There are plenty of good clinicians who are not big name. The are also not as expensive as the big names. FOr everyone who argues that good instruction is not available for the average rider and horse, I would suggest that they get together with a group of like-minded friends and find someone who has an arena and look for a clinician they would like to work with, and manage a clinic. It’s easy. Yes I know there are dressage deserts in this vast country - but if you find the right clinician, they will work with any level and often WD as well. We ARE pretty much on our own out here - DF would like the GMOs to step up and do this, but I know some GMOs are not responsive to some of their members’ needs. I am sure a general inquiry here on CoH would turn up some good, well-priced clinicians. And if you are looking for a lower level clinician, it might be worth it to look outside the traditional dressage community. You dont need a GMO to do it.
When I lived in Kansas City this is what a handful of us did. We brought in thoughtful, well educated types including a S USEF/USDF judge, an individual who spent many years in Germany training/riding, as well as others who provided a lot of help and encouragement, accepting all types including a mule. We received instruction in hand, lunge lessons and ride a test type formats as well as the more conventional lessons. I repeated it here in Arizona for those of us with more ‘average’ type of horses. I wouldn’t say it was difficult to do and I had no trouble finding decent people but it is still an undertaking for those with full-time jobs, family, and multiple horses at home. The greatest risk is guaranteeing the rides per day and filling those spots. Sometimes the financial burden was heavier for some more than others. Still where there is a will there is a way as you have pointed out. While I’ve seen the changes to the discipline - both showing and horse ownership over the years, these arguments are the same, never changing, never ending. At some point you just have to decide if it’s worth it to persevere or simply walk away.
What is “affordable” and who is supposed to pay the difference?
It costs $1500/day or more, plus travel, to get a clinician in. Who is going to pay for it?
Is an hour of a competent trainer’s time not worth $75 or $100 or $150? After all, how many lessons did they pay for to get where they are?
What if I can only afford $20 a lesson? Is someone obligated to provide me that because I want it?
”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹Nobody has answered these questions.
You have not read my posts, which are about inclusivity. I’m done explaining.
I generally agree with your posts…but I disagree with your tone here.
My cleaning lady gets $20/hr…My attorney gets $300/hr…but I can go on nolo.com and get some pre-packaged legal forms.
If someone wants dressage education, then they have to figure out what they can afford and figure out how to make it work.
No one is OBLIGATED to provide anyone for anything.
If you (g) want an education in dressage, then it is up to the individual to make it happen.
I have stated that a group of barns in my area have banded together to fly a clinician from EUROPE (airfare and accommodations) and gotten enough riders to make affordable lesson work.
Everyone seems to want something for free here. @MysticOakRanch You say that “we” should provide riders with “affordable training options”. Really? I’d LOVE to find someone to “provide” my lessons. There are LOTS of FREE videos on the USDF website - and an Education membership is only $35 (I think). There ya go, affordable training. VERY affordable. And there is also Dressage Training On Line, but that’s more $$. And LOTS of free lessons all over youtube.
and @soloudinhere , to answer your question, no one is “obligated” to provide a $20 lesson.
The most expensive clinician my GMO ever had in was I think $900/day… there ARE good clinicians less than $1500 (which is more than $150/lesson… wow that’s high. )
And if a group gets a clinician together, once again I will mention The Dressage Foundation and their many grants.
”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹In other words, like @pluvinel said, no one is obligated to give you anything. USDF and TDF BOTH offer grants - USDF to GMOs, and TDF to both GMOs and individuals.
And Oh, my trainer charges $65, (she is an S judge), and HER trainer who comes to clinic only charges $110. So yes…, in the equine world, that’s pretty “affordable”.,
When you call this:
Your post sounds a little like the sour grapes we often hear: “I didn’t do well at the show because the judge didn’t like me because I don’t have a fancy horse.”
yelling, you undermine your argument. Grow up.
i’m just now in the hand-shaking stage with dressage. I do not expect to be a competitor to anyone except myself. I won’t be purchasing expensive tack/clothing/trailer-truck/or equines. I will pay through the nose for a good coach though. I think, having read this entire post, is that if the sport were divided into height classes (beyond just pony vs horse) then maybe the playing field might be leveled for those who wish to be competitive on their not-17/18h high horses. The tall ones could compete against eachother and us ‘earthlings’ would be pitted against teams our own size.
I Personally know big horses that compete well with small horses, and vice versa. I personally know ponies that belong to Pros that I would NOT want to compete with on my 16.1 horse. I really believe there is no bonus for big horses or penalty for small ones. In fact, getting a big horse around the movements above FIrst level or so can be quite chalenging!
I too like these ideas, but I stil think there are too many overlapping memberships. You should get some sort of discount for supporting all of them. I would also like the qualifying requirements be reduced. In the current environment, we, in my region, have lost A LOT of shows. I mean, A LOT. If I am not going to qualify for anything without traveling long distances
, and I’m only going to use showing to check my training and give my horse an experience, I really only need to do one or two a year. That is not good for the shows!
I have often wished there could be more of a train the trainers initiative so those not at the top of the sport are better equipped to teach correct lower level basics to more people with “ordinary” horses. Grow the base. Support the base.
I agree that some overlapping memberships should be fixed - for example, in the past GMO members who were also Participating members (USDF) got a reduction. That went away quite a few years ago. Breed organizations are totally separate of course. Maybe a discount for membership to both USEF and USDF?
Regarding qualifying, I agree! but werent the number of shows required for Regionals reduced last year? You could even earn both scores at the same show under the same judge IIRC. The didnt change other awards, though, still requiring 4 shows and 8 scores (I think? and only 4 scores at upper levels?)
Here in Florida we all know how blessed we were to still have shows.
What overlapping memberships would you change?
USDF has a trainer’s education program… wish more trainers could take advantage of it but of course time away from their barn means money lost…
US Dressage emphasizes showing because we truly do not have a good training program like they have in European countries. In those countries, they have to proceed through training and apprenticeship programs to achieve their credentials. I don’t know the deep details, but some of the certifications require them to get a horse and train it through some levels and then they are tested. But we could develop some parallel programs that emphasize training and not gaits, and some of the learning could be virtual (even back and forth virtual) and we could develop a new medal system that focuses on people training their own horses and/or people training riders. We have a rider awards program, but it is based on show scores and as long as competition emphasizes gaits, it’s really not a fair test of whether someone can ride or not. Achievements should be based on principles of riding. Anyway, some rambling thoughts. The crux of the problems is that showing is too expensive (both from the cost of buying a horse that can win, paying a trainer, boarding in a show barn and the costs of shows), and with no other avenue to pursue to challenge and reach goals, even those that really love dressage can lose interest, motivation, drive. Great riders are punished if they ride moderate horses (that 6 mover only has a few chances in a test to score over 6). We need to give those who want to achieve the real principles of dressage some sort of achievement ladder and it can’t be based on a horse’s innate abilities.
Dressage4Kids/Lendon Gray are hosting Training4Teaching seminars this winter. 6 meetings via Zoom on different teaching strategies for trainers.
Will trainers who work with a lot of kids in a more general way even have a way to know about it? I am envisioning a larger pool of new, correct lower level riders. I do see really good training and riding rewarded in my dressage-heavy area. I would like to see more of it. Seeing an “ordinary” horse really well trained and ridden is its own joy. It would be great if that could be promoted and supported more, along with support and promotion of.our top riders.
The Arabian Horse Association is doing a great job with kids at their Sport Horse shows. The kids show hunter and dressage. The dressage is very good. I saw some 70’s at first level that were well deserved. After all, dressage is just flat work and training for the sport horse. Maybe, we need to combine horse sports more.
Only one point. Medals require a score of 60% at the lowest test of the level. Unless your horse is uneven or unsound, gaits should score a 6 at least. There are places to make higher scores in movements that are not gait dependent - such as a halt reinback for example. While I think the medal program could use updating, there is reason to think that most horses are capable of earning it - with the proper training.
there’s quite a bit in second level that does not refer to the quality of gaits - all the mediums and transitions in/out of mediums make no mention of “quality of [gait]” as well as the halt/reinback. First level actually has more references to gait quality than the other levels above it do.
The thing that keeps people out of second level isn’t the gaits, though it’s an easy thing to blame. It’s the inability to develop and gymnasticize the horse to the point of true collection.
And don’t forget how many people can’t sit the trot (no judgment from me on this, just stating a fact).
