United States Eventing Association

As eventing competitors, you know how demanding the sport can be. Three phases (often in one day!) means there’s quite a lot to think about, tons to prepare for, and there are a lot of people involved in making everything run smoothly. A key player in making any USEA-recognized event a success is the Technical Delegate (TD).

For the first time, the annual USEA ECP Symposium will be heading West to offer this three-day, immersive educational experience to a wider audience of interested candidates. On Jan. 14-16, 2025, the ECP Symposium will be hosted by Galway Downs in Temecula, California, and all are encouraged to attend. Whether you are an interested coach, rider, parent, owner, breeder, or avid supporter of the sport of eventing, there is a place for you to learn at next year’s symposium.

Bec Braitling is passionate about continuing education in the sport of eventing— not just for riders, but for coaches as well.

A strong frame and foundation and are required to build a healthy horse and home, but did you know that they’re also just as important when it comes to building a healthy mindset? The good news is that everything we experience, from our struggles to our successes, combine together to create a strong mental foundation.

Horse trials are so much more than a competition; they are community events where riders, trainers, organizers, spectators, and volunteers come together to celebrate the sport we all love. Competitors invest countless hours training, preparing, and strategizing, and each event provides invaluable experiences.

One of the biggest parts of preparing for your 2025 season includes taking a look at what your horse's end-of-season schedule looks like. USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown sat down with five-star rider Meghan O'Donoghue about how you can plan for your horse's downtime, however that might look for them, to make the most of your upcoming goals.

The United States Eventing Associations’ (USEA) Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) is pleased to announce the dates and location of the upcoming 2025 USEA ECP Symposium, hosted by Galway Downs. The annual ECP Symposium, which is typically held in the southeast U.S., will be moving West next year to further open the door to education to a wider audience of interested candidates. The symposium will now be hosted on Jan. 14-16, at Galway Downs in Temecula, California.

Last month we discussed flooding and exposure therapy, two techniques that help us overcome things that overwhelm us. While both are very effective, there are two unfortunate problems with them: (1) some of the things that overwhelm us require more practice than we’re able to give while in the saddle (like twice a week) and (2) some of the things that overwhelm us aren’t exactly the kind of things we want to practice (like falling or reacting to a spook).

Group rides are an important tool to include in the education of both riders and horses to give them a well-rounded education, enhance the rider’s skills, and give confidence to both horses and riders. Managed well, group rides also add to the enjoyment of our sport.

It's time for another rider Q&A session, and this time around we chatted with USEA Intermediate AEC champion and five-star eventer Allie Knowles about all things related to horse-care, being a professional in the sport, why Morswood is the absolute best boy in the barn, and more. A huge thanks to Allie for taking the time to chat with us!