Where Are All the Female Coaches at the Top Level?

This was a question that a wonderful female equestrian from the UK asked me last week. She rang to talk through some of the issues that female coaches across disciplines were having in the Uk "Moving up the Ladder" so to speak. It was an interesting chat and it was the catalyst for this piece.

Where are all the top female coaches at the Top Level?

It’s the question that lingers... at the top top events, at internationals, Olympics etc... and across the grassroots of the sport... in the lorry, at shows, in the quiet after the warm-up. It's not new. But maybe we’re finally ready to answer it.

Let’s start with the facts.

Women make up the overwhelming majority of riding instructors in the UK. Over 75% of coaches at grassroots level—Pony Club, riding schools, local events—are female. These are the coaches who build the foundations... one rising trot, one half-halt at a time.

They are the ones who get riders to feel, to think, to believe. They’re the steady voice before the bell goes, the reminder to ride forward, not freeze.

But when the ribbons get shinier, the cameras bigger, the selection meetings more political... they start to disappear. The stats prove this!!!

At the elite level, the balance flips. In international showjumping, fewer than 15% of accredited FEI coaches are women. In dressage, it's closer to 25%—but if you look at who’s actually leading Olympic or national teams, that number drops under 10%. You can fact-check it. I have.

At Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, you’ve seen similar patterns across nations: Team GB. Ireland. Germany. The US. Senior coaching roles dominated by men.

In some cases, not a single woman on the senior list. Not in leadership. Not in decision-making. Not in the room.

It’s not an accident. It’s not about interest. It’s structural.

So the question isn't just where are the female coaches... it’s why aren’t they being seen? Why aren’t they being backed?

A 2022 study by the University of Gloucester showed that women were significantly less likely to go for Level 4 and 5 qualifications. Not because they lack the skill, or the hunger—but because the pathways are blocked. Fewer mentors. Less flexibility. And a professional culture that still leans on the old networks... the old names. You know the ones.

These aren’t just hurdles. They are literally gates. Big lofty ones with horse heads... And of course, most of them are locked.

Jean Vanier once said, “A community is only truly alive when all its voices are heard.” And right now, one of the loudest voices in our sport—the female coach—is still being turned down once the stakes get high.

But here’s the truth. They’re already coaching at elite level. They’re just not being recognised for it. They’re in the warm-up rings. At the sides of arenas. They’re adjusting stirrups, watching for rhythm, giving the reminders that settle nerves and bring focus. They’re building performances… without the titles. Without the press release. Without the funding.

And that’s the part that should anger all of us.

Because if over 75% of our coaching force is female—then surely the upper levels should reflect that. Not in token numbers, but in real leadership. We can’t keep pretending we’re an equitable sport when the very people who shape the base are blocked from climbing to the top.

So what do we do?

We start by shining a light. We name the problem. We talk about the imbalance in press rooms and performance meetings, not just in staff rooms and WhatsApp groups.

Then we open the pathways. We back female coaches with real access to elite training and qualification. We get serious about mentoring. We challenge the assumption that leadership has to look or sound a certain way. We raise the visibility of the women already doing the work—not just behind the scenes, but front and centre.

As Marianne Williamson wrote, “There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.” It’s time we stopped shrinking female influence in coaching. It’s time we stopped excusing the silence around it.

This isn’t about meeting quotas. It’s about calling time on a system that’s long been lopsided and is way outdated.... and saying, clearly, we can do better.

We need to. The next generation is watching.

Until Next Time,
Shane