At this time of year, a lot of questions arise about the young horse classes as the new programs begin. The selection trials for young horses vying to qualify for the Young Horse World Breeding Championships are just around the corner too.

So, with all of the programs in place—Materiale classes for the U.S. Dressage Federation, suitability classes for the U.S. Equestrian Federation, the 4-, 5- and 6-year-old classes for young horses, and now the developing class for 7- to 9-year-olds—we have a terrific structure in place for competition horses in various age groups. This is a relatively new movement in this country, and with these new competitions come a lot of questions as well as exciting new goals for young horse owners.
 
Throughout the year, I’ve conducted several young horse symposiums and clinics around the country and heard many of these questions: “I’m not quite sure what horses are suited for the young horse classes?” “How do you ride the young horse classes?” “Is my horse able to do the young horse classes, and what are they looking for?” My response to these questions is: Let’s make sure we understand the importance of figuring out what horses are right for which categories.

For example, an owner-rider wanting to compete a 3-year-old—which is enthusiastic and well ridden—would fit well in the Materiale classes, where they’re offered. This class, in which the horses compete in a group, gives the young horse an outing and an experience.

Another option for a 3-year-old is to enter him in training level classes. If going this route, however, you have to decide how accomplished or technical your horse is. Perhaps it’s better to ride your horse in a group setting where you don’t have to ride deep corners and can feel confident in the ring with other horses just riding the basic gaits.

Your decision depends upon the horse’s qualities and its trainability; for some 3-year-olds the decision to not compete them is often a wise one. If you want to have a competitive strategy for a 3-year-old, however, then these are your two options.

When your horse is 4, you have more options. You can enter him in training level or first level classes if you think your horse has advanced in his training. There are also 4-year-old young horse classes, as well as Materiale and suitability classes. If you’re aiming for the 4-year-old Young Horse Championships, your horse needs to have three very good gaits, have good balance, be enthusiastic to ride, have a natural lengthening and be able to do the test willingly and easily. If you have a horse that’s more technical, then take this horse into the traditional USEF classes.

For 5- and 6-year-olds, if pursuing the young horse classes, your horse needs the qualities of the aforementioned 3-year-old plus presence and type, a look and a “package” between the horse and rider that’s very elegant. You’ll see a beautifully moving horse with a lot of elevation and swing and elasticity, with great self-carriage and suppleness. It’s your entire wish list in one place.

Yes, I mentioned three very good gaits. You can get away, in my opinion, with your horse having two exceptional gaits and one weaker gait, but, in the end, because of the scoring brackets, it’s better to have a horse with three very good gaits and with the look and the presence.

Again, the 5- and 6-year-olds can go the other route and compete in the traditional USEF classes. These classes ask the horse to be much more technical and clear in transitions, to be able to go deeper into corners, and to show the movements from letter to letter in technical circles. This route may be a better competitive angle for your horse rather than trying to compete against the “crème de la crème” that have the flashy looks and presence, where you only have five scores and a weaker gait in the horse.

What I would really like to make clear, as the national young horse dressage coach, is that I do not want nor am I in support of owners or riders thinking that because they have a young horse their only goal is to go to the young horse classes. These classes are for gifted young horses, which through nature have been given this “package” as listed above.

A horse that doesn’t go this route in the young horse classes or has not been naturally gifted is not a lesser quality horse. Traditional USEF first, second and third level classes are as meaningful as going the route of young horse classes—no question about it. We must also keep in mind that there will be young horses that will not compete, which is totally fine.

The major point to remember is to make the correct decision for your horse. You should not have just one goal in mind. It’s important to understand that your primary aim is what’s appropriate for your horse
and how you develop that horse so it goes up the levels and you have a horse for sport later in life.

We should not rush or push our young horses. For example, a horse that doesn’t have a natural, swinging trot as a 4-year-old should not be pushed or made to have a swinging trot, which can take something away from this horse. We want horses that naturally fit the young horse classes to go that route; horses that don’t fit this route should go another direction. Then we can see how they develop and change from year to year.

In the end, please remember that there’s not one horse, no matter how it’s born or how it competes, that’s more important than another.

If we have one line going up a column labeled “Young Horse Classes” and if we have another line going up the column labeled “USEF Classes,” when those horses mature at about 7 years old, they join at a “Y” at the top, and it’s not determined which one will be better at Prix St. Georges and continue further up the Fédération Equestre Internationale ladder.

Some horses that go up through the traditional USEF classes will probably do better than some of the young horses that had all these flamboyant gaits. What’s ultimately most important is to find the appropriate channel to compete our young horses, to give the horse, the rider and the owner a positive experience in the show ring and then develop the horse’s career so that he has the opportunity to find his natural way through the levels of the sport.

If we follow this plan, each horse has the best chance of success through development in the appropriate manner.

Scott Hassler