"L"

*** Do your homework before every class - it is very important to read the material in your "L" binder and write answers to your homework in your "L" binders. Instructors will quiz you and have a class discussions about your homework and about materials.

*** Read USEF Rule Book - before your first "L" session. Highlight and tab pages, information that will be most common to deal with. For example:

Gr 107 Clients, page 1
Gr 116 Disqualifications, page 3
GR302 Cruelty to and Abuse to a horse, page 36
GR309 Time Schedule, page 36
GR322 Ponies, page 40
GR 602 Non protest Decisions, page 68
GR 603 Protests, page 68
GR 804 Competing, page 82
GR 805 Eliminations, page 85
GR 1042 Judges, page 130
GR 1043 Adjudicating, page 130
GR 1123 Special Duties of TD, page 143
GR 1125 Warning Card, page144
GR 1501 Entries, page 163

In Dressage division, you'll need to learn everything by heart.

DR 101 to DR 117 Dressage Judging, pages 1-10 - you will need verbiage from those rules as your tests comments
DR 119 age of show horses, blind horses, number of tests per day, Juniors, Young Riders, Hors De Concours, disabilities,..
DR 120 Dress, page 13
DR 121 Saddles & Equipment, page 15
DR 122 Test calling, salute, voice, page 21
Lameness, insufficient/sufficient, comments for 6 and below, accuracy, grinding teeth, tongue out, open mouth, fall of horse/rider, horse leaves arena, tongue tied up, re-start for unusual circumstances, time-outs, 45 second entry rule, 20 second resistance rule, page 23
Scale of Marks, unauthorized assistance, page 24
DR 123 scoring, ties, page 25
DR 124 Elimination, page 25
DR 126 Scheduling, scribes, arena letters, page 26
and so on...

*** Memorize the score scale - DR 122-8 page 24.

*** Memorize Training Pyramid link here

*** Learn Errors Rules - write down 20 situations for various errors and justify your errors: why it is an error and not just a down score? Make sure that you are not doing a double jeopardy by giving an error and down scoring for the same movements b/c of an error. Be clear when to ring the bell and when not to ring the bell. Be clear when to choose not to give an error, but just down score as insufficient.

*** Learn Elimination Rules - you'll have to scout the Rule Book in both General and Dressage Sections to list all of the Elimination Rules. Be clear who can give what eliminations rules: like vets, judges, show management?

*** Memorize Purpose of levels - look at the Training, 1st and 2nd level tests, the "purpose" is written on the very top of each test. Memorize it. You will use verbiage from it as your test specific comments.

*** Memorize Collective Marks Definitions - you can find them at the very bottom of each test: definition of Gaits, Impulsion, Obedience and Rider. You will use verbiage from it as your movement specific comments.

*** Take notes in the class - instructors have the latest information that might be not written yet in your folders. If instructor points out that will be in exam - take detailed notes about it!

*** Make your dressage tests diagrams early - you will have to judge dressage tests from your own diagrams. Make sure that you will practice judging at home from those diagrams, before judging from them affront of your instructors. Know where each movement starts and where it ends = that is important.

*** Listen and learn from the instructors - some people stand on their own way of learning, thinking they knew more than the faculty. Ask questions and clarifications, but don't bully-argue with instructors. Don't yell or use rude or vulgar language.

*** Be ready to score rides and parts of rides in front of a group, and be able to defend your scores and comments when questioned - in front of the group. The group may often include auditors, so it may be a group of 10 people, or it may be a group of 50 people!

*** Be confident enough to stand by your decision and be able to defend it - you have to be able to voice what you see in just a few words, without hesitating. You don't have TIME to hesitate and search for the right words.

*** Start your scribing hours early - arrange to scribe with various judges and bring the note book. If you like their verbiage, take notes of it. Try to memorize usefully judging comments.

*** Start your sitting hours early - Contact both judges and show management early to arrange to sit with "L" faculty judges. Dress appropriately. Write a thank you card for both judge and show management Judge in your head together with a judge and read their further remarks. Judges may ask you to give further remarks or comments or test you on rules knowledge. It's easier to get sitting hours at the large shows. Record your hours. check with USDF that all judges sent your hours and that you have enough.

*** Be prepared! - buy a judging bag that can hold a rubber seat cushion, blanket, water bottle, black & red pens, yellow highlighter, paper clips, white out, 2 medium size calculators for you and your scribe, your tests diagrams folder, sunscreen, pills, personal hygiene items, etc. Buy a long size clipboard and chairs for you and your scribe. Get hands and leg warmers for cold weather and ice bags for hot weather. Get gloves with open fingers.

*** Get bladder control - caffeine makes you go more. Salty food makes you go less. Try drinking tomato juice and eating chips. Avoid coke and coffee.

*** Dress professionally - no sport-type, camping-type clothing or jeans. No open toe shoes or bright running shoes. A nice hat with a scarf can turn most outfits in to a judging outfit. Try to cover your shoulders from the sun with sleeves. For rainy days, buy a waterproof hat. If you will wear a skirt, make sure that it's long enough for you to sit and not flash. Same goes for low raise pants, get pants that sit higher on your waist. Your instructors will be walking right behind you.

Test scores: It's the best if your scores matches instructor's scores. However, it is allowed to be 1 score "off" from the judge/instructor. So if my instructor gave a 7, but I gave an 8 and somebody gave a 6 for the same movement = all of us would be OK, b/c we are with in 1 point difference. However, If you have 2 point difference from your instructor, that would be a red flag, instructor would ask you to highlight that movement on your test and those tests are collected by instructors. You will be down graded by your instructor for 2 point differences.

Scores of collective marks should be similar in % to the scores of the body of the test. For example if the body of the test comes up to high 60%, the collective marks should match that and be approximately in the same % range of mid-high 60%. If the collective marks are significantly lower or higher than the body of the test marks, you will be down graded by your instructor for that.

"L" candidates are evaluated on seven combined aspects and each of them gets a score, some are coefficient of x2. Then those scores are added up and divided by the possible points (100) so the final total percentage is drawn - just like at the dressage tests. To pass "L" program you need to score 65% and to pass with distinction you need to score 70%+. Think of it just as your dressage tests scores and percentage. I wrote a shortened and paraphrased version below:

Final Exam Evaluation Form