As A.J. walked with her bareback student, hand on the pony's bridle, around the big hayfield, the youngster confided, "I'm probably not going to jump bareback, until I am like, sixteen or so." A. J. enjoyed stealing this idea and the pleasure of a bareback walk from her weatern-horse-camp, once-a-year, big city neighbour - a weekly babysitting charge/bandmate who had somehow inspired her to return to lost-as-an-adult Equestrian pursuits. Easily, suddenly, at this unforeseen stage of her life, A.J. was very glad to have an economically sound reason to commute out of the big metropolis and head to horse country, a couple times a week, having re-connected with a coach of her youth. With the acceptance of a part time job offer! This was her first teaching session as a re-employee at the Top Notch Riding Academy she had once come through, and had continued to admire...
Before she knew it, she was getting hollered at in the barn my her re-boss. "We don't go bareback anymore! The insurance company doesn't allow it!" A.J. was secretly later gratified when the grand-father witness to the reprimand assured her, "It was a good lesson today." He acknowledged even the value of the bareback part, without having to say so. He was the father of one of her former riding buddies, the child's mother. A.J. was in heaven. Wait til she got home to share the news with Jill!
It was exhausting to shout against the wind, standing in the sun, for that many hours. And, that's exhausting before one even factors in the patience factor. A.J. taught six or seven hours without even a lunch break. She was so tired after the first day of re-work that that she couldn't even sweep up after the last student or double check that the tack was all put away correctly. She just went straight home and fell asleep in all her grunginess.
In the morning, she woke up and put on the same breeches and headed back for more of the same.
The rider phobias, the horse personalities and day to day attitudes, the weather conditions, not to mention traffic issues and the planned lesson plan challenge of the day. Was the teacher also allowed to have a mood in her unfamiliar new surroundings?
*
Roomie said the Saturday afternoon lesson she'd taught was adorable, because one tiny little kid was up on a huge Clyde, that thoroughly listened to her, while the bigger girl was riding a very, speedy little pony she'd never ridden before.
Jill could just imagine how much extra humourous and effective "bossing" would have been required of such a loud-mouthed teacher in the middle of the arena, ha. Roomie went on to describe her more advanced, previous hour's student, standing in the middle of the arena with the teacher, chatting away about this and that and asking questions. The teacher needed to concentrate on the current riders, stating "Listen girl, I am glad for your company and interest and enthusiasm. But I have to concentrate on these students right now."
Roomie said it was hilarious how the girl had then actually lay down on the poles of a nearby cross rail. Entwined with the tiny x jump, in a huge sulk, the youngster was covered in head to toe in sparkle make-up while she basically rubbed in the dust, glowering, silently. "And eventually, finally, she got up and stood quietly beside me for the rest of the lesson, ha."
