USDF Instructor/Trainer Pre-cert This weekend August 24-25 Pacific Equestrian Center in Wilton, CA. hosted the USDF Instructor/Trainer Pre-Certification. Owner Mari Naten once again provided the group with a gorgeous working environment and well maintained footing. Michele Ng of the Foothills Chapter of CDS and her tireless group of volunteers staffed the event and managed to iron out the little wrinkles which unavoidably surfaced. The Eventing rule book used to call them “unforeseen eventualities”. Michele now seems to have a method to embrace and conquer them! Each of the Participating Instructors had sessions in teaching, riding, lungeing the horse and lungeing the rider. Some PIs mock tested from Training Level to Second Level and a couple PIs tackled the Training Level to Fourth Level Pre-Cert. Regardless of the scores on the test sheets, the quality and knowledge of each PI shone through as Examiners Debbie Bowman and Bailey Cook felt that each of the participants had a shot at passing the testing if they applied themselves to improve their weak areas before next June’s testing. The mock testing provided a sounding board for all the questions and concerns regarding content and procedure which is so important when learning a “system” of education. There are bound to be multiple correct methods and picking the most appropriate for each situation can seem like a monumental task, but it becomes easier each time you go through the process. USDF Senior Faculty member Rachel Saavedra who provided the majority of the mentoring for the participants leading up to this weekend should be proud of her group as a whole. In the big picture my part in all this was minimal though not unimportant. I scribed the majority of the 18 hours for Debbie Bowman and just a little for Bailey Cook. Debbie and I were very much on the same track in our way of thinking and prioritizing. It was heartening to realize that someone who I had never worked with before mirrored my own philosophies so closely. I’ve grown used to that with Rachel Saavedra who has provided a great deal of my USDF education, but it was a lovely experience with someone new to me. Not enough can be said of the high quality demonstration horses, riders and owners who so generously donated time and energy to the program. I know a number of the horses were used more than once and last minute needs were miraculously met. Thank you all for supporting the program and your California instructors. For more information about USDF Instructor Certification check out this link: usdf.org/education/instructor-certification/
Posted on: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 13:38:12 +0000