The word parent generally includes legal guardian.
I suppose if one parent does not have custody and thus is not both a parent and a legal guardian, you won’t have to go track down your baby daddy and make him do Safe Sport so little Susie can do the short stirrup.
The crux of the problem is that the way we define “trainer” (person responsible for the horse) doesn’t have a great analog in other sports. In other sports a trainer is responsible for the athlete, and in the case of a minor athlete, a minor. It makes sense in most non equestrian sports that anyone who is a “trainer” join the organization and take safe sport training. We use the term differently. It must have struck the SS folks as very odd that people who are signing forms for minors and claiming to “train” those minors weren’t part of the organization and subject to SS requirements.
FWIW I think a fair compromise would be to make all parents of junior members take SS training and join USEF but with a special tier of membership just for non showing, non professional parents of junior members that is free and includes no other benefits/requirements other than adhering to the rules (including SS rules).
You are not wrong about the declining base in hj land. However - and if you’ve seen my fee list above I’m WELL aware of fee induced trauma at this time of year - I find it problematic to ascribe the hj attrition to… fees. Sure, it’s a thing, but it ain’t the extra $10 that broke the back of the middle class hj families.
It’s the rising cost of shows in general
It’s the insane cost of a marginally sound, competitive horse
It’s the rising training/boarding costs
And lately, it’s the rising cost of real estate, grain, hay and fuel which put the first three into overdrive
The first three wiped out a big chunk of them over the last 20 years, the more recent inflation is finishing off another chunk. But make no mistake, the underlying business model is the real culprit.
I’m sure they is someone who thinks that the extra $10 was the last straw, but let’s be honest, that camel was already dead. (Or living a happy life in pony club, eventing, local shows or combined driving).
What were these?
This! @meupatdoes, you nailed it. Thanks for articulating this situation so clearly.
BTW, I think the $10k/month might be a little underestimated.
@vxf111: I like your fair compromise. It’s already possible: the Fan Member member type is free, and you can take the SS training, and have it recorded in your membership.
It’s not possible. Under the new rule, to sign as trainer or coach you must have an active senior competing membership in good standing.
It would be great if parents would use the free fan membership option to do the Safe Sport training though.
It is this, 1,000%. I could have a really nice 2nd house for what I pay in board and training, nevermind horses shows. But I find having to pay USEF and USHJA their respective $80 and $85 each year just infuriating. I get charged again for a drug fee at each horse show in addition to the 47 other horse show fees, and I literally get no benefit from either org.
As far as Safesport goes, I’m with @Tha_Ridge. There is one person who I know for an absolute fact had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a minor client. He was initially suspended, but got off the list free and clear on appeal.
They would have to amend the amended rule 
Agree about the death by a thousand cuts. I have strayed (stayed) away from USEF and USHJA favoring TIP sponsored events as I have always had TBs (until now). TIP is free, offers great prizes and puts on a great championships show. Not an option for everyone and sure there are issues as with everything, but the lack of a million and one fees with no real benefit is a HUGE draw for me personally. Now that my main ride is a WB, I’m genuinely not sure what my new goals will be. I am thinking to do like Meupatdoes and get my bronze in as few rated shows as possible (and eventually my silver? 
). But for jumping, there HAS to be something better than all this nonsense.
There briefly was with NSBA at WEC. And then WEC and USEF kissed and made up 
USHJA has a list of their proposed rule changes here (member comments are open); https://hjdata.ushja.org/rule-changes?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=229427067&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--eBK460sNr3nZDFLu0CgJZe8uKfkxbDOflJsLodP65G1sTgQff_zD4rmnaU8ZsIvLkFGvSfu-NDlasGyOq9B1-wvT0yA&utm_content=229427067&utm_source=hs_email
There are some interesting EQ proposals.
Man, some of those proposed changes are ridiculous in how bad they are.
Others are a solution in search of a problem. (There is some overlap between this and my first line).
I was struck by the words “It has come to our attention”, regarding Judges asking EQ competitors in a work off to face away from the center of the ring. Judges have been doing that forever.
Junior Jumpers on now.
I took some time to think about it, but I’m still not sure why “don’t longe your horse badly” is a rule proposed only for the equitation.
I am not suggesting that anyone propose the same rule with the same language as a general rule, mind you.
I do like the two proposals about the halt- “don’t halt your horse in front of the jump when you do your opening tour of the ring, we know what you’re doing and he may not jump it anyway” in the equitation (I am not in favor of teaching horses to stop in front of a jump) and adding the halt in as a handy hunter option.
I thought the longing rule proposal was odd too and I agree with you about the benefit of the don’t stop in front of the jump and the halt in the handy.
What did you think about the proposal that would prohibit judges from having EQ riders waiting their turn in a work off, face outward ?
I’m curious if there is a specific reason for that proposal.
I thought it was silly and it disadvantaged the first rider to go.
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