We talk a lot about “moving up” in this sport — and lately, there’s been a lot of conversation around whether riders are moving up too soon.

But the reality is more complicated than that.

There was a time when readiness felt more clearly defined. You either could do something, or you couldn’t. Today, with more divisions, more options, and more pathways, that clarity isn’t always there.

And that shift changes everything.

For riders and parents, it can feel confusing — even frustrating — when progress isn’t clearly laid out. For trainers, the job has become more nuanced than ever: communicating feel, timing, and judgment in a system that no longer has a simple checklist.

In this episode, I talk about how the structure of the sport has evolved, why “moving up” isn’t always a clear yes or no, and how both riders and trainers are navigating something that is increasingly subjective.