Great response…
1 Like
Can’t help you make a decision, but if you want to protest, first contact USEF to find out the process. I did a look at the rules and if the process is there, its not easy to find.
Huge and growing income disparity is a fact of life especially in the US. Income disparity was at a historical low in the 1950s 60s 70s and is now back up to the levels of the robber baron 1890s. Working class jobs have disappeared, middle class wages have stagnated, and newer sectors in tech and finance have generated huge fortunes for some. Most middle class or lower families need two incomes to get by.
This has influenced all areas of life. Income is a big statistical factor in longevity, in health outcomes, in children’s educational and professional outcomes, and in many areas it is making housing unaffordable.
Obviously income disparity is going to also affect upscale hobbies and sports.
Those of us who are adults may remember a world where things cost a little less and horses were more DIY.
Of course low level dressage didn’t even exist when I was a kid the 1970s. It got invented some time before I returned to riding, along with 2 foot 6 hunters.
Huge income disparity is a big social question, and whether you think it is a problem or a glorious opportunity leading to national prosperity, depends on your own position and your own political analysis.
However, from any point of view, getting priced out of dressage is both a minor and a totally predictable outcome of huge income disparity. If you are a happy capitalist you can’t cheer on wealth accumulation in general and grouse that now you can’t afford a good enough horse. And of you are on the socialist spectrum you should realise that things like free dental care and school lunches and etc for the really poor are more worthy of your time than fussing about being priced out of dressage.
I happen to live in a region where new big money has completely distorted the real estate market, but where that money is not usually interested in horses. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. It does mean we are in a dressage backwater, with very few ammies making it up to 4th or PSG. Or indeed pros, for that matter.
8 Likes
It’s easy to be priced out of dressage competition at a certain level of show, but not to be priced out of dressage. You can ride and train and progress as much as you want without spending a dime on show fees.
Around here at least, there are lots of unrated schooling shows, rated one day local shows, and combined training events that allow the option of dressage only for a realstiveky affordable price. Virtual / online competitions are even more affordable and accessible to all. Yes, if you want to compete at the multi-day competition held at the fancy purpose-built show facilities, those are going to cost more, and the caliber of horse and rider will likely be higher there too.
Not unfair, just a fact of life.
8 Likes
I have to edit this. The “fee increase” was, IIRC, all of $5/member of a GMO. I CONTACTED MY GMO OFFICERS and asked them. They told me to make the decision.
Representative governance. How do you know how I voted? I carry votes for a GMO and as a PM. Is it possible I split my votes to represent those two groups? I saw data the general population didnt care to look at.
Why dont YOU run for a PM position? WHy dont YOU carry your GMOs vote to the COnvention? Then you will see Representative Governance in action.
Until then, Your complaints about how I vote at Convention are meaningless to me.
4 Likes
So you think the AA rule was meant to divide the rich from the poor?
And Pros dont get their own classes. Open classes are Open to ANYONE. INcluding rich or poor AAs. Its the AA classes that are restricted. And you know what? The scores an AA earns in an Open class are JUST AS VALID as the scores she earns in an AA class. Judges don’t discriminate and have two scales. To assume so is insulting to the judges.
Really, dressage is a personal journey. FOr you, however, it seems to always be “oh poor me against the world of rich AAs”. Frankly I feel sorry for you. THere is so much more to Dressage.
13 Likes
The process for protesting is in section 7 of the USEF Bylaws. (it took me about 5 minutes to find)
https://www.usef.org/forms-pubs/wncxC9gIuP4/bylaws
And for Amateur Issues in particular, GR 1306.7 says “For specific inquiries, email amateurinquiry@usef.org”
4 Likes
I mostly agree with you. Mostly!
I have seen AAs ride at third and above who are mostly pushing buttons that the trainer installed. Yes, they can ride, but they can’t RIDE. And they certainly couldn’t have trained that. I’ve seen this and known this. Do you disagree?
Your car analogy is why dressage loses riders. Obviously, people aren’t showing up at FEI with a ranch-bred cow horse very often. At lower levels, no, a rider doesn’t have to ride as well as how the horse moves. The well-ridden and well-trained cow horse can sometimes win but often not against an average-ridden but well-trained (trainer-trained) nice-moving WB. Is that a level playing field in a AA ? You decide. If not, what is the incentive for people to pay $700/show and never place? Maybe not get good comments on the test? I can do a Janet Foy clinic for less than $700 and completely bypass the USDF. I’m talking about (g) you. I showed a lot and don’t show now. I’m talking about the sport and the perception of the sport.
Your last paragraph describes your own feelings. That’s great. But that was not the point of my post and the peoples’ comments I was responding to. Reread my post. $$$$$ so figures into this sport and an Ammie with money usually does so much better than an ammie without. Do you actually think they are on the same playing field?
5 Likes
I like the intent, but dislike the results of the AA rules.
I want Dressage to be more open and welcoming to folks who aren’t insane like I am and dedicating a massive portion of their income to horses. I choose to have my horses with my trainer so when health or work issues keep me from riding they still get worked. I didn’t ride for years to have a home which was paid off so I could afford to both do that and take care of my mom. I’m hard-core and intense about my interests. I do not want dressage participation and welcome to be limited to people like me. I now have a very fancy warmblood, my third dressage horse, and when we get back to showing I will have to learn how to ride her at shows vs at home, but then should do well on her both for having ridden higher levels than she will be and for the fact she’s very fancy.
I do not want someone on an off breed just dipping their toes in the water to compare themselves to me and think they have no chance of ever competing. Or even on a fancy warmblood but not quite sure how to ride at a show and fighting nerves the whole time. I don’t know anyone else’s journey, but there are so many struggles where getting in the ring is a victory.
I really would like to see what I have seen in schooling shows, which is more novice than pro/amateur based. There are pros who teach up down students and are new to dressage competition, too. I would rather see novice for anyone who hadn’t met some criteria - two scores over 60 at the level prior to the current competition year, perhaps, since that’s the amateur threshold for medals. Certainly there are going to be pros who are way better than I am, but at this point I know what I’m getting into. I think if we want dressage to be welcoming to newcomers, having some sort of “you’re new to this level, and competing against fellow newbies” division does that more.
But if you discuss changing the rules, you should start with the idea of, what is the point of the rule? And how can you shape it to do that? I think we’ve seen that most of the people steering things at the USDF and USEF level have no interest in being welcoming or helping foster the future of the sport by bringing in more people. If it doesn’t mean more money, they don’t appear to feel it worth their time.
16 Likes
Just showing what Dressage means to me… https://youtu.be/m83B_Xf6P5A. This is what it is for me. My home bred mare, ridden by me all her life and once a week this trainer rides her for the last 6 months…and for comparison this is the last video which was taken of mare and myself… No I am not a very good rider, but that’s the condition of my mare before my trainer started to ride her… https://youtu.be/OIBIP65yFgQ
I don’t need to sacrifice anything for training, I don’t need to restrict my showing I don’t have a fancy surrounding, the focus is on the progress of training.
And I don’t worry about my competitors either…
and it is beyond sad for me that some organizations destroy this willingly for money…
1 Like
She looks better in the second video, to be honest.
I agree it is more about the journey. While my horse was not bred by me, I’ve been his only rider, and it’s so rewarding seeing how far we’ve come. It’s a great feeling, isn’t it?
I think there was a thread here about making dressage more affordable, and honestly, it’s hard in the US. I wish the sport was more accessible and affordable there. I don’t know how to do it. It’s like that with a lot of things, not just riding; it’s all about the money. But at the end of the day, riding is a “luxury” and as a few posters have acknowledged, someone will always have “more” and I think when you don’t focus on that and focus on yourself and enjoy the journey, it’s better, but the frustration can still get you, I get it.
7 Likes
Sorry but I don’t even think you get it… First of all I would like you to watch the video with me again…and imagine how I would ride a Canter piourette or Piaffe 
and then this was a test ridden by me for practice…
In the second video it’s purely a working video… the goal is to get her back and more collected while still being active … Very different thing and not comparable… it’s not like you would ride in a test…
The second is that riding dressage is IMO connected to the try for improvement and to challenge yourself by riding tests… Otherwise if you stay on the same level for years it might get boring for horse and riders ( maybe not for everybody but for many).
and my reason for my complains is because I imagine a rider trying really hard to improve (not financially but with his mind and his body…) and then feeling that it’s happening… In the US you would tell him to go to schooling shows and that’s it… nobody really records the scores and a lot of this hard work is wasted… Getting rated scores equals to 1000s of dollars 
…
And right now I know exactly how this feels because my trainer, my horse and me practiced really hard over the winter and I would love to see how it works out in a real show… But in my area are no shows because of Corona and now additionally of Herpes…
.
It’s not the fault of anybody so I don’t complain, but I know that having this feeling because of missing money would be horrible… and I would have no problems at all to compete against my trainer in the same class…
Oh dear, I do “get it” and my post follows what you’ve been saying 
so it’s interesting that you’re so strongly against it? I’m confused.
I don’t think you even get it. I’m sorry that you misunderstood my post.
If that’s how you want your horse to go and your vision of collection, that’s all that matters 
I’ll refrain from further conversation with you. I should’ve known better. Saves us both from wasting our time 
10 Likes
Wow, sad that you started to pick on a video, which I posted to show that dressage is a personal journey… I know that it happens every time and I don’t really care as long as the critic is somebody nameless from the internet who might not even being able to ride
I’ll give you one last reply before I put your trolling self on ignore. So that way you can feel satisfied:
I didn’t pick on your videos. YOU posted them on a public forum open to comment and I just stated I preferred the second video. Simple. You don’t have to agree. Your goals and visions for YOUR horse is all that matters.
If it makes you feel better to think I cannot ride, that’s cool. I don’t require validation
We do live in the same country, feel free to stop by for a visit and witness my lack of abilities
13 Likes
Sorry for hijacking your thread with that junk, OP.
1 Like
And to silly me that seemed like a compliment. Strange how complimenting her riding she still managed to get upset with you.
18 Likes
Yeah, exactly. I thought if anything it could be a compliment toward how well she does with her own horse. I would’ve just taken it as that 
I’ve learned that no matter what I say, it will be made personal/there will be insults/offense/or general hostility thrown my way. So, I think it would he best (for everyone) if we just don’t interact. I’m fine with civilized disagreement during a discussion and I’ve not used the ignore function before, but first time for everything I guess.
And if my opinion as a nameless person that cannot even ride is so insignificant, why even give it the time of day?
I do enjoy reading the discussion on this matter and find it interesting since I’ve competed in different systems (mostly without the AA rule). I wonder how many complaints are received each year about this? And which ones actually turn out to be a violation.
I also wonder if the OP decided to pursue the complaint.
5 Likes
If their goal in showing is to place, and to win ribbons, then those ammies should probably stick to the one-day local shows and the schooling shows, where the vast majority of entries are “ordinary” amateurs on “ordinary” horses. The field will be quite level there. Or here in Canada we have Bronze level shows that are often held in conjunction with Gold level shows, so riders get the experience of the big show facility and the multi-competition surrounded by pros and international competitors, without actually competing against them.
If their goal is to test themselves in front of high rated judges, and to test their skills against the best horses and riders in the area to see how they stack up, then here’s no reason not to go to the more competitive shows. The problem is riders who do that, but then complain it’s not fair because people have better training, better equipment, better horses, or whatever than they do.
It also depends a lot on the levels shown. At Training and First, almost any good rider on a correctly moving, relaxed horse can place. From Second up, not so much.
As to who trained the horse, I’m not sure why that matters in the show ring. There are no bonus points for training your own horse up the levels and the judge doesn’t know or care. They simply judge what is in front of them in the ring at that moment.
7 Likes
