I would HIGHLY recommend IEA. It gives you that catch riding practice that makes college riding easier. I did IEA for five years and rode IHSA in college. IEA prepared me very well and moving up the levels in college was easy. It gave me that horse show experience that I couldn’t afford otherwise.
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It sounds like you need to kind of figure out what you really want to do.
If you want to have fun in college and continue riding that can be done at many schools and with club teams which will be less stressful and more affordable.
As for IEA, can’t you do that and continue to ride USEF? My kid did IEA all through high school even though she isn’t a hunter, and she continued to show in dressage and eventing. She is now on a club IHSA team and they have a blast with lessons and shows.
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IEA is only in the winter months and you are capped at 5 shows per season as an individual to qualify for regionals. (Of course, if you’re the point rider for the team you can keep going!) - but, showing 1x per month from October to February will mean you have the entirety of the spring and summer to do a few USEF shows, too. Why can’t you do both?
IEA will be significantly cheaper than leasing and rated showing, of course, so could help free up funds to show March-July in USEF if you don’t worry about winter showing or trekking to Florida or California to do a winter circuit! Best of both worlds.
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I know for sure that I would not be able to do USEF during the IEA season, and would have to cut down on shows before to save money for it. Where I live, average IEA tuition is around 3k, so I cant afford that and a lease at the same time. I would, like you said, be able to do USEF after the IEA season ended most likely, depending on other factors. However, this would be after I was committed to a school, would it still be just as valuable?
To develop your riding skills and life experience? Absolutely and that should be your mindset Great opportunity for riders on a tight budget,
To simply make you look better to a college after you are accepted? No.
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