The Real World · Most of the dilemmas the YR grads brought up can be The Real World At the...

42 April 2014 • USDF ConneCtion

everybody who starts a business discovers that it

takes a lot more than a great product or service to

be successful.

Tere are chores like bookkeeping. Customer

relations. Legal matters. Te list goes on. And chances are,

if you’re great at baking cakes or building websites or train-

ing horses, you don’t know much about these important an-

cillary skills when you start out.

For years, fedgling dressage professionals got uncere-

moniously dumped into the open waters of the horse indus-

try without so much as a life ring. You won a gold medal at

Young Riders? Great! now buh-bye and good luck.

Te USDF and the United States equestrian Federation

created an educational weekend program to help bridge the

gap. Te USDF/USeF Young Rider Graduate Program is a

fast-paced, classroom-learning event held every other year.

Selected applicants hear from specialty equine-industry ex-

perts as well as successful dressage pros, who provide men-

toring in the form of hard-earned knowledge, sage advice,

and a few war stories. Te Dressage Foundation, Lincoln,

ne, provides funding support in the form of grants to se-

lected participants and to USDF, to help ofset the costs of

attending.

Te 2014 YR Grad Program was held January 18-19 in

West Palm Beach, FL. of the 28 participants, some are al-

ready working as dressage professionals while others are in

college, doing stints as working students, or a combination

thereof. in this article we’ll share highlights of the presenta-

tions—many of which should be of interest to any dressage

pro, whether newcomer or veteran.

Client Relations

Roz Kinstler, of South Lyon, Mi, chairs the USDF Youth

Programs Committee, and she’s also a longtime dressage in-

structor, trainer, and Fei-level competitor. As such she was

well equipped to speak on the topic of dealing with clients.

Most of the dilemmas the YR grads brought up can be

The Real WorldAt the USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program,

all the things they didn’t teach you in riding school

BY JenniFeR o. BRYAnt

GRADUATES: Te 2014 USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate

Program participants pose with their certifcates of completion

JEN

NIF

ER B

RYA

NT

Pages Feature.indd 42 3/10/2014 12:07:46 PM

USDF ConneCtion • April 2014 43

resolved with a dose of polite assertiveness, according to

Kinstler. Questions ranged from “What can i do about the

client who phones me at 10:30 p.m. to discuss her training?”

to “How do i handle the fearful student on an unsuitable

horse?”

“You need to have the conversation,” was Kinstler’s fre-

quent reply. it can be difcult to broach a sensitive topic;

but a tactful, professional, honest discussion is usually bet-

ter than dropping hints and nurturing resentments.

“establish boundaries,” advised Kinstler, who said she

maintains business hours and silences her cell phone to

all except emergency contacts in her of hours. “Set your

schedule so you are at your best when you take customers.”

Te old adage about not mixing business with pleasure

holds true, according to Kinstler. Relationships can become

strained if personal connections are involved. “You really

need to keep the business and the friendship separated,” she

said.

Conduct yourself in a mature, professional manner. “it’s

really bad business to speak badly of another trainer,” said

Kinstler. Likewise, “i’m not territorial with my customers,”

she said; her students are free to, say, take clinics with other

trainers. Tese policies demonstrate confdence in one’s

own abilities, she said.

Attracting Sponsors and Supporters

Very few riders are able to fnance their own dressage suc-

cess. Additional support in the way of sponsorships is often

necessary.

Several speakers at the YR Grad Program touched on

the subjects of sponsorships and related issues.

Debbie Witty, president of Performance Saddlery, Gro-

ton, nY, maker of trilogy saddles, herself is a sponsor of

several dressage riders. She explained her sponsorship

agreements and how she selects the trilogy “ambassadors.”

“i don’t pay my riders. Lots of companies pay their rid-

ers. My riders get my product, and they get me,” Witty said.

Witty’s frst sponsorship tier is to refock the rider’s sad-

dles at no charge. Support may increase to include saddle

pads with the trilogy logo and the saddles themselves.

“What am i looking for? People who are out there doing

it—people with clients, students, and an opportunity to do

more than they’re doing now. i look for possibilities,” Witty

said.

Because an ambassador refects on her company, the

person’s image and behavior are important to Witty. “ev-

erybody works hard, but some people stand out for me be-

cause of their conduct. Tere are high-level riders i haven’t

sponsored because i don’t trust that they will make me look

good.”

“i want someone who’s gracious and thoughtful and

considerate,” Witty said. A turnof, she related, was the time

she donated a saddle as a prize for the winner of a Young

Rider class at Dressage at Devon (PA). “Te kids came in [to

my booth] with a sense of entitlement. Tey didn’t intro-

duce themselves or say thank you for the opportunity. Tey

just said, ‘i’m here to see what i can win.’”

Diferent people prefer to be approached in diferent

ways. For Witty, who said she receives hundreds of e-mail

messages each day, the old-fashioned method is best: “Send

a handwritten note and a picture of yourself using the prod-

uct. explain why you’re interested in them and their prod-

uct. tell them about yourself. Do some research: Figure out

what products you love. Why do you love it?”

Corporate sponsors back riders because they want

positive exposure for their goods and services. Tese days,

social media are big players—and that’s why Witty “loves

mentions on riders’ Facebook pages.”

Te subject of Facebook brings us to the next topic: im-

age. equestrian public-relations manager Lindsay McCall

spoke on the topic of media relations. USDF education-

programs coordinator Victoria trout discussed social me-

dia and image awareness. Both women touched on the im-

portance of curating one’s online image. [

YOUTH ADVOCATE: USDF Youth Programs Committee chair and YR

Grad Program speaker Roz Kinstler

JEN

NIF

ER B

RYA

NT



When a prospective client or sponsor Googles you (and

they will, trout advised), what will they fnd? Remove or

make private any questionable content or images—and that

includes photos or video showing you riding without ap-

proved headgear, she said. Set business colleagues’ Face-

book status to “acquaintances,” and “save ‘friend’ status for

truly personal friends,” trout suggested.

“You are a brand,” McCall said. She advised purchas-

ing one’s name as a website domain name as a step toward

building that brand across online platforms.

You never know when a chance encounter might sow

the seeds for a new sponsorship or client. And if you’re suc-

cessful enough that people want to interview you, you’ll

need to be prepared. Compose a brief “elevator speech” that

summarizes your background, accomplishments, and goals,

McCall advised. Accommodate the media as quickly and

graciously as possible (they have deadlines to meet), and

always conduct yourself in a professional manner, she said.

Journalist and equine-industry PR pro Johnny Robb

rounded out the discussion by explaining the corporate side

of sponsorships.

Sponsorship is a business deal, Robb emphasized: if a

company sponsors you, what will they receive in return?

Consider what you can ofer—exposure, endorsements,

even product testing or technical consulting—before you

approach a potential sponsor. And one of the best selling

points, she said, is genuine enthusiasm for the sponsor’s

product or service.

Although Witty said she does her sponsorship deals on

a handshake, Robb advised getting an agreement in writing.

Be sure to hold up your end of the bargain, be it sponsor

mentions during interviews, appearances at sponsor booths

at events, posing for ads, or using tack or apparel with the

sponsor’s logo, Robb said.

Legal Issues

no one at the YR Grad Program needed to learn that horses

can be dangerous and unpredictable. What they may not

have known, however, is how to protect themselves and

their businesses from resulting lawsuits and other legal is-

sues.

A legalese lecture may not sound riveting, but equine

lawyer Yvonne ocrant’s two-part presentation had the au-

dience in thrall—part horrifed, part fascinated by her sto-

ries of lawsuits against which she has had to defend equine

professionals.

ocrant, a partner with Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in

Chicago, is herself an equestrian. ninety percent of her

practice is devoted to equine-liability cases, she estimated.

Her talks focused on two key aspects of her practice: liabil-

ity issues and contracts.

“Te states recognize the fnancial benefts of equine

activities but acknowledge the risks. Liability statutes de-

lineate the risks onto the participants,” ocrant said. “You

need to understand your state’s law. Tere are exceptions

to liability protections.” For example, she said, faulty tack or

equipment is an exception.

A state’s equine-liability statute includes important def-

initions. “What is an ‘equine activity’? You need to know

because, if the activity in question is not included in the

defnition in the statute, there is no liability protection,”

ocrant explained. Another key defnition is “participant”:

if a person’s activity (say, a spectator at a show or the parent

of a child taking a riding lesson) does not meet the statute’s

defnition of participant, then that person would not fall un-

der the liability statute.

“Your warning signs,” said ocrant, referring to the signs

posted at the entrances to equine facilities, “should make all

who enter the premises a participant. And your contracts

should state that everyone is participating in equine activities,”

even if they’re just a visitor, a spectator, or a volunteer, she said.

THE SPONSOR’S PERSPECTIVE: Performance Saddlery president

Debbie Witty addresses the audience

JEN

NIF

ER B

RYA

NT

Download the Florida consumer-

protection statute pertaining to

horse sales.

Digital Edition Bonus Content



Yes, everyone who sets foot on your property (except

for kids, who legally can’t sign liability agreements) needs to

sign a release, ocrant said. “A lot of deals are still done on a

handshake, but people will sue. Don’t let the older generation

convince you that’s the way to do things. We need contracts.”

An equine lawyer can help you draft an efective liability

release, ofcially termed a Release, Waiver, Hold Harmless,

and indemnifcation Agreement. Te release should spell

out the assumed inherent risks of equine activities (get the

list from your state’s liability statute; then bolster it with ad-

ditional examples), ocrant said. in the event of a lawsuit, a

detailed list of risks will help to educate the opposing coun-

sel, the judge, and potentially a jury about what horses can

do, she said. Te release should also defne “participant,”

and it should identify the released parties—everyone from

the property owner to the employees and working students,

to name just a few. ocrant also favors the clause “Partici-

pant agrees to reimburse the released parties for any and

all attorneys’ fees incurred in enforcing the terms of this

agreement.”

“not only will your liability release help protect you,

but it could also be a deterrent against someone suing you,”

ocrant said: A lawyer who works on a contingency basis

may see a detailed release and have doubts about the likeli-

hood of winning. “Tat might be all that’s needed for him

to say, ‘i don’t think i’ll take your case.’ You might have just

avoided a serious litigation case.”

Sale and lease agreements are common horse-industry

contracts, ocrant said, but you might be surprised to learn

that “Many bills of sale are not legally enforceable” because

they lack necessary language, she said.

Some states with a lot of equine-industry activity have

consumer-protection statutes on the books that establish

minimum requirements pertaining to horse sales. one that

ocrant cited is Florida: Chapter 5H-26, Sales and Purchases

of Horses, sets forth defnitions and language that must ap-

pear in sales agreements.

“Look for similar language to fnd your state’s statute,”

ocrant advised. Key words and phrases to search for are

“horse,” “agency transaction,” “dual agency,” and “sale and

purchase.”

For other types of contracts, such as those governing

lease or training agreements, ocrant encouraged her audi-

ence to develop documents that meet their unique needs.

“Te beauty of these contracts is that it’s your deal. Tat’s

why forms don’t work. i don’t want you to use forms be-

cause i don’t think they will do the deal the way you want it

done,” she said. [

USDFScores.comis the offcial USDF

source for the most

accurate and complete

dressage scores

•Expandedsearchfunctionality

•Customizablereportswith

advancedsortingand

graphingoptions

•AccesstoUSDFqualifcations

andstandings

Login&Explorethis

USDFMemberBeneft!


http://USDFScores.com


Ultimately, said ocrant, solid liability releases and con-

tracts are a strong line of defense, but they’re not bullet-

proof.

“You can’t protect yourself from everything; you can

only act reasonably,” she said.

Enhancing Your Credentialsearning an advanced degree demonstrates high-level mas-

tery of a subject. Dressage professionals similarly may de-

cide to bolster their own credentials by earning instructor

certifcation or a judge’s license, for example.

USDF instructor/trainer Program examiner Lilo Fore

and faculty member and Fourth Level certifed instructor

Annie Morris explained the advantages of obtaining USDF

certifcation.

“Certifcation greatly improved my teaching, and the ex-

posure has helped my business,” said Morris, of Columbia,

Ct. “Te most important thing about doing this program

was that it was so intellectually challenging. it really deep-

ens your understanding of why you do what you do.”

“Te program makes you read. it makes you gain and seek

education. it makes you ask yourself, ‘is this something i want

to do for the rest of my life?’” added Fore, of Santa Rosa, CA.

“if you learn to train well and to ride well, everyone can

see it,” Fore said. “You don’t have to tell people you are a

good rider. Your education will show always.

“if you want to fulfll your dream of becoming the best

rider you can be, it won’t happen by the seat of your pants.

it happens through education,” said Fore.

“You may think you don’t want to be a judge. Tat’s oK;

i didn’t want to be a judge either,” said Fei 4* dressage judge

Janet Foy, of Colorado Springs, Co, who came to discuss

the USDF “L” education Program.

Created to establish an educational standard for aspiring

dressage judges in the US, the “L” program still is the begin-

ning of the US judging pipeline—one must graduate with

distinction before entering the USeF program to obtain a

dressage judging license—but it has evolved to become a

cornerstone of American dressage education, with the des-

ignation of sections designed to accommodate auditors.

“Go through the ‘L’ program and the exam even if you don’t

want to be a judge. At least go audit the program. Sections A,

B, and C [the portions open to auditors] are 100 percent neces-

sary for anybody who wants to train a horse,” said Foy.

Judging is a way to give back to the sport. it is presti-

gious. However, it is not fnancially rewarding until one

reaches the USeF “S” (senior) level—even then, consider

the income supplemental, not primary—and the credential-

ing curve is a long one, said Foy. it takes a good ten years

or so to earn one’s “S,” with another three years on top of

that before one can apply to enter the Fei judge program,

she said. For that reason, she encouraged those interested in

becoming dressage judges to get started early.

Just like graduate school, obtaining certifcations and

licenses can be costly. Te philanthropic organization Te

A LEG UP: YR Grad Program participants Holly Bergay (CA), Sydni Ottesen (UT), Mimi Stanley (ND), Laura Ovaitt (KY), and Emily Brollier (KY)

each received a $500 Capt. Jack Fritz Young Professional Grant from Te Dressage Foundation to attend the event. TDF also provided a $15,000

grant to the USDF to help keep costs down for all participants.

VIC

TO

RIA

TRO

UT/U

SD

F



Dressage Foundation has grants and scholarships available to

instructors, judges, breeders, amateur riders, and others, said

Beth Baumert, Columbia, Ct, the organization’s president.

“We have a mission, which is to help fnance the educa-

tion of those in the sport of dressage,” said Baumert, who

encouraged those in attendance to establish a habit of phi-

lanthropy. “Find a cause that’s really important to you and

send them twenty-fve dollars.”

Baumert urged the YR grads not only to give but to save

for retirement. She herself did not begin saving until later in

life and regrets not having started sooner, she said. Tanks

to the magic of compound interest, a person who opens a

Roth iRA at age 21 may accumulate a seven-fgure nest egg

by age 60, contributing a modest sum each year; someone

who doesn’t start saving for another 10 or 20 years will amass

far less even if he or she invests more per year, Baumert said.

Professional DevelopmentYears ago, training in europe was de rigeur for the aspiring

US elite dressage rider to obtain excellent training and get

exposure to the highest levels of the sport. At the YR Grad

Program, veterans discussed modern training opportuni-

ties both Stateside and abroad.

olympian Lendon Gray, of Bedford, nY, believes that

there are plenty of educational opportunities to be had

without crossing the pond. She credits the proliferation of

good teachers and trainers in the US, and another impor-

tant factor is the internet.

“Te opportunities online now are endless. i don’t think

there’s a horse in the world you can’t fnd video of,” Gray said.

not everybody wants to—or can aford to—pack up and

go to europe. if you’re one of them, then get creative about

your dressage education.

“Video yourself riding. You could compare similar

movements to someone you admire. Do you look like that

rider you admire? if not, why not?” Gray said.

“Read. Are you educating yourself of the horse as much

as you can? Sit with a judge. if you don’t know how they

judge, how can you be the best competitor you can be?”

Gray also recommended attending educational programs,

such as the USDF “L” program; USDF instructor work-

shops; and USDF clinics, symposia, and trainers’ Confer-

ences.

Watch the warm-up at dressage shows, Gray suggested.

“Watch top trainers with horses like you encounter every

day—the level that you’re riding, the type of horse you’re

riding, maybe the type of horse you’re going to be teaching.”

PODCAST

Check out USDF’s New Podcast Channel

Providing education and insight

into our sport, as well as information

about USDF programs and events.

Available via the

USDF website

and iTunes.



“i cannot emphasize strongly enough the value of sitting

in the corner, watching,” Gray said.

Another important educational track is the USeF

dressage “pipeline,” with its national coaches, clinics, and

championships for ponies, youth, young horses, developing

horses and riders, and high-performance pairs; and related

USDF eforts, such as the Dressage Seat Medal program

and the junior/young-rider clinics. Jenny van Wieren-Page,

USeF managing director of dressage, encouraged the audi-

ence members to contact coaches Jeremy Steinberg, Scott

Hassler, Debbie McDonald, and Robert Dover with any

questions.

“Tey all interact,” she said.

Many dressage professionals still wind up traveling to

europe eventually to train, compete, or both; and some be-

lieve that if you’re going to learn dressage, you might as well

go to the cradle of the modern sport. Among them is in-

ternational competitor Catherine Haddad Staller, who now

calls Califon, nJ, home after almost 20 years in Germany.

“i think going to europe to further your education is a

very good idea. i do not believe that in this country we will

ever have enough well-educated professionals. Tis coun-

try is very lacking in people who really know what they’re

doing—people with a comprehensive skill set, who i would

consider to be top trainers,” Staller said.

Te primary diference between dressage in the US and

dressage in europe and Great Britain, according to Staller,

is that those countries “recognize riding as a vocation.” Ac-

cordingly, they maintain rigorous educational and certif-

cation programs for equine professionals in all aspects of

the horse industry, from dressage and jumping teaching and

training to breeding and stable management, she said.

“Anyone who wants to be a professional in this sport

ought to be able to back it up with a certifcate, and it had

better be worth something,” said Staller, who holds British

Horse Society Assistant instructor certifcation. BHS certi-

fcation is more accessible to Americans (for starters, it’s in

english) than the German Bereiter system, she said.

Likewise, Americans who go to europe to study dressage

need to understand in advance some important cultural dif-

ferences, Staller said. She illustrated her point before she’d

even begun her lecture, startling the YR Grad Program at-

tendees with an order to clear their tables of electronic de-

vices and to straighten the tables into neat rows.

“if you go to train in europe, be prepared to follow direct

orders without ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’” Te British employ

some of the niceties, but they are largely absent on the Con-

tinent, Staller said.

in Germany, Staller explained, there is a rigidity and

an emphasis on order and systems that can be difcult for

Americans to accept. “You are told, not asked, to do things,

and you do not question why.” Tere is a rationale behind

the rules—such as the insistence on hanging bridles per-

fectly straight in the tack room, which saves time when

tacking up—but the student is not given an explanation and

must deduce the reason on her own, Staller said.

Similarly, dressage students receive no hand-holding,

according to Staller. “Learning is your responsibility. Te

trainers will show you things or let you feel things. it’s your

job to fgure it out.”

Working-student positions in europe can be hard to

come by and often involve no riding, but Staller believes they

can be an invaluable experience. Just make sure you learn at

least some of the language before you go, she advised.

RUBBING ELBOWS: Dinner with special guests allows YR Grad Program participants to mingle with and learn from some of the best in the

business. Tis year’s VIPs were (from left) USEF dressage chef d’équipe Robert Dover, USDF executive director Stephan Hienzsch, and USDF Youth

Programs Committee chair Roz Kinstler; (middle row, third from right) USEF dressage developing coach Debbie McDonald; and (at right) USDF

president George Williams and USEF dressage young-horse coach Scott Hassler.

VIC

TO

RIA

TRO

UT/U

SD

F



The Dressage LifeWhen you’re starting out, it’s nice to hear from someone

who has made it. High-performance rider Jessica Jo (“JJ”)

tate, of Chesapeake City, MD, shared her professional phi-

losophies and advice:

•Work hard and maintain a great work ethic.

•every client is a potential sponsor.

•With success, the hours are still long but the type of

work changes. Tere is less physical labor but more pa-

perwork, dinners with clients, and sponsor relations.

•Ride whatever you can, as often as you can, to gain ex-

perience.

•Develop discipline and endurance. “Learn to dig deep.

Pretend the person you admire most is there to watch

you ride,” said tate. in addition, “Learn to bite your

tongue. never have a meltdown at horse shows. And

learn to compartmentalize: Don’t bring problems with

you to a lesson or other interaction with a client.”

•Have the courage to take risks. After high school tate

traveled to Hungary, a country she’d never visited, to train

with olympia Gyula Dallos—a man she’d never met—on

the recommendation of clinician Charles de Kunfy.

•Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. tate said she’s

obtained product sponsors at shows simply by asking

business owners if they’d like for her to wear an item

around the grounds.

•Be dedicated and persevere. De Kunfy told tate: “You

have to be good enough for long enough, and eventually

they will notice you.”

•Tink of yourself as a professional athlete. “With no

body, you have no job. Your body is your business,” said

tate. Caretaking includes good nutrition and appropri-

ate health and ftness measures, such as yoga classes and

sports massages, she said.

• “Be responsible for your actions.”

•Be positive. nobody likes a Debbie Downer.

A Solid FoundationStarting out in one’s career is never easy, but the YR Grad

Program participants left Florida armed with knowledge

and tools they can use to help advance as dressage profes-

sionals. Tey also had the opportunity to network and swap

stories—because it’s always comforting to learn that others

are facing the same issues and challenges. And to these ded-

icated young adults, a life of horses and dressage is worth

the efort. s

USDF 2014 Member Perk PartnersDiscounts available to 2014 USDF members

Visit www.usdf.org for details and discount codes.

Check out our podcasts about the

Young Rider Graduate Program at

usdf.podbean.com.

PODCAST

Podcast Alert


http://www.usdf.org

http://usdf.podbean.com

The Real World · Most of the dilemmas the YR grads brought up can be The Real World At the...

Documents

Transcript of The Real World · Most of the dilemmas the YR grads brought up can be The Real World At the...