United States Eventing Association

Are you, your student, or your child new to eventing or preparing for a move-up? Do you find yourself looking for resources to ensure that riders looking to take the next step in the sport of eventing are prepared for what is to be asked of them? The USEA Eventing Handbook by the Levels is a free resource that was developed by members of the USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP), formerly the Instructors' Certification (ICP) Committee, and is available to all USEA members. This guide encompasses clear and consistent guidelines for riders and trainers to refer to when navigating their way through all phases of all national competition levels and features rider requirements, exercises, demonstrated skills, evaluation tools, and more at the Starter through Advanced levels.

There is no doubt the USEA Eventing Coaches Program (ECP), formerly knowns as the USEA Instructors' Certification Program (ICP), has undergone major changes over the last two years. While all of this was going on, there were a number of conversations rumbling around inside our committee that kept resurfacing. Probably the most frequent one was: where is the next generation coming from and how do they get there? It’s not really a valid response to talk about going hunting for a number of seasons and learning to do dressage later. Nor is it really possible to set up a national center or regional one as exists in other countries. Working student options are obviously out there and, in some cases, long-term apprenticeships grow from that. However, I believe it needs to be more than that.

Ninety percent of training a horse is getting the horse to understand exactly what you want them to do. In general, horses are generous and willing creatures who want to please us; very seldom do they behave badly on purpose. Horses don’t come out and say, ‘Let’s make Mom’s (or Dad’s) life miserable today by going as poorly as possible - most prefer to do the right thing, as long as they know what that is.

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to introduce you to the Eventing Coaches Program (ECP). Formerly known as the Instructor’s Certification Program (ICP), the ECP will continue the original program’s mission of producing and improving the craft and art in the teaching of riding and horse management for the sport of eventing through the application of the highest principles of horsemanship.

Trainers, riders, and horses alike gathered in Woodstock, Illinois at Jigsaw Farms on Tuesday, June 14 for their first-ever USEA Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) Workshop. The three-day clinic featured theory and practical application as sixteen eager instructors and over 20 different riders of varying levels soaked in as much knowledge from ICP certified instructors Karen O'Connor and Mary D'Arcy.

Looking to up your schooling game to enhance your performances in the show ring? The certified instructors of the USEA’s Instructors Certification Program (ICP) are here to help. This month ICP instructor Jim Graham, Level V, breaks down the step-by-step process of perfecting your leg yield on a circle. While this exercise was detailed with the Training and Modified level rider in mind, it can be adapted for riders of all levels. Check back next month after you have nailed your leg yield for the next step from this exercise!

After two years of research and writing, the United States Eventing Association (USEA) is proud to officially release the USEA Eventing Handbook by the Levels to its membership. Created by members of the USEA Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) Committee with the input of licensed officials, professional riders, rider safety experts, and many other key players in the industry, this all encompassing handbook outlines clear and consistent guidelines for riders and trainers to refer to when navigating their way through the competition levels. Featuring rider requirements, exercises, demonstrated skills, evaluation tools, and more at the Starter through Advanced levels, this highly anticipated resource is by far the most comprehensive level-by-level guide for the sport of eventing in North America.

The second day of the USEA Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) Symposium at BarnStaple South in Ocala, Florida focused on adapting each lesson to the rider you are teaching, especially while schooling cross-country. The morning opened up with an exceptional seminar over teaching modalities and sports psychology from Dr. Paul Haefner. The audience of over 140 attendees made up of instructors, riders, students, and parents listened intently as Dr. Haefner outlined the many different challenges eventing instructors face such as working with students of all ages, addressing the different ways each individual student learns and engaging students into becoming masters of the sport.

Despite the light drizzle, trainers and auditors filed into the tent at Barnstaple South leaving no seat empty for the first day of the 2022 ICP Symposium at Barnstaple South in Ocala, Florida. There were 140 USEA members in attendance, half of which were currently USEA Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) certified instructors and the other half who were eager to learn more about the program and obtain critical skills from the symposium to take home to their students or to apply to their own riding.

Consistency is key in working with horses, that is why the United States Eventing Association (USEA) Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) Committee spent two years creating a training handbook with a clear and consistent format from Starter level all the way through Advanced.