Bill McMullin – A Journey Through Certification

Read as Bill McMullin, acclaimed USEF ‘S’ judge and USDF Instructor/Trainer Development Program Faculty Member, shares how instructor certification has shaped his career in the dressage ring – on and off the horse!

By Bill McMullin

In the early 90s, as an aspiring dressage rider, trainer, and instructor from northern Vermont, I turned to the newly formed USDF Instructor/Trainer Development Program (then referred to as the USDF Instructor Certification Program) for more experience and validation. Attending the workshops offered in Connecticut over the next year was both challenging and inspirational. To suddenly ride, teach, and lunge in front of not only USDF faculty, but a group of your peers, as well, can certainly seem intimidating! 

Now, there are certifications for Training – First Level, Second Level, Third – Fourth Level, as well as FEI levels, but at that time, there were only two designations for certification: Training – Second Level, and Third – Fourth Level. Beginning with the Training – Second Level workshops, I was lucky enough to be able to bring my two horses with me and share them with other candidates, as we were required to ride both familiar and unfamiliar horses. Between the horses at the host farm and those brought by other candidates, the schedule worked well for everyone to be able to ride as required. I was definitely nervous, especially on the first day – maybe it was from the pressure I put on myself, but it felt more like getting ready for an exam than a work session. However, once we got started, the workshop leaders were helpful and encouraging, guiding us through the format of the ride they wanted to see: warm-up, assessment, body of work, cool-down, and final assessment with a plan for future schooling. 

Additionally, being able to watch this process with the other candidates throughout the day helped all of us feel more comfortable in our next rides. Even riding your own horse in this situation can feel very different than how you might ride and train at home. But by the second day, tensions eased as we (the candidates) got to know each other while taking care of our horses in the barn, sharing stories and commonalities. Little did I know then that some of them would become life-long friends and colleagues… almost 35 years later and counting! 

The lungeing portion definitely posed the most challenges for candidates – especially in the lungeing of the rider – but I will never forget the fantastic demonstration by Lendon Gray as the lunger and Ann Guptill as the lungee; Lendon put her through an amazing array of exercises, which Ann (of course) executed perfectly, including heel touches over the horse’s neck and behind the saddle while cantering! This definitely inspired all of us to get out of our comfort zones! There was a strong emphasis, of course, on safety and the proper use of lungeing equipment, which is still an integral part of the program today. 

To practice teaching in front of the group probably takes the most courage, as many of us at that time were already teaching, but not necessarily experienced clinicians. We were comfortable teaching one-on-one lessons at home… but to present a lesson that was being critiqued not only for its content, but also for your specific language, your own position and stance in the arena, as well as your tone of voice and how it may all influence the success of the lesson, is a whole different ballgame. 

This was truly a turning point for me as an instructor; it was like being on stage, and I was encouraged by the workshop leaders to develop my own style, which gave me tremendous confidence to keep growing as an instructor. 

Within the same year as the workshops, we took a “pre-certification” test, which was run like a mock exam for all three phases of the program over a three-day period. This format put most of us back in the “nervous” zone, as we now had to take what we had practiced and demonstrate as fluidly as possible without the discussion or assistance given in the workshops. It was certainly good practice to prepare for the actual exam, but in retrospect, more feedback during the process would have been helpful to continue growing as a trainer/instructor. The final exam finally came, and I passed all of the sections!

Fast-forwarding a few years to my Third – Fourth Level Certification, many of the same candidates from my Training – Second Level group returned, and having been through the process made it more comfortable from a format perspective. Although we had to muster up the courage to teach when presented with the demonstration riders, some of which being known FEI riders, I soon realized it was a great privilege to teach such capable riders. 

Becoming certified at both levels definitely had a strong influence on growing my own training business. The benefits of networking from the contacts made through the process are invaluable. Like some of the other candidates, I also intertwined the judge’s programs through these years, as well. The USDF “L” Education Program and certification program went hand in hand to reinforce a deeper understanding of the Pyramid of Training and our development as professionals. 

The USDF Instructor/Trainer Development Program Today

More fast forwarding to the present… Now, as an FEI Level Certified Instructor and Senior Faculty Member for the USDF Instructor/Trainer Development Program, as well as a USEF ‘S’ Dressage Judge, I have enjoyed being involved in many different ways. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the program was on hiatus, we worked on making improvements to the program for the future, including the implementation of the Dressage Development Seminars, which are open to all USDF members and cover general education on Training, Teaching, and Lungeing. 

For those wishing to pursue possible certification, the follow-up day to the seminars and the assessments (modeled after the pre-certification exam) has become even more focused on furthering education, as well as preparing for an exam. The emphasis is on learning that, now more than ever, instructors/trainers should be encouraged to continually grow throughout their entire career. We have also added a second faculty member to all of the seminars and assessments, which has been very well received. The dynamic of having two faculty members working together to present not only the core information but also to work with participants during the “hands-on” phase gives much more insight and constructive help to everyone. The committee has spent endless hours reviewing and rewriting the PowerPoints and many other documents that are used to present the information to auditors and participants in a more logical and concise manner. We have worked diligently to ensure that the language is consistent throughout all three phases, making it easier to digest. Despite all this, we acknowledge that it is still a work in progress, and it is being continually “tweaked” and improved. 

Another important change we have incorporated is that established trainers/instructors who meet the qualifications can test at a higher level without having to go through the lower levels of the program first. A frequent misconception is that a competent FEI trainer would have to start at the Training – First Level Certification and work their way up. I have been encouraging some to start at the Third – Fourth Level Certification to become familiar with the program at the assessments, which are required before the exam. We are planning more FEI Level (FEI-B being Prix St. Georges/Intermediate I/A/B, and FEI-A being Intermediate II/Grand Prix) assessments and exams in the future to broaden our base of high-level instructor/trainers, as well as continuing to educate newer instructors and encourage them to grow through the levels. 

It has been extremely rewarding for me to be part of this program for all of these years, and now to have been a part of this restructuring, bringing education to a broader audience and having more qualified instructors in the US, is very fulfilling. I so look forward to seeing the continual expansion over the next years!