instead of a scratch, Jill decided to take her time faults up front. at least thats how she thought of it, heading to the stable dreadfully late for a riding lesson.
she was riding then with a babe named fear, no kidding. it turned out that she was late for the lesson too, since the washing machine in the office had overflowed.
"thanks so much for the laughs last night, i really needed the comic relief"
*
Jill was overexplaining herself "my geography is rather wonky. in my own province, i think it because i have competed, groomed, coached and/or spectated in many, many horseshows all across this great land. i have also travelled great distances for clinics and training endeavours."
sometimes you could swing interesting accomodation arrangements at the last minute. jill had slept in the homes of complete strangers - do they call that a billet? some nights she would spent in the horse trailer at least one night of a weekend away to keep costs down. most of the time, she would just go and come back on the very same day.
"as a result, i think everything in ontario is driving distance. everything sounds familiar, like i know i've been there, even though i have no actual idea where it really is, or how long it actually takes to get there"
2008-08-25
2008-08-15
Show Plans
Jill was glad she'd taken him out to the grass ring, even though they were calling for thuderstorms. He was good out there for dressage work for a change!
It only took about 10 minutes til he was really on the bit at trot, with lots of changes of direction and transitions. His left side was harder than to the right, but she kept flowing back and forth. They worked on lots of transitions too, including canter-h a l t, and Jill thought it actually helped them to improve their downwards tranitions. The best one was when it only took about 6 steps to establish the appropriate tempo, while he stayed on the bit.
To keep it interesting, as a reward, Jill took him for a walk to the sand ring. That reminded her of when you warm up in one ring at a show and then ride over and perform in another one, so she collected him up again. He came together instantly. They worked some transitions in there, which were pretty good (relatively speaking of course), and when she checked her watch, it turns out they'd worked an extra 25 minutes in there. Time flies! He was so good.
She took him back to the grass ring and handgalloped around each direction a few times. And then, she approached the rails in a cross country fashion! It was fun, he liked it. And so she was brave about his speed too, and he was easy to get back in hand when she asked, even though he was only wearing the copper D. What a good boy!
*
Jill spoke to the boss/horse's owner about Checkmate. Jill said that they could get it together but they'd really have to scramble around to get everything ready by Sept 13 (mane pulled, coggins, overnight stabling, accomodation for us, X-country school beforehand ETC.) And, the expense!
Jill really wanted to get him out to a dressage show, something different just to mix him up a bit and so that he didn't always anticipate galloping cross-country when he gets off a trailer. The boss agreed that the time and expense can be directed towards better ends.
Jill went into "In The Ribbons" and tried on both brands of hard hat they carry, in her size, and she hated them both. The new regulation helmets are so big and bulky and tall - she hated how they sit and feel and look, and didn't get one. She did however, exchange the top hat and put it towards a beautiful new show jacket - black and feels great! It looked so sharp while it was so comfortable. Jill had seen it in the shop before her very first show and had it stuck in her head ever since.
She picked up a few other items they needed for the grooming kit - a different kind of curry for the tail, a replacement for the broken/stolen flash noseband part, and a rubber glove thingie. The bill was $72 after the exchange. Usually the boss would cover these expenses, and Jill was owed $35 for the trailering to Caledon, but she wasn't going to bring it up, since the birthday gift top hat had cost $250.
Jill always said she could tell how much her mount liked the work they'd been doing by how hard or easy he was to catch in the paddock.
It only took about 10 minutes til he was really on the bit at trot, with lots of changes of direction and transitions. His left side was harder than to the right, but she kept flowing back and forth. They worked on lots of transitions too, including canter-h a l t, and Jill thought it actually helped them to improve their downwards tranitions. The best one was when it only took about 6 steps to establish the appropriate tempo, while he stayed on the bit.
To keep it interesting, as a reward, Jill took him for a walk to the sand ring. That reminded her of when you warm up in one ring at a show and then ride over and perform in another one, so she collected him up again. He came together instantly. They worked some transitions in there, which were pretty good (relatively speaking of course), and when she checked her watch, it turns out they'd worked an extra 25 minutes in there. Time flies! He was so good.
She took him back to the grass ring and handgalloped around each direction a few times. And then, she approached the rails in a cross country fashion! It was fun, he liked it. And so she was brave about his speed too, and he was easy to get back in hand when she asked, even though he was only wearing the copper D. What a good boy!
*
Jill spoke to the boss/horse's owner about Checkmate. Jill said that they could get it together but they'd really have to scramble around to get everything ready by Sept 13 (mane pulled, coggins, overnight stabling, accomodation for us, X-country school beforehand ETC.) And, the expense!
Jill really wanted to get him out to a dressage show, something different just to mix him up a bit and so that he didn't always anticipate galloping cross-country when he gets off a trailer. The boss agreed that the time and expense can be directed towards better ends.
Jill went into "In The Ribbons" and tried on both brands of hard hat they carry, in her size, and she hated them both. The new regulation helmets are so big and bulky and tall - she hated how they sit and feel and look, and didn't get one. She did however, exchange the top hat and put it towards a beautiful new show jacket - black and feels great! It looked so sharp while it was so comfortable. Jill had seen it in the shop before her very first show and had it stuck in her head ever since.
She picked up a few other items they needed for the grooming kit - a different kind of curry for the tail, a replacement for the broken/stolen flash noseband part, and a rubber glove thingie. The bill was $72 after the exchange. Usually the boss would cover these expenses, and Jill was owed $35 for the trailering to Caledon, but she wasn't going to bring it up, since the birthday gift top hat had cost $250.
Jill always said she could tell how much her mount liked the work they'd been doing by how hard or easy he was to catch in the paddock.
2008-08-13
Training Log - hack
Jill reported that the day’s hack was awesome and then while lunging, Not-so was actually, indeed, totally terrific. He only needed to be chased to continue on the right rein once.
*
While riding out with the boss, Jill was told about KC's fear of bikes and given the instruction that if the bike club were to ever come by, to dismount. Jill thought she might be safer on his back, but she had done one emergency dismount in her life so, which ever way it were to shake out, she felt ready.
She apologized to the boss when Not So spooked "Sorry, Casey did that." Who was apologizing to her that her mount spooked? It could have been a lot worse, but Jill had the knack of smoothing these things out -- the key to KC staying relaxed is the rider staying relaxed. And, her sense of humour was good for that. "He usually doesn’t wake up until after the first trot."
Once left to their own devices, they hacked right past a stallion and went along the edge of all the paddocks on the quarter horse farm. It was lovely. Jill could swear that horse needed someone like her to come a long and show him how to relax in a pinball machine.
She thought she better clean some tack before tacking up Finn and taking him for a hack/trot set. She wanted to take out that pathway went all the way back into the woods, where she went with Nellie, and was able to pick a pinecone from a tree while on her back.
*
While riding out with the boss, Jill was told about KC's fear of bikes and given the instruction that if the bike club were to ever come by, to dismount. Jill thought she might be safer on his back, but she had done one emergency dismount in her life so, which ever way it were to shake out, she felt ready.
She apologized to the boss when Not So spooked "Sorry, Casey did that." Who was apologizing to her that her mount spooked? It could have been a lot worse, but Jill had the knack of smoothing these things out -- the key to KC staying relaxed is the rider staying relaxed. And, her sense of humour was good for that. "He usually doesn’t wake up until after the first trot."
Once left to their own devices, they hacked right past a stallion and went along the edge of all the paddocks on the quarter horse farm. It was lovely. Jill could swear that horse needed someone like her to come a long and show him how to relax in a pinball machine.
She thought she better clean some tack before tacking up Finn and taking him for a hack/trot set. She wanted to take out that pathway went all the way back into the woods, where she went with Nellie, and was able to pick a pinecone from a tree while on her back.
2008-08-10
More Lesson Lines
lesson lines"to my students i like to say IS THIS A NINTENDO ROBOT PONY you are SITTING on, or are you RIDING a LIVE ANIMAL?" is what i said, in response to the equine phisiology teachers' comment that she often asks endurance riders to STOP thinking of their horses as a bicycle with 4 furry legs and feet for wheels.
*
"i tell my students, horses don't eat meat. so, i have been less afraid of every horse i have ever met than i am of your typical house cat" and, so it was that the large animal vet finally started delegating to her.
wouldn't it be great if she could work afternoons with horses too?
*
"So, what's a release?"
a rather talented young dressage rider asked Jill in the tackroom.
While they'd been warming up, as the student riders for the OEF Coach Evaluations, another horse and rider pair had taken a terrible tumble. They were cantering over an everyday plain vertical, and had a normal pace, and hit a normal spot and seemed to jump normally. but a stride after landing the clyde cross fell right down, like crumpling in front. hitting the ground hard and appearing to roll over the rider's lower half.
Jill had been riding behind and came up first to the fallen girl.
"now, take a minute. don't rush to get up. can you talk to us or is the wind knocked out of you"
there girl was spitting dust out of her mouth and wiping her face and getting to her feet. "well, you've got a scraped elbow, that we can see"
one of the coaches there for the testing was at her side by this time, holding the now on its feet with a bleeding scratched nose bay and helping the blonde to her feet.
"what did i do wrong?" she said.
"oh honey, i don't know if you did anything wrong. to me it looked like zoe just tripped." the other instructor, who'd been standing at the doorway, watching from the front said "you just need to release more"
*
"i tell my students, horses don't eat meat. so, i have been less afraid of every horse i have ever met than i am of your typical house cat" and, so it was that the large animal vet finally started delegating to her.
wouldn't it be great if she could work afternoons with horses too?
*
"So, what's a release?"
a rather talented young dressage rider asked Jill in the tackroom.
While they'd been warming up, as the student riders for the OEF Coach Evaluations, another horse and rider pair had taken a terrible tumble. They were cantering over an everyday plain vertical, and had a normal pace, and hit a normal spot and seemed to jump normally. but a stride after landing the clyde cross fell right down, like crumpling in front. hitting the ground hard and appearing to roll over the rider's lower half.
Jill had been riding behind and came up first to the fallen girl.
"now, take a minute. don't rush to get up. can you talk to us or is the wind knocked out of you"
there girl was spitting dust out of her mouth and wiping her face and getting to her feet. "well, you've got a scraped elbow, that we can see"
one of the coaches there for the testing was at her side by this time, holding the now on its feet with a bleeding scratched nose bay and helping the blonde to her feet.
"what did i do wrong?" she said.
"oh honey, i don't know if you did anything wrong. to me it looked like zoe just tripped." the other instructor, who'd been standing at the doorway, watching from the front said "you just need to release more"
Faces to Names
At first I recognized the name on the list and then I remembered the face. Then I put it together that Katie rode Dr. Broom who was owned by that ladym which was how I knew the name.
The face I'd met at the David O Clinic. She told me then, that at the previous clinic, she'd learned her horse is one with fewer ribs than many horses. That's what givers her that cat like snap.
"Are there no men riding in Canada?" the clinician asked, causing Jill to laugh so loud she almost damaged the video recording she was making for my friend, who was riding in the class... In retrospect, she came to THINK she was seated where she should not be, on the jump crew benchm while she did so, so its a blessing perhaps that she ran out of memory card so quickly!
“Your guy has a nice jump” on Olympian said to her friend about her horse.
The highlight for Jill at the time was that he put on his helmet every time he hopped on a horse. But I have come to see the benefit of his teaching even more since then.
The face I'd met at the David O Clinic. She told me then, that at the previous clinic, she'd learned her horse is one with fewer ribs than many horses. That's what givers her that cat like snap.
"Are there no men riding in Canada?" the clinician asked, causing Jill to laugh so loud she almost damaged the video recording she was making for my friend, who was riding in the class... In retrospect, she came to THINK she was seated where she should not be, on the jump crew benchm while she did so, so its a blessing perhaps that she ran out of memory card so quickly!
“Your guy has a nice jump” on Olympian said to her friend about her horse.
The highlight for Jill at the time was that he put on his helmet every time he hopped on a horse. But I have come to see the benefit of his teaching even more since then.
2008-08-08
Back and Forth
He’d already shown her the pool in his brother’s house earlier that day, and flirted saying if she ever wanted to go skinny dipping, to let him know. To her own surprise, she’d replied that it was so warm and beautiful in there that for once, such a notion wasn’t out of the question. She was surpised he’d heard of it, when he asked if she went to the all night art festival. Does he flirt with all the girls? She liked his influence on the smoking issue. He’d quit because they were so expensive in Canada, and that being around people who didn’t smoke helped a lot and that it just didn’t seem right to be doing that around a barn. He told her how he used to smoke them far away from the stable and stub them out fully and then pick them up and carry them in his pocket.
His brother had said he tried to catch mono in Mono… So was he a womanizer or what?
*
The day before she had to lunge Not-so and did so in the covered round pen. It was closer, not past the road, and easier for handling Not-so once in there. She'd been told today that she should have been in the open pen. At least he only got turned around on me once on the right rein, Jill thought. He'd been almost balanced in time for each direction and he was listening to all the transitions. As far as Not-so goes, she would have to say he was quite well behaved.
The same horse tanked around on her bringing him first thing in the morning. He was bucking in the field before she caught him and then he shuffled her on down the barn, past his stall and past his grain and hay. Why was it the halter and lead shank without the chain left outside the paddock?? she'd called down the barn. It was the first time he’d really drug her around, and Jill was shaking afterwards for a good 5 minutes or so.
The chain over Tempi’s nose was a godsend, because she just half-halted him all the way in, and his trot shuffle stayed beside her instead of dragging her towards the barn. Tempi was part of a twosome that came in together. Nellie was always very helpful.
Before her boss got on Not-so to ride him, he asked Jill to walk him around for a few minutes. Thankfully Not-so did walk on down the barn. Her boss humiliated her with a frustrated and confused face when she came out the barn and then turned around and went back in. But she’d forgotten the whip on his stall door, and was simply going back for it. Not-so had to learn to help out and go with the flow, was how she looked at it. The trouble was, he wouldn't cooperate and the practice was taking forever. So, Not-so got quite the whack on the butt with the whip the boss had in hand, for refusing to move forward properly. His startled huge spook reaction spooked the precious show jumper horse that was returning from a ride.
So, Jill got at good yelling at as well, with a new rule being instituted to always bring the horse out the other side of the barn...
His brother had said he tried to catch mono in Mono… So was he a womanizer or what?
*
The day before she had to lunge Not-so and did so in the covered round pen. It was closer, not past the road, and easier for handling Not-so once in there. She'd been told today that she should have been in the open pen. At least he only got turned around on me once on the right rein, Jill thought. He'd been almost balanced in time for each direction and he was listening to all the transitions. As far as Not-so goes, she would have to say he was quite well behaved.
The same horse tanked around on her bringing him first thing in the morning. He was bucking in the field before she caught him and then he shuffled her on down the barn, past his stall and past his grain and hay. Why was it the halter and lead shank without the chain left outside the paddock?? she'd called down the barn. It was the first time he’d really drug her around, and Jill was shaking afterwards for a good 5 minutes or so.
The chain over Tempi’s nose was a godsend, because she just half-halted him all the way in, and his trot shuffle stayed beside her instead of dragging her towards the barn. Tempi was part of a twosome that came in together. Nellie was always very helpful.
Before her boss got on Not-so to ride him, he asked Jill to walk him around for a few minutes. Thankfully Not-so did walk on down the barn. Her boss humiliated her with a frustrated and confused face when she came out the barn and then turned around and went back in. But she’d forgotten the whip on his stall door, and was simply going back for it. Not-so had to learn to help out and go with the flow, was how she looked at it. The trouble was, he wouldn't cooperate and the practice was taking forever. So, Not-so got quite the whack on the butt with the whip the boss had in hand, for refusing to move forward properly. His startled huge spook reaction spooked the precious show jumper horse that was returning from a ride.
So, Jill got at good yelling at as well, with a new rule being instituted to always bring the horse out the other side of the barn...
2008-08-07
Improving The Bottom Line
Jill was somehow proud of the way the shyest rider urged her giant clyde cross mount towards her and ASKED the teacher if she could jump. she projected her voice and expressed herself, as well as provided solid leadership to her horse friend. while asking to do the very thing she never wanted to do in class.
*
earlier Jill had found herself ranting, as the child careened past the turn to the little cross rail, because she didn't actually want to do it,
"listen, you cannot just ignore your riding teacher. if you don't want to jump, i am not going to make you jump, you should know that about me by now. but if you don't want to jump, then at least come in here and tell me about it, because i cannot have you and i miscommunicating with that horse. got it?" and then turning her attention towards the two students in the class who were ready to start jumping at a higher level.
*
the first jump cup hole was full of earwigs and the super tough outdoorsy instructor squealed by mistake as she lowered the cup one hole. the second hole was buggy too so she joked "okay you owe me now, you better really enjoy this jump i made you."
when the child had successfully cleared the non-obstacle her fellow riders cheered and she beamed.
*
"every week she goes up another million." that's what one of my mentors used to say about our quietest school horse. a 27 year old bay, with smooth gaits and a trustworthy nature.
*
earlier Jill had found herself ranting, as the child careened past the turn to the little cross rail, because she didn't actually want to do it,
"listen, you cannot just ignore your riding teacher. if you don't want to jump, i am not going to make you jump, you should know that about me by now. but if you don't want to jump, then at least come in here and tell me about it, because i cannot have you and i miscommunicating with that horse. got it?" and then turning her attention towards the two students in the class who were ready to start jumping at a higher level.
*
the first jump cup hole was full of earwigs and the super tough outdoorsy instructor squealed by mistake as she lowered the cup one hole. the second hole was buggy too so she joked "okay you owe me now, you better really enjoy this jump i made you."
when the child had successfully cleared the non-obstacle her fellow riders cheered and she beamed.
*
"every week she goes up another million." that's what one of my mentors used to say about our quietest school horse. a 27 year old bay, with smooth gaits and a trustworthy nature.
2008-08-05
Nellie's For Sale
Jill wasn't sure how to help when a horse was up for sale.
The woman who stopped by had an Intermediate horse that she doesn’t think will go Advanced.
Jill smiled at her and she smiled back. Then she asked the boss's partner
"Does anyone around here ride her for the boss? Sometimes the staff at the barn are sorry to see a girl go…"
He mostly just avoided the question and introduced his brother to the client/buyer but not Jill.
Jill wandered away thinking "I am just a groom."
She had wanted to tell the woman what it was like to ride Nellie (wonderful!), and the woman had wanted to hear from her, but apparently, that was not Jill's place.
*
Her first day of working Jill did four stalls three times, pulled five manes (Nellie, Fyn, KC, Not-so and Tempi) and cleaned and polished several bridles. She was not terribly familiar with stables that looked like no horses lived there, they were kept so clean, but the boss seemed reasonable and they did all work hard as a team...
Her second day of working she pulled another four manes (Steve, Sam, Vit, Weston)
And the third day of working, rode three of the high level event horses, just at a walk, as well as cleaning all the tack, show jumper and eventer. And, Sweeping, so much sweeping. Then she had to go to an American Thanksgiving party where she felt like the oldest working student ever and and sat beside a grown woman with two jobs – one at the factory and one as an office assistant for a photographer. Her husband was an employee of our horse people hosts... The hostess said ‘I’ve never seen this girl before in my life" when Jill hugged her on the way out, because she’d hugged the guests on the way in. Jim turned out to be dead wood at a party since he was shyer than Jill. She was finding his attention flattering and his mother’s disapproval annoying.
The next day of working she rode three horses with one 10 minute set of trot each. And, her bottom ached.
There had been much trouble hitting the fan already. Wheelbarrows don’t go in the stalls. You must pick out the stalls even when the blacksmith is in the way and the priority is to get the horse ready etc. etc. Jill found that saying sorry helped, and wanted not to accidentally rat out the rest of the team with comments like “but that’s how I was told to do it!” as she moved forward.
The woman who stopped by had an Intermediate horse that she doesn’t think will go Advanced.
Jill smiled at her and she smiled back. Then she asked the boss's partner
"Does anyone around here ride her for the boss? Sometimes the staff at the barn are sorry to see a girl go…"
He mostly just avoided the question and introduced his brother to the client/buyer but not Jill.
Jill wandered away thinking "I am just a groom."
She had wanted to tell the woman what it was like to ride Nellie (wonderful!), and the woman had wanted to hear from her, but apparently, that was not Jill's place.
*
Her first day of working Jill did four stalls three times, pulled five manes (Nellie, Fyn, KC, Not-so and Tempi) and cleaned and polished several bridles. She was not terribly familiar with stables that looked like no horses lived there, they were kept so clean, but the boss seemed reasonable and they did all work hard as a team...
Her second day of working she pulled another four manes (Steve, Sam, Vit, Weston)
And the third day of working, rode three of the high level event horses, just at a walk, as well as cleaning all the tack, show jumper and eventer. And, Sweeping, so much sweeping. Then she had to go to an American Thanksgiving party where she felt like the oldest working student ever and and sat beside a grown woman with two jobs – one at the factory and one as an office assistant for a photographer. Her husband was an employee of our horse people hosts... The hostess said ‘I’ve never seen this girl before in my life" when Jill hugged her on the way out, because she’d hugged the guests on the way in. Jim turned out to be dead wood at a party since he was shyer than Jill. She was finding his attention flattering and his mother’s disapproval annoying.
The next day of working she rode three horses with one 10 minute set of trot each. And, her bottom ached.
There had been much trouble hitting the fan already. Wheelbarrows don’t go in the stalls. You must pick out the stalls even when the blacksmith is in the way and the priority is to get the horse ready etc. etc. Jill found that saying sorry helped, and wanted not to accidentally rat out the rest of the team with comments like “but that’s how I was told to do it!” as she moved forward.
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