Hunter/Eq ring tips/tricks

[Mander]

Yeah I mostly agree with you. I give the parents some grace, as rulebooks are complicated, and they might not have even known which one they need to read (and as a schooling show, it didn’t even have any governing bodies mentioned on the premium that might have pointed them in the right direction). Most parents leave that sort of stuff up to coaches anyways, especially if they’re not “horse people”.

But I definitely think the dressage coach should have known better - even if she didn’t know H/J rules specifically, she should have known to look it up (free and online, as you mentioned!).

[MHM]

Omg. That is a fantastic story. Love it!!

[Foitin]

Interesting, he sounds like an excellent reader, which I always respect!
My point is that most parents I know (me included, though my kids don’t ride) think they are covered if they get the children to the practice on time in the appropriate clothing. Especially in the past year, if you can actually get to any activities at all, you’re doing great.

Our trainers realize that their riders are not horse people. They are glad for it. They just expect them to follow directions, which is not necessarily easy, lol.

[MHM]

@Foitin

Interesting, he sounds like an excellent reader, which I always respect!

He had quite an eye for detail, which he passed along to my mother. Lol.

[SolarFlare]

The only thing that would have made that story better is if the “bit expert” was the Steward!!!

[SolarFlare]

@Foitin

Lol, parents reading rulebooks!

Haha, true! I guess I meant more in the context of “you can’t complain about the rules being enforced if you haven’t bothered to read them at all” for parents. I agree they should be able to rely on the coach to know the rules and make sure the athlete is following them.

[Mander]

The bit expert WAS the steward lol It was the steward who received the phone call, not the competitor.

I had to re-read it to catch that haha

[SolarFlare]

@Mander

I had to re-read it to catch that haha

I just re-read it and now I’m cracking up!

ETA - it was written clearly, but I’m running a virtual dressage show and got MANY, MANY more entries than expected so my brain has melted

[McGurk]

Forget the parents - I had an adult competitor to whom I had to explain the difference between hunters and equitation. It was not her first show.

It was the equivelent of explaining to a soccer player that in this sport, tackling wasn’t legal.

You spend all this money on lessons and equipment, and you don’t bother to educate yourself about the sport before competing? C’mon.

ETA: Regarding the rule book. I’m so old, I remember the AHSA, and the AHSA rule book being a 3 ring binder that you had to be a member in good standing to get. Each year, new pages would be sent out with updated rules and you had to remove and replace the outdated pages. If you didn’t renew your membership that year, so sad, too bad.

So I don’t want to hear from anyone complaining they didn’t know the rules. The rule book is now free, available to everyone and if you don’t have it downloaded to your phone, that’s on you.

[MHM]

@McGurk

ETA: Regarding the rule book. I’m so old, I remember the AHSA, and the AHSA rule book being a 3 ring binder that you had to be a member in good standing to get. Each year, new pages would be sent out with updated rules and you had to remove and replace the outdated pages. If you didn’t renew your membership that year, so sad, too bad.

So I don’t want to hear from anyone complaining they didn’t know the rules. The rule book is now free, available to everyone and if you don’t have it downloaded to your phone, that’s on you.

I do think it’s funny how in the last few years, USEF has gone back-and-forth between whether or not to send out a printed rule book, or have it as an option for an additional charge, or what have you. It was certainly an annual tradition for many years to have the giant printed rule book appear in my mailbox, about the size and heft of a four pound salt block, or maybe a bit bigger.

I remember a very experienced older steward telling me that he always kept his rule book in his car at a show. That way, in the time it took for him to walk out to his car with an upset person who had a question about the rules, the person had a chance to calm down, and get away from the crowd, and just take a breath. He said that most people were usually much more willing to listen to reason under those circumstances. Hat tip to that wise gentleman!

[Brown_Derby]

Yes! The AHSA Blue Book. It covered everything, down to approved methods of hair containment for women (“Hunt” and “Stock” seat).

[Wilish]

Personally, I love the EqRight device to help me in training and the warmup (not worn in show ring). It’s COMPLETELY changed my ride, for the better.

EQright Training System - Break Bad Riding Habits

[Brown_Derby]

@Wilish

Personally, I love the EqRight device to help me in training and the warmup (not worn in show ring). It’s COMPLETELY changed my ride, for the better.

Or your coach could just use a shock collar. Would work well on those people in the warmup who are incessant cluckers or stop on the rail to check their phones.

[Mander]

LOL

I don’t particularly condone the use of shock collars, but this gave me a chuckle.

[Brown_Derby]

Definitely not directed at Wilish. I do have some warm up pet peeves.

FWIW, I just scored (I hope) a 1961 rule book on ebay. Snowman second to Windsor Castle in the open jumpers. The Galvins, the Mairs. Going to enjoy it then give to my coach.