OP have youthought about doing some online shows with your kids? That might a be a cost effective option for kids to ‘show’ with low stress and get written feedback along with a ribbon. To me seems like a good option for kids to get experience before going to in person shows.
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No, I don’t have a subscription.
I’m not disagreeing that the Intro tests aren’t written with beginner friendly verbiage. They’re not. Because they were never intended to be for beginner riders. I’m disagreeing that the USDF should make a beginner-oriented test. Pushing people into rated shows before a certain level of ability is ridiculous.
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When intro tests first came out, they were not included in rated shows. Now they are.
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I wonder whether rated shows have the option to include Intro or not. The Intro tests are not USEF, and it is USEF whose rules must be followed at rated shows. Anyone know?
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I think we’re more in agreement than you may think actually 
: I don’t actually think that beginners should be at rated shows and I agree with you that there should be a certain level of proficiency to show there whether it’s dressage or jumping (I grew up in a country were you’re not allowed to show at rated shows until you’ve completed certain Pony-Club equivalent ratings).
I also agree with the barn shows/schooling shows/rated shows distinction.
I had, however, assumed that because intro tests are “USDF” and not “USEF”, that they were initially designed for non-rated shows? And my suggestion was - if the current tests are not beginner friendly and that seems to be the consensus - to have the organizing body come up with standardized tests that make sense in the learning progression for riders.
I don’t mean that someone should be “National champion” at pre-Intro after doing rated shows - I mean that I assumed that the organization writing the tests would be in a better position to design educational tests for people to use at their barn and/or schooling shows (rather than having us “make up” something).
We don’t offer them in my region, do they treat it the same with all the memberships etc or jut as a side class to make money?
This is unrealistic. You know what your riders can and can’t do. Write your own tests and don’t expect the national dressage federation to do that for you.
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That I don’t know. I just know some recognized shows around here are offering the classes now where in the past the intro tests were only available at schooling shows.
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Why would that be any more unrealistic than when they designed Intro A or Intro B?
Surely they are better placed than I am to design a test that builds up participants’ skills in their discipline? (particularly if their stated mission statement is partially about education).
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You seem to be mixing up tests and training. Building skills is the teacher’s responsibility, not USDF’s.
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Every rated show in my area has Intro tests. They do not tend to be as filled as T and 1st.
Our local schooling show circuit has Intro in their ride offs, but they use Intro C for the championship classes to go in line with the other levels.
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Ok, I think we are talking about various things here starting with my original misconception that Intro tests are meant for beginners (consensus is that they aren’t - I have learned something, thank you!).
- What beginners can and should do.
- What the place of educational flatwork/dressage (however you want to call it) in beginners’ riders education.
- How to get more beginners - particularly young riders interested in Olympic disciplines - particularly dressage.
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I believe there is a “teaching scale” in the same way that most of you dressage riders seem to follow the German pyramid. You wouldn’t ask for collection without contact and impulsion, and in the same way, I don’t ask for contact without a truly balanced/secure seat and good hands. That doesn’t mean the kids can’t do anything at all. Teaching beginners on a loose rein is actually fairly common in H/J and outdoor disciplines (and recommended by trainers such as Lendon Gray in your discipline).
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I am convinced that “educational flatwork” is the foundation of everything else one does on a horse and that because of that, one should have sufficient background in it before jumping, riding at speed over varied terrain, etc. This is common in Europe and in this country most youth-oriented curricula such as Pony-Club and ANRC do include riding some form of a test to move up to the next level (Intro C for D2 Pony-Clubbers and “dressage sportif”/program rides for ANRC members). Pony-Club instructors and ANRC instructors do not come up with those tests on their own - there are standards that match the learning goals of that particular levels and that make sense in the learning progression.
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I do believe that “dressage is for everyone”. Of course running barrels is more “fun” in the moment than educational flatwork but one won’t be fast without proper flatwork. And assuming kids should just do the fun stuff is short-changing them.
Ok, then I am confused. What is the function/purpose of the USDF?
(I was going off the mission statement on their website saying that they are "Dedicated to education, recognition of achievement, and promotion of dressage.")
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She actually did. Walk work is HARD to score well on so if you were using Intro A as a spot to score in the 80s or something on your import it might not happen. However, Intro A is mostly walk because it is there for beginners so this doesn’t happen. It was more a general comment on her end. Intro A is rarely a test of choice for anyone because of its boring nature (I always chose Intro B for greenies because it has more trot work and that’s usually better for a greenie for distraction), so I’m not sure why the OP finds it too advanced.
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Enjoytheride, it is not the content that I find too “advanced”, it is the expectations listed in the ‘purpose’ at the top of the tests (and to some extent in the collective marks) relating to contact and bend - which I find unrealistic for most youth - beginner - riders.
(But the consensus on the thread should be that I was wrong to assume that it was meant to for beginners - rather that it was meant for people new to this discipline).
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Maybe you should attend a dressage schooling show and watch the Intro A riders. They likely look exactly like your own students.
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Completely agree. I’ve seen some beginners at schooling shows where the dressage ring is set up on grass in a much much larger field. If someone, somewhere falls off or a horse gets loose from a trailer, that beginner rider is at the mercy of their saint of a mount to stop and stand still. If the rider is so green that contact and control are in question…
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Show riding is a skill all on it’s own and can only be learned/perfected by riding in a show. Sure, one can practice riding tests at home, work on honing those circles, riding into the corners to set up the next movement. But doing that in front of a judge, only getting one try, settling the pony/horse at a show, settling the nerves of the rider at a show, that can only be done AT a show.
And schooling shows are GREAT for this purpose. But for kids, IMHO, the judges need to take liberties with the directives on the tests (and most of the L-graduates for whom I’ve scribed for do) and judge these itty-bitty’s accordingly. After all, these kids COULD be the future of the sport. Let’s set them up for success.
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Fair enough.
USDF shows are rated shows. The Intro tests are USDF tests and not USEF tests, meaning there’s no USEF points or awards for them. But they’re still a USDF class. Just like FEI starts at Prix St George, but we have USEF Training, First, Second, Third, and Fourth Levels before that. Each governing body picks a starting point for their shows/organization.
Showing is competing in a specific discipline, not just competing on the back of a horse. You’re not going to put a reiner and a jumper and a pleasure horse in one ring and judge them all together. So, I think it makes perfect sense to not have a beginner rider dressage test. A beginner rider is learning hte basics of riding in general, not a specific discipline. And while I agree that dressage is the ideal foundation for all disciplines, there’s a big difference between learning the basics as fundamentals and actually performing a test to be judged.
I also think the poles classes at h/j shows are silly, and a lot of those kids in them are not ready for show atmospheres, they just happen to have saintly ponies. But someone pushed those through sometime over the years, so maybe there’s enough people that agree with you and you all can petition USDF to make a beginner test.
Or, since you said you don’t find a problem with the requirements of the test, just the judging criteria, find a judge that will judge using criteria you give them. It’d likely have to be yourself, or maybe a kid’s parent that also rides. Or another local trainer you’re friendly with.
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If you want beginner friendly tests for schooling shows you can use the Ontario Dressage tests. I personally hate them but they are good for first timers.
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