I am a score stalker. If I know your real name, I've looked up your scores. It helps me to see what's "normal." While your scores are interesting, I particularly like to track my own scores. Are they trending up? Not right now. Are they following their usual pattern? For the love of all that's holy I hope so! You see, my scores tend to follow a predictable pattern. At the beginning of each new level, they start in the 50s, but they eventually creep over sixty percent and settle comfortably in the mid-60s. I can live with that.

Sometimes I even do searches of famous riders like Charlotte Dujardin (who has exactly two USDF scores) or Steffen Peters. Laura Graves actually has a 54% at Third Level if that makes anyone feel better. She also has an 85% at Grand Prix with 51 rides at that level. So yeah, who cares about a sucky score at Third.

​I love looking at my data on USDF's site (or Centerline Scores) because it shows a journey. While I was poking around the other day, I realized that I've done 62 USDF shows with Speedy G. How is that even possible? I feel like we're still beginners.

Most of the time I visit the site to double check that my scores have been recorded correctly. While I was here most recently, I noticed something that I've never seen before. There is now a spot where your awards are highlighted! I am a sucker for any kind of sticker or atta girl, so this totally floats my boat.

When I clicked on the Second Level Rider Performance Award, a pop up window appeared showing my progress toward that award. How cool is that? I have two scores and need two more from two different judges. It sounded so much easier at the beginning of the year.

Another new-to-me feature was the USDF Rider Award Check. If you use Centerline Scores, you know that if you've earned any scores towards a medal, they shade in portions of the medal showing your progress. USDF doesn't do that. Instead, you can now click on the medal you're working toward, and a new window pops open detailing your progress just like it did for the Rider Performance Award. Here's what mine looks like.

I'm pretty excited. I am two-thirds of the way towards a bronze medal. That sounds so achievable to a regular person, but anyone with any dressage experience knows that getting out of Second and scoring those two coveted scores at Third Level is enough to drive you to the edge of insanity and maybe even push you right on over.

There is nothing new on the Tests page, but I like to study this page, too. I like to see how long it takes me to figure out a level. Speedy and I spent FOREVER at Training Level. It was mostly because of injuries, but I also hate to move on unless we're truly ready. I am not sure yet how long we'll be at Second Level. I suspect that if we stay here another year it will be because of my sitting trot.

I definitely won't feel comfortable about moving onto Third Level until this bar graph evens out a little. Those scores at Second are lower than I am happy with. The next USDF show we will do is the CDS Regional Adult Amateur Competition in mid-August. There is a CDS only show right after that, but that's as far as my show season has been planned.  

It seems a bit strange to plan a show season based on some charts and data from a web site, but if my Rider Performance Award gets colored in this summer and my bar graph gets a little longer, I may call the season a wrap! We'll see how things go in August. 

​Check out your data (and mine while you're there), and let me know what you think.

I had no idea that my Soap Box Rant would generate as much interest as it did. I appreciated all of the viewpoints that were shared, whether you agreed with me or not. Emma over at 'Fraidy Cat Eventing even ran with the controversy over on her blog.

I am all about testing myself, which is why I show at USDF shows. I can't do things half-assed - it's all or nothing. I've used schooling shows as a way to introduce my horses to the sport or to a new level. I also did them to gain experience and learn the ropes myself. But in my opinion, schooling shows don't really provide the same level of feedback as a USDF-rated show. And feedback is what I am looking for. 

I've shared this about a bazillion times already: I need reward programs that give me something to work towards. USDF participation does that for me. By being a member of the USDF and showing at USDF-rated shows, I can earn recognition for my progress. All I have to do is show up and perform to the USDF's satisfaction.

Many years ago, California's annual state testing of students was graded on a "curve." Twenty-five percent of the students were at the top, fifty percent were in the middle, and twenty-five percent were at the bottom. As a new teacher just entering the profession, I questioned the legitimacy of this. What if everyone scored 90% or above? How was it fair that those who scored in the low 90s were low performers?

Thankfully, California ditched that system of evaluating its students. Now, kids get a score based on the number of correct answers that indicates their proficiency level from Advanced to Far Below Basic.

I like that the USDF rewards its riders with the same kind of scoring. Everyone can earn a passing "grade" and be considered a high performer, but the opposite is also true. Every rider in the class can also earn a 50%. This is why I have become a score stalker.

Some people play Words with Friends; I play Centerline Scores, and when I am really bored, USDFScores.com. Centerline Scores is by far my favorite because I don't have to be logged in, and I can find what I am looking for so much faster. 

I do check USDFScores.com, but only when I am looking for something brand new, like right now. I am just about to die of impatience. My newest scores from the Mission Pacific show have not yet been posted to USDFScores.com which means that Centerline Scores doesn't have them either.

The reason I am doing 40 checks a day is that I can't apply for my USDF First Level Rider Performance Award until the scores have been officially recorded with USDF. Hence the score stalking.

The truth is, I stalk scores for a lot of reasons. I check my own, of course, but I check everyone's. If you've ever ridden a dressage test at a USDF-rated show, I've probably checked your scores.

It's not that I am particularly nosy (okay, a little); it's more because it helps me chart my own progress. Is everyone moving up levels faster than I am? Are my scores in the correct range? Am I showing enough to get where I want to be?

I know it shouldn't matter what everyone else is doing, but I live in a Dressage Desert. I don't have other riders that I can talk to and compare notes with. I ride by myself All. The. Time. 

By stalking scores, I can see what's happening in the dressage world. I can see that my 62% at First Level Test 3 is holding its own. My 66% at Test 2 is looking pretty good. But I can also see that riders with whom I've been riding are moving on without me. That gives me a kick in the pants.

I get that they might have better horses and more frequent training, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to try harder. I don't begrudge those riders a single bit of their success, and in fact, I am thrilled for them. That doesn't stop me from wanting to be right there with them though.

Score stalker. Yep, that's me. Check mine out; I won't be offended. But if you do check, don't look too closely at those pale yellow scores, and thankfully, there aren't any orange or red ones.

​Are you a score stalker too?

At my final salute in the RAAC class, I was a bit startled at the lack of any applause. There were bleachers along the long side, and while they weren't packed, there were at least ten to fifteen people seated there during my test. I don't expect a standing ovation, ever, but a smattering of gratuitous hand-on-hand noise was at least somewhat expected. I know I always applaud.

As I turned to walk out on that long rein, my heart crumpled. I knew (or thought I did, anyway) that the test wasn't great, but I didn't think it was that bad either. I walked back to the barn feeling rather dejected, but I didn't have time to check the score board because there were only about 30 minutes between the RAAC class and my second ride, which was in the regular portion of the show in Ring 2.

I'll admit it, I beat myself up a little bit. I didn't cry or boo hoo, but I let myself know that I am just a mediocre rider with no talent on a very forgiving, if not very fancy, horse. I didn't know about the 72.600%, and I didn't let myself think about the great scores that we earned just a few weeks prior. I let the lack of any applause dampen my enthusiasm and tell me what kind of rider I am. I won't make that mistake again! 

Speedy G took a long drink back in his stall, for which I was thankful. I may not be an extraordinary rider, but I will proudly put my horsemanship skills up against anyone else's and feel quite confident that I will hold my own. In that arena, I rock!

I got on and walked over to the warm-up for the River View ring. We tootled around for a bit, chatting with some of the riders and enjoying the nice weather. My expectations were low so my motivation was not particularly engaged. The ring steward gave me the sign so we ambled over to the ring.

The test rode well enough, but I made a few slight errors when I let my attention wander a bit. Our stretchy circle was back to being kind of sketchy which really dinked our score (5.5 with a double co-effient), but the rest of the test was about where we've been this season. It was what I expected.

The judge awarded us with a nice, middle of the road 64.400%. It's a good score, and one that I usually really appreciate. We didn't earn any 8.0s, but we did pull off seven 7.0s, seven 6.5s, four 6.0s, and then there was that single 5.5 for the stretchy trot. These are good, solid scores. Had I not talked myself out of being a competent rider though, I might have scored closer to the high 60s; lesson learned.

It wasn't until an hour or so later that I finally had time to walk up to the score board to see our RAAC score. VG's husband saw me coming and pulled me aside to tease me about my scores before I could get to the board. When I finally made it close enough to read them, I was pretty shocked. And then when I saw this score, I was even more pleased. I didn't think it was going to be much above 60%. So in all, we earned some pretty nice scores to add to our Centerline Scores data bank. And I think our average went up a scooch!

For the weekend, we earned ...

• 70.179% at Training Level Test 2
• 68.000% at Training Level Test 3
• 72.600% at Training Level Test 3
• 64.400% at Training Level Test 3
  

I do have one more post I'd like to write about this show. A couple of funny things happened, and I became aware of a few things. So, one more show story tomorrow ...

I love how quickly Centerline Scores updates their data! I've "chat" with Jay Stevens, creator of CenterlineScores.com, a few times and know he works hard to get new data entered as quickly as possible. If you don't participate in USDF-rated shows, Centerline Scores probably isn't a very useful tool for you (yet!). In case you haven't been to the site, here's how it works.

Enter a horse or rider's name. I'll let you enter Hilda Gurney or Steffen Peter's name as they're much more interesting to play around with.

Here's what you get when my name is entered.

The first thing that comes up is a nice summary page. Beside my name, at the top, is listed the highest score that I've received at the highest level that I've ridden. Next comes my USDF show experience (excluding Introductory Level Tests), and my median scores at Training Level. I am working hard to raise that number.

Even though Sydney has been shown, I haven't taken him to a USDF-rated show so only Speedy G's name appears (G Ima Starr FA) as the horse I am currently riding. My "medals" are translucent since I haven't earned any scores at First Level. As you earn medal scores, the medals darken in chunks until they are completely filled once the final score is earned. Maybe I'll get that first little "chunk" on the bronze next year!

Beneath all of that is a place for USDF Rider Awards. I have an entry here with my USDF Rider Performance Award, but there's definitely room for more.

If you go to the horses link, you'll get a page that lists each horse you've ridden and the minimum/maximum score he earned. My horse list is really small since it's only Speedy that I've shown at USDF-rated shows. Here's what that page looks like.

My Levels page is equally small since the Introductory Tests don't appear (bummer, as I have some USDF scores in the 70s for Intro), and I have only shown Training Level. I am a little bit surprised to see that in just over a year I have ridden 29 USDF-rated tests.  

The next two links are the ones that I find the most helpful, Tests and All Scores. The Tests page shows the minimum and maximum scores earned at each test of the level. Since I've only shown Training Level, I only have scores for Tests 1 - 3. I can see what my lowest score was at Test 1 and what my highest score was at Test 2 and how many times I've ridden each test. 

The All Scores link shows all scores earned (accurately) since 2003. There are some scores that go back to 1993, but the data is incomplete. This doesn't concern me however, as I was busy doing endurance races during those years and finishing high school before that. As short as it is, my list is too long to fit in a single screen shot, so here's the list pieced together.

You might notice that the colors for the scores change. The highest scores are dark green (even into the 80s) while scores in the 50s turn yellowish. Scores in the 40s are a light red.

Centerline Scores is a great tool for analyzing your score results. When I feel discouraged, I like to visit the site because it clearly shows me that we are making steady progress. I can see medals in my future; I see a lot more green scores than yellow; and that 67% next to my name looks pretty good right now.

I am back on the Centerline Scores thing. I know many of you don't care about scores, but I do. Scores are feedback for me; they tell me how I am improving and where I still need to focus my energy.

You already know that I show at a variety of show types: unrated schooling shows, California Dressage Society (CDS)  rated shows, and USDF/USEF shows.  I choose my shows based on a wide variety of criteria: price, distance from home, time of year, etc. While I value the comments from all judges, whatever the show rating, I recognize that the most critical, and hardest earned, scores come at USDF shows. which is why I love Centerlinescores.com.

Jay Stevens, the creator and mastermind, designed the site just for me; I know it. I love how I can track my progress at USDF shows through his multiple "windows." Lately, I've been watching my scores grow at Training Level Test 2 and Test 3. Granted, there aren't that many scores to compare, but even so, there is a small pattern of improvement emerging.

My favorite feature of the site is the Lifetime Median Scores percentage. For a while, my median score at Training Level was hovering at 59%. My goal has been to push my median to over 60%. I am curious to know why Jay chose to show median scores (the score in the middle) rather than mean (the average). My median score is 60.893% while my mean score is 60.387% - very close to one another.

I would guess that it is because an outlier score (an overly high or overly low number) would tip the mean up or down which could create a number that doesn't really reflect a typical average. For example, if you scored 60%, 61%, 63%, and 80%, your mean would be 66% but in actuality, you were mostly a 60%ish rider. Using those same scores, your median would be 62% which seems more in line with your typical scores.

In order to raise my median score of 60.893%, I need to earn scores higher than 60.9%. This goal fits right in with my goal of eliminating the 5s from my score sheets. A sheet filled with 6s and 7s will easily be in the 65% range - that kind of score will push my median ever upward.

The USDF recently launched a score tracking site quite similar to Jay Steven's CenterlineScores.com. They're calling it, USDFScores.com.

Dressage-News wrote a great article about the USDF's site here, but to save you the trouble of finding their site, I've just cut and paste the article for you to read down below.

I've posted about CenterlineScores several times; I like the site. It's easy to use, the available data goes back quite a few years, and best of all, IT'S FREE. I can't say the same about USDFScores. I wanted to give the USDF's site a fair shake, but in all honesty, it's not as user-friendly as Steven's CenterlineScores, and it's nowhere as inclusive.

First off, to use the USDF's site, you have to be a USDF member. What if you're new to dressage and simply want to verify a trainer's credentials? You won't be able to if you're not already a USDF member. On the other hand, to use CenterlineScores, simply type in the name of any horse or any rider and you have access to all scores from as far back as 1993. No membership required.

Let's say I want to use USDF's site to check out the scores of a horse from 2010. I am a USDF member, but since I am only a Group Member, I don't have access to that horse's scores. I only have access to the current competition year's scores. Once again, CenterlineScores will get me the data I need. Once I've entered the name of the horse or rider in whom I'm interested, I can look at every score available since 1993.

I know that USDFScores "is the official source for the most accurate and complete dressage scores," but I'll stick with CenterlineScores; it's more on my level.

If you're not quite sure what the big deal is, check out COTH - this is obviously a controversial topic that many riders care about. The argument over there is that USDF shouldn't provide the data for free. I am on Jay's side here; his site is much easier to use, and it's much more inclusive. Let's hope the USDF figures it out.

LEXINGTON, Kentucky, Oct. 3–The United States Dressage Federation on Wednesday launched USDFScores.com as its official source for complete dressage scores and available free of charge to members of the organization, competing against a privately developed site that has been available to everyone at no cost for more than 15 months.

The USDF said its new web site features expanded search functionality, customizable reports with advanced sorting and graphing options and access to USDF qualifications and standings. It is similar in appearance and functionality to Centerlinescores.com that was launched in June, 2011, that was funded by solely by the owner, Jay Stevens.

USDF said its Group, Participating, or Business members can access current competition year scores and additional related information. Participating and Business members will also have access to Lifetime and Regional Championship Qualifying Ride score.

“As the only official, and most complete, source for USDF scores, this site will be a valuable resource for competitors, horse owners and show managers,” USDF Executive Director Stephan Hienzsch said. “This enhanced member benefit also makes lifetime score reports available to Participating and Business members at no additional cost.”

He said USDFScores.com is a dedicated site providing a new and improved version of the USDF score check and report function that the organization had made available to members for 10 years.

“The biggest investment has been the meticulous creation of a unique score and competition data base for dressage scores earned through USDF recognized/USEF licensed competitions,” he said. “This is data that USDF staff has been processing for over 35 years and verifies and maintains on a daily basis. This is why USDF has the most complete and accurate data and where the biggest investment is for USDF.”

Jay Stevens of Centerlinescores.com said that he began work on creating the program to easily access the USDF database in November 2010. It took him about eight months to complete the project for launch in June 2011.

He described the creation of the site and its maintenace as a “labor of love” on which he had spent a great deal of time and effort but had virtually no revenue.

“I didn’t expect it to be as successful as it has been in terms of popularity and the tone of the feedback from the users,” he said.

The USDF’s Stephan Hienzschhas said that Centerlinescores.com has no authorized connection to either the old or new version of USDF score checks. USDF requires membership to access the service to its members and “as such USDF has a responsibility to provide a certain level of integrity to how member information is made available.”

Jay Stevens of Centerlinescores.com said: “The degree to which they (USDF) have tried to create an exact copy of CenterlineScores.com is really astonishing. Honestly, more disconcerting to me than the blatant copycat implementation of my screens and tables is the claim that USDFScores.com is somehow the ‘most accurate and complete’ source for dressage scores.

“Over the last year, I have fielded hundreds of support emails from riders concerned about incorrect or incomplete data on CenterlineScores.com. In all of those cases, there has not been one case where we showed data that was different from USDF’s.

“I know, because I’ve paid to pull multiple lifetime score reports when there was a question. Often, these are simply cases of miskeying of USDF numbers by someone at the show or at USDF and we are usually able to correct the errant data (riders submit copies of tests, etc.). As a result, we have made corrections to over 400 scores in the database to date, so I am confident that the historical data presented on our site is the most accurate available anywhere.”

Well, it seems as this topic was the can of worms I suspected it might be.  And a jumbo can at that!  Thank you to those who commented, and thank you as well to those who read it and commented to yourself or a friend.  Opening a dialog in a sport that isn't known to be filled with the friendliest of people is a good thing (oh, come on, you know it's true - most people think dressage riders are all stuck up snobs!  We're not of course, but the rest of the world doesn't know that.).

I do think my point got lost yesterday - in all likelihood the lost point was due to poor writing.  It could also be that the reader's own biases colored their understanding of what I was trying to say. Either way, a dialog has certainly begun.

My point to yesterday's post was this: Centerline Scores is a wonderful tool.  So is a hammer.  It works great to pound things in and for nail removal, but it's a terrible screwdriver or level.  To remove screws, you should use a phillips or flathead screw driver. A wrench is great for bolts, but it doesn't work very well for pounding in nails - I know as I have tried when a hammer couldn't be located.

In no way did I suggest that Centerline Scores should be the ONLY tool that a rider uses when picking a trainer or ascertaining whether another rider is being truthful.  That would be like trying to build a house with JUST a hammer.  

I think I've been pretty honest about my own trainer.  She is NOT a dressage rider or trainer and she reminds me of that frequently. (funny story - she popped up on Speedy G one time in my dressage saddle and hated where it put her seat and legs!)  I ride with her because she is an excellent trainer of the basics.  She has warned me numerous times that I will need to find a real dressage trainer once she has helped me establish the basics.

I do know that she showed extensively when she was younger and that she coaches her other students at small, local h/j shows.  In no way do I discount her previous years of experience.  When I ask her questions about showing, I trust what she suggests because I know that she has experience in that area, and no, that experience doesn't show up on Centerline Scores.

When I finally do move on to a Dressage trainer, you can bet that I'll be looking her up just to see what kind of show experience he or she has had.  Of course Centerline Scores doesn't date back to the dawn of time - they make that clear on their Frequently Asked Questions page : How far back do you have scores?  Due to limitations on the available USDF show results, our data only goes back to the 1993 Competition Year and results prior to the 2003 Competition Year are very likely to be incomplete. However, from 2003 to present the data should be complete.  This doesn't mean that the most current stuff is of no value.

I also think some people thought I was placing a lot of emphasis on the scores themselves.  That wasn't my intention.  I was more concerned with the quantity of scores.  A person with A LOT of scores has shown a lot. More shows means more experience.  It might be a lot of BAD experience, but it's till experience.  When I ask for help, I would rather ask someone who I know has done it more than twice.  I've done five USDF-rated shows.  I am not a great one to ask about the particulars of a venue.  I can share what my experience was, but you're better off asking someone who has done 20 or 30 USDF shows.

So, that's my point.  Centerline Scores is a great tool for gathering data.  Use it with common sense and combine it with your own prior experience.  It shouldn't be the only tool you use, like the hammer, but it IS a useful tool.  If you don't get much value from it, don't use it.  Frankly, I never use a vise-grip wrench and don't feel as though I'm missing a thing!

If you didn't check out Centerline Scores when I posted about it the other day, you should.  In case you missed it, you can find it here.  When I first started showing dressage, I met a lot of people who were eager to share their show experience with me.  I also met a lot of people who passed themselves off as in the know.  When you yourself are NOT in the know, it is difficult to know whose advice to trust. 

During my years as an endurance rider, I researched people's records quite frequently on AERC's website to see if what they claimed about their riding was truthful or not.  I found this necessary when I was being offered advice or when people asked if they could ride with me.  Most endurance riders that I know who are "serious" about the sport are selective about who they'll ride with.  

As an example: When Mickey Dee was still new to the trail, I looked for people to tag along with to increase his exposure to riding in small groups and with strange horses.  A woman I knew thought it would be great fun to hit the trail together.  It turned out to be a big mistake.  Not only did she spend every single moment of the ride on her cell phone telling the person on the other end how much fun she was having, but she proceeded to gallop off down the trail without advising me of the gate change.  Mickey wasn't ready to gallop down the trail so I had my hands full keeping him at a walk.  Let's just say that I never rode with Chatty Kathy again!

The American Endurance Race Conference maintains a data base of every rider and horse's race statistics. Simply visit their site here, scroll down to AERC Records, choose either Horse History or Rider History, and type in a name.  Here's a snap shot of my race record:

I don't have as many miles as some folks (Trilby Pederson has over 60,000 miles), but I competed for 15 seasons with very few "pulls," and several of those were for Rider Ain't Doin' Right.  Not an official term, but you know what I mean.  If I offer endurance advice, it would be a good idea to check my record first to see if I have actually done the thing I'm describing.

I am sharing all of this because Centerline Scores gives me a way, sort of, to check on people who are offering advice or hanging out a trainer's shingle.  The main limitation to Centerline Scores is that it only tracks results from USDF shows and not CDS-rated or schooling shows.  If you check out the About Us link, you'll read the following: CenterlineScores.com was created as a tool to assist the United States Dressage community. Firstly, it is a tool that can be used to look at your own scores (or your friends’) to understand how you’re doing. Secondly, the site can be used as a tool to verify what other people (riders, trainers, owners, etc.) say about themselves, their horses, their records and their accomplishments.

Love it!  These people get it.  I recently got an earful from a rider so I decided to look her up.  Guess what? She has fewer than 10 posted scores (55% - 65%) and they're all at Training Level.  How sound is her advice?  I over-heard another rider claim that she had shown at third level.  I looked up her record.  Same thing - fewer than 10 posted scores (all below 55%) and no test above First Level.  How trustworthy is she?  Another rider, who is a trainer, has no record at all on Centerline Scores.  I am not sure I want a dressage trainer who has never shown at a USDF show.

I can already see some loaded comments coming my way about this topic.  I can handle it.  And just in case you want to see if I do more than talk the talk, you can see every single one of my test results here.  Centerline Scores added one last statement on their About Us link.  It was this, We’re all about accuracy and transparency.  Exactly!

I am sore and tired from getting bucked off last weekend.  The school year is winding down which is sucking an excessive amount of mental and emotional energy.  And not that he can help it, but the new puppy is also siphoning off his share of my available resources.  My disappointing scores from the weekend's show are also jerking me around a little and making me feel a bit like a failure.  It's no wonder that my enthusiasm for riding has taken a big hit.

I made it to the barn last Sunday after the show, but I was so sore and battered that all I did was some turn out.  I skipped Monday and Tuesday's visits and only showed up on Wednesday to do more turnout and barn chores.  It was good to see my boys, but I was still so sore that there was no way I could pop up for a ride.  I even cancelled my regular Wednesday lesson.

I am not one to celebrate other's failures, but when I see people that I respect have off days, it makes my own disappointments seem less ... well, disappointing.  So I looked up an acquaintance on Center Line Scores to see how she had performed when doing the Training Level tests. 

Center Line Scores is an unofficial site (not USDF sponsored) that tracks riders' scores from USDF-rated shows, Training Level and above. Here are her scores so that you can see what I mean.  It's interesting to see that she spent a lot of time riding the fourth test at First Level (the old tests).

Here are my own very limited results.  Remember that Center Line Scores only tracks results from USDF shows and from only Training Level and up.  That means my Introductory scores aren't included in the data which leaves only the scores from the Santa Barbara show.  In a few weeks, I hope to see my scores from this past weekend's results there, too.  My median will drop, but that's just an incentive to work harder!

This sounds absolutely horrible, but her scores were very similar to mine, if not lower.  Maybe there's hope for me yet!  Please, please, please don't think that I think I am better than anyone else or that I need to make myself feel better by one-uping someone.  It's not like that at all.  Instead, this comparison shows me that even very accomplished riders started somewhere.  They too deal with disappointing days, but then continue on.

I hope that in a few years my data will look similar to this more advanced rider.  There will be some disappointing scores I am sure, but there will also be some high scores that will make me smile - I hope.