Tell us a little about yourself (your location, awards/other certifications you hold, etc):
I am a USDF Bronze Medalist and L Education Program graduate based at my farm, Cold Moon Farm, in Rochester, New Hampshire. I am also a proud H-A graduate of Squamscott Pony Club, and have been a United States Pony Clubs (USPC) National Examiner for 15 years. A former event rider, I now focus mostly on dressage and distance riding.
How long have you been involved in the sport?
I was formally introduced to dressage as a teenager when I joined USPC. Before that, I was a fairly devoted hunt seat equitation rider, and I couldn’t have told you the difference between a working trot and a half pass. As I moved through the levels of Pony Club, dressage was always my weak link. When I was prepping for my “B” certification, I decided to do something about it and spent my college winter break as a working student for Lendon Gray. That was the first time I understood that dressage was about more than making 20-meter circles—and I have been trying to improve ever since.
How long have you been a USDF member?
I have been an off-and-on USDF member since the early 2000s.
What made you decide to participate in the USDF L Education Program?
Instead of intending to become a licensed official, the program seemed like the correct next step in furthering my dressage education. It allowed me to take a mentored “deep dive” into dressage concepts and theory to better understand what the judge is trying to tell you through their comments and scores. Once I started the program, I pulled out my old tests and reviewed them with a fresh perspective, and moving forward, I’ve gained so much more from the judge’s feedback to further my mounts’ training programs. Few other equestrian disciplines give you an opportunity to receive direct feedback from the judge – the L program gives participants the knowledge to maximize that benefit.
How long did it take to complete the program, start to finish?
I think it took me about one year, which was quite lucky because no space was available in any Part II groups. I completed Part I with the Delaware Valley Combined Training Association outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and I finished Part II with a group from North Carolina, testing at Poplar Place in Georgia. I was between horses that season, so it was the perfect opportunity to concentrate on the L curriculum. Plus, I was able to meet some fellow dressage enthusiasts from other regions.
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’m always trying to further my dressage education! However, I do not plan to pursue a USEF ‘r’ dressage license at this time.
Do you serve as a judge for schooling shows in your capacity as an L Graduate? If so, on average, how many per year?
With my background in eventing, I primarily officiate at schooling horse trials and the occasional dressage-only show. I usually judge between 5 and 7 shows and 3 or 4 “ride-review-ride” type clinics yearly.
What impact did the program have on your dressage knowledge?
Participating in the L program was perhaps one of the most impactful things I have done to further my dressage education. Through attending lectures, watching demo riders with their horses, networking with other dressage lovers, and listening to experts, I gained a deep understanding of how to define a dressage concept and recognize it in action. I can now extract so much more from the comments and scores provided to me when I compete, and I better understand the sequential nature of each level.
Name three things you took away from the program that you think every rider should know.
1) You need to read and understand the purpose of the level you are showing. The judge must consider the purpose as they score every movement, and if your performance doesn’t reflect the purpose, you will not score well.
2) Review the directives for each movement. These are the main criteria the judge will be assessing, and they tell you where the main focus of your training should be for that movement.
3) The judge can only assess what they see, and the performance we give in the ring doesn’t always reflect what we can achieve at home. Take their comments seriously, but keep them in context. Judges are not out to hurt your feelings; they genuinely want to help you and your horse.
Have you served in any other official capacity with USDF (council/committee member, council/committee chair, PM/GM delegate, board member/Regional Director, etc.)? Please describe.
I have not. I am the president of the New Hampshire Horse Council and sit on the examiner’s committee for the US Pony Clubs, so I have my hands full with other volunteer leadership opportunities right now.
Tell us about your horse(s).
I am a mare lover! My main two mounts are DRF Isabela, a Connemara cross competing at First Level, and Spring Hollow Or Noir, a Morgan, who is learning the dressage fundamentals. I am lucky enough to also still own my two long-time mounts, Liatris (Thoroughbred cross) and JEF Anna Rose (Connemara cross), who are semi-retired, and a former university lesson horse, Spring Hollow Marquesa, who first showed me just how wonderful Morgans truly are.
Contact:
Email: christinakeimequestrian@gmail.com
Phone: 603-617-9488
Website: www.coldmoonfarm.org
Facebook: Cold Moon Farm LLC
[…] Meet the L Graduate – Christina Keim […]