​​SEC Equestrian Achievement Badge

Established in the Summer 2017, the Sonnenhof Equestrian Center Equestrian Achievement Badge (SEC EAB) has been on my mind for a few years: I wanted to teach riders not just riding, but horsemanship and horse care in a curriculum-kind-of-way in order to help them become horsemen- and women, not just riders. The system I had in mind HAD to meet certain criteria:

CRITERIA:

1) It had to be affordable in order to invite ALL equestrians to acquire knowledge and experience.

2) It had to have backing from knowledgeable members. And.... while we at SEC create the system out of a need for better education, it is not limited to just our farm: The vision is to carry it out of our front gate into other organizations, and we want it to be independently backed. 

3) It had to be tried and proven. This was the hardest part, because there are not many good systems like this out there.

SOLUTION:

With me being German I researched the German qualification badge system (FN, German Equestrian Federation), which is readily available and all testing and teaching material is put together and can be purchased. The only drawback: It is written in German. I ordered the material and was able to excite a few very special ladies, who agree that there is a need for horsemanship education in the country. These three ladies are ALL German speaking, either born or raised in Germany and all of us have either one or more FN Medals and/or USDF Medals under our belt:

Corinna Scheller-Fleming:  USDF "L" Judge, USDF Bronze Medal

Marina Richey: Bronze Medal FN, USDF Bronze Medal 

Dilara Drukker: Bronze Medal FN, USDF Bronze & Silver Medal

Kirsten Gray: Bronze Medal FN, USDF Bronze Medal

PROGRAM:

We will require clinic participation: Riding Clinics Dressage and Jumping, Groundwork and Handling as well as a Grooming Clinic. 

For each testing we will provide a FREE prep course, which is not mandatory, but should strongly be considered by all participants for all levels. The reason that we can provide this 1-hour-course for each testing group is thanks to Marina Richey volunteering her time and knowledge to our cause! Please thank her, when you see her!

On Testing Day, two out of us four founding members will conduct the oral test of six questions directly from the FN catalogue of questions. Four of them have to be answered correctly to pass the oral test.

Further requirements: Clinic participation as required, show experience / show scores according to badge color. 

​Please do not hesitate to ask about this program by emailing Kirsten Gray at sonnenhofec@gmail.com.

WHAT IS THE SEC EAB                    SYSTEM AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO US? 

Our Equestrian Achievement Award is designed to award and measure your knowledge of horsemanship, riding skill and equestrian knowledge. We use the FN (German) Testing System, which is proven to be excellent, and our panel consists of four German speaking and highly qualified individuals! ​

BROWN BADGE: July 29, 2017

​Our 'Pioneers':

                          Betsy Price                                                                                 Carol Mattsson                                                                              Lyla DellPorta                                                                                        Hannah-Sophia Grant      

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