Dressage Coach & Equestrian Professional |
Leadership Mentor | International Speaker | Leadership Consultant
I help people, teams and organisations discover
what they are capable of achieving.
"Fifty years, two very different worlds — the classroom and the arena. Most people don't go from a horse-mad kid, to rider and coach, to school principal, to international judge. I did. I guess, like many of us, I'm not most people, and it taught me one thing: people are almost always capable of more than they think."
I've been a teacher and school principal, an international coach and educator, an FEI Official and Course Director, a national coach, an emergency-response leader, a mentor and a keynote speaker.
Different roles, same thread — helping people find out what they're capable of.
Although the settings have changed, the purpose of my work has remained remarkably consistent, built on:
50+ years — developing people and performance
22+ years — public education and leadership
International — Australia, Asia, Europe & North America
FEI — International Official & Course Director
My approach is grounded in a simple belief:
Trust creates confidence.
Confidence creates growth.
Growth creates excellence.
"Two very different worlds — the classroom and the arena — taught me the same lesson: trust builds confidence, and confidence builds everything else."
A story that began with a horse — and resulted in me discovering my life's purpose: a life devoted to helping people discover what they are capable of.
My story is not a typical horse person's story. It is a story about a dream, an unexpected beginning, persistence and what can happen when a passion takes hold of you. More than that, it is a story I hope gives encouragement to every rider, child or adult who has something they desperately want to pursue.
I grew up in the city with lovely parents, a twin sister, an older brother and a younger brother. We weren't horse people. Not even slightly. Yet every Saturday afternoon, I would watch groups of fairly rough-and-ready riders, often riding bareback, pass our suburban house. Something about those horses captured me. I told my parents I wanted to ride — I couldn't really explain why, I just knew I did.
When I was 11, I begged my parents to increase my pocket money from 20 cents a week to 50 cents so I could pay for riding lessons. Eventually, they agreed, and so it began. I rode every Saturday, rain, hail or shine.
For the first two years I rode bareback around the streets. I had very little money, no horse-owning background and no particular reason to think that this would become anything extraordinary.
But within five years, something extraordinary had happened.
At 16, I competed at the Australian Dressage Championships, winning my heat, my semi-final and then the final against approximately 90 adult competitors. I won $10, and also took $40 in prize money at the NSW Country Championships.
Looking back, perhaps that should have been a sign of things to come.
What happened next -
the School Teacher & Principal journey
As the song says, " Bless the broken road that led me straight to you.'
So many successes and struggles that brought me to retiring from a successful career to become a full time coach and mentor.
A life devoted to helping people and horses!
Finding My Calling
After finishing the Higher School Certificate at Newcastle Boys High School, a selective high school, I gained a Commonwealth Scholarship to become a teacher of Mathematics. Several years in, I realised I wanted to teach children, not a subject, so I transferred to General Primary.
A Familiar Struggle
Throughout my young life as a rider and younger brother, I found myself the target of criticism, victimisation and ostracisation — being successful, winning and being capable wasn't working for me. I learned to hide my success and praise others. At college, the same pattern showed up again, this time from a lecturer. I'd had it in my sport, and fortunately I was a little oblivious to it in this setting, so I pushed on.
Two Careers, One Purpose
After graduating, I waited five years for a placement. Whilst waiting, I built my coaching business and had great success — pupils winning the Gawler Three Day Event when I was 23, and representing Australia at the World Championships, for one, at Gawler in 1986. Even as a young horseman, I coached riders from pony club level to winning at high levels against adults in dressage and eventing. I taught my first, what would now be a 5* winner, when I was 23 — coaching them in all three phases.
This all helped my teaching and honed my skills for a professional career of 22 years, 11 of them as a Primary School Principal, across three different schools. My commitment to children, parents and parenting — and to building a nurturing, supportive culture with diverse experiences for children and families — led my schools to being described as "The Jewel in the Crown" by other Principals in each district. I believe if you can see it, you can be it, so I immersed students in as many experiences as I could, hoping they'd find what made their heart sing — a direction and a passion, like I did.
These skills — building culture, programs, confidence and self-esteem for many, many children, teachers and parents — are what help my clients now improve the quality of their lives and learning.
Developing people. Building confidence.
Creating the conditions for excellence.
The two worlds continually informed each other. The horse industry didn't simply give me technical expertise — it was where I spent decades learning to read another being, respond to vulnerability, recover from setbacks, persist when things were difficult, and understand that how we treat others matters. It taught me to observe closely, listen carefully and recognise the smallest changes in thinking, confidence and behaviour.
It also taught me resilience.
There have been difficult horses, disappointing results, setbacks and roadblocks that required me to adapt rather than give up. Each experience taught me something about persistence, problem-solving and finding another way forward and the value of kindness.
Education and school leadership gave me another environment in which to develop and apply those lessons — this time with students, teachers, parents, colleagues and communities.
I learned that leadership is not simply about having responsibility or making decisions. It is about understanding people, building trust, communicating clearly, creating confidence and helping others become capable of more than they initially believed possible.
"An Inclusive, Skilled & Experienced Approach"
I offer a variety of coaching services that nurture your spirit, help you overcome personal challenges, and support you in achieving your goals — in life, riding, work and sport.
Grounded in ethical, proven methods, I tailor my approach to each person's individual learning needs and style.
Contact me to start your journey today.
In person individual coaching and clinics
Inclusive coaching, whatever your level or goals.
You could be doing well and just need to know the next steps — or you need to bring the problem you can't quite name — the stuck feeling, the plateau, the thing that works in the arena but falls apart in the ring — and we'll find where it's really coming from: you, your horse, or what's happening between you.
You'll be surprised how quickly you and your horse will be heading down the right track together.
Photo credit - Dr Phil Janson - Willows Leap.
Online Pivo Training Sessions and Test Review
A diverse way to train, no matter where you're based.
Don't let distance limit your access to expert coaching.
All you need is a Pivo, your phone, and a bluetooth earpiece — the same eye for detail as an in-person lesson, without the cost or stress of travelling your horse.
Your horse will thank you.
Online Seminars, workshops & mentoring
Qualified, skilled and experienced — each bespoke seminar is built from decades of teaching, coaching and judging at every level, from grassroots to the highest international levels.
Lost Your Way a Little?
Has life lately dampened your enthusiasm, your confidence, your joie de vivre? Left you wondering if there's more than the treadmill you're on?
Programs Built Around You
Structured online programs and seminars cover training, mindset and performance, at your own pace — or, if it's more personal, one-on-one mentoring for you, your relationships, or your business. The same applies to teams and organisations wanting to rebuild shared values and a stronger culture.
A Community, Not Just a Course
Become part of our supportive online group of enthusiasts gaining knowledge, support and a sense of belonging.
Peter's Extensive, Unique Qualifications
Dip Teach - Degree Equivalent - General Primary
22 years experience as a teacher with 11 years of that as Principal.
FEI Level 3 Official
EA Level 3 Dressage Coach.
EA Coach Educator.
A Level Dressage Judge since 1988
Judge Educator and Mentor.
Photographer.
Working with Children Check
First Aide and CPR Certificates
Ethical, Harmonious Approach to our Horses & Life
Correct Biomechanics for horses and riders
Peter's knowledge, qualifications, decades of experience, results and honesty are the qualities that will see your understanding and performances soar!
Peter's work with correct biomechanics for horses and riders is outstanding and has proven to help keep horses sound and riders balance and skills.
Rider's safety improves with understanding of the fight flight responses and how to help horses relax, and eliminate the pain and tension some modern training methods.
Need help to achieve your goals with horses and in life?
Peter uses an array of his successful, quality communication skills to deliver coaching services that empower you using the tools he'll teach to achieve success.
In addition to 1-on-1 consultations, lessons and group sessions, Peter regularly hosts workshops and seminars for clients interested in developing their own coaching, judging and riding, life and personal skills & techniques.
Find your tribe, join ours.
The power of Peter's students success is that he doesn't tell you what you want to hear, he tells you what you need to know!
Building positive knowledgable human and equine communication.
Life throws many surprises at us, and while we cannot predict the outcome of any situation, we can take control of how we respond to certain situations. With Peter's coaching sessions, you’ll learn about strategies and how to stay mindful, in the moment, to enhance the outcomes for each of you and your horses.
Sessions are tailored to individuals wishing to improve, groups, organisations striving towards a happier, more harmonious result.
Developing skills through your life lessons and horse training.
With a growing trend in these harder times for people to need help with their resilience training and life skills join the many, many people benefiting from Peter's skills and knowledge, in person and online.
"If you think you can or think you can't you're probably right."
Henry Ford
Never a truer word spoken than Henry Ford's famous quote. Let me help you learn how to believe in yourself and and the skills that will give you the life and/or horsemanship skills to excel, become a stronger, more positive person and bring out your potential and help you shine.
Upcoming Events
- Dressage ClinicFri, 25 SeptBirdwood, Milroy
Dressage Clinic GunnedahFri, 03 JuneBirdwood, Milroy
Dressage Clinic NEGSSat, 28 MayArmidale
Dressage Clinic GundarooFri, 22 AprGundaroo