United States Eventing Association

FEH Continues Young Horse Education with Release of New Videos

Interested in the difference between a ‘flashy mover’ and ‘correct mover’? Or which conformation flaws inhibit an event horse’s performance? Experts of the USEA Future Event Horse (FEH) program answer these questions and more in three educational videos that are now available on the USEA website.

These new videos are intended to be an educational resource for anyone interested in the FEH program – judges, trainers, competitors, owners, organizers, breeders, and handlers. The videos were produced by Mythic Landing Enterprises and the footage was taken during the 2019 USEA FEH East Coast Championships at Loch Moy Farm. The videos are broken into three parts: FEH Judging, FEH Handling: Part 1 and FEH Handling: Part 2.

FEH Judging

In the FEH Judging video, Robin Walker, Susan Graham White, Chris Ryan, and Peter Gray thoroughly discuss what makes a good event horse. For conformation, they discuss what judges should look for, what good conformation looks like, and what conformation flaws could hinder an event horse’s performance. For assessment of gaits, Gray explains the top characteristics that he looks for, Graham White explains correct movement, and Ryan explains how conformation can affect movement.

Graham White and Walker also go through step by step on how to judge an FEH competition. Over 40 minutes of helpful information can be viewed in the FEH Judging video.

FEH Handling: Part 1

The FEH Handling: Part 1 video focuses on in-hand presentation at a FEH competition. Martin Douzant of The Frame Sport Horses, who presented over 20 horses at the 2019 USEA FEH Championships, discusses how to correctly present a horse, what equipment to use, what handlers should wear, common mistakes when presenting a horse, and the overall responsibilities of the handler and assistant handler.

FEH Handling: Part 2

The FEH Handling: Part 2 video is a demonstration of how to best present a horse with Martin Douzant’s expert tips.

Anyone and everyone can watch, re-watch, and share these wonderful FEH videos. The USEA would like to thank everyone involved in the production of these videos!

About the USEA Future Event Horse Program

The USEA introduced the Future Event Horse Program in 2007 in response to the popularity of the already established USEA Young Event Horse Program. Where the YEH program assesses 4- and 5-year-old prospective event horses based on their performance, the FEH program evaluates yearlings, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, and 4-year-olds for their potential for the sport based on conformation and type. Yearlings, 2-year-olds, and 3-year-olds are presented in-hand while 4-year-olds are presented under saddle at the walk, trot, and canter before being stripped of their tack and evaluated on their conformation. Divisions are separated by year and gender. At the Championships, 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds are also required to demonstrate their potential over fences in an additional free-jump division. Click here to learn more about the Future Event Horse Program.

The USEA would like to thank Bates Saddles, SmartPak, Standlee Hay Company, C4 Belts, Etalon Diagnostics and Guardian Horse Bedding for sponsoring the Future Event Horse Program.