Question for CDEers ...

[Kendra]

I was wondering if other VSE drivers ever encounter show organizers or anyone else who feel (strongly!) that it is unfair to allow VSEs to compete for placings with larger equines. I was basically told this weekend that the only reason Hawk has done well at all is because he's tiny, and that it's completely unfair to allow him to compete with anything but other VSE's - and while there were lots of other VSE's at the event (yay!) none were in my level which put me in a class by myself. Even at the big, full, international CDE I went to last fall they combined my class with the Small Ponies when I was the only VSE, and then placed the level overall as well.

In the end, something must have changed, as they did place the level all together, and I placed 3rd - so much for my 'unfair advantage' I guess!! ;-) (I was pleased with third, for the record!)

Is this a common attitude to encounter? It just doesn't make sense to me at all - yeah, he's got an advantage in the tight, twisty hazards, but definitely not in the big looping hazards where the big guys can get out and gallop, or in dressage! And I've never placed ahead of a number of the competitors in my level. I don't get it.

 

[R Whiteman]

It is not too unusual to run into folks with the attitude that the VSE has an unfair advantage and so should not compete for any kind of overall award, or with other horses. Some of it stems from the fact that we are still refining our rules as to pace etc, and the feeling is that our horses are still not being asked for the same kind of effort as the bigger horses. A very good friend of mine and I argue this point constantly. My feeling is that while we may have an advantage in the cones, and tight hazards (being able to take short routes that would be impossible for others, etc), our horses are being asked to pull twice their weight even without a navigator, and that more than makes up for the"pace" issues. New rules are addressing the speeds anyway. I know that in other parts of the country, VSEs compete with ponies (at pony speeds) or they don't compete. We are very well received here in the PNW, but I think we have to be diligent in our efforts to present our horses to their best possible advantage and play be "their" rules. There are still a lot of people who are concerned that our small horses cannot do the job....or cannot do the job as long...or will fall apart under the hard use...etc, etc, etc. We are proving over and over that this is not true and that we can do it and do it well, but there are still people whose minds are made up. Congrats to you and we all are in this educational process together. And even here in the NW where our average turnout for VSE is 20 or more, we still often compete with ourselves, particularly at the higher levels, but so do the horses and other ponies...One event offers overall awards at each level and those awards have often been won by VSE!!!

Dorothy

 

[RhineStone]

I think the whole reason we have VSE divisions in the Midwest is because some of the "big" horse people (which we are, too) don't like to get beat by a mini!

I think the times are too slow for big VSEs, and should be split at about 34". My 37" has a hard time making minimum, while my 31" would have a hard time making max.

We asked about showing our VSE tandem at a CDE and were denied because the organizer didn't want to create a new division. It never occurred to us to have to create an entirely new division. We figured we could go in with the pony tandems with VSE time, but no avail.

As far as some horses not being able to do the job, there are some "peanut" horses that are overfaced and give the breed a bad rap, and some powerhouses that try to refute that idea. There is just SO much variable between types of minis, WE know it is hard to lump them all together. When I had my gelding at Walnut Hill, there were a number of people that came up to me because they really liked Alax's "structure". Most of the rest of the minis there are slighter build, so that is what people are used to seeing there. If that is what they know, they make assumptions about the rest of the breed. We drivers know that is not the case.

It isn't unusual around here for a VSE to take Best Dressage. Obviously, the judges see the difference! What would being "tiny" have to do with doing well?

Myrna

 

[sassy1]

Here in Australia, the heights for CDE start at over 36"!

 

[MiLo Minis]

When I first wanted to compete in CDE or trials here there weren't any other VSE's competing and the arguments I ran into were they didn't want the expense of creating a whole new division in which there wouldn't be many horses, they were afraid I was going to kill my horse and it wouldn't be fair to expect my tiny little horse to compete against the larger animals. With the support of some friends that were already involved in the sport and knew me and my horses I finally got permission to go after I promised that I was happy to follow all the rules and compete in the small pony division with a navigator, they would have my money, and I would withdraw if my horse couldn't handle it.

We promptly went out and beat all but the largest horses there!

I personally am thrilled to hear that there are enough highly competitive Minis in the sport that we now have them worried!