Remembering Caroline Moore: A Mentor, Coach, and Friend

It is with deep sadness that we reflect on the passing of Caroline Moore FBHS, an extraordinary equestrian coach who touched the lives of so many, including Horses Inside Out founder, Gillian Higgins.

Caroline with Gillian

"Caroline was not just a mentor and an inspiration; she was a true friend who played an instrumental role in shaping my equestrian journey and the development of Horses Inside Out."

Caroline competed to 4* eventing and I was lucky enough to be part of her support team for a couple of seasons.

"I spent a glorious summer on work experience with Caroline at her then yard, Hollygate Stables in Cotgrave, Leicestershire in between my GCSE's and A-Levels. Caroline was so generous with her time, knowledge and experience. She encouraged me to take my Pony Club B and A test to get direct entry to the BHS Exam system. I have wonderful memories of going eventing and grooming for Caroline"

From the moment she took Gillian under her wing at the age of 16, Caroline provided support, encouragement, and guidance. She instilled the values of hard work, dedication, and the importance of always putting the horse first. She believed in pushing boundaries and ensuring that no detail, no matter how small, was ever overlooked. Her philosophy of PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in Developing Excellence) became a guiding principle for Gillian and many others who have been lucky enough to work and train with her.

"Caroline's philosophy of PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in Developing Excellence) is one of my guiding principles. It is something that has helped me hugely and is something I will never forget. I have it written on my bedroom wall so it is a reminder for me every day when I get up."

Caroline’s impact on the equestrian community reached way beyond coaching riders; she developed over many years a unique training formula that brought out the best in both horse and rider. Having competed at the highest level in eventing, including Badminton, Burghley, Bramham, and Blenheim, she combined her experience as a rider with a natural ability to bring out the best in others. Her coaching wasn’t just about physical skills - it was about mental preparation, confidence-building, and developing a methodical training system that allowed both horse and rider to excel under pressure whether that was at grassroots level all the way through to elite and Olympic level.

Even when she wasn't there I could feel Caroline's support right behind me. Her voice and influence is something I will carry with me always.

"Caroline inspired me so much with my riding, training and competition. She instilled so much confidence. If Caroline told me to jump something, however big the fence or complex the line I wouldn't question, because I had so much trust in her. It was only ever afterwards that I impressed myself."

Caroline was a huge support to me not only training at home but at competitions too. She truly did go the extra mile and left no stone unturned.

One of the core elements of her training philosophy was what she termed the ‘Podium Mentality’, a mindset that goes beyond competition and applies to every aspect of equestrian life. She emphasised the importance of 100% commitment to whatever you set out to achieve. This approach was reflected in the development of her PRIDE system, which encourages riders to take full ownership of their goals.

Caroline introduced a structured approach to training through her three-zone system:

1. Comfort Zone

   The foundation where horse and rider can easily perform skills they are confident in.

   
   

2. Learning Zone 

   Where progress is made, skills are developed, and confidence is gradually built.
   

3. Pressure Zone 

   The high-intensity environment where a rider is fully prepared to deliver under competitive conditions.

Incorporating this system into training ensured that riders and horses were mentally and physically prepared for the demands of competition. Anyone who trained with Caroline will know that her coaching was meticulous, structured, and always focused on instilling trust and confidence between horse and rider.

Caroline helped organise one of the first Horses Inside Out lecture demonstrations at Vale View Equestrian Centre and even lunged Freddie Fox in the demo.

Caroline was also a strong advocate for understanding equine anatomy and biomechanics. She recognised the importance of how anatomical knowledge enhances the performance and training of the horse in a positive way. She has always been a great supporter of Horses Inside Out, right from the early days, from lunging Freddie at one of Gillian’s first lecture demonstrations in 2007 to presenting at a number of our conferences - including as the after-dinner speaker in 2023.

Caroline with Gillian and Ros Canter presenting at the Horses Inside Out Conference 2013.

More recently, Caroline presented a fabulous webinar with Gillian 'Biomechanics Meets Training to Win'

Applied Anatomy and Physiology Courses

Caroline was fascinated by how a horse moves, jumps and copes with the vigour of training and competing. She loved insight into the brilliance of equine dynamics and studying how this information could be used as an invaluable tool to improve coaching, riding, training methods and longevity in the competition horse.

Caroline was always there to offer words of support and encouragement to Gillian as well as encouraging riders and coaches to learn more about this area – always promoting Horses Inside Out courses as the best place to learn.

"She was always so refreshing as she recognised how understanding anatomy and biomechanics can improve our ability to ride from being able to better visualise movements and understand the demands of performance aims, to timing of aids and improving longevity."

She actively encouraged her riders and coaches to seek every opportunity to learn. She brought several groups of coaches and riders from her Performance Mentoring Programme to Horses Inside Out and was passionate about what they could learn from the skeletons and anatomical models.

There is no doubt that Caroline’s legacy will live on in the many riders she coached, the horses she trained, and the principles she instilled in those she mentored. Caroline leaves behind a wealth of knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration that will continue to have an influence on the equestrian community for many years to come.

"I was absolutely delighted that Caroline agreed to take part in our documentary series the Bare Bones of the Matter. We had a wonderful day discussing holistic training, sharing memories from our past, reflecting on Freddie's skeleton and coaching principles. This episode which is dedicated to Caroline, will be aired on 1st October 2025. "

The Holistic Training Chapter of the Bare Bones of the Matter, dedicated to Caroline, will be aired on 1st October 2025.

Caroline was more than just a coach - she was a force of nature and a good friend. She will be hugely missed, but we will continue to use the training methods she taught and always remember her passion, determination and belief that, with the right mindset and dedication, anything is possible.

Thank you Caroline.