United States Eventing Association

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce the addition of the Modified Rider division beginning at the 2023 USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC), presented by Nutrena Feeds. The USEA AEC will move back to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky August 29–September 3, 2023.

What a fabulous week of coaching for coaches at the 2023 USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) Symposium. Throughout the week, instructors (both ECP certified and non-certified) collaborated with ECP Faculty to discuss relevant and challenging topics and put the USEA Eventing Handbook by the Levels to work through strategizing clear, consistent lesson plans for demonstration riders of all levels across the three phases of the sport.

While the overall focus may have shifted from dressage to show jumping for the second day of the USEA ECP Symposium, the overarching themes from day one were a direct transition to the instruction during the second day of the educational event geared towards eventing coaches of all levels.

Energy abounded during the first day of the USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) Symposium held at Barnstaple Eventing in Ocala, Florida on Tuesday, January 17th. From the event’s kickoff at 8:00 a.m. this morning to the last demonstration ride of the day, participants, ECP faculty, and demonstration riders were full of excitement for what was to come during the three-day educational event geared towards giving eventing coaches from all backgrounds continuing education so they can be the best instructor they can be.

After a slam-dunk year in 2022 introducing the new format of the USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) Symposium, former the ICP, the ECP Symposium is back this week for the 2023 edition of the educational experience designed to help instructors be the best influence they can be for their students. After much positive feedback on the new format in 2022, the 2023 Symposium will continue in a similar fashion, but with the addition of an extra day of education to the schedule. Learn everything you need to know about this year's ECP Symposium in this edition of the USEA's Fast Facts:

The United States Eventing Associations’ (USEA) newly revamped Eventing Coaches Program (ECP), formerly known as the Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP), will be hosting its first symposium since the program’s rebrand next week. The annual ECP Symposium will be hosted at Barnstaple Eventing in Morriston, FL on January 17-19, 2023. The ECP Symposium is a three-day immersive educational experience for anyone who is interested in learning more about eventing coaching. Click here to register for the symposium through January 12. Missed the online registration window? No worries! You can register on-site the day of the event!

The United States Eventing Associations’ (USEA) newly revamped Eventing Coaches Program (ECP), formerly known as the Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP), is proud to announce that a permanent workshop and assessment calendar will be introduced for 2023. The ECP has been hard at work over the last two years determining ways to increase participation in educational opportunities and coach certification. The newly formed workshop and assessment calendar was created with the greater eventing calendar in mind, including major competitions, and will remain on similar dates and at the same locations for years to come, so that planned attendance is more easily attainable for interested coaches.

Unlike most other eventing nations, there is no requirement for eventing coaches to be certified to teach or coach in the United States. In most other countries, and certainly in the countries that are the most competitive on the world stage, there is a process by which instructors and coaches are prepared for and then examined to be certified to teach and coach. Conversely, here in the U.S., certification is a choice. Coaches may or may not choose to complete the ECP program, without penalty or impediment to their lawful right to earn a living as a coach. Accordingly, riders may or may not choose to ride and train with a certified coach.

For most professional riders, teaching lessons comprises a fair portion of any given week’s work. And as any good teacher would warn, teaching is its own special artform requiring knowledge and skillsets distinct from those required for riding. These include an understanding of what riders need to learn at each level of the sport, the exercises that best convey these lessons, and a broad view of how individual lessons work together to achieve specific goals. Published earlier this year, the USEA Eventing Handbook by the Levels was created by members of the USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) Committee – along with licensed officials, rider safety experts, and other key industry players – to guide riders and trainers through the competition levels. Available as a free download to USEA members, the handbook features exercises, skills, evaluation tools, and other resources from the Starter through Advanced levels.

“The highest priority must be given by instructors to developing in their riders a correct, balanced, supple, effective, and independent seat for dressage and for jumping.” - “Teaching Principles” in the new ECP Eventing Handbook by the Levels