The United States Eventing Association (USEA) Eventing Handbook by the Levels is going to be an asset to every program, no matter if you are a trainer, rider, parent, or eventing enthusiast. The USEA Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) Committee dedicated two years to putting together a guide that includes teaching and training principles that work harmoniously with exercises and concepts from every level from Starter through Advanced. If you are intending on attending the 2022 USEA ICP Symposium at Barnstaple South Farm in Ocala, Florida on February 8-9, then you will be one of the first individuals to access the full copy of this extremely beneficial tool.
Today’s excerpt from the USEA Handbook by the Levels comes from the Exercises and Concepts section. Included for every level and every phase, the Exercises and Concepts section gives riders and instructors tangible tools which will measure the rider’s abilities and skill levels. These exercises and concepts were intended to work harmoniously with the teaching and training principles documented in the Universal Overview section of the handbook. Included below are the Exercises and Concepts sections for cross-country at both the Training and Intermediate levels.
Exercises and Concepts for Training Level Cross-Country:
The instructor should confirm the rider’s understanding of and ability to perform all exercises identified under Starter through Novice Level Cross-Country Exercises.
Canter and gallop - Quality and variations:
Preparing for increased technical questions on cross-country:
Exercises and Concepts for Intermediate Level Cross-Country:
The instructor should confirm the rider’s understanding of and ability to perform all exercises identified under Starter through Preliminary Level Cross-Country Exercises and Concepts.
The Intermediate level rider and their instructor should create exercises which prepare the horse and rider for the increased technical difficulty and increased overall speed required for the Intermediate cross-country course. Cross-Country exercises should include:
The ICP Symposium has undergone a reboot and will feature an interactive and inclusive format that encourages participation and input from active professionals at all levels through a hands-on live teaching session. While geared towards eventing professionals, the ICP Symposium is open to all who wish to attend and will feature relevant information that all riders and eventing enthusiasts can learn from. As an added perk, early registrants will receive an advanced copy of the new USEA Eventing Handbook! Register for the ICP Symposium here.
About the USEA Instructors’ Certification Program
Instructors are essential to the training of riders and horses for safe and educated participation in the sport of eventing. The USEA Instructors’ Certification Program (ICP) was initiated in 2002 to educate all levels of eventing instructors with crucial training principles upon which those instructors can continue to build throughout their teaching careers. ICP offers educational workshops and assessments by which both regular instructors, Level I through Level V, Young Event Horse (YEH) instructors, and Young Event Horse professional horse trainers can become ICP certified. Additional information about ICP’s goals, benefits, workshops, and assessments as well as names and contact information for current ICP-certified instructors, YEH instructors, and YEH professional horse trainers are available on the USEA website. Click here to learn more about the Instructors’ Certification Program.
The USEA would like to thank Stable Secretary and Parker Equine Insurance for sponsoring the Instructors’ Certification Program. Additionally, Parker Equine Insurance offers 5% off to all ICP instructors and Stable Secretary provides a 25% discount on their subscription services to all ICP instructors.
For seasoned and novice riders alike, it is always good to revisit the basics. Serving as the foundation for any eventer, the positions used on the cross-country course differ from those in the dressage or show jumping ring. The USEA tuned into five-time Olympian, three-time World Equestrian Games rider, two Pan-American Games rider, and USEA ECP certified coach Karen O'Connor as she walked coaches and students at the USEA ECP Symposium through the basic positions for effective cross-country riding.
The USEF's main phone number and fax number have changed. We wanted to notify you so you continue to get the support you need.
With the recent wrap-up of the 2023 Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) Symposium in Ocala, Florida, USEA Podcast Host Nicole Brown chats with ECP Faculty Members Jennifer Howlett Rousseau and Robin Walker about all things related to the ECP. From the USEA Eventing Handbook by the Levels to the benefits of pursuing certification, selecting the best coach for you, recapping this year's Symposium, and more - this week's USEA podcast is the perfect educational tool for coaches and riders alike!
Time is precious. Time with your horse even more so. If one of your resolutions for the New Year is to spend more time in the saddle or more time enjoying the barn, you’ll want to implement these best practices to minimize stress and make the most of 2023.