Elhanan Equestrian

11/23/2025

Putting the Tail Coat On

There comes a moment in every rider’s journey that feels almost ceremonial - not marked by a rosette or score, but by a garment. Putting the tail coat on for the first time is more than simply changing jackets; it’s stepping into a tradition that has shaped equestrian sport for generations.

The tail coat, with its unmistakable silhouette, resembles a kind of armour, an outward symbol of discipline, dedication, and having reached a certain level of refinement in one’s riding. For many, this moment feels like a rite of passage. It signals that the hours of schooling, the setbacks, the triumphs, and the quiet resilience have amounted to a level where one is ready to enter a new chapter of the sport.

And yet, the tail coat is not without debate. Some argue that it’s not the most practical or optimal piece of clothing for performance. Modern sportswear has evolved to prioritise freedom of movement and technical fabrics, while the traditional coat can seem restrictive or antiquated. It’s a fair question: Why hold onto a garment that seems to belong to another era?

The answer lies in the delicate balance between progress and respect for heritage. Equestrianism is one of the few sports where tradition is woven directly into its identity. The attire, the etiquette, the formality - all pay homage to the sport’s long and storied past. Wearing the tail coat is a quiet nod to every rider, solider and military fighter who has come before, a symbol of continuity in a sport built on partnership, discipline, and deep-rooted customs.

But the significance isn’t only historical. There is undeniable psychological power in donning the tail coat. Many riders describe feeling a shift the moment it goes on - a heightened sense of focus, purpose, and professionalism. Much like a uniform or costume, it marks a mental transition: I am here to perform. I am ready. The tail coat becomes a cue, signalling to the mind and body that this is a moment of importance and that the standard has been raised.

Putting the tail coat on is, therefore, both practical and symbolic. It reflects a level of achievement while anchoring the rider in the sport’s heritage. It motivates, elevates, and unites all who wear it in a shared tradition.

And so, while debates will continue about modernisation and performance clothing, the tail coat remains an emblem of something larger than fabric and seams. It is a milestone in a rider’s journey - one that honours the past, elevates the present, and inspires the future.

11/22/2025

Given the complex nature of music rights, US Equestrian provided an update to its membership regarding USEF’s licensing and broadcast responsibilities with freestyle music.

11/21/2025

11/20/2025

Artificial Intelligence or AI will likely destroy what is left of authentic horsemanship. But first people must understand how what we call "internet search" is changing. Google, the dominant internet search engine, RETRIEVES information based on your search criteria. You get pages of internet posts, articles and opinions that you can read and determine the quality of the source or author offering the information.

For example, if I search for "optimum rider position in jumping" I would get a wide range of articles and opinions ranging from Denny Emerson's very funny satire praying mantis image where he makes fun of today's crest release. And I would get posts about John French with his bizarre, hyper crest release jumping position, and I would get very correct and balanced jumping position info from greats like William Steinkrause, Beezie Madden or military riders. Such a search would also come up with many results from George Morris and his followers advocating for the common crest release jumping position.

I then could evaluate all the RETRIEVED information on "optimal jumping position". I could see the authors and sources and apply my experienced judgement as to which are safe, useful and correct and what positions are dangerous, incorrect and defy the laws of physics to be dangerous. I can use my judgement.

AI doesn't RETRIEVE, it GENERATES. Both methods use the database or large language model found across the vast internet to do what they do. But what each does with this information is very, very different.

Search and RETRIEVE allow me to decide what is real and useful, while AI GENERATES gives me a sort of summary or consensus of what is known and collected from essentially the same sources, but AI's GENERATIVE result leaves me no opportunity for me to use my experienced judgement on matters concerning horses and riding.

The top right image is a now rare correct auto release with following hands. It is a balanced jumping position with the rider's feet under their body mass. The rider's hips are over the saddle. This is a safe jumping position should the horse stumble or collapse its forehand on landing. The rider can respond to a poor landing by staying secure in the saddle, sometimes with the ability to help the horse to better survive a tricky landing.

The bottom right image shows the very common crest release with the rider's feet back behind their body mass, their hips over the pommel and their entire upper body leaning on their horse's neck. When jumping in this position, if the horse stumbles or collapses on the forehand on landing, the rider can do nothing to protect themself or their horse. This crest release position has the rider in a static position unable to deal with a tricky landing. It is unbalanced and unstable but it gives a rider a false sense of security until something goes wrong. Then the rider gets pitched to the ground according to the laws of physics.

The problem is that a GENERATIVE AI based answer to the question of what is the optimal jumping position would be based on the massive wrong thinking today about safe optimal jumping positions. AI would indiscriminately use the common stylized, not effective, misinformation about safe jumping positions and give it equal weight as correct effective jumping. An AI consensus based GENERATED conclusion would be wrong and dangerous, and this could be the last nail in the coffin of authentic, balanced, effective jumping because people don't use critical thinking. They are impatient for a simple answer.

I can see it now, all the trolls, Morris groupies and poorly trained riders will come on my page and challenge me with their AI GENERATIVE answers to refute the horsemanship information I post on my page. At that point, I will end ability to comment on my page.

I began opposing flawed riding in the 1970s when Morris started spewing his shortcuts and unbalanced stylized positions. Then, and forever after, I have been called an anachronism, out of touch, anti progress and many other things. I can see that AI will bring on another "fact based" round of opposition.

11/16/2025

REGISTRATION IS OPEN for the USDF Apprentice TD Clinic! 🎓

Featuring Anne Sushko, this virtual clinic is open to all and can help owners, riders, trainers, and competition management learn how to best utilize their technical delegate as a valued competition resource.

Geared as an introduction to the role and purpose of a dressage technical delegate, this clinic also serves as a prerequisite to becoming a licensed USEF Dressage Technical Delegate. ✅

📆 March 7, 2026
📍 Virtual meeting
🔗 bit.ly/2026USDFApprenticeTDClinic

Click the link to learn more and register now!

11/15/2025

Jumping is part of classical dressage training, just dressage over obstacles. Learn to ride first and your horse will thank you!

When trainer Geoff Case watches riders flatting their horses, he sees a lot of the same thing: people lapping the ring, zoning out, and missing a huge opportunity. “It’s one of my biggest pet peeves,” Case said. “People just go around the outside, staring off into space. That’s not riding. That’s exercise.”

In Case’s eyes, flatwork isn’t just something to do when you’re not jumping—it’s where you actually become a better rider.

To Case, a good flat session should feel like a jumping round. “You should be riding lines, bending, adjusting your rhythm,” he said. “Every step is a chance to make something better.”

He encourages riders to ride patterns and turns with purpose. “Don’t just stay on the rail,” he said. “Use the whole ring. Make a circle, ride across the diagonal, do transitions in different places. Ride like you’re setting up for a jump.”

That kind of thinking builds skills that directly transfer to the show ring. “When you ride with that much attention, the horse gets sharper, you get straighter, and suddenly your distances show up easier,” he said.

The flat, he added, is where you learn timing, balance, and control without the distraction of fences. “If you can’t organize yourself between the jumps, you won’t do it over them either.”

For Case, good riding starts with details: straightness, rhythm, transitions, and connection. The riders who stand out to him in the warm-up ring are the ones who treat flatwork like an art form, not an afterthought.

“You can tell the difference between someone who’s just getting around and someone who’s actually training,” he said. “It’s in the way they ride their corners, how they prepare for a transition, how the horse looks in the bridle.”

That difference shows up in competition. “When you’re in the ring, it’s too late to be figuring those things out,” he said. “If you’ve already practiced being precise on the flat, it’s automatic when you’re showing.”

Case also pointed out that judges can spot the riders who do their homework. “Even in a jumping round, you can tell who spends time on the flat,” he said. “Their horses are balanced and adjustable. It’s obvious.”

Many riders, especially less experienced ones, rely on the rail for security or spacing. Case urges them to break that habit. “The rail becomes a crutch,” he said. “You stop steering, you stop thinking. You let the wall do the work for you.”

Instead, he suggests riding off the track, staying a few feet inside the rail to keep both you and your horse accountable. “When you come off the wall, suddenly you have to ride,” he said. “You’ve got to keep your line straight, keep the horse between your leg and hand, and make the turns yourself.”

At first, this can feel uncomfortable, but that’s exactly the point. “It’s supposed to feel different,” Case explained. “That’s how you know you’re actually doing something.”

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2025/11/15/get-off-the-rail-creativity-and-focus-in-flatwork/
📸 © The Plaid Horse

11/10/2025

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11/09/2025

A message from our trusted rule master, Janine Malone. Thank you, Janine, for keeping us legal at MITS and every show! 🥰

A friendly reminder from our trusted TD Official, Janine Malone:

The following new USEF rules that take effect Decenber 1, 2025:

1 - All horses competing in USEF-licensed shows must be microchipped including ALL in Intro and Opportunity classes. The horse owner must report their horse's microchip number to USEF. Non-member owners can get a free Fan membership (and also a free USEF Horse ID number, if needed) to report the horse's microchip number in the database. The show secretary is required to verify that the chip number is on file with USEF before accepting your entry.

2 - Be sure your stirrups are legal! Beginning December 1, 2025, no piece of equipment shall be attached to a saddle that has a rigid upward pointing projection, hook, or similar object capable of catching a rider’s clothing or person when dismounting, including stirrups. While Dressage has had a similar rule for several years, this new rule eliminates some stirrups with a release mechanism on the outside branch. FMI - see the USEF website.

3 - if you are using your own bridle number holder: Each digit of a number must be a minimum of 1.5 inches in height and a minimum of 3/8 inches in width and cannot be obscured by the encasement/holder. (It has become increasingly difficult for judges, ring stewards, etc. to identify horse numbers as they are sometimes too small and hidden by number holders). The numbers normally assigned by the show secretary are the correct min. height and width, but many reusable numbers and their holders are too small to be in compliance with the new rule.

11/09/2025

love your journey!