and learning (lego cars and fruit loops):
https://urnow.richmond.edu/video/article/-/19727/rats-who-ride-see-the-latest-from-urs-motoring-rodents-.html?utm_source=www&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=video-story

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In this episode we revisit the importance of considering where an athlete or learner is focusing their attention and why focus of attention is so important for skill acquisition, retention, and transfer.

My guests bring the topic to life with an overview of the research literature to date. We also discuss some of the challenges of research, application to practice and why this area is so important for coaches to be aware of.

Findings in the 'focus of attention' literature for the benefits of an 'external focus' has been one of the most replicated phenomena in sports science. But, is it that simple? More recent research is challenging the simple internal vs external focus dichotomy and looking at what perceptual information might be most important for the performer to be attuning to.

We also discuss the importance of researchers learning from practitioners.

My guests on this episode are Dr Vicky Gottwald and Dr Robin Owen.

Vicky Gottwald
X @GottwaldVicky

University profile
https://www.bangor.ac.uk/staff/spss/vicky-gottwald-016917/en

Robin Owen
X @RobinOwenPsych

University profile
https://www.hope.ac.uk/si/dr-robin-owen.html

Useful Links
Gottwald et al, (2023). Every story has two sides: evaluating information processing and ecological dynamics perspectives of focus of attention in skill acquisition

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1176635/full

Harnessing the power of attention: Exploring 'focus of attention' theories, practice, and myths. In book: Myths of Sport Performance (Due in Spring 2024). Publisher: Sequoia.
Draft version: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377416924_Harnessing_the_power_of_attention_Exploring_'focus_of_attention'_theories_practice_and_myths

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My guest Mark O'Sullivan is an associate professor at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences and an 'A' Licence Football Coach. Mark is also a co-author on my concept paper, 'Can't jump, won't jump.'

In this conversation we explore why Mark chose to go back into academia and follow a PhD researching coaching and skill acquisition from an ecological dynamics perspective.

The conversation follows our curiosity and wanders through a variety of topics starting with Mark's motivation to 'fall into a PhD' at Sheffield Hallam University in the UK with James Rumbold and Keith Davids alongside his full time job as Head of Development for 8–12 years olds at AIK FC in Stockholm.

The conversation centres on the challenges and opportunities of trying to move from a more linear to nonlinear pedagogy in sports coaching practice. Mark challenges many of our current coaching practices, myths, coach education, and the pervasiveness of socio-cultural influences.

For those of you who are paying attention, Mark is also one of my co-authors on the paper 'Can't jump, won't jump: Affordances of the horse-rider dyad underpin skill adaptation in showjumping using a constraints-led approach.' Davies at al, 2022.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17479541221107379
Here are some of Mark's open access academic papers:
The Learning in Development Research Framework for sports organizations, O'sullivan et al, 2021. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13573322.2021.1966618

Not just to know more, but to also know better: How data analysis-synthesis can be woven into sport science practiced as an art of inquiry, O'sullivan et al, 2023.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13573322.2023.2261970

Researchgate (if you are not familiar with this site, it's a great place to search for academic researchers and often has copies of papers available as open access): https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mark-O-Sullivan-Phd

Twitter (X): @markstkhlm

Mark's Blog: https://footblogball.wordpress.com/

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On this episode I am joined by event rider and equestrian coach, Alex van Randwyck. I met Alex through mutual coach development work and found her insightful, humble and with the ability to connect with others and communicate with refreshing clarity. So of course, I asked her if she would consider being a guest on my podcast!

I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. Alex shares so many insights and examples about how we can all be proactive in our own development and learning as coaches. Especially in learning from, and supporting each other.

As always, although we are focussed on equestrian sports, this podcast is as relevant for any sport or activity.

Getting in touch with Alex.
Alex's social media is packed with great advice, ideas and loads of fun facts.

https://www.alexvanrandwyck.com/

https://www.instagram.com/avanrandwyckcoaching/

https://www.facebook.com/avanrandwyckcoaching/

About my guest.
"In 2013 I went to the University of Leicester to study Geology and I became involved with student riding. I qualified for nationals in 2015 and was awarded a Sport Scholarship in my final year. In the autumn of 2015 I competed in my first Student Riding Nations Cup representing the Netherlands where we won team silver. Through these competitions I was able to compete all over Europe in places like Poland, Ireland, Germany and Switzerland and in 2016 I was selected to be part of the team for the World University Equestrian Championships.

In 2017 I went to work for Nick Gauntlett. I spent 2 years there and it was a great experience to be part of a larger set up. I had the opportunity to groom at overseas events, ride lovely young horses and work with the stallions and youngstock. It was also really helpful to have someone so experienced on hand to go to for advice and training. Working here allowed me to gain experience with lots of different horses and helped me to pass my A Test in 2019.

In the autumn of 2019 I set up on my own and even though we were in the middle of a global pandemic my business has grown quickly. I teach regularly for the Wokingham and Garth South pony club branches in addition to training the area 13 AH Test candidates. I really enjoy teaching as it’s so lovely to watch partnerships grow and be involved in their journey. I particularly enjoy teaching younger children and riders who lack confidence as I am good at breaking down concepts and making sure the rider has all the skills they need to progress and work on their own."

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Where performers direct their focus of attention has significant impacts on performance and learning. Coaches typically use instructions and practice design to direct a performers attention, intentionally or not. However there is generally a miss-match between coaching practice (instructions that are internally and form/technique focussed) and research (which advocates an external focus of attention).

This episode is a joint production with 'Locked in Shed' podcaster Richard Barbour.

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Part 2 of my conversation with US show jumper, Lacy Stormes.

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Shownotes to follow.

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My fabulous guest this week is USA showjumper, Lacy Stormes.

In the first part of this episode Lacy shares how she ended up with a barefoot horse and becoming more curious and, almost accidentally, going against the 'do what has always been done, how it's always been done' advise.

This was a fascinating conversation and I learnt so much. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Part two will be out soon!

Contacts for my guest: Lacy Stormes

•Stormes Horsemanship and Showjumping

• Lacy Stormes Barefoot Showjumping

Professional rider and coach

On Instagram: Stormes Showjumping

On Facebook:

Stormes Horsemanship and Showjumping

Lacy Stormes Barefoot Showjumping USA

Lacy Stormes and barefoot L.A. LOVE

2023 Grand Prix of Flintridge

8th place finish

Lacy Stormes and barefoot Totem Du Phare

2023 Shamrockin Show Speed Stake

Champion

Photo Credit: Grandpix

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My guest on this episode is Dr Carrie Ijichi.
I reached out to Carrie after reading some of her research about how horses cope and respond to stress. Her research is refreshing, much needed and will hopefully help us to understand our equines better.

In this conversation Carrie brings to life how a horses personality is influenced by biology and experience, and how in turn, that influences the way they cope and the way they experience pain.

About my guest
"I'm interested how coping style affects the expression of negative states including differences in pain behaviour & stereotypy between individuals & whether these can be explained by personality. More recently, I've been investigating various factors that influence how well animals cope with human handling including pressure headcollars, handler bond and welfare during learning. I use behavioural analysis, salivary cortisol, heart rate variability and infrared thermography in my research."

ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carrie-Ijichi

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Bios and links to follow.

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My guest this week is the fabulous equine ethologist, Renate Larssen. We covered so many topics exploring the intersection of equine ethology, learning and skill acquisition.

I know that this is a long podcast again, but it was so worth it. We delved into so many areas including, philosophy, ethics, relationships, agency, research directions, and lives worth living.

My guest, Renate Larssen
Ethologist (MSc) | Equine behaviour specialist | PhD student human-animal relations BODY-POLITICS/University of Leicester.
"I have a BSc in Veterinary Medicine from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and a MSc in Applied Ethology from Linköping University. My published research can be found here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159122001095

Currently enrolled as a PhD student at the University of Leicester School of Archaeology and Ancient History, where I apply modern ethological research into animal cognition, emotion and behaviour to re-theorize human-animal relations in the Scandinavian Iron and Viking Age as part of the ERC-funded BODY-POLITICS project.

Did a brief eight-year stint in politics so I know a bit about policymaking, public affairs, and communications, too.

I write about horses and science:
https://theequineethologist.substack.com/

Recommended books from the podcast:
Susanna Forrest, The Age of the Horse
Stephen Budiansky, The Nature of Horses
Carl Safina, Becoming Wild and Beyond Words
James Bridle, Ways of Being

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My guest on this episode is Dr Niels Feddersen. Niels is a postdoctoral researcher in sports science. He studies organisational culture and power relations in elite sports organisations in the UK, Norway, and Denmark.

Niels obtained his PhD from Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK. In the research, he collaborated with several Olympic sports organisations, the FA, and Premier League football clubs.

Niels currently works at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology researching Social Psychology, Sports Psychology and Organizational Psychology. Current projects include culture and policy in Danish elite sports; sport psychology in football; and recreational exercise activities as a lifestyle intervention for people with stress, anxiety, and depression.

Here is the link to Niels' academic profile and research https://www.ntnu.edu/employees/niels.feddersen

ResearchGate profile https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Niels-Feddersen

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I am very excited to share this podcast with you. My guest Dr Paula Silva is a researcher who I have been a fan of for many years, and has been hugely influential to me.

I'll add some topics to these show notes later - I'm doing a late night edit.

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I am very excited to share this podcast with you. My guest Dr Paula Silva is a researcher who I have been a fan of for many years, and has been hugely influential to me.

In part 1 we explored many themes including:

What is anti-fragility?
How does anti-fragility differ from resilience?
Why we might want to stop trying to train/ coach perfect form and patterns.
How bodies learn to move and be skilful.
Can we use operant conditioning like they do in AI and robotics?
An introduction to meta-stability.

Here is a link to a video that supports the conversation about AI and training robots: https://youtu.be/5jL5wRGrCvk

My guest Paula Silva received a Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy from the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG (Brazil) in 2000, a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Science from the same university in 2002, and a PhD degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of Connecticut in 2009.

Paula also obtained a Certificate in Quantitative Methods from the University of Connecticut and is an Associate Professor and Co-director of graduate training in the Psychology Department and one of the primary faculty members of the Center for Cognition, Action & Perception.

Paula's research primarily focuses on human performance from the perspectives of complexity science and ecological psychology. Specifically, action strategies employed by individuals of different ages, with and without pathological conditions, when performing various tasks. Her research has three complementary aims: (a) advancing general theoretical principles to explain coordination and perceptual regulation of biological movement supporting successful performance in diverse circumstances, (b) revealing and explaining changes in action coordination and perceptual capabilities associated with pathological conditions, and (c) applying these principles to design methods for assessing and enhancing resilience of individuals with movement-related disability and those at risk for sports injury.

Complete list of Journal Publications:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&view_op=list_works&gmla=AJsN-F4CL3SrNy-iuSs5Alrk3OIvDRJyO6g0425q3xOwib09l8oZuCyFj6trqtE2ih84Yr_PXU2qhJk6m_AzKfgdeaAI7dnnZMnAKj4tMbYyrhHmA_RAoRU&user=z9FExgcAAAAJ

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For episode 30 I am delighted to welcome back one of my guests from episode one. Dr James Stafford joined me to explore the practical applications of measuring perception-action coupling, this time applied to concussion.

James can be contacted on
j.stafford@incisiv.tech

Twitter @JamesStafford94

Video
https://youtu.be/YlidtcdMxyQ

Website
https://incisiv.tech

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I believe that this is probably the most important topic that I have explored on these podcasts, and that embracing and using the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHPE) could transform equestrian sports.

Firstly, I need to apologise to Sue for being over enthusiastic and not the best host. It was due to my excitement and passion for supporting what she has been doing.

This is a conversation that I will be listening to again a few more times.

My guest is Dr Sue Dyson

Sue can be contacted on her ResearchGate profile (below) and at the Saddle Research Trust https://www.saddleresearchtrust.com/meet-the-team-2/

The 24 Behaviors of the Ridden Horse in Pain: Shifting the Paradigm of How We See Lameness at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrZgtrqbMVI
This is Dr Sue Dyson's profile on ResearchGate where you can get access to most of her research papers https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sue-Dyson-2

Other useful links:

Lorimer Moseley - Why Things Hurt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwd-wLdIHjs

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Themes covered in this episode include:How our personal philosophies can be constrained by the external metrics such as what we judged on (medals for example).
Staying open to being surprised by what others can do.
Replacing expectations and 'supposed to' with attentive responsiveness.
Challenging our assumptions.
Finding spaces to have time and the environment to explore thinking.
How we might find out what others think our philosophy is.
**See part 1 show notes for the 'Philosophy Glossary.'

My fabulous guests on parts 1 and 2 are:
Dr Alex Lascu** is a skill acquisition specialist by trade and currently lectures at the University of Canberra. Her passion for talent development and community sport is contagious, and she enjoys existing in the gap between research and practice in the hopes of bringing these two worlds together.
Find Alex on Twitter at @skillacqlascu

At her website https://skillacqlascu.wixsite.com/whisperer/about
Or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alascule/?originalSubdomain=au

Dr Carl Woods is a Senior Research Fellow within the Institute for Health and Sport at Victoria University. His research interests reside at the intersection of ecological psychology, social anthropology, and sport science, where he explores concepts of knowing, skill, learning and education. He has an extensive background in both academia and the industry, having held various positions within multiple Australian Universities and the Australian Football League.

Contacting Carl -
Carl is on Twitter - @CarlWoods25
ResearchGate

Here are a few of Carl's recent papers -
Thinking through making and doing: sports science as an art of inquiry.

Craig Morris is an Olympic Canoe Slalom Coach and High Performance Coach consultant with over 17 years of experience in performance coaching.

A person-centred, inspirational leader, Craig has gained recognition both nationally and internationally for his ability to develop individual athletes and teams through a trans-disciplinary approach to development transcending pathway to podium.

Personal coach to 1 individual senior Olympic, World and European podiums and over 30 World Cup podiums, across multiple athletes and 4 Olympic disciplines, Craig is regarded as one of the World’s leading Canoe Slalom coaches and skill acquisition specialists.

More recently Craig has become a Director and Performance Coach for Cultured Coaching Ltd, offering high performance bespoke development and executive coaching and mentoring to individuals and teams across a myriad of domains.

Wherever Craig goes he aims to be innovative in his coaching practice and is increasingly engaged worldwide in fields including leadership, coach development, skill acquisition, mentoring and ecological approaches to performance coaching.

Craig and Carls paper 'On the Wisdom of Not Knowing: reflections of an Olympic Canoe Slalom coach

Craig can be contacted via
email at info@culturedcoaching.com

On Twitter @MorrisCraig_

LinkedIn Craig Morris

David Farrokh is a PhD candidate at Sheffield Hallam University (with Prof Keith Davids, Dr Joe Stone, and Dr James Rumbold) researching flow from an ecological dynamics perspective.

Find David on FaceBook and Twitter @bigpicsoccer

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Welcome to the podcast's first anniversary episode!

My guest on this episode is Dr. Anne Bondi. Anne Bondi was a successful professional rider who competed at international advanced level both in eventing and dressage. In 2017, Anne was awarded a doctorate from the University of Sunderland for her novel research of horse, saddle and rider interaction and teaches world-wide, sharing her passion for this complex but fascinating subject.

I am delighted to have had the opportunity to have a conversation with Anne, and could have recorded for hours. We covered many topics, but focussed mainly on saddles. Among the threads we explored were:

Saddle history, their design, fit, and how they influence the horse and rider.
Being part of 'Circles of Support' with more holistic and multi-disciplinary teams working together to support horses and riders.
Using the Ridden Horse Performance Checklist (RHPC) as one way of listening to our horses under saddle.
Where saddle design is, and could go in the future.
The work of the Saddle Research Trust.
Future research, sponsorship and ways to support.
Happy Horse competitions.

If you would like to contact Anne you can through the Saddle Research Trust website
at https://www.saddleresearchtrust.com/
Or on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anne-bondi-a53b3825/?originalSubdomain=uk

This is Anne's bio from the Saddle Research Trust website.
BHSI, PGDip, PhD. Chair of Trustees, SRT Founder

Anne Bondi was a successful professional rider who competed at international advanced level both in eventing and dressage. Inspiration and development as a rider came from training with Olympians Jane and Christopher Bartle and world-renowned coach, Baron Hans von Blixen – Finecke. As a trainer, she prepared pupils for both competition careers and professional exams and was a Senior Examiner of the British Horse Society. Anne currently competes at a more relaxed amateur level and owns international horses that compete at 4* eventing level and 1.45 show jumping with professional riders.

In 2006, driven by a lack of research, innovation and development of saddle design Anne founded Solution Saddles, an innovation company which manufactures the SMARTTM range of award-winning, fully flexible sports saddles. Anne’s unique designs, which have also been awarded five patents, have established the company as a market leader in saddles that promote equine welfare and performance.

In 2009, Anne founded the Saddle Research Trust to promote the welfare and performance of the ridden horse and to educate and raise awareness of the widely underestimated complexities surrounding the horse, saddle, rider interaction. SRT is now internationally recognised for its ground-breaking work.

In 2017, Anne was awarded a doctorate from the University of Sunderland for her novel research of horse, saddle and rider interaction and teaches world-wide, sharing her passion for this complex but fascinating subject. Anne is actively involved in research projects in the field, has authored and contributed to many scientific papers and book chapters and is a peer reviewer for academic journals.

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This is an audio version of the Motivation series I wrote a few years ago.

I think it is safe to assume that those of us who coach, lead or instruct other people would like them to leave each session they have with us feeling happy. Buzzing even. Keen to come back and do more with us. Motivated to go and practice what they have learnt, and enjoy it in their free time. I also think that we would all like to be able to influence our own motivation too. We would like to recognise elements that are supporting or thwarting our motivation and be able to change them or at least understand and accept them.

This is the link to the articles on the Dynamics Coaching website https://dynamics-coaching.com/our-blog/motivation-and-optimal-learning-environments/

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On this episode, my lovely guest is Chris Adderson from For The Horse.

About my guest:
Chris is an equine educator and consultant, top level rider and an equine and human movement expert.

Chris helps passionate riders confidently achieve their riding dreams and goals without fears, doubts, so they can ride with ease and flow. From understanding and communicating with your horse on a deeper level to consistent, exhilarating rides, Chris will help you clarify your riding with your partner who you are absolutely passionate about being the best you can be with.

Chris is a sought-after clinician, having taught thousands of riders and their horses worldwide. She has studied with, and instructed for, many of the world’s greatest classical dressage and horsemanship people such as Ray Hunt, Roy Yates, Peggy Cummings, Margrit Coates, Philippe Karl, Pat and Linda Parelli, Lee Smith, and George Malleroni, but none so great as the horse itself. An instructor of 44 years, many of my students have become equine professionals and ridden to the highest levels.

Find Chris on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ChrisAddersonFortheHorse
Or her website at https://forthehorse.com/

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On this episode, my lovely guest is Chris Adderson from For The Horse.

It has taken me a long time to get this first part out, partly due to my work and PhD commitments and partly due to poor internet and difficulty in moving the recording from another computer. Please accept my apologies for the time and the sound quality. I hope that it does not effect your enjoyment of the great conversation.

About my guest:
Chris is an equine educator and consultant, top level rider and an equine and human movement expert.

Chris helps passionate riders confidently achieve their riding dreams and goals without fears, doubts, so they can ride with ease and flow. From understanding and communicating with your horse on a deeper level to consistent, exhilarating rides, Chris will help you clarify your riding with your partner who you are absolutely passionate about being the best you can be with.

Chris is a sought-after clinician, having taught thousands of riders and their horses worldwide. She has studied with, and instructed for, many of the world’s greatest classical dressage and horsemanship people such as Ray Hunt, Roy Yates, Peggy Cummings, Margrit Coates, Philippe Karl, Pat and Linda Parelli, Lee Smith, and George Malleroni, but none so great as the horse itself. An instructor of 44 years, many of my students have become equine professionals and ridden to the highest levels.

Find Chris on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ChrisAddersonFortheHorse
Or her website at https://forthehorse.com/

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Link to the blog article https://dynamics-coaching.com/coaching/snow-rabbits-and-pooh-sticks-motivation-arousal-and-focus-of-attention-in-the-ugly-curve/

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This is an audio version of the blog post 'Learning in the ugly zone: the importance of play and exploration.'
The out-take at the beginning is Snoopy (my border collie) helping me by highlighting play and exploration with his 'squeeky piggy' Christmas present.

The full blog post including the diagramme of the Ugly Curve can be found on the Dynamics Coaching website by following this link https://dynamics-coaching.com/articles/learning-in-the-ugly-zone/

Dynamics Learning (ugly) Curve (Davies and Davies, 2019)

The dynamics challenge-performance learning curve, adapted from Davies and Davies (2019) is an ecological dynamics model of optimal challenge for learning. It is based on the self-organising properties of movement dynamics (e.g. Kelso, 1984) the ‘cusp catastrophe model’ (Thom, 1923; Hardy & Fazey, 1987) the ‘challenge point framework’ (Guadagnoli & Lee, 2004) and Dave Alred’s (2015) concept of the ‘ugly zone’..

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I met Martina when I attended the Athletic Skills Model (ASM) Advanced Instructor course earlier this year. The course was excellent and I have used the practical elements regularly in all of my coaching and own practice since.

I am exploring how to develop it for using with horses to help diminish the movement poverty that many horses suffer and to support healthy, happy and skilful movement in horses as well as humans.

For open courses in the UK in 2023 (London and Sheffield) or for bespoke courses with a focus on your own sport contact Dr Martina Navarro.

The Athletic Skills Model website (English overview). https://www.athleticskillsmodel.nl/en/about-asm/

An open access academic paper about the ASM theoretical underpinnings .
https://www.athleticskillsmodel.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Creating-adaptive-athletes-the-athletic-skills-model-for-enhancing-physical-literacy-as-a-foundation-for-expertise.pdf

Dynamics Coaching blog articles link https://dynamics-coaching.com/our-blog/

Martina Navarro
'I joined the Department in August 2017 from the University of Bern, Switzerland, where I was working as a post-doctoral research fellow. I hold a BSc degree in Sport Science from the School of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Sao Paulo (EEFE-USP), Brazil. At the same institution (USP), I did my PhD in Human Physiology (Neuropsychology) focusing on the effects of training strategies and high levels of stress and anxiety in human cognition (eg. attention and decision making) and motor control. During my PhD I joined a Sandwich program and did part of my PhD research at the MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam at the VU University Amsterdam. In 2013 I worked at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, at the School of Medicine of the Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, as Post-Doctoral Fellow. In 2016, I was awarded an excellence post-doctoral research fellowship by the Swiss Government, and subsequently joined the Institute of Sport Science at the University of Bern. During my Fellowship, my research focused on testing Bayesian Decision Making Theory in sports and human performance. In addition, I have worked with sports consultancy companies and professional sports teams and international sport organisations, most notably, in Brazil and the Netherlands.

My research interests are focused on understanding the intricacies of the key elements (perception, action, cognition and emotion) in human performance psychology. Specifically, my work investigates how high levels of anxiety and stress and different skill acquisition strategies may affect attentional resources and consequently decision-making process.'
Academic contact martina.navarro@port.ac.uk

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This episode is a recording of a webinar. Nicky Fuller joined a number of experienced equestrian coaches (all previous guests of the podcast) to have a conversation about why we ask questions as coaches, how we can become more skilled at asking questions, and when asking questions may not be the most effective coaching tool.
There are some parts of this where the sound quality is not great, but hopefully it does not detract from the value or enjoyment of the conversation.

Nicky FullerNicky set up Connected Equestrian Coaches with Showjumping coach Mandy Frost. She is a learning and development professional with 25 years’ experience of designing, developing, and facilitating learning and mentoring programmes.

She has worked with coaches across many sports and over several decades, is continually curious to find more effective ways to serve coaches in their desire to improve. Nicky likes to integrate contemporary thinking and research into everyday practice, helping coaches to make sense of what they do and why they do it!

Based in the UK, Nicky frequently works with national governing bodies of sport to help develop solutions to learning problems in the UK and overseas.

Nicky holds a MPhil postgraduate degree and an advanced certificate in Adult Learning and Assessment. She is a former International netball player and now coaches junior players at club level.

Our other guests are Emma Slater, Mia Palles-Clark, Jane Randall and Warren Lampard.

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Welcome to the first of three new podcasts for you to listen to over the festive season!

I am delighted to share this fascinating and informative conversation with @drgilliantaborphysio about how you can keep your horses healthy and moving well, when to get help, and how to navigate the complexity of so much information online.

My guest on this episode is physiotherapist Dr Gillian Tabor. I have followed Gillian's research for many years, and more recently her social media channels. In this conversation we cover many topics including;

How to navigate some of the claims made on social media.
Neuroplasticity, pain and restoring your horse's confidence in moving.
A deeper dive into understanding pain.
What does the horse need movement-wise in order to carry a rider.
Where to get support and advise - and links to Gillian's podcast and social media.

I loved this conversation and I hope you do too. Please share your thoughts and reflections with myself and Gillian.

Hartpury University Profile.
Dr Gillian Tabor is a Chartered Physiotherapist who has been working as an ACPAT Veterinary Physiotherapist for 20 years. Experience as a guest lecturer led to a part time role, teaching Rider Performance, at Duchy College in Cornwall. Gillian then joined Hartpury as a lecturer in Veterinary Physiotherapy in 2013. Having progressed to a Senior Lecturer position and becoming the Programme Manager for the MSc Veterinary Physiotherapy course at Hartpury University, Gillian now has additional roles within Hartpury's research community. In 2020 she completed her doctorate, the first for Hartpury entitled 'The use of objective measurement in Veterinary Physiotherapy'. As well as teaching students Gillian, continues to undertake research in this thematic area both in her own equine projects and via supervising students.

Social media links
Gillian's podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-equine-physio-rehab-podcast/id1603299526
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drgilliantaborphysio/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/drgilliantaborphysio

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'If we could start again and design sport around the needs of children (or horses), would they still look the same as they do now?" Mark O'Sullivan asked this question at a conference a few years ago, and I keep revisiting it in my work and research.

With the continuing issues of abuse in sports, this episode explores whether there are cultural aspects to the way sports have emerged that may make abuse easier to perpetrate and harder to eradicate. Does a historical focus of developing obedience and compliance undermine agency and consent. And if so, how can we move forward and have youth and equestrian sports that are safe, ethical, and meet the needs of those partaking?

Thank you to this weeks guests, authors Dr Jennifer Fraser and Julie Taylor, for joining me for a conversation about abuse and bullying, the impact that it has on individuals and how sports are perceived by those outside of the current systems. This was a difficult but important conversation for me. I am passionate about not losing equestrian sports but equally passionate that much needs to change moving forward.

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In part 2 of this episode I am joined again by my two more fabulous guests from part 1 to explore a topic that has fascinated me since I came across it in my research into haptic perception. Biotensegrity.

To give you an overview of biotensegrity check out this short Youtube video
https://youtu.be/MfBuDci3GlM

This was such a wonderful conversation and went on for two hours so I have decided to split this episode into two parts. I would like to thank both my guests for joining me in this conversation from different parts of the world.

In part 2 we delve further into understanding the practical implications of tensegrity (including the humble pop-up tent) and biotensegrity are before going on a journey around many topics including;

What biotensegrity means to our understanding of functional movement.
How this can inform our horse training and equestrian coaching.
Haptic perception (sense of touch, pressure, including the ability to actively perceive surfaces and grasp objects).
Positive and negative moment patterns.
We touch on many subjects from previous episodes including flow and anti-fragility.
The links to a constraints led approach to coaching.

About my guests.
Susan Lowell de Solorzano has an MA in Human Development and Education with a focus on kinesthetic learning and is a certified level III T-ai Chi instructor.

Resources & LinksBook 'Everything Moves: How Biotensegrity Informs Human Movement'

My instructions for making a collapsible tensegrity using common household materials: https://youtu.be/RuEjQ228sy0
I can best be reached through: BiotensegrityArchive.org or my twitter account: @1Biotensegrity

TensegrityInBiology.co.uk

Colloquy on Biotensegrity and Equine Health

BiotensegriTea Party w Veterinary Pathologist Dr. Elizabeth Uhl

The North Face Tent Design innovations, Bruce Hamilton & Buckminster Fuller

Maren Diehl is sort of a field researcher in biotensegrity since 2015, probably the first one in equitation and for sure the first one without any ties to riding styles and training systems.

After many years as a rider, trainer and instructor with more questions than answers, Maren Diehl found biotensegrity to be a good explanatory model for living beings in motion, and things started to make sense. In her online courses she teaches what biotensegrity is all about, what it is good for and how it differs from what we know as biomechanics.

For her biotensegrity gives a new insight into perceived problems and solutions in the world of horses and equitation and provides a theoretical foundation on which to build, a new way of looking at things - a paradigm shift.

Homepage

https://www.die-pferde-sind-nicht-das-problem.de/
YouTube channel
https://youtube.com/channel/UCL7K6Wlbi33X3kSR74414eA

Book "Beyond Biomechanics - Biotensegrity"
English (choose your country bottom right)
https://shop.tredition.com/booktitle/Beyond_Biomechanics_-_Biotensegrity/W-85_1495

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In this episode I am joined by two more fabulous guests to explore a topic that has fascinated me since I came across it in my research into haptic perception. Biotensegrity.

This was such a wonderful conversation and went on for two hours so I have decided to split this episode into two parts. I would like to thank both my guests for joining me in this conversation from different parts of the world.

In part 1 we start with an exploration of what both tensegrity (including the humble pop-up tent) and biotensegrity are before going on a journey around many topics including;

What biotensegrity means to our understanding of functional movement.
How this can inform our horse training and equestrian coaching.
Haptic perception (sense of touch, pressure, including the ability to actively perceive surfaces and grasp objects).
Positive and negative moment patterns.
We touch on many subjects from previous episodes including flow and anti-fragility.
The links to a constraints led approach to coaching.

About my guests.
Susan Lowell de Solorzano has an MA in Human Development and Education with a focus on kinesthetic learning and is a certified level III T-ai Chi instructor.

Resources & LinksBook 'Everything Moves: How Biotensegrity Informs Human Movement'

My instructions for making a collapsible tensegrity using common household materials: https://youtu.be/RuEjQ228sy0
I can best be reached through: BiotensegrityArchive.org or my twitter account: @1Biotensegrity

TensegrityInBiology.co.uk

Colloquy on Biotensegrity and Equine Health

BiotensegriTea Party w Veterinary Pathologist Dr. Elizabeth Uhl

The North Face Tent Design innovations, Bruce Hamilton & Buckminster Fuller

Maren Diehl is sort of a field researcher in biotensegrity since 2015, probably the first one in equitation and for sure the first one without any ties to riding styles and training systems.

After many years as a rider, trainer and instructor with more questions than answers, Maren Diehl found biotensegrity to be a good explanatory model for living beings in motion, and things started to make sense. In her online courses she teaches what biotensegrity is all about, what it is good for and how it differs from what we know as biomechanics.

For her biotensegrity gives a new insight into perceived problems and solutions in the world of horses and equitation and provides a theoretical foundation on which to build, a new way of looking at things - a paradigm shift.

Homepage

https://www.die-pferde-sind-nicht-das-problem.de/
YouTube channel
https://youtube.com/channel/UCL7K6Wlbi33X3kSR74414eA

Book "Beyond Biomechanics - Biotensegrity"
English (choose your country bottom right)
https://shop.tredition.com/booktitle/Beyond_Biomechanics_-_Biotensegrity/W-85_1495

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Flow State is described as being fully immersed and absorbed in an activity in a way that leads to optimal positive states of experience.

In this conversation we cover the background of flow states, including why we would want to seek flow, how it is defined and how it could be measured. The term flow was named by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who identified six factors that encompass an experience of flow.
1. Intense concentration in the moment.
2. Merging of action and awareness.
3. A loss of reflective self-consciousness.
4. A sense of personal control or agency.
5. A change in how time is experienced.
6. Experience of the activity as intrinsically rewarding.

Among the flow themes of this conversation we discuss:
- The role of intrinsic and extrinsic reward.
- The interaction of perceiving and moving and the link to perception-action coupling.
- Flow in relationships, including horses and competitive sports.
- How humility, trust and curiosity link to the experiences of flow.
- Finding our 'edges' and the importance of adaptive competence.
- Nested anticipation.
- The long term benefits of flow states.

More about my guests on this episode.
David Farrokh is a PhD candidate at Sheffield Hallam University (with Prof Keith Davids, Dr Joe Stone, and Dr James Rumbold) researching flow from an ecological dynamics perspective.

Find David on FaceBook and Twitter @bigpicsoccer

Maddi Burchell is a British Dressage and British Horse Society Accredited Coach who trains all levels of horse and rider. She is also a British Dressage Youth Coach and Assessor.

In 2021, Maddi was given a space on the British Equestrian National Development Programme for Coaching Excellence, which she has successfully completed. Maddie is also a Centre 10 Advanced Coach, holds an applied psychology certificate, and qualifications in both Rider Biomechanics and the correct use of Franklin Balls.

This means that Maddi can support riders to develop both from a psychological and movement skills perspective. With her friendly, encouraging, and motivational style, Maddi’s has a skill for finding just the right way to coach the rider in front of her! Throughout her career, Maddi has helped riders successfully overcome a whole host of challenges, problems, and confidence. Having been trained by Classical Masters abroad and by Olympic Gold Medallist’s here in the UK, you can be sure you are receiving the very best coaching.

Maddi is on Facebook, and has her own website Maddi Burchell Dressage.

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In this episode, I catch up with someone who is very much a practitioner for a conversation about dressage.

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In this conversation we explore the performance demands of sports where each competition course is unique and is viewed from a position other than by practicing. By walking the course in Showjumping or walking along the banks to view the course in Canoe Slalom.

Other than identifying the best route through the course, what other information could be being attended to that would support a successful performance? Craig and Richard discuss and compare the performance demands of the two sports.
These include:

The need to have a plan to reduce the number possible actions and identify the best routes or lines though a course. This is an education of 'intention.'
Having a plan that helps to constrain the focus of attention of the performer. Guiding their attention toward the information that will support them to realise their performance goals. This could be described as an education of 'attention.'
Flexible enough to allow them to remain open to what is happening in the performance and be adaptive. Ongoing calibration of perception and action.

I hope you enjoy listening to this conversation as much as I did!

About my guests:
Richard Seals is a Professional Show Jumper and like many others in this sport he continues to compete as well as coach and bring on horses. Richard is a British Show Jumping UKCC level 3 coach and has just started his Level 4 at Gloucester University. He has also completed National development program for coaching excellence and a Pony Club Accredited Coach.

Richard has also been active as a representative on many committees including British Show Jumping Area 21 (Derbyshire), the Rider representative on the British Show Jumping National Sport committee, and a representative/ consultant on the Sport Horse Research Foundation.

Richard can be contacted via facebook or his website.

Craig Morris is an Olympic Canoe Slalom Coach and High Performance Coach consultant with over 17 years of experience in performance coaching.

A person-centred, inspirational leader, Craig has gained recognition both nationally and internationally for his ability to develop individual athletes and teams through a trans-disciplinary approach to development transcending pathway to podium.

Personal coach to 1 individual senior Olympic, World and European podiums and over 30 World Cup podiums, across multiple athletes and 4 Olympic disciplines, Craig is regarded as one of the World’s leading Canoe Slalom coaches and skill acquisition specialists.

More recently Craig has become a Director and Performance Coach for Cultured Coaching Ltd, offering high performance bespoke development and executive coaching and mentoring to individuals and teams across a myriad of domains.

Wherever Craig goes he aims to be innovative in his coaching practice and is increasingly engaged worldwide in fields including leadership, coach development, skill acquisition, mentoring and ecological approaches to performance coaching.

Committed to facilitating others to shine, he is well known for being highly skilled in building and evolving relationships across performance teams.

Recognised for committing significant time to building a coaching chain, both within Canoeing and across other sports, Craig’s passion and skill to support other coaches and engage on a mutual learning journey through dyadic mentoring is growing rapidly.

Craig can be contacted via
email at info@culturedcoaching.com

On Twitter @MorrisCraig_

LinkedIn Craig Morris

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In this episode we delve into the concept of representative learning design, what it is and why it matters.

As always, the conversation is unscripted and only has a topic as a start point for a genuine curious conversation. Alex, Jane and I pull on the representative practice thread and go on a few off-piste explorations too.

Topics including in this conversation:
- Understanding the relationship of the task and performer (of any level).
- Who is making the decisions and what information is being attended to?
- What is the rider paying attention to? What information is the horse paying attention to?
- What is specifying information and how can practice design help to guide attention toward it?
- What are affordances and shared-affordances?

Link to representative learning design tool for equestrian sports.

Links to my guests:
Jane Randall is now following her passion for all things equestrian as a coach and mentor. She is a British Equestrian Level 4 Coach, British Dressage Accredited Coach, MSc professional Practice in Sports Coaching , Mentor Coach with a keen interest in developing coaching science in equestrian sports.

When I first met Jane, she was exploring skill acquisition and coaching pedagogy as part of her British Equestrian Level 4 coach award at Gloucester University in the UK. We had many wonderful conversations about understanding and applying theories of learning and development with horses, humans and horse-human partnerships.

Jane can be contacted at https://www.jrdressage.co.uk/
Jane is also active on Instagram @janerandalldressagecoach and on Twitter @janerandall111

Dr Alex Lascu is a skill acquisition specialist by trade and currently lectures at the University of Canberra. Her passion for talent development and community sport is contagious, and she enjoys existing in the gap between research and practice in the hopes of bringing these two worlds together.
Find Alex on Twitter at @skillacqlascu

At her website https://skillacqlascu.wixsite.com/whisperer/about
Or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alascule/?originalSubdomain=au

Representative learning design academic paper Train how you play.

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Two very experienced coaches join me to chat about coaching behaviours and practice design for improving jumping. You'll find this episode is filled with practical tips and ideas to support your coaching and get the most out of your practice.

My guests this week are:
Katie Williams is a British Eventing Accredited Coach, holding the sought-after UKCC Level 3 Eventing qualification, as well as a BHSII (Reg), UKCC L3 (generic). Her coaching philosophy is built around helping pupils achieve competitive goals which they find rewarding and challenging, while ensuring both rider and horse are enjoying themselves. Find Katie on her FaceBook page.

Mia Palles-Clarke can be found on Instagram @miapallesclark. She is a coach educator with British Showjumping and runs her own coaching business Coach Mia Empowering Equestrians, Mia Palles-Clark International Showjumping Coach. You can also find her on FaceBook. Mia is also a very accomplished rider and has been selected as part of the British team for the European championships for veterans.

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Welcome to our first journal club episode where I choose a research paper from a journal that I think would be great to unpick and explore the practical 'so what' with one of the research team and a coach/rider.

The paper I have chosen for this episode is called 'Faults in international showjumping are not random' by David Marlin and Jane Williams (Comparative Exercise Physiology: 16 (3)- Pages: 235 - 241. 2020).

Jane Williams introduces her research, including the why, what, when and how of the study before Emma and I ask some questions and the three (well mostly my two brilliant guests) discuss the implications of the research and findings to everyday riding, coaching, horse and rider welfare, and competition performance.

Emma Slater
Emma has competed and trained at the highest level of Showjumping in the UK and around the world. She is a British Showjumping UKCC Level 3 Coach and Excel Talent Coach who supports national development and coaching programmes including the DiSE (diploma in sporting excellence) programme. Emma is also a level 2 and 3 Assessor and the lead coach from British Showjumping Gloucester.

Emma Slater is an experienced and respected showjumping competitor and still competes at an elite level. As a coach she specialises in the performance management of showjumping and eventing riders from grass roots to the International level. “I really enjoy working with people to develop their long-term goals and to help them achieve success”. Emma has excellent technical knowledge and is used to working in high pressured environments, maintaining a calm, confident manner. In her coaching as well as life Emma is empathetic, honest, motivated and a fair person.

Developing potential in horses and riders, it’s all about the partnership, growing confidence through knowledge and seeing them succeed – I love it!

www.teamslater.co.uk

FB: Emma Slater Showjumping Page

Instagram: slateremsj

Dr Jane Williams
Jane is an Associate Professor and Head of Research at Hartpury University. She is an experienced researcher, with a passion for enhancing equine performance and wellbeing through industry-informed, real-world research that generates change. Jane qualified as a Veterinary Nurse then gained her Masters in Equine Science before completing her doctorate exploring the application of surface electromyography as a tool to assess muscle adaptation during training in racehorses and sport horses.

Jane's main areas of professional interest include scientific evaluation of equestrian performance, training and wellbeing, rider impacts on equitation, reliability assessment across equestrian science and veterinary physiotherapy, and human-animal interaction. Jane co-edited and authored ‘Training for Equestrian Performance’ with Dr David Evans, to showcase how science and research can be applied practically to improve performance for horses and their riders, and has published over 100 research articles as well as regularly presenting at international equine conferences. She is also Honorary President for the International Society of Equitation Science, which promotes the application of objective research and advanced practice, to improve the welfare of horses in their associations with humans. Jane is also a founding member of the Sport horse Welfare Foundation.

Jane’s research outputs can be accessed here.

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In this fascinating conversation Eva shares the main themes and findings from her PhD research. Eva helps to unpack the complexity of equine movement systems and and how gait analysis research is bringing new insights to our understanding of what is healthy or normal gait variability, and what movement strategies may be an indication of pain adaptations.

We discuss how research findings from gait analysis of horses could one day become much easier and cheaper to access and the implications of being able to pick up changes in in movement strategies used by your horses. Finally we explore how findings from research with and without riders can be used to inform coaching and training practice design.

Eva is an equestrian coach, a university lecturer and a researcher. She is a British Horse Society Accredited Professional Coach with diverse teaching experience from grassroots to expert riders. As a coach, her main interest lies in developing a horse-rider relationship based on biomechanics principles and equitation science. Eva is currently completing a PhD programme at The Royal Veterinary College - her research focuses on the quantification and evaluation of movement asymmetries in horses and the associated movement adaptation strategies horses might utilise under different conditions. This is an exciting area of research which is quickly gaining momentum in the veterinary circles as well as in the wider equestrian community.

Eva's social media links:
Facebook
Instagram
Website

Blog posts mentioned in the podcast: Rider position Exercises to improve your rising trot

Eva's research article (open access): Smartphone-Based Pelvic Movement Asymmetry Measures for Clinical Decision Making in Equine Lameness Assessment

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In this episode I am joined by the brilliant Kathy Sierra. I came across Kathy's work near the beginning of my PhD due to her work with a fellow PhD candidate (studying skill acquisition in American Football) in Keith Davids Lab.

Kathy has been exploring using a constraints-led and differential learning approach underpinned by ecological dynamics theory for many years. This is a conversation I have been looking forward to for a long time, I know it's long but it is full of absolute gold so I couldn't edit it down.

I hope you find this episode as fascinating as I did. I know some of you will find it challenging in places because much of what is traditional wisdom in sports (including equestrianism) does not hold up under the lens of contemporary science of movement, skill acquisition, or pain science.

Kathy's area of interest is in the rehabilitation and skill adaptation of horses. She has an incredible amount of knowledge, skills, and experience in designing movement activities and learning environments/contexts that support horses to re-access their movement toolboxes. Using an ecological approach Kathy found that the horses she worked with would quickly blow past rehab and into high performance with surprising ease and motivation.

In this episode we explore a number of themes, including -
- How we can apply knowledge from neuroscience, pain science, and skill acquisition science research to working with our horses.
- Why a constraints-led approach to skill acquisition may be important for horse sports moving forward, particularly the role of self-determined motivation.
- Supporting horses to have autonomy and ownership of their movement.
- Why people and horses need to expand not reduce their movement toolboxes.

Links:
Kathy's website and information about her pain science courses and free resources.
The spider robot that learnt to limp.
Self-determination theory. How do we create optimal learning environments?
Learning the ugly zone.

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This short podcast is an audio version of the blog article of the research paper. Academic writing is not very accessible, or practical, so I have tried to summarise the paper in plain language and with practical examples.

If you would like to read the blog article which is written more practically and has lots of links to other sites you can access it here.

The original academic paper (open access) is available here.

Hosted by Marianne Davies. Marianne is a PhD candidate at Sheffield Hallam University researching the application of non-linear pedagogy to equestrian sports coaching. Marianne is also a director at Dynamics Coaching. https://dynamics-coaching.com/

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Welcome to episode 4! This is the first of a series of episodes that will be focussed on the recent publication of my concept paper making a case for applying an ecological perspective to coaching in equestrian sports (Can’t jump, won’t jump: Affordances of the horse-rider dyad underpin skill adaptation in Showjumping using a constraints-led approach).In these episodes, my guests will question, challenge and explore the ideas with me. They will be bringing the concepts to life, adding practical examples and discussing the potential benefits and challenges of embracing contemporary theories of skill acquisition and coaching practice.

During the conversation we cover many topics, including:
- Brief explanation of theories of learning used in sport coaching and with horses.
- Why theories of learning change or influence the way we teach and coach.
- Are cues and affordances different? - the role of context and agency.
- What the implications of these ecological concepts are in designing practice. The importance of variable practice and making mistakes in training.
- Perception-action coupling and what information (visual, auditory, haptic, kinaesthetic) is important.
- The importance of embracing uncertainty and becoming comfortable feeling uncomfortable.
- Creating safe uncertainty or safe-to-fail opportunities in practice.
- Importance of a social licence to operate (SLO).

Link to the research paper (open access):
Research Gate copy: Can’t jump, won’t jump: Affordances of the horse-rider dyad underpin skill adaptation in Showjumping using a constraints-led approach

Links to my guest:
Warren Lamperd. Warren is a British Equestrian Federation UKCC Level 4 coach for British Showjumping and UKCC level 3 British Eventing Warren has a Masters Degree in Coaching Science, a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Practise in Sports Coaching and a Bachelors Degree in Agricultural Science. https://warrenlamperd.com/content/coaching

Hosted by Marianne Davies. Marianne is a PhD candidate at Sheffield Hallam University researching the application of non-linear pedagogy to equestrian sports coaching. Marianne is also a director at Dynamics Coaching. https://dynamics-coaching.com/

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Welcome to the third episode of the River Tiger Podcast. In this conversation I am co-hosting with Stuart Armstrong (The Talent Equation Podcast) and welcoming our fabulous guest Mia Palles-Clark. Mia is a British showjumping BSCC Level 3 Coach, Coach Developer, British Army team coach, England Home Pony Chef d'Equipe and UKCC Coach of the Year 2017. For many of you, Stu needs no introduction, but if you have not checked out his podcast yet you are in for a treat. There is a link to Stu's podcast at the end.

In this episode we start to explore some of the implications of agency (or lack of) for horses and children within our sporting communities. Not surprisingly, this ended up as a long conversation and covered many fascinating areas and ideas. The focus was always on how we move forward and what all of us can do to help shape a great future for both equestrian and youth sports.

The themes we covered included:
- why agency is important
- aspects of our language and culture that shape our interactions and behaviours
- what can we do to change the landscape of our sporting and coaching eco-systems
- listening to our horses and children
- why agency is just as important in youth sports and how we can learn from other sports and disciplines
- why and how ecological dynamics and a constraints-led approach could have an impact on competence and also support agency
- a bit of a wish list of what we would love the future could look like.

Links to my guests/co-hosts
Mia Palles-Clarke can be found on Instagram @miapallesclark. She is a coach educator with British Showjumping and runs her own coaching business Mia Palles-Clark Showjumping (find her on FaceBook).

Stuart Armstrong is the host of the wonderful The Talent Equation Podcast which can be found on most podcast platforms. He is also active on Twitter @stu_arm.

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In this episode I catch up with dressage rider and coach, Jane Randall. Jane is a Dressage Coach and Rider with an all round equestrian background having evented and show jumped, ridden point to point and enjoyed many happy days on the hunting field. Dressage is Jane's passion and she has competed Nationally & Internationally and produced her own horses to Grand Prix. (including her hunter!)

Jane is now following her passion for all things equestrian as a coach and mentor. She is a British Equestrian Level 4 Coach, British Dressage Accredited Coach, MSc professional Practice in Sports Coaching , Mentor Coach with a keen interest in developing coaching science in equestrian sports.

When I first met Jane, she was exploring skill acquisition and coaching pedagogy as part of her British Equestrian Level 4 coach award at Gloucester University in the UK. We had many wonderful conversations about understanding and applying theories of learning and development with horses, humans and horse-human partnerships.

When I was asked to host a session about applying a constrains-led approach (CLA) to equestrian disciplines and activities at the upcoming Connected Equestrian Coaches Conference, I was really keen to ask Jane to share her experiences.

Jane can be contacted at https://www.jrdressage.co.uk/
Jane is also active on Instagram @janerandalldressagecoach and on Twitter @janerandall111

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Welcome to the River Tiger equestrian podcast.
In our first episode I am joined by two fabulous guests, James Stafford who completed a PhD in perception-action coupling in skill acquisition, and international rider, level 4 equestrian coach and MSc in coaching science, Warren Lamperd.

This episode builds on the topic of 'calibrating perception and action: how we become skilful at timing our movements.' We discussed how two different sentient beings (horse and human) become attuned to each other, and learn to skilfully calibrate movement with each other and their environment. This was a fascinating conversation and we ended up talking for 90 mins. Listen in sections, or pop it on for your next long drive.

During the conversation we cover many topics, including:
- Understanding the timing of movements, calibration to individual action-capabilities, and the implications to riding. We focus on jumping with horses as an example.
-Balance and other fundamental skills in sports and how they can be applied to riding.
- 'Affordances' and why this is such an important concept for all sports, especially for understanding horse behaviour.
- What the implications of these ecological concepts are in designing practice. The importance of variable practice and making mistakes in training.
- Perception-action coupling and what information (visual, auditory, haptic, kinaesthetic) is important.
- Implications for the design and use of technology in either supporting or thwarting perception-action coupling and learning to be skilful.

Links to my guests:
Warren Lamperd. Warren is a British Equestrian Federation UKCC Level 4 coach for British Showjumping and UKCC level 3 British Eventing Warren has a Masters Degree in Coaching Science, a Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Practise in Sports Coaching and a Bachelors Degree in Agricultural Science. https://warrenlamperd.com/content/coaching

James Stafford is an experimental psychologist. He completed a PhD in perception-action coupling and the development of calibration and timing of movements. He is currently the Business Development Lead at INCISIV Action Intelligence. www.incisiv.tech. Check out and example of VR technology MOViR (https://youtu.be/mGjTvgGYWng)

Hosted by Marianne Davies. Marianne is a PhD candidate at Sheffield Hallam University researching the application of non-linear pedagogy to equestrian sports coaching. Marianne is also a director at Dynamics Coaching. https://dynamics-coaching.com/

River Tiger Podcast with Dynamics Coaching: Recent Episodes

Marianne Davies