I recently went to the USEA convention in Savannah, Georgia. I didn’t make a long trip of it but wanted to be involved with the committee for the newly branded ECP (Eventing Coaches Program), the old ICP. I think everyone should get involved with ECP. I got ICP certified 19 years ago now and in the last year and a half they’ve revamped the program. I went to the Ocala symposium last year to see what it’s about and feel they’ve really made it a good, fun way to get better as a coach. Their interactive format demonstrates how to coach and how to keep us all involved in learning and I found it inspiring. The organizers presented different ways to solve problems, and even demonstrated cross-country coaching, which isn’t done enough. Peter Grey gave a great talk about what the judges are looking for in the dressage tests. I would like to be involved in a workshop because I think it makes you a better teacher. The program felt like a bit of a chore before, now it feels like a necessity to improve your skills. This year’s symposium is January 17-19 in Ocala. People should try and make it. Last year we had bad weather but it was still standing room only and really enjoyable. 

I had not planned to go to the awards luncheon but my great other half, Tom, was kind enough to come with me. He’d never been to Savannah, and I’d only been once. Right before we left Allison Springer told me that Nancy Winter was being awarded the As You Like It Owner’s Award, so we all went to the luncheon to see her receive it. Nancy has supported Allison and me for years and has always been there for us, and it was really special to see her win the award. 

It was great to see everyone get the awards they deserve. I was also happy for my friend, John Bourgoin, to get the Mike Huber Award for his work with the Young Rider program. And it was fun to see Kevin Keane, who never ages and only gets better, receive the the Capital Square USEA Adult Amateur Rider of the Year award and the Col. Allen D. Smith Memorial Trophy. I’ve loved watching Cassie Sanger from Area 1, who had a break-out year and was awarded Young Rider of the Year. I’ve seen her get better and better, and hats-off to Darrah Alexander, her coach—they have a system and it works. Cassie is a calm and class rider who has a great feel with her horses.

Finally, my advice is, if you go to Savannah, take the trolley tour.

We finished our season with Sara Schulman attempting her first two-star long with her Cooley Chromatic, which seems like months ago because time is flying! Caden, as we call him, had a beautiful dressage, and cross-country was mainly good—I thought he handled the hill well, and jumped amazing. Unfortunately, at the second to last down the steep hill, there was a sharp turn to an upright skinny and they never quite got their balance back to make it work. Caden got under the jump and jumped Sara out of the saddle, which sucked for Sarah. If you’re not winning you’re learning, right?

Sarah also rode a client’s horse, Merlo VDL, and did a great job. They were fourth after dressage, with one down in show jumping in the pouring rain with no studs, jumping around in a beautiful rhythm. 

Now we’re in the part of season where we’re practicing how to get balance, and I’m teaching tons of clinics. At home, my friend Sue Lyman has been helping me work on shortening and lengthening at the trot and canter, and making transitions from trot to canter to counter-canter and back to the trot and back to the true canter again. We also work on balance in the turns and making sure our horses are listening to us…duh, the basics. 

Sometimes I feel we get too far away from the basics. One exercise we do is going in an open five stride line to a short turn to an oxer, then coming back to the trot over a small jump. I think this is a good time to practice all those things because sometimes, I think we get away from making sure we’re connected, relaxed and responsive, and we have really good positions with our heels down and chin up. I used to look to Reed Kessler to model great position, and now I think about Jenny Brannigan. A good position can help us react quicker and get balance done early. ​