Dressage Education for All

USDF launches redesigned Instructor/Trainer Development Program

By Evelyn Lancione; Photographs by Malaika Dixon/Blackbird Photography

Reprinted from the May/June 2024 issue of USDF Connection magazine

In dressage, when you stop learning, you stop improving. To that end, USDF continually strives to make its numerous educational programs better and more useful to members.

The program that received the most recent makeover is the USDF Instructor/Trainer Development Program (I/TDP), formerly the USDF Instructor/Trainer Program. In this article, we’ll explain the updates-and why all dressage enthusiasts can benefit from attending.

A Pathway for Professional Development

Established in 1989, the USDF Instructor Certification Program, as it was first called, was a groundbreaking effort by a group of respected dressage instructor/trainers to create a system of educating and certifying dressage instructor/trainers in the US. It was modeled on the licensing programs for equestrian professionals in Europe, and such masters as the late Col. Anders Lindgren of Sweden were instrumental in helping to develop the curriculum and testing methods. Some of the dressage professionals who worked to create the program became the first certification examiners, and many respected pros have served as faculty members, conducting the workshop sessions.

As the certification program evolved, it became known as the USDF Instructor/Trainer Program. Available levels of certification expanded from the original Training-Second Levels and Third-Fourth Levels to include FEI-level tiers. A number of distinguished US instructor /trainers who had “earned their stripes” before the program’s inception were designated honorary instructor/trainers, and the program workshops on lungeing, teaching, and training were made available for all USDF members to audit, as a way of furthering their dressage educations even if they were not seeking to obtain certification.

In 2019, USDF president George Williams appointed a task force to initiate an extensive review of the Instructor/Trainer Program. The task force-consisting of both program faculty members and other dressage-industry professionals-concluded that, similar to the USDF L Education Program’s distinct educational “tracks” for prospective dressage judges and those simply seeking education, the I/T program needed to likewise create tracks for those seeking certification and those simply attending for educational purposes.

To enhance the educational experience for those participants seeking to obtain certification and to further their careers as professional instructor/trainers, the rechristened USDF Instructor/Trainer Development Program created a Professional Development pathway. This track provides dedicated resources to those who wish to become certified instructors: access to an additional day of seminars, contact with mentors, and more hands-on training with I/TDP faculty members.

In pursuit of the goal of education for all, the 1/TDP remains accessible to all dressage enthusiasts and has proven to be a valuable resource to adult amateurs in their training. All program participants have access to online learning modules and to program-specific educational content curated by the program faculty.

Enhanced Education on Core Topics

Lungeing, training, and teaching remain the cornerstones of the I/TDP’s curriculum. In the revamped program, these three topics will be addressed in what are now known as Dressage Development Seminars. Each seminar takes place over the course of two days, with the first day being open to all USDF members.

Day 1 begins with classroom lecture and discussion using presentations and videos. Open dialog among faculty and participants is encouraged throughout the seminars to ensure an engaging learning environment and to enable attendees to ask questions. Later in the day, a demonstration session with live horses and riders expands on key concepts.

Day 2 of the seminars is limited to eight participants and focuses on the professional-development pathway. Building on the previous day’s material, this intimate session offers a hands-on learning environment featuring live horse/rider combinations and one-on-one instruction by program faculty. Day 2 is structured in an evaluative format but with learning as the main focus, so no scores are given.

For those on the professional-development pathway, certification is available to those who participate in a Professional Development Assessment, which is scored. The two- or three-day assessment session is educational as well as evaluative and covers the three topics of the I/TDP. Those who receive an overall evaluation score of70% or higher at their desired level of proficiency then gain access to the final Certification Examination. Another bonus of the new program format is that those who score over 70% in the area of lungeing may apply that score to the lungeing portion of the final exam.

Benefits of Certification: From the Judge’s Point of View

According to FEI Level 3 and USEF “S” dressage judge Sarah Geikie, who co-chairs the I/TDP Committee, participation in the revamped program will benefit dressage riders and trainers at all levels by imparting a deeper understanding of classical dressage theory, training exercises, and the correct gymnastic development of the horse.

Becoming certified also benefits the sport of dressage, Geikie said: Similar to the way that the USDF L program teaches all prospective judges to apply the same evaluative methodology, the I/TDP holds all dressage instructor/trainers to the same standard and provides them with the theory and skills they need to effectively teach and train riders and horses at all levels. Building a nationwide network of certified dressage instructor/trainers will help to create a solid foundation for our sport for the future. Certified instructor/trainers also receive such benefits as recognition by USDF for their accomplishments and opportunities for lifelong continued education.

Dressage Development Seminars, Professional Development Assessments, and Certification Exams are currently being scheduled around the country (see “Inaugural Instructor/Trainer Development Dressage Seminar Dates Announced” below). For more information, visit the USDF website or send an e-mail to instructorcertification@usdf.org.