Emotional Labour in Equestrian Coaching
University graduate, Ellie Halsey recently researched ‘Emotional Labour in Equestrian Coaching’ for her MSc in Professional Practice in Sport Coaching with her results highlighting the need for self care and support for equestrian coaches.
As a Performance Coach/BHSI, and British Equestrian Level 4 Coach herself, Ellie set out to explore equestrian coaches’ experiences of emotional labour in the industry.
This is what Ellie’s research concluded:
Caring coaches
Equestrian coaches operate in what can be a highly emotional environment. Within our coaching roles, we are frequently required to manage not only our own emotions, but the emotions of those around us – for example our riders, horses, owners, parents and other connections. As coaches, we often need to switch ‘hats’ and change from coach to counsellor, cheerleader, motivator or mentor – or even mediator. We need to be emotionally intelligent, be adept at recognising emotions in both ourselves and others and know how to respond accordingly, to build trust and rapport and facilitate development in both horse and rider.
What is emotional labour?
In our daily lives, we are required to manage emotions in a number of contexts – such as in relationships, social interactions or with family – by suppressing or changing a felt emotion to fit a requirement or expectation, or by trying to feel or display an appropriate emotion for the situation.
However, when we are required to do this within a paid role or a work setting, it becomes emotional labour, and this can have just as much of an impact on us as physical or mental labour.
Emotional investment is part of coaching
The emotional rewards of coaching can be vast, and many coaches will agree that there is nothing more rewarding than stepping out of an arena having felt a true connection with your horse and rider, and the session just flowed with an almost symbiotic feel. We might mirror our riders’ joy at learning to canter for the first time or completing their first Prix St Georges test. However, it is vital that we also recognise the toll emotional labour can take on us and the potential impact this can have on our personal and home lives.
What are the potential effects?
Emotional labour has been linked in research to emotional exhaustion and burnout, with burnout recognised as a significant risk for sport coaches and their wellbeing. Conflict between our genuinely felt emotions, which we sometimes need to suppress or alter, and the emotions we believe are appropriate or necessary to display, can create emotional dissonance – a feeling of discomfort or strain that can be a precursor to emotional exhaustion.
The research I undertook examining equestrian coaches’ experiences of emotional labour found, although the coaches spoke enthusiastically about those emotional ‘highs’ mentioned above, the ‘lows’ had a spillover effect, disrupting their home lives and leaving them feeling emotionally depleted – with some reporting emotional exhaustion and other symptoms of burnout.
This risk may be intensified when we consider that many coaches have other responsibilities alongside their coaching roles such as yard or business owner, employer, rider, etc.
How can we support our wellbeing and guard against burnout?
Self-awareness and strategising a self-care plan can aid in guarding against the potential effects of emotional labour. Notice when you are feeling depleted and factor in the tools, time and space you need to reset. Peer support can be a vital aspect of this and is evidenced in research as having a buffering effect against the emotional depletion that can be a risk factor for emotional exhaustion and burnout. Peer support could be in the form of a friend, mentor, or fellow coach – and does not necessarily need to be a horsey person!
Someone who you feel safe venting to, discussing or talking through issues with is all that is required, and with a peer support system you can do the same in return. An alternative method is to ensure that you acknowledge this important aspect of coaching, and through self-reflection you can re-frame an experience in which you engaged in emotional labour as something that is an essential and necessary part of your role – examine the experience, look at how or why you experienced emotional labour in that situation and what benefits it had for your coach/rider relationship; perhaps you can explore whether there were alternative actions or strategies you could have utilised.
Was there a behaviour or circumstance which particularly triggered a strong emotional reaction in you or your rider that you had to manage? Can you identify those triggers and feel more prepared for next time?
This could be through a reflective written appraisal or something you verbalise, with research suggesting this technique may also be effective in guarding against any negative impact.
I would like to express my gratitude to the coaches who took part in this important MSc research, generously sharing their experiences.
© Ellie Halsey Performance Coach/BHSI, British Equestrian Level 4 Coach
MSc Professional Practice in Sports Coaching EMCC Foundation Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring
Riders Minds are proud to have supported Ellie in sharing her research on this important topic
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