ESDCTA Collective Remarks - January 2026

ESDCTA MAGAZINE

COLLECTIVE REMARKS

WWW.ESDCTA.ORG January 2026

Table of Contents 3

18

President’s Message

News from Outside the Ring

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19

Amateur Dilemma

The Future of Dressage is Bright

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25

HorseTreats

Rider Fitness

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Both of You Need to Enjoy the Ride

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26

Year End Awards

The Next Steps in Social License to Operate

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Ellen Brindle-Clark President

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Board of Trustees OFFICERS President

Ellen Brindle-Clark

president@esdcta.org

609.351.1054 text is best

Vice President

Cynthia Vanderley

vicepresident@esdcta.org

267.275.4984

Secretary

Ruth McCormick

secretary@esdcta.org

201.240.4505

Treasurer

Holly Cornell

treasurer@esdcta

732.208.8715

Dressage at Large

Tamara Uzman

datlargeMAL@esdcta.org

201.602.7626

Eventing at Large

Jennifer Duelfer

eatlargeMAL@esdcta.org

732.598.3077

Dressage Competitions

Dr. Lisa Toaldo

dressage@esdcta.org

201.874.0373

Eventing Competitions

Janice Pellegrino

eventing@esdcta.org

Marketing

Paige Zimmerman

marketing@esdcta.org

Membership

Heidi Lemack

membership@esdcta.org

Finance

Gary Maholic

finance@esdcta.org

Education

Rachael Stillwell

education@esdcta.org

609.306.8221 856.534.9797

Youth

Stephanie Warner

youth@esdcta.org

609.351.1054

Calendar/Omnibus

Mia Zimmerman

omnibus@esdcta.org

NJEAB Representative

Carolyn Montgomery

crunner141@comcast.net

Awards

Becky Kuc

awards@esdcta.org

Grants

Holly Cornell

Equipment

Jessica Clark

grants@esdcta.org horselover8968@gmail.com

Newsletter

Meredith Rogers Ruth McCormick

newsletter@esdcta.org nominations@esdcta.org

Stephanie Warner

nominations@esdcta.org

Executive Board

609.306.8221

OFF BOARD COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Nominating Nominating

Laura Aber

Awards Ordering Show Results

Ashley Mucha

Results@esdcta.org

Volunteer Coordinator

Jen Koch

youthdressgeshows@gmail.com

Become a friend of the ESDCTA on Facebook Follow us on X @ESDCTA 4

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CROSS COUNTRY...

News Across Our Region COMMUNITY NEWS

Milestone

If you’re reading this, you are probably a member of ESDCTA, but I’m sure you know of someone who rides dressage or events who is not a member. You know all about the wonderful things offered like educational programs, clinics with big name trainers, horse shows, year-end awards, and not least, that sense of being part of a community of likeminded people. The more members ESDCTA has, the better the programs we can offer. Our membership numbers are also important considerations when state and local governments decide on legislature that affects us (like open space), and we advocate for our sports (We helped get better footing at the HPNJ). Please reach out to your equestrian buddies and tell them about all of the benefits of membership and have them sign up. The more the merrier!

Please Contact this newsletter if you know any ESDCTA members who have achieved any Milestones.

Success at a show, regional/national/international award, new horse, or anything else you want to celebrate.

WHAT’S YOUR TALENT??

Let us know what you would like to help us with in 2026. All skills and interests wanted. Have an idea? We want to hear about it. Remember, this club is what YOU make it. Contact president@esdcta.org if you are interested.

NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE

Have a great article that you would like to share?

Please send article to: Meredith Rogers: newsletter@esdcta.org All submissions are due by the 15th of the month. Due to space considerations, the editor reserves the right to edit submitted articles.

If necessary, articles will be edited and returned for your review.

AND YOU GET VOLUNTEER HOUR FOR EACH STORY!

e-mail: newsletter@esdcta.org

MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONS For membership questions including updating physical or e-mail addresses please contact: Heidi Lemack membership@esdcta.org

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Email: treasurer@esdcta.org

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Amateur Dilemma

By Meredith Rogers

A new year means a new show season…maybe. I’m still rehabbing Leo. We hit the initial injury with state-of-the-art therapy and all year I’ve followed my veterinarian’s rehab protocol to the letter. I’ve iced and lasered and arnica’d. Although we are back to WTC, my optimism that we’ll have a show season is tempered. I’m not planning out my show schedule yet or progressing development of my new musical freestyle.

Veterinary medicine has come a long way since horses were utilitarian. There’s a lot of science behind the latest and greatest interventions. But horses are individuals and the science is based on averages. If you read the studies they’ll say X% of horses come sound with this treatment and Y% with this other treatment. However, many studies are based on limited number of subjects, so results need to be accepted with caution, and no amount of x-rays, ultrasounds, or MRIs can tell you the outcome of your specific horse. Modern diagnostics can provide an idea of the severity of injury and follow-up is useful to tell if healing is happening, but horses are living beings that don’t read the textbooks. As much as we want it to, veterinary science doesn’t have all the answers – only the best guesses (based on solid evidence) we have at the time, which means it evolves. I trust my veterinarian explicitly to do what’s best for Leo, so I do what she says, but also add in a prayer or two and hope for some good luck.

Today, Leo generally feels good but every misstep has me worried, doubting myself and the universe. Was that stumble related to his injury or something else like wavering attention, needing new shoes, or a lack of fitness for having the year off? Every decision I make weighs heavy. He’s sound today but how do I manage his training so that he stays sound? Is lateral work good or bad? How much turnout should he get? Is there a supplement I should be giving him? Should I just give up my dreams of trotting down centerline? When I’m with Leo, I try very hard to stay in the moment. I don’t want him picking up on my anxiety while I try not to have anxiety. It’s only January and only time will tell what this year brings. Regardless, I know I did all that I could in providing the best science-based care available, but fingers crossed we can continue our dressage journey.

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Horse Treats

By Meredith Rogers

African folklore has a long history of explaining the world, human existence, and the relationship between humanity and the divine through stories. These tales are full of symbolism and have helped provide moral guidance throughout the generations and across the continent. They help preserve cultural knowledge and values, reinforce the social norms of communities, educate children, and maintain a connection to ancestors, while evolving with the times. Although horses were not indigenous to all regions of Africa, they spread throughout the continent through trade, conquest, and migration. Ethiopian tradition includes horses with wings and extraordinary intelligence and the ability to fly between otherworldly realms. Somali stories include Barar, a mythical horse of their ancestors that could travel long distances in a single bound and could warn its rider of impending doom. Among the Fulani people who spread across West Africa, are tales about horses born from lightning strikes or formed from morning mist that serve as intermediaries between the human and spirit worlds. Horses also play large roles in hero stories, such as the epic of Sundiata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire, whose acquisition of a powerful war horse helped him become leader.

Sometimes horses serve less-honorable roles. There’s the tale of the Hausa trickster, Gizo, who disguised himself as a horse to infiltrate royal courts and escape his enemies. There are also specific morality tales such as the one below.

The Horse Cursed by the Sun is a Nigerian folktale about a time when animals and men could change their form. A long time ago, there was a man who was well known to be lazy. Although he was young and strong, he just watched while other men tilled their farms, hunted in the forest, and fetched water for their families. He spent his day lounging around. The villagers told him that “A man who eats but does not work will one day learn the weight of hunger,” but he ignored them. One day, the Sun noticed the man who did not work and got angry because it saw everyone else busy with chores. The Sun burned hotter in an attempt to get the lazy man to rise but to no avail. He kept snoring away. It then yelled down to the man, “O man, you are strong, yet you choose idleness. While others labor and sweat, you waste your days in sleep. If you will not work as a man, then you shall serve as a beast. From this day forth, you will carry burdens upon your back and serve the needs of men.” Suddenly, the man’s form began to metamorphosize. His arms stretched long and grew thick with muscle. He developed hooves and his neck

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lengthened. He had been transformed into a horse! The villagers immediately put him to work pulling carts, and made him carry heavy loads from village to village. Not only is this a story about how horses became to live with men as their faithful servant but it is a stark reminder that laziness never goes unpunished and that those who do not use the gifts that they were given my lose them.

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Both of You Need to Enjoy the Ride Both of You Need to Enjoy the Ride

By Earlen Haven

By Earlen Haven

I just saw some really nasty bits, tack, and other equipment that were being discussed on Facebook, and I was not alone in considering what was being shown was inappropriate to use on a horse, so I'm getting on my bandwagon again.

All of these jumps @ Country Haven's Cross Country Course, Woodstown NJ (and other jumps elsewhere) are all designed BE JUMPED AT A VERY REASONABLE PACE WITH HORSES WITH RELAXED BACKS AND RELAXED NECKS and NOT FIGHTING WITH THE BITS!...actually in snaffle bits, preferably double jointed with super light fingertip aids with no pulling!

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Why are most riders today so afraid to let the horse carry himself and be allowed to use his body to his best advantage and ride with fingertip control rather than fighting with the horse via the reins?????? You don't even need to hold a horse when you gallop. Follow his neck motion and give him a super light feel, almost no rein.

I see more and more unnecessary tack on horses. When is this stuff going to be considered "not in the best welfare of the horse"?

How many of you look at videos online and see open mouths, or tied shut ones, the heads up in the air with the stiff hollow backs, or the horse all bottled up with his chin back on his chest, or horses racing at the jump at breakneck speed with various types of improperly fitted gadgets, restricting the horse's ability to carry the rider and jump successfully? How many have knockdowns, runouts and refusals on a regular basis? None of that has to be if riders would be

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willing to try a different method of riding. Back in my day, we hardly EVER had runouts, refusals, etc. It truly was a rarity.

A while back, I said that I was going to tell you about a variety of horses that did those things and came out of the problems when the rider approached their riding differently.

So here is another horse's success story. I was asked to ride and sell this horse. I was told it needed a martingale and a pizza cutter bit (which I had never even heard of) because it had been stopping and rearing up in the jumper ring. Plus it also needed spurs and a crop.

I brought up the fact that usually either horses were a bit slow or a bit strong but not usually both. I like to start out with less, not more so I started out with a rubber snaffle bit, no martingale. (I always schooled with small Prince of Wales spurs and a bat, but again rarely ever had to use them), and I didn't have to use them on this guy either. He was a big 16.3 hh, Quarter Horse/TB cross with a heart of gold.

It was wintertime and I started him out in the ring but promptly moved outside where I could ride him in the orchards, open fields, dirt roads, etc. and he was a dream. When his flat work is good, the jump comes as a gift.

It took me no time at all, he was so happy to be able to relax and enjoy his ride. Horses, (believe it or not) respond automatically to weight/seat and leg aids to change pace (faster or slower), turn, do lateral movements, stop, or whatever.

If you have had your horse looking at the stars or the ground with a super tight hold all the time, it may take them a bit longer to even chance trying to do anything else because they have lost confidence in riders because they were never allowed to carry themselves as they do in a field without a rider. A good way to check whether you are interfering with their balance is to compare your horse's carriage when he's trotting and cantering around the field on his own versus his carriage when you're on him.

I went to show the horse to a potential buyer whose position was not bad. I set up a small jump to pop over first and right before the jump, the horse slammed on the brakes, stopping so fast that he actually left the ground slightly with his front feet and he just stood there, looking tense and scared.

I asked the rider what happened. She said that she just gave him "a little half halt". I said honey, that was 10 times more rein aid than I ever used on him to even stop him quickly from a full gallop.

We went over the fingertip control method and he got his head back on straight and the fear left his eyes. They went on and he jumped beautifully when she left him alone and let him pick his takeoff spots and adjust his own stride between fences, riding him on an extremely light to almost no rein. I suggest 100% freedom from 2 -3 strides before a fence until 2-3 strides after he lands from the fence. When you do that, you don't see horse takeoffs so close to the jump that he

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has to climb up one side and down the other, or big huge scary leaps from way back. They figure it out and do it much better than when we try to figure it out for them..... if we let them.

I see numerous jumping examples on Facebook for which I believe the riders could pass a lie detector test, thinking they ARE doing a light rein. However, a lot of horses are so light in the mouth that they won't even try to use themselves when the riders' hands restrict them. They don't lean on the rider's hands, but they also don't try to reach with each stride and they stay rigid with the hands. See if you can let your horse walk, trot, canter and gallop on a totally loose rein.

Then slow his gallop with a slight shift back in your center of gravity and no rein, and then stop him with your seat aid. If you can do that, you're on your way to learning to communicate through your seat and legs without the need for your reins. If you can't, try learning to let the horse carry himself by communicating with your body, without the use of your reins.

Everyone seems to think it is so hard to do, but I've had kids learn to do it and their comments are, "this is so easy". Yes you have to learn how to do it, but when you do, it makes everything that you do with your horse, so easy.

I wish more instructors would try to change, then the system would spread more quickly and there would be a lot more happy horses (and riders). It's not a new system. It's what we were taught 50 years ago. What happened???

At any rate, our course is open to try it on, (if you don't want anyone else seeing you try it until you perfect it more). Always go back to lower heights when you start to let your horse absorb the changes you are making. Your method has become a habit to him just as it has become a habit to you. Habits take some time to change, but the sooner the better! It works. Try it. And if you're really stuck on something, take a lesson on it. Our place is a low key, private farm where there are not others around watching you learn. Then go surprise your friends.

Learn to let your horse enjoy his ride!

For questions, info, or to schedule call Earlen Haven @ 856-769-1916 to learn to let your horse enjoy their ride more. Your horses will thank you for it.

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From Our Friends at Lehigh Valley Dressage Association

2023 On the Levels” - Adding to Your Dressage FromKnowledge Definition Bank to Action: The Next Steps in Social License to Operate

By Ellen Broadhurst

By Ellen Broadhurst

At the 2024 USDF Convention in Houston, David O’Connor, Chief of Sport for the USEF, addressed a topic of growing importance to all equestrian disciplines: Social License to Operate (SLO). O’Connor defined SLO as the public’s perception that an industry is responsible enough to regulate itself. He returned to the 2025 USDF Convention with the action steps the USEF has taken to respond to this challenge over the past year.

Mr. O’Connor began by providing historical context. Prior to World War I, there were approximately 23 million horses in the United States, and horses were a routine part of daily life as working animals. By the 1970s, that number had dropped to between 7 and 9 million, and today many Americans have little or no direct contact with horses at all. As industries such as sea animal exhibitions, circus animals, and greyhound racing have shown, failure to self-regulate leads to outside regulation by entities that do not understand the activity they are regulating. For the equestrian industry, this means we must act proactively. Mr. O’Connor emphasized that the goal is to celebrate what we do, not defend it.

Horses are involved in three primary sectors—racing, showing, and recreation—each with relatively similar economic impact. Despite this, public perception remains concerning. Surveys indicate that two-thirds of people with no horse contact believe horses do not like being used in sport. Even more troubling, when professionals within the equestrian industry were asked the same question, half agreed that horses do not enjoy participation in sport. Mr. O’Connor challenged the audience to consider how the industry can genuinely celebrate its horses when such a significant portion of both insiders and outsiders believe the horses are unhappy.

He stressed that maintaining SLO requires both awareness and cultural change. Longstanding traditions or the belief that “this is how it’s always been done” are no longer sufficient justification. Cultural change happens through education, discussion, and meaningful rule changes.

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Mr. O’Connor then outlined recent USEF actions. As of December 1, 2024, the Federation updated GR838, the Unethical Treatment of a Horse rule, granting USEF authority to sanction egregious conduct occurring outside the competition arena— authority it did not previously have. On April 1, 2025, USEF expanded the existing GR1037.1 Warning Card System by adding Recorded Warnings. This change gives officials the ability to formally document minor issues that do not warrant a Yellow Card, such as loose dogs, minor equipment violations, or uncharacteristic outbursts, while still creating a record for future officials and organizers. Accumulating three or more Recorded Warnings may result in penalties and potential suspension.

Mr. O’Connor underscored that if the equestrian community does not regulate itself, others will step in to do it instead—potentially even Congress—without the knowledge or nuance required to regulate equestrian sport effectively.

These efforts apply across all USEF disciplines, not just dressage, and extend beyond what happens in the competition ring to include training and warm-up areas. USEF has been working to develop guidelines that help officials evaluate horse–human interactions as either horse-friendly or non-horse-friendly. While the ideal relationship is one of conflict-free cooperation, Mr. O’Connor acknowledged that this ideal is not always achievable in practice.

Officials—specifically Stewards and Technical Delegates—are being trained to assess situations using a Green, Yellow, and Red framework.

• Green indicates horse-friendly conduct requiring no action • Yellow signals conspicuous issues that warrant closer attention and monitoring and may reflect miscommunication rather than abuse • Red identifies non-horse-friendly conduct requiring immediate intervention, with responses ranging from warnings to disqualification depending on severity Officials are guided by observations of the horse and rider that include detailed descriptions of Green, Yellow, and Red behaviors in categories such as: Way of Riding, Paces/Gaits, Mouth, Head-Neck Posture, Eyes/Face, Ears, Nostrils/Breathing, Amount of Sweat, Equipment.

A detailed presentation, “Know the Signs,” elaborating on these observations is available for review on the USEF website: Protecting Horses | US Equestrian

https://www.usef.org/horse-welfare/protecting-horses

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And when interacting with athletes, officials are coached that initial contact can often be advisory. Riders may be asked to take a brief break to interrupt an escalating emotional cycle and allow the situation to de-escalate. Only if the behavior continues or worsens, further action may be taken, including verbal warnings, recorded warnings, or formal cards. Mr. O’Connor acknowledged that these guidelines require judgment calls. While they are grounded in the existing rules—particularly GR838—they cannot eliminate subjectivity, which already exists throughout the sport. The guidelines are intended to provide a shared baseline for decision-making rather than rigid prescriptions.

Mr. O’Connor emphasized that education is the starting point of this process, followed by graduated enforcement through the card system, including Recorded Warnings that track repeated behavior across competitions. He pointed to eventing as an example, where dangerous riding can result in recorded warnings and automatic suspensions after repeated offenses.

Mr. O’Connor reassured attendees that these measures will not affect the vast majority of participants. Riders who train with empathy and good horsemanship will likely never encounter these consequences. However, to protect the sport’s SLO, regulation is necessary—even if it is aimed at only a small percentage of participants.

In closing, Mr. O’Connor reiterated that conflict-free cooperation between human and horse is the goal; however sometimes practices can blur the lines between positive and negative. It is necessary to be educated on the numerous observable aspects of a horse in order to review those that are clearly positive or negative, as well as to note any practices that might be nearing a negative practice and intervene.

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News from Outside the Ring The Scoop on Snoop Who can forget when Snoop Dog and Martha Stewart provided live commentary for the dressage competition at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. He was so impressed with what he saw that he declared dressage one of his new favorite sports, appreciating the chemistry between horse and human. Wearing a shadbelly with sneakers and halfchaps, he met with members of the Team USA Dressage, including his idol, Mopsie (Steppen Peter’s partner Suppenkasper), who Snoop called the “rave horse” during to Tokyo 2020 Olympics for his “crip walk” (half-pass). Snoop readily admits that he used to be afraid of horses, but Martha has helped him to not only overcome his fear but also provide him with a rudimentary education about all things equestrian. His entertaining remarks during the Paris games along with his passion for community has led to a new role for the 2026 Olympic/Paralympic Winter Games, and beyond.

Snoop was appointed USA’s first Honorary Coach, not just for the Equestrian Teams but for all of the athletes across sports. We look forward to him bringing his genuine love of dressage back for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

New Year – New Tests The USEA and USEF have announced the publication of the new 2026 Eventing Dressage tests for Beginner Novice through Advanced. These tests are active December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2029. As you prepare for the upcoming show season, check out the new tests here: https://useventing.com/events-competitions/resources/forms-documents Police Horse Palace Going into the new year, Pennsylvania State Police horses will enjoy a new home at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey, PA, where a new state-of-the-art stable has replaced 65-year-old infrastructure. Their new home encompasses a 21,000-square foot barn and 50 acres of newly developed pastures. The stables can accommodate 30 horses, with each horse having their own, large stall in a modern setting designed for their safety and well-being. Pennsylvania’s police horses help officers to monitor crowds and react quickly to situations at large public events, such as concerts, sporting events, and major celebrations. In 2025, they had 239 deployments, including Penn State football games and the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl victory celebration.

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The Future of Dressage Is Bright

By Paige Zimmerman

From December 4th through 6th, I had the opportunity to once again attend the USDF Convention as a PM delegate for Region 1. This was my third year attending as a delegate, and as always, it was great to meet up with everyone, especially those whom I don’t get to see very often. I also really enjoy participating in the governance of our sport, learning about new rule changes, and getting a glimpse of what the future could hold for US dressage (as well as our local shows and events). Here are a few of my takeaways and thoughts from the discussions, and some things I wanted to pass along to our ESDCTA members.

There were several hot topics discussed throughout the convention, one of which was Group Member Organizations (GMOs). As smaller sub-sections of each region and of USDF as a whole, GMOs can offer more localized access to educational events, clinics, shows, etc., and are a big part of bringing up grassroots riders, as well as providing opportunities for professionals, judges, youth, and many more. ESDCTA is a GMO, and one of the larger ones at that, although both small and large GMOs serve an important purpose in their respective areas of influence. GMO membership is unfortunately diminishing nationwide, as is overall competition participation and general membership.

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A big part of the conversation surrounding GMOs was about how to encourage general membership, since there is a very large chunk of USDF Participating Members who are not also members of a GMO. There is also a chunk of people who are only GMO members and are not USDF Participating Members. USDF is actively looking to bridge the divide between GMO members and Participating Members.

In my opinion, bridging the divide can be helped through marketing and clear communication to both sides. Many USDF members may not fully understand the benefit of being part of a GMO, or they may be unaware of the GMOs in their areas and what opportunities those GMOs provide. On the other side of the coin, there may be GMO members who do not compete in USDF-recognized shows and are not aware of the benefits they can receive by being a full USDF member. In both cases, I feel it’s important for GMOs to market to their members the benefits of being (and remaining) part of their GMO, while also getting that information out to people who may not already be part of their organization. I also feel it’s important that GMOs share USDF’s educational opportunities and other benefits so their members get a glimpse of what USDF can provide as a larger, more widespread organization. Education has to go both ways, and communication needs to be easily accessible and available to everyone.

Another topic of discussion was trainer and instructor certification programs. There will be new USDF-led professional development programs beginning in 2026, and some seminar modules for the USDF trainer/instructor programs will be open to anyone who wants to view them. However, only professionals can complete the full program, similar to how the L judge program is set up (where anyone can attend the educational Part 1, but only judges who have completed the initial requirements can complete Part 2). There was also discussion about whether it will eventually be required for trainers to go through this training (or a similar training) to become a certified instructor/trainer. Nothing is set in stone, but it will be interesting to see if this becomes a requirement in the future or if it is brought up again with a more clear plan. plan.

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I don’t personally foresee training being required to become a professional, since our system in the US for bringing up trainers and professionals is not very structured, and so would be very hard to change. That said, providing standards and training for professionals would help change the sport for the better in the long run, provided there is a feasible way to make it happen. From my trip to Aachen this year and learning about the process riders go through in Germany to become a trainer, with years of education and testing, it’s abundantly clear that the system in the US and our infrastructure are much, much different. So, I’m not sure if the German model could ever take off in the US simply due to each country having such different histories and foundations in dressage and riding in general. Riding in Germany is also more common, more normalized, and generally less expensive. Regardless of whether an instructor/trainer educational program becomes required or not in the future, it’s interesting to think about.

Leaning away from wondering about the overarching future of dressage, a few more immediate changes caught my attention regarding new USDF Awards opportunities.

There are some updates in the works. USDF’s Horse Performance Certificate program is changing to the Horse Performance Recognition program. Since the awards committee felt that a certificate was not enough of a commemoration for horses achieving these awards, the program will now include special stall plaques for award winners. The USDF website states, “USDF Horse Performance Certificates are based strictly on the scores a horse achieves over time and need not be earned in one year.

These certificates may be earned at every level, Training through Grand Prix.” These awards can also be earned in the young horse classes. The rules are that a horse must have ten scores of 60% or higher for Training through Grand Prix, or 6.0 or higher for USEF or FEI young horse tests. Scores must be from four different judges and four different competitions (with four scores from the highest test of the level, if applicable). If you are competing at recognized shows, your horse(s) may have already earned some of these awards! I certainly didn’t realize that Ducati had earned them at several levels, and now with the addition of the stall plaques and the revamping of the program, I highly recommend that everyone check their scores and apply to earn an award. More information can be found here.

The USDF awards committee is also working on creating Dressage Seat Equitation year-end

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awards. The current working idea is that there will be four categories: riders aged 13 and under, 14 to 18, 19 to 25, and Adult Amateurs. I am strongly in favor of pushing these awards to become a reality. Dressage Seat Equitation is a super fun class and is always well-attended at Regionals in both the youth and Adult Amateur divisions. Plus, if they divide the ages this way, it provides opportunities for riders ages 19 to 21 to participate. Currently, the Dressage Seat Medal Semi-Finals and Finals are only for riders ages 18 and under, and the Adult Amateur Equitation Finals begin at age 21. Riders who fall in between those age categories don’t have an opportunity to participate in equitation classes except at local shows. Having all these categories would be great for all riders, youth and adults. I can’t wait to see how this awards proposal develops.

In our Region 1 Meeting, we discussed various happenings and events that will be coming in 2026, and we did some planning for the future of our region. Although membership is slightly down nationwide, Region 1 currently stands strong as the largest region. We feel that this is probably due to the popularity of the CBLM Championships, which are unique to Region 1. The 2026 CBLMs will be held down south by the North Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association (NCDCTA). For the 2027 CBLMs, hosts are to submit their interest by early 2026, so 22

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that will be in the works soon. Fingers crossed that the CBLMs come back up north for 2027!

A few other events were discussed during the Region 1 meeting. The DVCTA (Delaware Valley Combined Training Association) is hosting a USDF Continuing Education in Freestyle Judging Program the weekend of March 14 and 15, 2026, led by “S” judge Dolly Hannon. The classroom sessions will take place at the Stroud Water Research Center, and the live rides will be viewed at Windurra in Cochranville, PA. I plan to attend, and I think it will be a lot of fun. Additionally, the Virginia Dressage Association is working on an educational session with Lilo Fore in August of 2026, although nothing has been confirmed yet as far as I know. Dressage at Devon plans to have more educational sessions as well as new seminars to attend in 2026. Lastly, ESDCTA and LVDA will be hosting an “r” judge program in 2026, furthering the education of our dressage judges. I am sure that more local events and educational opportunities will be announced in the coming months as 2026 gets into full swing, but these were just a few that I heard about during our conversations.

There are a few rule changes from USDF and USEF that I would like to note here for competitors to be aware of. There’s nothing too major, but just a few things to remember as a competitor, especially if you’re showing at recognized shows in 2026.

These came into effect December 1, 2025. Scribes cannot be a coach, trainer, or family member of a rider in the class, and they can’t be an owner of a horse in the class. Schooling and lunging schedules for a show must be posted before noon the day before the show begins (this particular rule is very useful at overnight shows when you need to plan your schooling and lunging times). Lunging horses must be separated from riding horses by at least 10 meters. If a rider is riding multiple different horses, ride times on different horses must be separated by at least 50 minutes. For ride times on one horse, times must be separated by at least 25 minutes.

Of course, the rider can override this rule by contacting show management and agreeing in writing that their ride times can be closer together.

There were also some rule changes proposed, but those proposals are still being worked on, and so are not final. From February through April, rule change proposals can be voted on by members, so remember to share your thoughts and to take a look at the full roster of rule changes when the time comes. The rule change proposal that especially interested me was that the double bridle may no longer be allowed at 3rd level (only 4th level and above). I personally find no issue

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with this rule change and would like to see it be voted on and put into action. I’m definitely in the camp of: if the rider or horse can’t do the work of 3rd level in the snaffle, they probably aren’t quite ready for the level and aren’t ready for the double bridle. I understand it being more helpful at 4th level and above, when more engagement and collection is required with the pirouettes, etc. Plus, double bridles cannot be used in the FEI 6-year-old tests, which are equivalent to 3rd level, and the FEI is considering banning the double bridle from FEI Junior competitions, also equivalent to 3rd level. It just makes sense to me to shift the double bridle from 3rd level to 4th level. Additionally, the tests will be changing at the end of next year, since we are getting new tests in 2027. So perhaps the 3rd level tests are changing, and that is what prompted this rule proposal to be considered. That is just speculation, but we will see!

It is worth noting that another large topic of the convention, as was last year, was social license to operate. David O’Connor led a discussion about it at the convention, and our friend at LVDA, Ellen Broadhurst, has written a very comprehensive article about it, which will be in this newsletter issue as well. Please give it a read. This topic is very important for the longevity and acceptance of our sport.

Apart from my experience at the convention, I was honored with an award for one of my ESDCTA articles. “Jumping Into the Deep End” from our May 2025 issue won the award for Best First Person Experience Article for a GMO with 175-499 members.

Thank you to Meredith Rogers for nominating me, and congratulations on her award as well (runner-up general interest article).

I had a great time at the convention this year catching up with everyone and participating in the governance and conversation surrounding our sport. I’m looking forward to the 2026 season and hope to attend the convention again next year.

See you in 2026, in Lexington!

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Rider Fitness: X Halt-Salute

By Meredith Rogers

I am coming to the end of my Equibody experiment. I was skeptical that an exercise program could deliver more than what my regular workouts were giving me, but thanks for the grant from ESDCTA, I took the plunge to try it. I’m glad I did. I’m a different rider than I was 3 months ago. The best way to put it is that this program helped me to overcome my lack of natural talent in the saddle.

Although the exercises chosen for me were based on my initial assessment and so were specific to my issues, here are some overarching concepts that I’ve learned that could apply to anyone. First, think belly button to spine. It’s a concept that is shared with yoga to activate your transverse abdominis. The transverse abdominis helps to promote core stability, maintain proper posture, and reduce the risk of lower back pain. Weak transverse abdominis muscles lead to a bulging abdominal wall, increased inward spine curvature, and joint misalignment. I found that when I think belly button to spine, my feet feel more stable in the stirrups because my leg alignment lengthens. Second is pelvic tuck. Just about all of the exercises I do I have my pelvis tucked as I do them. As riders, we don’t want to stick our butts out in the saddle. Keeping our pelvis tucked fixes the arched lower back and forward pelvic tilt that our bodies want to naturally resort to. Proper pelvis alignment engages the core muscles appropriately, and keeps us, and thereby our horses, in balance. If you have a tendency to fall forward (and thereby put your horse on his forehand), this is especially important. Even when I’m working out at my regular gym, I try to have my pelvis tucked, and have found I have less back pain. Third, hip flexibility is extremely important. I came into this knowing my hip flexors were tight and the initial assessment confirmed it. Many of the exercises I’ve been assigned are designed to give me more flexibility within the hip joint and strengthen the muscles around the hip flexors. Flexible hips allow you to not only move with your horse (think sitting trot) but also manipulate him, for example to adjust his rhythm and in lateral work. Stiff hips means a stiff horse. Of course there’s many other aspects of my riding position I’m working to address, but I found that when I improve upon these three things, many of my other faults, such as rounded shoulders, seem to fix themselves.

Of course all of the progress I’ve experienced only means that I’ve moved the goal posts and still want more. What used to be a good ride I now consider mediocre. We dressage riders are never satisfied, I think in part because we’re always chasing the next level or that everelusive 10. That’s why I’ve signed up to continue with Equibody for the coming year. If you’re interested, they have a waitlist, but if you send me your contact information, I can get you moved to the front of the line to learn more about it (full disclosure, I get a discount if you sign up). Email me at newsletter@esdcta.org with any questions.

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Bit O Woods Farm Dressage Schooling Show 11/2/25

Class: 1 Bridle #

Rider Name 244 Tessa Buchanan

Horse Name Chocolate Delight

Test Leadline W

Score 74.063

Place 1

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Rider Name 246 Lindsey Mulhern 244 Tessa Buchanan 245 Claire Tugman

Horse Name Shanny Chocolate Delight Shanny

Test Leadline W/T Leadline W/T Leadline W/T

Score 78.235 72.353 65.882

Place 1 2 3

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 3 - Starter Rider Division Bridle # Rider Name 240 Makenzie Mitchell 239 Emilia Morgan 238 Nora Staley 234 Tara Brody 236 Penelope Avlonitis 241 Ava Conley

Horse Name Get Her Dun Big Bikkies Madam Fox Empire Line Madam Fox Tommy Hawk

Test Intro A Intro A Intro A Intro A Intro A Intro A

Score 70.938 70.000 66.563 65.000 64.375 61.563

Place 1 2 3 4 5 6

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 4 - Starter Rider Division Bridle # Rider Name 240 Makenzie Mitchell 238 Nora Staley 239 Emilia Morgan 242 Jennifer Fino

Horse Name Get Her Dun Madam Fox Big Bikkies Piece of Paradise

Test Intro B Intro B Intro B Intro B

Score 69.688 68.750 68.750 68.438

Place 1 2 3 4

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 5 - Starter Rider Division Bridle # Rider Name 243 Ava Holliday 242 Jennifer Fino

Horse Name My Wingman Piece of Paradise

Test Intro C Intro C

Score 69.250 68.250

Place 1 2

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 6 - Starter Horse Division Bridle # Rider Name 234 Tara Brody

Horse Name Empire Line

Test Intro A

Score 63.750

Place 1

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 7 - Starter Horse Division Bridle # Rider Name 247 Pippa Hines 247 Pippa Hines

Horse Name Fire Dancer Fire Dancer

Test Intro B Intro B

Score 70.313 70.938

Place 1 h/c

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 10 - Open Division Bridle # Rider Name 248 Hailey Taylor

Horse Name Empire Line

Test Intro B

Score 70.000

Place 1

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 11 - Open Division Bridle # Rider Name 233 Izzy Hines

Horse Name Fire Dancer

Test Intro C

Score 67.500

Place 1

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 14 - Open Division Bridle # Rider Name 232 Sophie Niemann

Horse Name Irish Red

Test Training 1

Score 66.346

Place 1

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 2 Bridle #

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Class: 15 - Open Division Bridle # Rider Name 232 Sophie Niemann

Horse Name Irish Red

Test Training 2

Score 68.276

Place 1

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 17 - Open Division Bridle # Rider Name 203 Brooke Phillips 208 Grace Whitaker 209 Natalie Cole 212 Madeline Conley

Horse Name Good Catholic Girl Indy Belmont The Huntsman

Test USEA Starter USEA Starter USEA Starter USEA Starter

Score 30.667 32.000 32.000 39.667

Place 1 2 2 3

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 18 - Open Division Bridle # Rider Name 250 Danielle Puzio 217 Jessica Campisi 224 Patty Lambert 221 Reaghan Jennings

Horse Name Watch The Tie Misfit Toy Reality Check Chai Tea Latte

Test USEA BN A USEA BN A USEA BN A USEA BN A

Score 30.000 30.294 31.176 32.647

Place 1 2 3 4

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 19 - Open Division Bridle # Rider Name 225 Allie Billings

Horse Name FGF Majestic Jazz

Test USEA BN B

Score 27.500

Place 1

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 20 - Open Division Bridle # Rider Name 229 Adalena Campisi 228 Katherine Elbert

Horse Name Sneaky Rascal Fog Bound

Test USEA Nov A USEA Nov A

Score 27.778 32.222

Place 1 2

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r) Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 22 - Open Division Bridle # Rider Name 231 Brooke Phillips

Horse Name Fulfill

Test USEA Training A

Score 27.222

Place 1

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 28A - Open Division Bridle # Rider Name 249 Kim Lucas

Horse Name Chocolate Delight

Test WDAA B-1

Score 67.692

Place 1

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

Class: 28B - Open Division Bridle # Rider Name 249 Kim Lucas

Horse Name Chocolate Delight

Test WDAA B-2

Score 67.600

Place 1

Judge Susan Jones-Sinelnik (r)

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EVENT CALENDAR ESDCTA’s Calendar contains the complete and up to date list of ESDCTA’s registered shows. It also contains other activities that ESDCTA feels are important to our community.

Click the link to view The Event Calendar

https://www.esdcta.org/home/omni-calendar/ 28

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