Dumb question--Intermediate A & B?

[Moutaineer]

Does anyone ever ride these tests?

I've been dressaging for quite a long time, and I'll have to admit that I'd never even heard of them until very recently--I thought the FEI tests were PSG, I1. I2 and GP, the GP Special, and I guess the shortform GP...

And then these other two crop up... where do they sit in relation to the aforementioned? Do you ever see them as TOC tests at your local shows? Arer they more prevalent internationally? All the questions. really

[Tanga]

No! This is my big issue. They are useless. They are in there because they are part of the FEI that allow more tests for the big tour. They mean nothing.

I ran into this because a couple years back I competed Quilla I-1 and I-2 at three shows. Then three months later I get a letter from the USEF saying I had violated the rules by competing non-consecutive levels and they would "kindly" not punish me and just disappear all of the I-2 tests I had ridden. Not one judge or TD noticed it. All of those notices that you read reminding you that they are not consecutive levels are because of ME!

They are useless as basically the US does not do large tours, they count for nothing for year end awards and there are none in the championships. The answer I get is you can school them. Then WHY would you pay all fees to do that? They are supposed to be a stepping stone to GP, but aren't unless you have a horse really good at ones because there are 11 ones. It only has less piaffe and passage.

I have talked to about every judge about it and most of them don't know and are surprised when I say it. Hilda knew, of course, because she knows everything. She said we have them because of the FEI.

I think we should either get rid of them in the US so that I-1 and I-2 can be consecutive, OR have them as part of breed awards and championships to try to move some people up from the bottleneck at I-2. Heidi Gaian's response to having more champ classes was "nor more classes!"

[Moutaineer]

Interesting! Hard to find videos of them too...

I did find a quite nice A test: https://youtu.be/7Ntb1tWegeI

But the B tests are thin on the ground.

I have far too much time on my hands at the moment.

[Tanga]

Yeah. It's a weird thing. I seem to be good at finding things that confuse the TD's and judges and make them issue statements.

Besides this, I used to use a western leather attachment on my curbs, for about ten years. I have super sensitive mares who don't like the chain and hook around their mouths and it was a good, mild solution. And then Heidi Gaian asked a TD to look at it. It was always deemed fine, as I had asked many times. Apparently, pictures of my curb strap were going around at all of the TD meetings. I always talked to the TD's. Then at this show Heidi mentioned it to the TD and she looked at it (I had talked to her several months previously about it) and she said, oh yeah, they ruled it illegal, and I was eliminated!

MANY conversations yielded that it was "illegal" because it had changed the original bit equipment by taking off the curb hooks. BUT, I used those modified curb hooks now that have the little rubber donuts on them, which is modifying them also, and then it legal! But, if you get the USDF news letters, you may remember this has also been in there, reminding people you have to keep the hooks.

I have a friend who is a USDF rep. and these two things I am hoping the USDF works on at some point and does something. I think getting rid of or awarding the A/B would really encourage more riding, and being able to use a leather strap on the curb should be 100% legal because it i so much milder.

[Kelo1]

Tanga, those stories would about make me rage quit the sport. To work so hard, to be trying to protect your horse(s), and then get eliminated through really squirrely and dumb reasons...man. It is making me angry on your behalf.

I skipped A/B -- they're not offered at my shows anyway, maybe you could special request them as a TOC? I dunno, they're certainly an afterthought.

[Tanga]

It is annoying, but there are so many other better reasons to quit, so it's just annoying. I seem to have a focus of finding issues. Last champs. another competitor asked why I didn't have on wraps (or boots) for the championship round. I asked why I would have them? She thought it was required. I knew it wasn't, but checked with the TD anyway. I don't even own polo wraps.

A/B are offered pretty much at all shows that have regular tests, but since no one ever shows them, no one ever puts them in the premium list. This was from my discussion with the show manager, who forgot about them and didn't notice I was "illegally" showing, either. The TOC is the way to enter. But, they are useless to enter as why would you pay all of the fees to officially enter them and then just school?

[Chisamba]

in used to show in a leather curb guard. are they illegal?

[Tanga]

in used to show in a leather curb guard. are they illegal?

A leather guard is fine. But you can't have a leather strap around the bit part! Makes no sense. It was illegal all of the time, but like I said, I showed that way for well over ten years before anyone noticed. Heidi Gaian has eagle eyes and knows all of the rules.

Like I said, the reasoning that I got that made no sense was you cannot change the original curb by taking off the hook. So I asked if I could leave the hooks on and still use the leather straps instead of hooks and got a sideways look.

Really we should be able to just use a complete leather strap as a curb "chain" because it is nothing but mild, right? .Part of the problem is it is an FEI matter, so it's not just going to the USDF. The FEI would have to change the rules.

I used something like this so there was less around the mouth. https://www.statelinetack.com/item/west ... ue%20Terms

[Chisamba]

I agree, a milder fitting should be perfectly legal