Tell us a little about yourself (your location, awards/other certifications you hold, etc):
My location is Pennington, New Jersey. I am a licensed Occupational Therapist and Founder/Director of a therapeutic riding program (Unicorn Therapeutic Riding) and a Thoroughbred rehoming program (South Jersey Thoroughbred Rescue and Adoption [SJTR]) – both are non-profits.
How long have you been involved in the sport?
I have ridden my entire life. I evented until a few years ago when I decided to concentrate solely on dressage.
How long have you been a USDF member?
I have been a USDF member for approximately 25 years.
What made you decide to participate in the USDF L Education Program?
I have always been passionate about education and furthering my own skills. I heard wonderful things about the USDF L Education Program and decided to give it a try to further my own knowledge. I was not disappointed! I was lucky enough to do Part 2, the “Candidate’s Evaluation,” with the New England Dressage Association (NEDA), and they were absolutely amazing from start to finish.
How long did it take to complete the program, start to finish?
I had planned to do Part 1, “A Judge’s Perspective,” in Oklahoma during the summer of 2022, but my flight from Philadelphia was canceled at the very last minute (at the airport!), which completely shut me out of that plan. Instead, that summer, I decided to focus on getting my scores for Part 2, which paid off because after completing Part 1, I was immediately ready for Part 2. I completed Part 1 over three months in 2023 with the Central New York Dressage & Combined Training Association, and the next weekend in April, I went on to Part 2 with NEDA, finishing up with the final exam during the last weekend of August. It was fast, but it worked for me! I was incredibly proud to receive the certificate in the mail denoting me as an L Graduate with Distinction. I feel very honored with this achievement and lucky to have had some mentors and judges who were so encouraging and giving of their time. One of the presenters for Part 2 told me to “plan on not doing much else for the next few months” when she heard my final exam was at the end of August. She was not far off with that comment! I was also lucky to have a few people committed to a study group that honestly helped a lot. Now, I am looking forward to the next steps; the program was such a focus of mine for so long that I feel a bit like I felt after completing a marathon – happy and excited for a successful completion, but what is next?
Do you plan to further your dressage education and to continue to apply what you learned in the program to become a licensed official?
Yes, absolutely. I am so looking forward to the next USDF program. I love learning and am very committed to continuing my education.
Do you serve as a judge for schooling shows in your capacity as an L Graduate? If so, on average, how many per year?
Since I just graduated from the L Education Program a few months ago, I will be judging my first schooling shows this fall.
What impact did the program have on your dressage knowledge?
The program was amazing. It has helped my own riding immensely. The foundation has helped me with my own teaching and connecting the dots of basics to a degree that is hard to describe. I would recommend it to every dressage rider.
Name three things you took away from the program that you think every rider should know.
- Respect your judge!
- Understand the Pyramid of Training
- Basics really matter – conquer them before you push to the next level
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 am the former President of Health and Recreation through Horses of New Jersey, a therapeutic riding facility, and a current member of the Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association, Delaware Valley Combined Training Association, NEDA, and the Amwell Valley Hounds. As stated above, I am also the Founder and Director of Unicorn Therapeutic Riding (since 1988) and SJTR (since 2006).
Tell us about your horse(s).
My competition horse is my eleven-year-old homebred Merlot. He is a Dutch Warmblood/Thoroughbred gelding by Wamberto. He evented very successfully through Preliminary before switching over to dressage a few years ago. I am so lucky to have him and proud to have bred him. He is currently showing Fourth Level, and we are working toward our USDF Silver Medal and getting the scores required for the USEF ‘r’ Judge Training Program. We are very fortunate to train with Heather Mason and Mallory Chambers.
Contact:
Email: erin@unicornriding.com
Phone: 609-354-2014
