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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

Hooked on Centerline Scores

5/21/2012

 
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:
Picture
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!
Lori
5/21/2012 04:47:09 am

i use the center line scores the exact same way, no argument here.

Dana link
5/21/2012 05:19:35 am

I'm new to dressage, but I found Center Line Scores a few weeks ago and have been loving it for exactly the same reasons. It was good learn that my instructors are, in fact, as experienced as they say they are, and it's been fun to look up the people and horses I meet during lessons or at our recent schooling show. I really like it as a resource, and I'm glad to hear you say the same thing!

Kelly RGF link
5/21/2012 05:59:28 am

I can see your reasoning, but scores are only a small part of the picture. I mean, you train with a non-dressage trainer who presumably doesn't have any scores recorded, but you were still able to identify her as a competent trainer who would take you in the right direction.

Centerline says it's only accurate from 2003 onwards, so I can imagine that there are a lot of scores that aren't recorded. For example, I looked up my instructor's records (on our database, obviously). She has competed to level 5, but if only her recent scores were available you would only see level 1 and the occasional level 2 scores. Why? Because she had bred her good horse and was now introducing her youngsters to dressage.

Or what if trainers are bringing along other people's young/difficult/untalented horses?

Anyway, I guess I think it's a flawed method for sorting the 'wheat from the chaff'. It IS interesting to look up people's records, and you DO catch some outright lies sometimes, but it's only one bit of information that should be considered when forming your opinion of that person.

There was a thread about it COTH kinda recently - https://chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=343067 - where they discussed this a bit too.

Mi
5/21/2012 08:39:07 am

I'm not on there at all (which makes me sad) even though I showed at USDF rated shows from 1990-1993. I even had some third level tests over 60% (pretty good for a long backed half Arab). This has made me take the scores posted on Centerline with a grain of salt. Its still a valuable tool, but only if taken in whole with all other info.

Mia
5/21/2012 09:11:49 am

I also wanted to add.... my trainer has rotten scores on Centerlinescores.com. I would've passed on her if all I'd seen were her scores on that site. But she is a fantastic trainer. Her students always win. Last weekend, her student with Parkinsons (who also suffered a stroke a couple of years ago) just earned a 70% at Second Level Test 3. The most recent horse my trainer trained (through Intermediare 1 or 2, I'm not sure), is now earning 70+ percents at GP with an adult ammy who'd never ridden at that level before. Some of her students don't do as well because we all ride backyard mutt's with some kind of big conformational problem. My trainer believes in doing the best with what you've got (not upselling you to a better model just to make herself look better).

However, I have checked out other trainers on Centerlinescores.com, but I combine that with looking up their scores and placing's at the shows (go to the show website and look at the results list). Sometimes a low score is still a great score under certain judges and you can tell that by looking at the how others scored in the same class.

Karen
5/21/2012 10:56:59 pm

Thank you all for the comments. I think this is an interesting topic. In fact, I did a follow up post for Tuesday.

Margaret Franke
7/11/2013 01:08:06 am

Gait is not spelled gate, if you post, poor spelling makes you lose credibility .

mia link
7/11/2013 01:32:32 am

Nice to know the spelling police have arrived. Those 700 other correctly spelled words that form an intelligent point mean nothing now!!!!
LOL!
Love it.

Karen
7/11/2013 05:34:28 am

Thanks, Mia. Maybe I need to fire my editor. No, wait. I am the editor, too. Apparently I need to hire some staff to help me out. :0)


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I am a lifelong rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
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Among other things, Karen is a Wife, Friend, Reader, Writer, Rider, Traveler, and Dog Lover
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  • Home
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    • Sydney
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