Dispensation Questions

[Invite]

I have finally located the dispensation papers, printed them up, and have them ready to fill out. Naturally, I have questions…

It says to check the current USEF rules to see if the aids or equipment I am asking for are already allowed and if so, I do not require a dispensation certificate. Where do I find this? Believe me, I have searched the USEF and USDF rules and I cannot find anything related to my issue.

In case any of you already know the answer, here is what I need:

I have a 90 degree wrist drop. In order to use my hand at all, I need a wrist brace. Is this an acceptable piece of equipment? Do I need a dispensation certificate for this? This is not a giant brace. It is easily hidden so long as I am wearing long sleeves and gloves.

TIA

[Invite]

BUMPITY BUMP

I guess I will just send it on Monday. I would assume they will not attack me if I missed something. I read the info a minimum of 5 times, so I highly doubt I missed wrist brace. On an even cooler note, I am going to see if I can cut strips out of the sides of the fingers on my gloves. This would enable me to have a better feel of the reins, but I would not have the unpolished look of riding sans gloves :yes:

My brainiac/nerdy studying also brought me to some super, almost life altering info. If I am interested in being classified, I just have to contact the USEF Director of ParaEquestrian Activities and that person will coordinate an approved classiefier from my area. This is so exciting!!!

I will ship out my info and hopefully get a nice little (or big) dispensation certificate. Wahooo!!!

[whicker]

Hope Hand is the guru to ask

You need to ask Hope Hand. She will know all the intricacies of the allowed list. She is the only one I would trust with question as the authority.

From what I learned from the Paulien Albers/Hope Hand clinic in Maine that Mary Jordan hosted:

If the accomodation is attached to the horse or tack. or it is involved with another person, then an accommodation is needed, and a dispensation. If the accomodation is only attached to you, you are usually ok. Especially if it isn’t particular obvious.

For example, if you put a seat saver or padding on the top of your saddle, you need a dispensation for the accomodation. However, if you pad the inside of your breeches, it is ok and you don’t need a dispensation. So, you may see some very lumpy looking breeches around the show ground.

[sdlbredfan]

I never heard of that! (‘if you put a seat saver or padding on the top of your saddle, you need a dispensation for the accomodation’). Many saddle seat riders have a ‘bump pad’ or similar on the seat of the saddle, and I have never read that this is a piece of equipment that needs to be declared/permitted.

[whicker]

It’s all ancient Greek

The rules that I am talking about are for para dressage. If you read the regular dressage rules, they don’t allow seat savers or anything on top of the saddle.

You should check the rules for regular saddle seat, first. If it is allowed in that discpline, then it isn’t a problem that needs to be solved.

Please educate us, too. The rules are a tangled intricate knot. They aren’t presented in any organized way in one place. And the classification is even more byzantine.

[cadriver]

Your best bet is if you have a question submit the information for a dispensation question, if it is allowed without a certificate it comes back as such.

A dispensation certificate and allowable accomadations can be specific to a discipline, what might be allowed without a certificate for breed specific shows, might need a certificate for dressage. So you need top specify what you want and what discipline/breed you are showing in. Driving is different then dressage which is different then some of the breed stuff…

Now if you aren’t competing in USEF sanctioned shows then you need to contact the specific organization the show is being run under to see if they have any issues and/or will accept the dispensation certificate if so:-)

For example in driving I need to use a golf cart of similar type of transportation to “walk” my hazards and obstacles. The rules used to expressly say I can’t use such a thing, therefore it was put on the certificate, the rules have sense changed to allow people of limited physical mobility to use a golf cart etc. But I do notify the organizers, who let the T.D and judges know and they give me an identifying sticker or flag so everyone else knows I have permision.

Diane

[whicker]

Sent email

[whicker]

Well said, Cadriver. Thank you!

[Invite]

Why is it so hard!?!?!?

I cannot believe all the proverbial hoops I have to jump through. Thank goodness the aforementioned hoops are proverbial, otherwise there wouldn’t be a dispensation available that would enable me to compete :winkgrin:

I will make my plethora of phone calls tomorrow. Maybe after holding my hand through this process, USEF will make it more user friendly. I may possibly be their worst disabled nightmare. I think I have a pretty good handle on things, but I’m sure that will quickly disappear once I get talking. A secretary would be extremely beneficial in this process!

Whicker, thanks for the email and the pep talk on the phone this morning

[Piaffing]

Oh I know about the hoops/red tape

When I got my dispension card I had to have everything on my card nationally and then internationally

Loop on left rein
brace on left wrist
brace on right elbow
whip carried in right hand only
salute with nod of head only

[Invite]

Piaffing, I love you!!!

[QUOTE=Piaffing;4596251]
When I got my dispension card I had to have everything on my card nationally and then internationally

Loop on left rein
brace on left wrist
brace on right elbow
whip carried in right hand only
salute with nod of head only[/QUOTE]

I was so concerned about my darn brace that I forgot about the whip in my right hand only and saluting with a nod of the head only!

I called the woman at USEF today and I do indeed need dispensation for my brace. It’s not just a Canadian thing :winkgrin:

Although gloves are not required, they are generally part of the dressage dress code. If I cannot find thin gloves I can comfortably ride with, I am going to have a “riding with naked hands” clause on my certificate. I will have to forego flashy nail polish!

Also, to anyone contemplating a dispensation certificate, USEF could not have been any nicer!!!

[cadriver]

These are my most absolute favorite gloves!! Very thin almost not like wearing any on your hands, they do wear out but I lover them. Many places carry them now, but the first time I found them was in Germany and i bought a bunch of pairs 5 years later you can find them here in the USA.

roeckl chester gloves

http://www.doversaddlery.com/product.asp?pn=X1-3959&c2p=hp&bhcd2=1262667233

They have worked on people with a variety of issues that have never been able to wear gloves!

Diane

[Invite]

Yay!!!

Looks like I can wear gloves and appear rather normal :winkgrin: WOOHOO!!!