Better Rider Project - Lissanthea Taylor

The Better Rider Project, founded by physiotherapist and movement specialist Lissanthea Taylor, is dedicated to helping riders improve performance, confidence, and harmony with their horses through an evidence‑informed, embodied approach to skill development. Rooted in Lissanthea’s lifelong passion for horses and her extensive clinical background, the project blends physiotherapy, biomechanics, pain science, and rider education to create a comprehensive system for developing both horse and rider together. 

​

Lissanthea’s professional experience spans more than 15 years working with diverse athletes—including elite equestrians at the NSW Institute of Sport—as well as individuals navigating pain, injury, and performance challenges. This depth of expertise informs the Better Rider Project’s philosophy: that great riding comes not just from fitness, but from self‑awareness, movement literacy, and the ability to adapt under pressure. 

​

The Better Rider Project combines practical rider coaching with a strong educational foundation, drawing from Lissanthea’s work in health innovation, digital therapeutics, and athlete performance science. Whether working with returning adult riders, competitive athletes, or those seeking a deeper partnership with their horse, the program empowers riders to develop the physical skills, mental strategies, and embodied understanding required for sustainable, welfare‑centred horsemanship.

​

At its heart, the Better Rider Project is about building better horse‑human partnerships through knowledge, compassion, and progressive rider development—helping every rider grow, one thoughtful movement at a time.

​

Session Details​

​​

Rider Skills in Action: Screening, Simulator Training, and Smarter Coaching

​

Most rider training begins once horse and rider are already in motion. Coaches observe, give feedback, and refine position in a complex environment. But when progress slows or stops, it can be hard to know whether the issue is understanding, effort, or a limit in the rider’s physical capacity.

​

This practical workshop introduces a simple coaching loop: screen, interpret, act, and transfer. Coaches will learn three easy off-horse screening tests that connect directly to what they see in the saddle. Through two live demonstrations, you will see how simulator-based training and real-time feedback make hidden asymmetry, tension, and movement limits visible and trainable, both on the simulator and on the horse.

​

By linking simple tests to measurable change, coaches gain clearer direction for lesson time, more precise cueing, and a safer, more consistent horse–rider partnership.

​