News from Outside the Ring Arena Optional: Introduction and Purpose of the Test 7 17 9 Lots of Good Information at the 2025 USEA Convention
Dear Fellow Equestrians,
There might be a light at the end of the tunnel! We froze to death in January, we trudged through the snow and ice of February, now we enter, ugh, mud season. Fingers crossed the mud stays contained to March and we will have a lovely April as a reward for the rough winter we are experiencing.
Despite having to reschedule from February to March, we had a great awards banquet. Thank you all for your patience with the postponement. It was wonderful seeing everyone there. I’ve missed you all. Our awards team and our emcee’s make this event so much fun, I don’t know how we would do it without them.
We had our sports psychology clinic February 28; we are looking forward to the Mechanical Horse Clinic, March 13, the Marilyn Payne clinic, April 4, and the Luis Denziard April 18-19. Then the show season really gets going.
Our long time Chair of the Dressage Committee and former Association President, Lisa Toaldo stepped down from her post. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors. Jennifer Koch has stepped in as the new Chair of the Dressage Committee and is already deep into plans for the Memorial Weekend show and Championships.
Tea Uzman stepped down as our Dressage Member at Large. Marley McCourt, one of our young riders, has stepped into the role of Dressage Member at Large. It is exciting to see the youth members take an interest in our association. Please say hello to Marley when you see her.
I am looking forward to a great 2026 and wish everyone the best.
Volunteer Coordinator Jen Koch youthdressgeshows@gmail.com
CROSS COUNTRY...
News Across Our Region
COMMUNITY NEWS
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!
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!
Milestone
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.
e-mail: newsletter@esdcta.org
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For membership questions including updating physical or e-mail addresses please contact: Heidi Lemack membership@esdcta.org
Deadline: 15th of prior month Email: newsletter@esdcta.org
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By Meredith Rogers
Watching the news is depressing. Looking out the window at the snow is depressing. Staring at the same piece of data on my computer is depressing. Gazing into my horse’s eyes is uplifting. I know what I want to do more of this year! Although riding is a big part of horse ownership for many of us, great benefits are achieved from grooming and just spending time with our equine partners. There are numerous, rigorous scientific studies that show that being around horses helps the mental health of humans. Of course, we don’t need a study to tell us this.
The weather has made getting to the barn difficult. There were a couple of days where I couldn’t get there due to snow-covered roads and other days where I didn’t want to go because the temperature was brutally cold. But I found I couldn’t stay away for long. On more than one occasion I ventured to the barn at feeding time, so that I could bring him in from the field, give him a once-over (without taking off any blankets), and feed him a peppermint before heading home. Other days I did strip off his layers to groom him but quickly redressed him without riding.
As show season sneaks up on us, I’m afraid we’re not ready. In past years, by now I’ve already practiced my tests a bunch of times, even riding my freestyle pattern to music. Not this year. But this year was not like many of the others that came before. First, we’re still recovering from injury. I’m taking it extra slow. Second, when I say “the weather” we all know what that entailed. We got 2 days where we could ride, then were forced to take a break, then we had to restart all over again.
While I am stressing about it (because I stress about everything), I’m not panicking. I’m just adjusting my plans. Instead of starting the season in April, I’ll be waiting until May. My freestyle may need to wait until the end of the season. Qualifying for Regionals is possible with an abbreviated show season but USDF year-end awards may not be. But at the end of the day, I have a horse I enjoy riding, and I’m still learning and growing as a rider. Life is good. Now if only it would stop snowing!
Horse Treats
By Meredith Rogers
Ever since our country’s founding, many of our Presidents have revered the horse. Below are a few of the more interesting stories about our Commanders in Chief and their equines.
President Andrew Jackson, elected in 1828, built a stable on the White House grounds specifically for his racehorses. It cost $3,600 to build but was razed in 1857 to make way for the south wing of the Treasury Department. However, at the time, Jackson had a full racing stable there, and was known to enter and gamble on horses under the name of his nephew and private secretary, Andrew J. Donelson. Perhaps his favorite riding horse was one named Sam Patch after one of America’s first celebrities. The human Sam Patch rose to fame for leaping into the Niagara River near the base of the Falls. Jackson’s official presidential portrait shows him astride the white horse.
President Ulysses S. Grant, elected in 1868, was arrested for speeding in a horse-drawn carriage in Washington, DC, in 1872. The officer gave the President a warning, but that wasn’t enough to stop him from doing a repeat. The very next day, Grant was again caught racing his friends (many who were prominent government officials) and was arrested. It was the first and only time a sitting President has been arrested (it was alleged that President Franklin Pierce was arrested for running down an old woman while drunk on horseback, but that story has largely been debunked). Grant tried to argue that the horses were Thoroughbreds and couldn’t be slowed. Although he went down to the police station willingly, he didn’t show up in court, so he lost his $20 collateral; however, his friends faced much more hefty fines and had to pay up. An interesting fact, William Henry West, the officer who pulled Grant over both times, was Black, and had fought in an all-Black Union regiment during the Civil War. While being brought into the police station, Grant and West exchanged war stories, and afterwards, when many were calling for retribution against West, Grant defended him and promised that “he would not allow any harm to come to West.”
Calvin Coolidge, elected in 1923, loved horseback riding since his youth even though horses made him sneeze. However, as President, he was too busy to ride for leisure and his waistline showed it. John Harvey Kellogg of corn flakes fame came up with a solution in his electric horse, which supposedly perfectly imitated the trot and gallop. Coolidge installed one in the White House and rode it three times a day. He started a trend and the women of the time became big fans of the machines, which cost upwards of $700 (the equivalent to almost $13,000 today), so it was a short-lived fad. Coolidge became the butt of jokes when the electric horse malfunctioned and bucked him off. It is still around and if you want to see it, you can visit the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum, Northampton, MA.
It is no secret that Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980, loved horses. Whenever he could, he would go back to California to ride around his ranch. The problem was that the secret service agents couldn’t keep up, and they kept falling off. Reagan once had to jump off his own horse to help one of his agents who had fallen off and broken his arm. Then comes John Barletta, who had been protecting President Jimmy Carter, but he could ride, so when Carter left the White House, Barletta joined the crew protecting Reagan. That first day, Reagan tested Barletta’s riding prowess by galloping and jumping through the countryside. Barletta kept up, and ended up riding by the President’s side for many of the years to come.
2023 On the Levels” - Adding to Your Dressage Knowledge Bank
From Our Friends at Lehigh Valley Dressage Association Arena Optional: Introduction and Purpose of the Test
By Ellen Broadhurst
By Ellen Broadhurst
Arena Optional is a new monthly column devoted to Adult Amateur education, the kind of education that happens both in the saddle and, occasionally, in yoga pants with a cup of coffee and a laptop. Think of it as continuing education for riders who juggle jobs, families, budgets, aging joints, and an unwavering desire to improve at this maddening, all-encompassing sport.
Adult Amateur dressage riders come in every imaginable variety. We’re former Pony Club kids, enthusiastic adult re-riders, and people who didn’t swing a leg over a saddle until well into adulthood. We are different ages, shapes, backgrounds, and levels of experience, but we share one unifying trait: we want to be better. Better riders, better horsewomen, better partners for our horses, and better stewards of the sport we love.
To that end, we take lessons whenever time and finances allow. We audit clinics, ride in clinics, attend unmounted clinics, read books, watch videos, and ask our trainers just one more question as they are packing up to leave. And still, many of us find ourselves asking, “What else?” What else can help my brain process faster, my body respond more clearly, and my riding improve for the sake of the horses who generously do this with us?
That question leads directly to independent study: education that happens off the horse but shows up clearly when you swing a leg over.
One of the most valuable and often underused benefits of GMO membership is access to USDF University, an extensive educational platform offered by the United States Dressage Federation. USDF University includes an impressive resource library and online courses, all of which can earn you credits that appear on your USDF transcript. Certificates and diplomas are awarded annually, which means your late-night learning habit can actually come with public accolades. Education off the horse is not a substitute for riding, but it is a powerful complement to it.
However, to be honest, USDF University is a massive resource that can be a bit overwhelming for a first time user. But that’s why we're here: to break it down into more digestible chunks. To launch Arena Optional, and ease you into USDF University, we’re pointing to two short audio programs from the USDF University Education Library that are small in time commitment but big in impact.
The first is Pet Peeves of a Dressage Judge with Marilyn Heath, a 10-minute listen worth 0.25 USDF University credits. Heath focuses on something judges see missed again and again: the Purpose of the Level. Dressage, she reminds us, is not about tricks. A horse that can perform a flying change does not automatically belong at Third Level if the basics aren’t solid. She also offers thoughtful insight into addressing harmony issues within a horse-and-rider pair, making this a concise but extremely useful listen.
If you click the “related posts” link after Heath’s program, you’ll find Pet Peeves of a Dressage Judge with Kathy Rowe, another quick audio program and another 0.25 credits. Interestingly, Rowe echoes Heath’s emphasis on the Purpose of the Levels, but reframes it not as a pet peeve, but as a recurring, preventable issue. Her advice is refreshingly practical. She encourages riders to watch videos of high-scoring rides at the level they’re aiming for, not casually, but analytically. Study rider position, the clarity of aids, and, most importantly, the harmony of a pair doing it right. Rowe also discusses rider responsibility, the value of correctly riding the non-flashy movements, and why many test elements should already live comfortably in your daily training. Both programs are excellent examples of how a few minutes of focused, off-horse education can sharpen your understanding and influence your riding.
So, from our quick reading today, here are a couple of questions you can ask yourself: Are you clear on the Purpose of the Levels of the tests you are planning to ride? How much time do you spend watching videos of quality rides at your level? These are easy
study options you can add to a quiet evening at home, with a cup of hot cocoa or your adult beverage of choice.
Arena Optional will continue to explore resources offered by USDF, because sometimes the fastest way to improve your dressage is to sit down, listen carefully, and let your brain do a little homework before your horse ever leaves the stall.
Ellen Broadhurst is an active GMO Board and Committee member with both ESDCTA and LVDA and a dedicated dressage rider. She competes with her two horses across multiple levels, combining a passion for correct training with a strong commitment to education, volunteerism, and supporting the growth of dressage and specifically the education of Adult Amateurs within her local GMOs and through USDF's resources. Interested in working with her Arena Optional?
Contact: ellen.broadhurst25@gmail.com
Lots of Good Information at the 2025 USEA Convention
By Jennifer Duelfer
New Orleans! The Big Easy, home of jazz, Mardi Gras, beignets, and this year’s host to around 300 eventers and eventing officials. Each year, the United States Eventing Association (USEA) welcomes its members for four full days of seminars, committee meetings, and social gatherings all surrounding the sport of eventing. This year’s Convention took place at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel from Thursday, December 11, to Sunday, December 14. The convention was broken up into two “tracks,” with one track tailored to the competitor/rider and members, and the other more suited to organizers and show officials. However, most every meeting and forum was open to all, with attendees being able to pick and choose meetings from either track. CEO Rob Burke said in an interview with the USEA official podcast, he wanted to keep many of the committee meetings and forums open to all and encouraged members to attend all the sessions they could.
Competitor Track
The competitor track held a vast array of informative lectures and panels all designed to improve performance and gain knowledge about our sport. On Friday I was able to attend two different equine nutrition seminars, Feeding the Performance Horse given by Alex Brannon from Nutrena, and Choosing the Right Supplements for Your Horse, given by our own ESDCTA member, Dr. Carey Williams! Brannon gave a very in-depth lecture, including basic dietary needs and feeding tips to help maintain hard keepers and the performance horse. Feeding for improved performance requires quality amino acids via feeds, and possibly adding balancers or topline supplements for optimal muscle development. Brannon also gave timelines for feeding during competition, emphasizing the importance of forage in the stomach to help reduce the occurrence of ulcers.
Dr. Williams gave an interactive seminar where attendees were able to ask questions regarding certain supplements. Audience members asked about all types of supplements from calming supplements and ulcer preventatives to pre- and probiotics. Williams' lecture was so well attended and interesting that it ran over the time allowed, with participants continuing to ask questions about their own horses. We are very lucky to have her as part of our GMO.
At the 2026 dressage tests panel, Jane Hamlin was joined virtually by Marilyn Payne and Sally Ike to discuss the new changes made to the 2026 eventing dressage tests.
Those of us lucky enough to travel south for the winter may have already seen the new tests in action (tests have been in use in competition since December). Attendees were also able to watch videos of the new tests from the judge’s perspective. Payne, Ike, and Hamlin all had a hand in drafting the new tests for 2026 and took feedback from judges and competitors to decide which changes needed to be made. In total 12 new tests were drafted and are available on the USEA website under Forms and Documents.
Riders that dream of riding in a classic 3-day were able to attend the 3-day committee meeting and the “Why Everyone Should Compete in a Classic 3-Day” forum. The classic 3-day is something most of us don’t get to experience. Growing up, I dreamed of one day riding around the roads and tracks phase. When the sport evolved into the short format event, many riders thought that dream had disappeared. Over the years, there has been a big increase in the number of classic 3-day events across the country, and being able to sit in on the committee meeting really gave some insight as to not only how much work goes into a classic 3-day, but how exciting and fulfilling riding in one can be. Preparing for a classic requires really knowing your horse and how to get them fit for all phases. For most of us, it may be the first or only time any of us ever have to go through the nerve wracking trot up, and for those that may have dreams of riding FEI one day, it’s a great learning experience.
During the 3-day committee meeting, attendees were introduced to the new TEAPRO grant. The USEA Foundation has established the TEAPRO Grant (Training and Education in the Art of Pace and Riding in the Open), to support education pertaining to galloping, trot sets, and other forms of riding in the open as well as learn about fitness and conditioning for both horse and rider. The aim is to further education in these skills and to support many of the sport's stakeholders in doing so— riders, horses, trainers, organizers, coaches, clinicians, etc. The grant is available to organizers, trainers and educational groups.
Show official/Organizer Track
A problem-solving seminar for show officials and organizers led by Tim Murray (technical delegate), Sharon White (competitor) and Jeff Kibbie (course designer) was an open discussion regarding issues that organizers have experienced at events over the years. One example occurred in a combined division. This is a division where the dressage and show jumping portions are ridden at the height and difficulty of the higher level, but the cross-country phase is ridden at the lower level. During a real life scenario, a rider competing in a Training/Novice division ended her show jump round with 5 rails down. At the Training level and above, when a rider receives 20 penalties or more during the show jumping round, that rider is given CR and is eliminated from the competition. In most 1-day events where cross country is ridden last,
this would mean that rider would not be allowed to ride cross country. However, this rule only goes into effect at Training level or higher. This meant show officials were left with quite a decision and one that needed to be made quickly because the rider’s cross-country round would be ridden at the Novice level, should that rider be allowed to continue? Ultimately, the decision was made, in the best interest and safety of the rider, to not allow the rider to continue on to cross-country. This discussion really shed light on how difficult the decision-making process can be and the importance of the rules and rule changes.
Speaking of the rule changes, this year’s rule change forum was packed full, with competitors and organizers all waiting to hear and discuss the new and proposed changes. One important rule that will go into effect is the new microchip rule, which will affect all disciplines. The US Equestrian Board of Directors approved a new microchipping rule during the 2023 Mid-Year Board meeting. Beginning December 1, 2025 all horses competing in USEF-licensed or -endorsed competitions must be microchipped with a 15-digit ISO compliant 11784/11785 chip. As far as eventing, this rule does not apply to Starter level horses, as Starter is not yet a USEF-endorsed level. The USEA has also more clearly defined what constitutes a Technical Elimination (TE). TEs are defined as an elimination in which the error is made by the rider in some portion of the competition, for example, forgetting a jump on cross-country or missing the flags, versus a performance-related elimination. More clearly defining what it means to receive a TE ensures that officials and competitors have a more standardized framework to reduce ambiguity.
Some of this year's proposed rule changes included maintaining some consistency at the modified level and FEI 1*. The 1* star level is the entry-level designation for international horse trials and is equivalent to the national modified level. This rule change would match the standards of the FEI 1* level to that of the modified level. Also proposed was some clarifying language that would apply to the Beginner Novice and Novice levels. It was suggested to clearly specify that liverpools and triple combinations and lines of less than five strides would be prohibited. In addition, at the Novice level, the following language has been proposed: “No oxer is allowed in a one-stride combination.”
Another rule change proposal would make the Compulsory Retirement (CR) rule active at all levels. Currently, Starter, Beginner Novice, and Novice are not impacted by this rule. Furthermore, if a rider does continue on after receiving a CR, that rider will be issued a yellow card. Other proposals would allow ear plugs to be used in all phases of the competition, and in an effort to make the sport more accessible to all, requirements for dress would be eased. The stock tie requirement for dressage would be removed and breeches of any conservative color would be allowed. To read the full list
of rule change proposals, visit the USEF website, usef.org and search “rule changes”.
The safety committee meeting led by John Holling was another full house. Jonathan Holling, a professional based in Florida and a member of the Cross Country Safety task force has been largely responsible for raising over $500,000 in frangible pin technology since 2020. Frangible pins have been credited with helping make our sport much safer. These pins and clips help make certain types of cross country obstacles collapsable. In the last 13 years, rotational falls have decreased by 60%, and horse falls in general are down 40%. The committee also discussed a new frangible device called the DM latch. This latch can activate from pressure exerted in all directions, which is different from the pins and MiM clips currently used on frangible fences. The DM latch has been nationally approved for competition but is still waiting on FEI approval.
As those of us up north anxiously await the 2026 show season, it’s vital we stop and remember how important it is to volunteer. The One Team/One Event forum did just that. The purpose of this forum was to find ways to solve the problem organizations such as USEA and ESDCTA face: lack of volunteers. Horse trials and events are particularly volunteer heavy. The USEA is committed to trying to solve the volunteer dilemma. One such way is the Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP). The VIP exists to increase participation and recognize the tireless efforts of the amazing people who give back to the sport of eventing. Among the incentives are the VIP medal program, where volunteers can log their hours and apply for either their bronze, silver or gold medals. VIP digital membership was introduced in 2023. Volunteers who log more than 10 hours or more within 12 months will be eligible to receive a complimentary digital version of the USEA's Supporting Membership. Volunteers need to log their hours on eventingvolunteers.com in order to qualify for any of the benefits of the VIP. Only hours logged at USEA recognized events, or events in the USEA calendar will qualify. If you are interested in volunteering at ESDCTA-recognized horse trials or events, please check our website, or reach out to us at EAtLarge@esdcta.org.
The weekend culminated with the annual luncheon and awards ceremony later that evening. Keynote speaker at the luncheon this year was Natalie Hummel. Hummel owns and runs Natalie Hummel Coaching, designed to improve athlete performance through a systemic understanding of how the body and mind work together to unlock the true potential. Hummel’s address to the room brought home the point that it is up to us to improve and be the change we want to see in our sport. Concerns over horse welfare and scrutiny of the sport have increased in recent years.
According to Natalie, “Eventing is at a turning point. We can choose to defend against the pressures facing our sport, or we can rise to meet them with courage, clarity, and pride. My vision is that every rider—whether Olympian or amateur—has the tools to regulate under pressure, to lead with integrity, and to model a future where the health
of horse and human are inseparable. Together, we can tell a new story of excellence that inspires the world.” Hummel was able to draw a powerful parallel between the collective health of the sport and the internal state of each rider. When we ride and compete from a more regulated place, we as individuals can lead the sport from a higher standard of excellence and integrity.”
Her talk was an inspiring call to take part in reshaping the sport we all love so much. Here’s looking forward to a wonderful 2026 season!
News from Outside the Ring
Eventing Grants Available
If you’re an adult amateur, junior rider, or FEI competitor, you may want to check out these grant opportunities. The Maryland International Equestrian Foundation (MIEF) is accepting applications through February 20 for their scholarships. The MIEF Adult Amateur Scholarship is sponsored by Dale Ganley Clabaugh State Farm Insurance Walkersville and is designed to support adult riders balancing careers, families, and other responsibilities as they pursue their eventing dreams. The scholarship provides a $1,000 credit towards entries at horse trials and clinics at Loch Moy Farm for the 2026 season. The MIEF Junior Rider Scholarship, sponsored by Dover, provides a $500 credit to young riders that can be used for the Highland Series Horse Trials, Twilight Events, Pick Your Time/Test Dressage & Horse, or Jump Round show entries at Loch Moy Farm. FEI riders can apply for 1 of 4 $1,000 awards that can be used to defray entry fees or stabling, travel, or other competition-related costs at the 1*, 2*, 3*, 4* levels at the June Maryland International Horse Trials. For more information and to apply see: https://themarylandhorsetrials.com/maryland-international-equestrian-foundation/scholarships/
Horses and History
Researchers just identified the oldest Chinese writings about horses among nearly 2,500 bamboo slips acquired by Tsinghua University in 2008. Organizing and understanding these fragile strips have taken the researchers 10 years, and used such stateof-the-art techniques as computational paleography and artificial intelligence to read the often incomplete, faded, and archaic text. The equine-specific strips, which are more than 2,000 years old (475-221 BCE), provide detailed instructions on evaluating, training, and management practices that display a sophisticated understanding of horse physiology, behavior, and needs. These texts not only provide insight into ancient Chinese views on horses, but shows how Chinese culture helped shape early civilization worldwide. For all the details about this amazing discovery, see: https://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/en/info/1245/14429.htm
