Yeah, but…the “players” in USEF making these rules are some of the same names that are TPTB in USDF…
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Generally speaking, rules that impact dressage section of the rulebook are recommended by the dressage committee which is comprised of USDF members selected to serve on the committee (any member can propose a rule, but the dressage committee has to recommend the rule for it to be considered). Obviously general rules and those surrounding safe sport and SLO come from USEF, but still require the support of the various organizations to be enacted.
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Like I said earlier, I feel your pain, yer preaching to the choir.
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Yes I get that. But neither is it padded. We have bridles that are adjusted at the crown piece, with buckles and what have you. Those are not continuous either.
If they are going to call out specific round pieces like they did the Stübben, Then it implies the crown pieces that are not listed as illegal are legal as long as they conform to the other aspects of the rules. The fact that even the TDs We’re not in agreement about this suggest that the issue is a vague one. This is part of my point. Is it that the equipment that is listed as legal is legal? And the equipment that is not listed has to be checked for legality? And then what do we do when something is checked and then later deemed illegal?
My issue is not really with the fact that I was eliminated. It is that I was given a yellow card for this. Nobody wants a yellow card. The point of whether my my bridle in particular was legal or not isn’t really the issue either. It is that we hear this happening with a variety of aspects of the rules, the way they are enforced, the consistency and clarity of the rules themselves, and the implementation and consequences of violating them.
Apparently, the “one continuous piece of leather” thing that they gave me as the reason for my crown pieces illegality was effective Oct 1. If that’s true, I’m even more pissed off about it. This violation was Oct 4. I was a cop. When we changed speed limits or traffic patterns we gave people 30 days to look up and see the gigantic new speed limit sign, which had big orange flags and a flashing “new speed limit” sign before we wrote a ticket for it. It just seems absurd to not only receive the elimination but to receive a yellow card.
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I can’t find that crown piece in annex A. There are some like it, but this one does not fit the parameters of any that I have seen in annex A. And like I said this wasn’t this bridles first rodeo.
It does not sit behind the poll, It’s not padded. And it’s not specifically listed. The others that are there are specifically listed brands With qualities at this one does not share.
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I am a rule follower and I’ve gotten eliminated for some pretty random things over the years. the last time was that my safety stirrups weren’t closed enough at the top. I mean what advantage does that possibly give me!? I don’t want to be drug to death, so sue me! They updated Annex A to be more clear about which ones are OK and which aren’t recently.
I did NOT receive a yellow card for my violation, though. I did hear somewhere this summer that they were going to start handing out more yellow cards instead of just the TD talking to people and eliminating them. Maybe this is a new policy? I agree with you that it should be for things that actually harm horses or competition, not tack SNAFUs.
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Annex A hasn’t been updated since July.
The photo you shared absolutely shows the side pieces are padded (stitched onto the leather). The center piece is not, and with it being a 3 piece configuration, the part that contacts the horse (the padding) is not smooth and continuous across the poll.
There are some crown pieces that have buckles on the top but underneath the buckles is a smooth padded piece. I think those are still legal.
I’m not saying I like the rule. I think it’s pretty badly worded, does not take biomechanics and anatomic realities into account, and definitely is not a mid year emergency. Annex A has become a joke. We have far worse welfare issues to worry about.
Yellow cards are warnings for minor infractions. I think it’s within the TD’s discretion. I’m sure many don’t want to do the paperwork over an equipment issue. You encountered one who did. In the other thread on this issue, some mentioned it happening in a championship class.
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Darn that sucks! Your rule amendments make sense to me. New rules should be posted many places and findable!
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We are down at Region 4 Championships in Lake St Louis and the TD told us our Fairfax bridles are illegal and not valid for competition this weekend. She said it is due to the “bump” of padding that is located on the sides of the crown piece that comes into contact with the bony parts of the skull below the ears. It is one continuous piece of leather but she felt that the extra padding is an issue. She did take photos to send to USDF and also told me that ours was only the second Fairfax bridle she’s seen all season but here we are.
Thankfully we have a couple of other non-Fairfax bridles that we will be sharing to be able to compete.
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I understand. But yes, all those things. It just feels super punitive for a badly worded new rule.
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A solution in search of a problem…
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I’m starting to think that anyone who has a bridle with anything at all modern, innovative, unconventional or adaptive should show it to THAT show’s TD for approval before showing. And do it at EACH show. Because this isn’t the first time we have heard of different interpretations among TDs (who are doing the best they can keeping up with the ever-changing rules and crazy tack industry that keeps coming out with new gadgets).
At a show with several tds, maybe seek out the head TD for approval? Or do we trust that once a TD has cleared a bridle at that show another couldn’t overrule them?
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I wouldn’t trust that, see what happened to Katie Malensek at rolex this spring…
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What happened? A quick google didn’t fill me in.
I’ve done that ever since I caused an International Incident!
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I wouldn’t even bother with a TD, I would email usef directly with photos of the bridle for confirmation of legality, and then print copies to carry at shows to hand TDs.
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But then what do you do with a quiet rule change mid-season? They don’t respond quickly imo.
It’s getting ridiculous and difficult for a low level ammy to deal with the whip lash of rule changes mid-season.
We try to do better for our horse and make them as comfortable as possible so they take care of us, and then it’s ruled as breaking the rules but then you have competitors with nose bands so tight and chins touching chests and they do NOTHING.
Insanity.
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The TDs’ time would be better spent penalizing abusive riding instead of a crownpiece with too much padding.
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Yep. Blue tongues, rolkur, cranked down nosebands, abusive riding? That’s fine. Can’t police that. Look the other way. But padding on a crownpiece? That’s yellow card territory!!
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