We Don’t Teach You How to Ride. We Show You How You’re Riding.

At EquiRatings, we’re not here to coach your technique, fix your position, or adjust your aids. That’s the art of performance, and it belongs to you and your trainer. What we do offer is something just as powerful: objective, structured feedback on your performance.

By Sam Watson / @equiratings

April 2, 2025

rider with data book behind him cover art
This isn’t just a feel-good idea. The value of performance feedback is backed by decades of research.

In every area of life—business, sport, entertainment—consistent feedback is one of the most powerful drivers of improvement. When that feedback is clear, relevant, and consistent, people sharpen their focus, make better decisions, and get better results.


Why Feedback Works: The Psychology Behind Progress

 

Sam Hawthorne Effect

This isn’t just a feel-good idea. The value of performance feedback is backed by decades of research.

Take the Hawthorne Effect, a classic study in workplace psychology. Researchers wanted to know whether changing factory lighting would improve productivity. The result? Workers improved not because of brighter lights, but simply because they knew they were being monitored. The act of measuring performance alone made a difference.

That’s exactly what happens when riders and teams start tracking their performance using data.


Two Layers of Performance Insight

We break performance measurement into two layers:

1. Statistics: The Factual Baseline

Stats give you the raw truth. We often talk about finishing score zones, clear rates, number of clears etc

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  • How many rounds have you jumped?
  • What’s your clear rate?
  • How does that compare to the course average?

They’re essential—but they don’t tell the full story. A high clear rate might look good, but what if all those rounds were on easy tracks? Or against soft fields?

That’s where the second layer comes in.

2. Metrics: The Meaning Behind the Numbers

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Metrics are structured insights—like our Elo rating system—that make sense of the stats and add context.

With Elo, we look at:

  • Consistency – How reliably do you perform?
  • Quality of competition – Who were you up against?
  • Expectations – What should your predicted result have been?

If your expected clear rate is 42% but you’re jumping clears at 60%, you’re outperforming your benchmark.


If you’re underperforming, that becomes a conversation starter—not a criticism, but an opportunity.


What Riders Do with This Insight

Sam Quote

When riders start seeing their performance in this structured way, things begin to shift:

  • They plan their seasons more strategically.
  • They manage pressure with more clarity.
  • They can spot patterns in their results that aren’t obvious from just “feel.”
  • Coaches and owners ask better questions and make more informed decisions.

We Don’t Teach the Art of Performance—We Quantify It

You know how to ride. What we offer is a way to measure how that riding is translating into results, in a format that removes bias, builds confidence, and keeps you focused.

You don’t need to chase perfection. But you do need to see progress.
That’s where we come in.

 

C7h Kc Statistics Vs Metrics What S the Difference

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