Suzan Saylor, of Bellville, TX, has earned her USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals, as well as her USDF Gold Freestyle Bar. Suzan is a long-time member of the Houston Dressage Society.
How long have you been involved in the sport?
I have been riding dressage since the 1970s.
How long have you been a USDF member?
I have been a member of USDF since the 90s.
What made you decide to participate in the USDF L Education Program?
I had been judging dressage schooling shows since I worked for the University of California Polytechnic Pomona, where I taught the beginning to advanced equitation classes in the early 1980s. When I moved to Texas, I was asked to judge even more. The desire to be a better judge and learn led me to USDF’s L Education Program.
Do you plan to further your dressage education and to continue to apply what you learned in the program to become a licensed official?
I would love to continue on to become a licensed official.
Do you serve as a judge for schooling shows in your capacity as an L Graduate? If so, on average, how many per year?
I judge usually 7-13 schooling shows per year, depending on the weather.
What impact did the program have on your dressage knowledge?
The impact the L Education Program had on me was huge. I think that every dressage rider should take the first part of the L Education Program. As a rider and as a judge, we need to know, first of all, the rules, and second, what the judges are looking for.
Name three things you took away from the program that you think every rider should know.
Three things every rider should know: the rules, what the essence of each movement means and how to do it, and what the criteria are for how the movement is being judged.
Have you participated in or completed other USDF programs? Describe.
Most of the programs I have participated in are USDF clinics—as a rider and as an auditor, I have attended many USDF University accredited events.
Tell us about your horse(s).
I have had many wonderful partners. My Grand Prix partner, Feisal, is a Danish Warmblood with whom I earned my USDF Gold Medal and Gold Freestyle Bar. With my horse Kashmere, I earned my USDF Silver Medal and the horse I earned my USDFBronze Medal with was Amarie. I have had many other horses who I competed on, but these are my stars in my barn.
Phone: (979) 865-0103 Email: suzanannsaylor@sbcglobal.net
