AEC Program

2025 AEC PROGRAM 58 USEA STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES The sport of "eventing," in relation to English riding and horsemanship, embraces the principle that training of the horse and rider in the elements of classical dressage, combined with training of the horse and rider in jumping obstacles, will improve the performance of both across country. From its inception in 1959, the United States Combined Training Association, since 2001 known as the United States Eventing Association, has sought: - To promote through such education the safe, healthful, humane, and effective training, use, and care of horses; - To educate horse owners and riders in methods of evaluation of the abilities, state of training, and condition of both riders and horses, as measures of achievement and a foundation for further training; - To sponsor or encourage persons to develop facilities for testing and evaluating the abilities, state of training, and condition of both horses and riders; - To sponsor, organize or encourage persons to organize horse trials, combined tests, two-day events and three-day events under the rules of the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF), and the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the world governing body for horse sports; - To sponsor, organize or encourage persons to organize educational forums and practical training clinics in furtherance of any of those purposes; - And to work cooperatively within the scope of its purposes with other organizations such as the USEF, FEI, USPC, and AHC, as well as national breed associations. - Implicit in the work of the USEA, and central to its philosophy, is the welfare of the horse. At each of the levels of prescribed testing, the horses and riders are subjected to distinct tests of physical agility, strength, and endurance, as well as mental and emotional preparation. The horse must be healthy, fit, prepared, and willing in order to perform. The rules of the USEF, which are observed by the USEA, call for safe, secure, and comfortable stabling, with proper arrangements for the procuring of feed and water, the availability of veterinary and farrier support, and the layout and construction of arenas and courses with jumpable obstacles appropriate in difficulty to each specified level. The rules forbid cruelty and provide severe punishment for any violation. At the heart of successful training is continuous interaction between rider and horse which may simply be expressed as "askreceive-reward." Out of this process, the horse-rider combination achieves mutual respect, realization of mutual dependence, and mutual trust. The Board of Governors of the United States Eventing Association hereby embraces the Code of Conduct as promulgated by the FEI, as it may apply within its sphere of activity and authority. To this end it is stated: 1. In eventing, the horse must be considered paramount. 2. The well-being of the horse shall be above the demands of breeders, trainers, riders, owners, dealers, organizers, sponsors, or officials. 3. All handling and veterinary treatment must be directed toward the health and welfare of the horse.

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