Yes

Yes, yes, and more yes:

Joint Letter from USEF President David O’Connor and USEA President Kevin Baumgardner

Quote:

We are proposing today that within the U.S. the following five initiatives be put into effect:

1. If a horse has a rotational fall, horse and rider are suspended from competing for three or six months
2. If a horse has a rotational fall, horse and rider lose their qualification at the level at which they are competing.
3. If a rider falls off on the course they are eliminated.
4. Open oxers on courses at every level are made frangible.
5. If a horse falls related to a jump both horse and rider are suspended from competing for one month.

I would like to add some additional constraints:
6. If a horse falls related to a jump twice in a six month period of time, both lose their qualification to ride at the level at which they are competing.
7. In order to move up, both horse and rider must complete a recognized event with no jumping penalties on cross country.

Number 6 is because if you are having horse falls regularly, you need to move down. Period. And number 7 is because not all the horses who fall have a history of falling, but have a history of not going clear in other, lower-level events. We have enough events (sorry Area V folks) for you to get that clear round before moving up. Practice until it happens.

Now that should curb the cowboyism that people saw at Rolex. If people have a rotational fall as an "accident" and not human error, then tough. Sit out and learn your lesson. Now let's start the discussion on the format. The Long format might be officially dead, but don't pretend it doesn't have an impact.

I promise to get back to more Brego-tastic posts soon. Jumping training is getting started and conditioning will soon follow...