Jill was proud of the fact that she'd graduated the week before (finally) from simply schooling the school horses to riding a young horse that the head coach/trainer didn't get to that day. A few days later when the boss asked if she could help set up/settle the two top show horses at the giant Palgrave facility for a show, she was excited to and said yes. The boss said "bring your boots and your hat though, because you might want to take one of them for a hack." (whoo hoo)
Even though they had only met the once, she had him on her mind. Jill knew he had referred to his girlfriend that March. Were they still seeing each other that fall? Or, the next spring? It was a very long-standing crush. She didn't know how to find out, or how much it actually mattered whether her fantasies were adulterous or just simply ridiculous, ha. She couldn't help wishing for a quick trip to Arizona for June - who knew what could happen where the land itself was magic? She had areoplan points but needed to save them for a trip in the sunshine next winter. She was thinking of booking soon...
*
At her other horse-pace, Jill saw a horrible horse emergency that morning. The calm, trustworthy filly she was to jog later had her head stuck, the halter snagged on the bolt on the outside of the stall door. Jill walked in the barn and couldn't understand the mare's weird expression and pose, over half door. What was she doing? Then Jill saw that the the nylon halter was caught. Jill could see it needed to slide like a millimeter the right direction and the horse would be free.
Arizona was frozen there and Jill went over saying "okay whoa girl i am going to help you with this" wondering if she could somehow cut it off the horse, thankful the mare was so still. Jill touched the halter to give it a tiny tug for freedom and the horse FREAKED OUT. Scrambling backwards, or attempting to, with all her horse power. A horrible scrambling clatter of hooves on the floor and wall with her head still stuck and the friggin halter would not give. She was hanging herself and almost ripping her own face apart and it was horrible. Jill watched saying easy, easy, easy and not knowing what to do... until thank god a buckle broke, and provided the needed slack, and she was freed.
Jill almost cried with relief and Arizona kicked the stall walls about four times really hard after that. Jill was glad she hadn't been INSIDE there trying to help. Her heart pounded for a long time after that and the pony was freaked too, you could tell. poor thing.
When the boss-vet came in, he had a look at all the rub marks and self-inflicted burns and scratches but pronounced her well and lucky enough overall.
Showing posts with label Lesson Factory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lesson Factory. Show all posts
2011-05-10
2011-04-18
Shocks not Horrors!
Someday she hoped they'd host a horse-ball clinic. But in the early days, Jill wanted to teach a lesson about appropriate size of turns. It seemed to her that not a single student on the property, including the most "advanced," had any idea about a so-called large (aka 20m circle). When they lined up, came out from the middle for their turn on course or for mounting and dismounting, they asked their horses to turn on a dime, often from a standstill, without any leg at all, over and over and over. Jill couldn't correct each student each time individually effectively enough. They had no idea about the guideline 3 times the leg power for any touch of hand. She so wanted to create a lesson plan or two about it!
Meanwhile, the volunteers were sitting up six jump courses at the boss's instruction, implying Jill's horse welfare lesson plan inappropriate for their level? Maybe in July? Practice for the show and jump jump jump to it?
Jill also wondered if she could earn enough trust to ask volunteers or a working student or an assistant instructor could be allowed to stay with her. Maybe this helper could even work on trying to soften up the track footing for the poor horse bones in any spare time?
At least, she wasn't being asked to pull at the manes barbaricky short at least, or being the ones who don't like it to deal with as an intro, ha.
*
An occasional co-worker was complaining to Jill as they shovelled that he has been interviewing for jobs and waiting for the call back... and, he thinks it must be as awful as waiting for a call from a potential lover and/or hoping for a date invitation. The agony!
Jill yelled at him, while mucking out stalls, joking at full volume, "oh ya? WELL YOU SHOULD TRY WAITING FOR BOTH KINDS OF CALLS AT THE SAME TIME!" He left with a smirk and she finished the last stall without his supervision dumping the wheelbarrow thank you very much...
Walking the slightly snowy thus slippery UPHILL plank up to and over the manure spreader with a full wheelbarrow was good for her riding. Jill thought there couldn't be a stronger motivator to keep one's balance! And a good riding practice happened during the chores, ha - Jill had tumbled in after many a dumped wheelbarrow in her lifetime and could attest to how gross and embarrassing to fall in it can be. She was very aware of her stomach muscles afterwards... and, for sure mucking out was good for her pony ride arms too.
*
Jill was thrilled for her student who was estactic because the Duchess said she liked her horse! What an honour to be in the Royal Winter Fair's opening ceremonies like that!
Meanwhile, the volunteers were sitting up six jump courses at the boss's instruction, implying Jill's horse welfare lesson plan inappropriate for their level? Maybe in July? Practice for the show and jump jump jump to it?
Jill also wondered if she could earn enough trust to ask volunteers or a working student or an assistant instructor could be allowed to stay with her. Maybe this helper could even work on trying to soften up the track footing for the poor horse bones in any spare time?
At least, she wasn't being asked to pull at the manes barbaricky short at least, or being the ones who don't like it to deal with as an intro, ha.
*
An occasional co-worker was complaining to Jill as they shovelled that he has been interviewing for jobs and waiting for the call back... and, he thinks it must be as awful as waiting for a call from a potential lover and/or hoping for a date invitation. The agony!
Jill yelled at him, while mucking out stalls, joking at full volume, "oh ya? WELL YOU SHOULD TRY WAITING FOR BOTH KINDS OF CALLS AT THE SAME TIME!" He left with a smirk and she finished the last stall without his supervision dumping the wheelbarrow thank you very much...
Walking the slightly snowy thus slippery UPHILL plank up to and over the manure spreader with a full wheelbarrow was good for her riding. Jill thought there couldn't be a stronger motivator to keep one's balance! And a good riding practice happened during the chores, ha - Jill had tumbled in after many a dumped wheelbarrow in her lifetime and could attest to how gross and embarrassing to fall in it can be. She was very aware of her stomach muscles afterwards... and, for sure mucking out was good for her pony ride arms too.
*
Jill was thrilled for her student who was estactic because the Duchess said she liked her horse! What an honour to be in the Royal Winter Fair's opening ceremonies like that!
2011-04-16
Wrong, Wrong Again
The owner was correcting some of the working students on their method and was trying to get them to think about what they had done. "What's more important, the horse or the human?" Jill piped up from the other side of the barn, "Unfair choice! Unfair choice!" to bring some smiles into the learning episode, ha.
*
Jill did not mention having once being diagnosed with a mental illness, on her cover letter to the full time job at the university newspaper, even though they wanted marginalized people to self-identify when applying! She just couldn't bring herself to do it. Was her "previous" diagnosis, of suffering Post Traumatic Stress syndrome even really relevant? The violent episodes she'd witnessed and experienced were long over now and she didn't want to feel disabled by them anymore.
But, to that very day, her body did not handle stress well. As she made a huge effort making healthy lifestyle choices, Jill's physical self did not cooperate as well as she hoped.
Currently her white blood cells/T-cell count was too high which indicated her immune system was attacking itself, instead of fighting disease. Meanwhile, her red blood cell count was too low. Hypoglycemic, and deficient in B12 like those celiac/lactose intolerants she worried she was, and more and more tired every day. And if felt like her eyesight worsened by the day also. Had the doctor really read all the test results correctly? She had several more appointments looming and would learn as much as she could.
She felt her true nature was actually just to be "up for the party" as well as hardworking, at all times! And was frightened, frustrated and ashamed of changes in her body that she couldn't control.
*
Jill always said there would always be a horse for her to ride, because she would ride the one that no one else wanted to. Sometimes, it was kind of like that with students too... she would get the difficult students, with unusual learning styles and so on.
She smiled to remember when one of her students, a boy, with ADD was doing a very good job with a difficult pony while Jill was issuing ongoing instructions... he'd interupted to exclaim "I think this is the best I've ever ridden!" which indeed it was!
Jill had complained that day to her teacher about all the layers she required for winter, and how annoying and cumbersome they were. Her teacher had consoled "Just wait til you have kids!" and Jill hoped the woman was right she'd learn that.
*
The business meeting was clearly a farce, from a guy with a crush. And, alas, she hated the way he orchestrated their meeting so as to entrap her to dinner. She felt she never should have agreed to go away... It even turned out she'd missed a riding lesson!
Her ego wondered if the texts he sent to her he sent to other babes too? His not-so-ex was tweeting beseeching comments about the same events he had thrown Jill invitations to. Regardless, she wasn't interested in his potential romance and her heart made alternate travel wishes... another guy she didn't want to be seeing suggested "Its never too late to settle."
She was already giving up on so many other life goals. Her horoscope asked if she was giving up before even getting started, but she was withdrawing her name from the April Rider Level test. But she did not feel at all ready to try the Rider Level 8. She wasn't fit enough, there weren't enough weeks left for training and practice and she hated having a new horse partner every class.
Especially unbearable because she didn't even have a horse to hack it out with.
It was all wrong. She was w r o n g again, yikes.
*
Jill did not mention having once being diagnosed with a mental illness, on her cover letter to the full time job at the university newspaper, even though they wanted marginalized people to self-identify when applying! She just couldn't bring herself to do it. Was her "previous" diagnosis, of suffering Post Traumatic Stress syndrome even really relevant? The violent episodes she'd witnessed and experienced were long over now and she didn't want to feel disabled by them anymore.
But, to that very day, her body did not handle stress well. As she made a huge effort making healthy lifestyle choices, Jill's physical self did not cooperate as well as she hoped.
Currently her white blood cells/T-cell count was too high which indicated her immune system was attacking itself, instead of fighting disease. Meanwhile, her red blood cell count was too low. Hypoglycemic, and deficient in B12 like those celiac/lactose intolerants she worried she was, and more and more tired every day. And if felt like her eyesight worsened by the day also. Had the doctor really read all the test results correctly? She had several more appointments looming and would learn as much as she could.
She felt her true nature was actually just to be "up for the party" as well as hardworking, at all times! And was frightened, frustrated and ashamed of changes in her body that she couldn't control.
*
Jill always said there would always be a horse for her to ride, because she would ride the one that no one else wanted to. Sometimes, it was kind of like that with students too... she would get the difficult students, with unusual learning styles and so on.
She smiled to remember when one of her students, a boy, with ADD was doing a very good job with a difficult pony while Jill was issuing ongoing instructions... he'd interupted to exclaim "I think this is the best I've ever ridden!" which indeed it was!
Jill had complained that day to her teacher about all the layers she required for winter, and how annoying and cumbersome they were. Her teacher had consoled "Just wait til you have kids!" and Jill hoped the woman was right she'd learn that.
*
The business meeting was clearly a farce, from a guy with a crush. And, alas, she hated the way he orchestrated their meeting so as to entrap her to dinner. She felt she never should have agreed to go away... It even turned out she'd missed a riding lesson!
Her ego wondered if the texts he sent to her he sent to other babes too? His not-so-ex was tweeting beseeching comments about the same events he had thrown Jill invitations to. Regardless, she wasn't interested in his potential romance and her heart made alternate travel wishes... another guy she didn't want to be seeing suggested "Its never too late to settle."
She was already giving up on so many other life goals. Her horoscope asked if she was giving up before even getting started, but she was withdrawing her name from the April Rider Level test. But she did not feel at all ready to try the Rider Level 8. She wasn't fit enough, there weren't enough weeks left for training and practice and she hated having a new horse partner every class.
Especially unbearable because she didn't even have a horse to hack it out with.
It was all wrong. She was w r o n g again, yikes.
2011-04-10
Pony Club Rules!
Of course the pony she had the crush on would be available for such a price, lol. What other sales ponies might she be able to find to make friends with? She had already gladly signed 483 waivers, but she still had to find a way to show him how she rode. As she got older, she also began to recgonize the importance of seeing an animal go, before hopping on yourself, ha. "Your idea of an obedient horse and mine, are two completely different things."
*
It really bugged Jill when she asked her former co-worker to sign some mentoring time sheets for some of the coaching she'd provided in the meetings, lesson observation and other student/lesson plan/horse update discussions, because she refused to. They'd worked together for almost the full prior year and Jill was just asking her to sign off on five hours or so.
It turned out, after being marketed and paid more than Jill as a certified COACH (vs Jill's certified INSTRUCTOR status), she wasn't actually certified yet.
Slightly less frustrating was the feedback on the pony club clinic she stole from Jill (with the finally obtained actual "superior" credentials), was that they didn't like the way she SOUNDED when she taught, her voice was alienating. As was the way she delivered her commentary as criticism. Jill hoped there'd be a little room at next year's camp out for her brand of patience, creativity, musicality and f u n.
Jill refrained from comment when she heard the story from the woman directly about selling her horse and how the new owner was having trouble getting the mare to load for shows and such. She had the audacity to feign surprise. Meanwhile, this very same "superior" coach had told Jill about this annoying aspect of the equine's nature in year's prior. Another tricky horse trade? Buyer beware. Meanwhile Jill did not have much credibility in the market place because she didn't own a horse and wasn't competing "Pre-Training."
*
At first she felt bad for stealing the more exciting pony mount from the older sister of her student, as they all when out hacking together. They were all good riders and Jill felt honoured and guilty for getting her favourite mount, even though it made the most sense size-wise.
A few gallop strides later, bonk, the teenager in front of her was fallen on her head and getting a concussion test pop quiz from mean mommy, before being sent round the gallop route one more time. Yowza.
*
It really bugged Jill when she asked her former co-worker to sign some mentoring time sheets for some of the coaching she'd provided in the meetings, lesson observation and other student/lesson plan/horse update discussions, because she refused to. They'd worked together for almost the full prior year and Jill was just asking her to sign off on five hours or so.
It turned out, after being marketed and paid more than Jill as a certified COACH (vs Jill's certified INSTRUCTOR status), she wasn't actually certified yet.
Slightly less frustrating was the feedback on the pony club clinic she stole from Jill (with the finally obtained actual "superior" credentials), was that they didn't like the way she SOUNDED when she taught, her voice was alienating. As was the way she delivered her commentary as criticism. Jill hoped there'd be a little room at next year's camp out for her brand of patience, creativity, musicality and f u n.
Jill refrained from comment when she heard the story from the woman directly about selling her horse and how the new owner was having trouble getting the mare to load for shows and such. She had the audacity to feign surprise. Meanwhile, this very same "superior" coach had told Jill about this annoying aspect of the equine's nature in year's prior. Another tricky horse trade? Buyer beware. Meanwhile Jill did not have much credibility in the market place because she didn't own a horse and wasn't competing "Pre-Training."
*
At first she felt bad for stealing the more exciting pony mount from the older sister of her student, as they all when out hacking together. They were all good riders and Jill felt honoured and guilty for getting her favourite mount, even though it made the most sense size-wise.
A few gallop strides later, bonk, the teenager in front of her was fallen on her head and getting a concussion test pop quiz from mean mommy, before being sent round the gallop route one more time. Yowza.
2011-03-14
More Anti-Training Methods?
On one hand Jill was glad the property owners were addressing the things around the facility that needed attention -- but on the other hand, she'd enjoyed having the student send her pony right through the snow drift at the about-to-be-repaired end of the arena. What a great training exercise!
*
Every time Jill tried to sell a brood mare in her lesson pony herd, the owners of the place shut her down. If they weren't for sale, why were they working up the ponies? For the show ring? For the beginner lesson program? ha. She recognized that they were talented, sweet, sensible athletes, capable of show ring performances. And, she only wanted the best for the ponies too. She thought they were all to be in the family! Jill thought of herself as a trustworthy match maker, teacher and horse trainer, but they wouldn't allow it...
Therefore she wondered for what purpose that she was putting in about 2 hours work, plus cell phone expenses and mileage for every $15 earned in lesson fees. She'd thought it was at least toward the cause of developing part boarders. Why did the head coach pay less for the use of ponies, while she charged more and supervised less?
Jill had single-handedly done a lot of work to clean up the urine-smelling barn, to make it more presentable, more business like and safer. She had done a lot of work creating an Emergency Plan, organizing both a human and equine first aid kit, planning/giving stable tours, following up to ensure waiver signing, invoicing, filing, cell phone calls back and forth, in order to do all the work of catching the ponies, switching the stirrup leathers, clearing the ring of jumps.... only in order to get started on the real stuff, the stable management and riding parts of the lesson. Whew.
The ponies did not like to be seperated, so private lessons did not add the usual level of additional security, unless she had extra volunteers to lead companion animals! She celebrated all the challenges in the months it took to get a few animals reliably independent and to get two beginners ready to matching levels! She knew it was easier to teach in the lesson factories, where you could shoot a cannon in the arena and a horse wouldn't even blink. But Jill was doing the work here with every one's best interest at heart.
Once things were ready to really get rolling, the owners said they had decided to keep only one coach on the property, the other one, that had been coming and going with them for about a decade. Ouch. It was actually painful how much she would miss the place, specifically, the ponies, not to mention the students in the tiny lesson practice. It was so unfair!
Now that she had ridden all the ponies and pulled the manes, trained all the students and parents about farm rules and organized the payments and schedules to maximize efficiency the boarder/head coach who had recruited her to ride in the first place was squeezing her out, and authorized to take over her students.
*
Jill had experienced it before though and what goes around comes around. She knew eventually she'd be getting calls from those riders who would have had quit from that teacher, and would want to find where Jill was teaching by then!
*
"Why do you think the Sport Office shows her name as a Level 2 but no contact info for her?" her rider pal was asking. Jill was pretty sure that there were complaints lodged against the coach in question, and felt somehow justified to benefit thus, as the only certified teacher listed in the area. Was the "superior" credential flawed?
*
Its true this all came down as Jill dated one of her ex-boyfriends. "So her name is Jill?" It was only a text message but it was still shrill. They'd been spotted together out for a burger and a beer and his current girlfriend was clearly (also) livid. Jill could see why. Behind her back he said he wasn't into her but he was afraid to mess with his professional success by dumping her. "What you feel comes out in what you do," Jill was forever a teacher, always one for doling out advice. "You may as well be consciously truthful. For sure I am getting nothing romantic going with you, though I value our friendship."
At least once after that she'd tried to help professionally. With another opportunity to attend an amazing competition that he declined. The event would in fact make the cover of the magazine he was hoping to sell to, and he would send them a complaint letter about their priorities. In a way she agreed with his point that their choice of the big show cover shot alienates the all-important grassroots members of the sport but on the other hand, did he see the irony?
*
The expert and heavily invested farrier said the academics and executives often didn't know their horses and Jill kept an eye out to see if his theory would hold up. She noticed the new colour photograph at the big Agricultural expo showed this same coach lunging a horse and rider, with three points of contact. There were side reins attached, the rider had reins and the teacher had the lunge line attached. Instead of trashing them in public, Jill wrote the Education Centre, after the fact, trying to stress her interest in being helpful (about the esteemed-in-error-coach's inaccurate display, which she thought was accidentally being heralded by a not-quite-knowledgable-enough Equine Studies program as a model). Jill had sometimes found the scientific types at the healm of the certain programs quite ignorant about actual day to day horse interaction. "By the way, there was a display at this year that showed a picture of a student being lunged. It is not quite a perfect example of the lunging process that would be suitable for a certified instructor to model." and she attached feedback from a Sport Office trainer to support the reasons it was incorrect, to her note.
But, Jill was not surprised there was no reply, no effort for any clarification offered.
One of the key learnings Jill had taken away from that esteemed trainer's teachings was never to SHOW the WRONG way, only to clearly demonstrate correct method. Because of people's way to retaining visual info, the trainer said it was important not to plant WRONG pictures in anyone's mind...
*
Every time Jill tried to sell a brood mare in her lesson pony herd, the owners of the place shut her down. If they weren't for sale, why were they working up the ponies? For the show ring? For the beginner lesson program? ha. She recognized that they were talented, sweet, sensible athletes, capable of show ring performances. And, she only wanted the best for the ponies too. She thought they were all to be in the family! Jill thought of herself as a trustworthy match maker, teacher and horse trainer, but they wouldn't allow it...
Therefore she wondered for what purpose that she was putting in about 2 hours work, plus cell phone expenses and mileage for every $15 earned in lesson fees. She'd thought it was at least toward the cause of developing part boarders. Why did the head coach pay less for the use of ponies, while she charged more and supervised less?
Jill had single-handedly done a lot of work to clean up the urine-smelling barn, to make it more presentable, more business like and safer. She had done a lot of work creating an Emergency Plan, organizing both a human and equine first aid kit, planning/giving stable tours, following up to ensure waiver signing, invoicing, filing, cell phone calls back and forth, in order to do all the work of catching the ponies, switching the stirrup leathers, clearing the ring of jumps.... only in order to get started on the real stuff, the stable management and riding parts of the lesson. Whew.
The ponies did not like to be seperated, so private lessons did not add the usual level of additional security, unless she had extra volunteers to lead companion animals! She celebrated all the challenges in the months it took to get a few animals reliably independent and to get two beginners ready to matching levels! She knew it was easier to teach in the lesson factories, where you could shoot a cannon in the arena and a horse wouldn't even blink. But Jill was doing the work here with every one's best interest at heart.
Once things were ready to really get rolling, the owners said they had decided to keep only one coach on the property, the other one, that had been coming and going with them for about a decade. Ouch. It was actually painful how much she would miss the place, specifically, the ponies, not to mention the students in the tiny lesson practice. It was so unfair!
Now that she had ridden all the ponies and pulled the manes, trained all the students and parents about farm rules and organized the payments and schedules to maximize efficiency the boarder/head coach who had recruited her to ride in the first place was squeezing her out, and authorized to take over her students.
*
Jill had experienced it before though and what goes around comes around. She knew eventually she'd be getting calls from those riders who would have had quit from that teacher, and would want to find where Jill was teaching by then!
*
"Why do you think the Sport Office shows her name as a Level 2 but no contact info for her?" her rider pal was asking. Jill was pretty sure that there were complaints lodged against the coach in question, and felt somehow justified to benefit thus, as the only certified teacher listed in the area. Was the "superior" credential flawed?
*
Its true this all came down as Jill dated one of her ex-boyfriends. "So her name is Jill?" It was only a text message but it was still shrill. They'd been spotted together out for a burger and a beer and his current girlfriend was clearly (also) livid. Jill could see why. Behind her back he said he wasn't into her but he was afraid to mess with his professional success by dumping her. "What you feel comes out in what you do," Jill was forever a teacher, always one for doling out advice. "You may as well be consciously truthful. For sure I am getting nothing romantic going with you, though I value our friendship."
At least once after that she'd tried to help professionally. With another opportunity to attend an amazing competition that he declined. The event would in fact make the cover of the magazine he was hoping to sell to, and he would send them a complaint letter about their priorities. In a way she agreed with his point that their choice of the big show cover shot alienates the all-important grassroots members of the sport but on the other hand, did he see the irony?
*
The expert and heavily invested farrier said the academics and executives often didn't know their horses and Jill kept an eye out to see if his theory would hold up. She noticed the new colour photograph at the big Agricultural expo showed this same coach lunging a horse and rider, with three points of contact. There were side reins attached, the rider had reins and the teacher had the lunge line attached. Instead of trashing them in public, Jill wrote the Education Centre, after the fact, trying to stress her interest in being helpful (about the esteemed-in-error-coach's inaccurate display, which she thought was accidentally being heralded by a not-quite-knowledgable-enough Equine Studies program as a model). Jill had sometimes found the scientific types at the healm of the certain programs quite ignorant about actual day to day horse interaction. "By the way, there was a display at this year that showed a picture of a student being lunged. It is not quite a perfect example of the lunging process that would be suitable for a certified instructor to model." and she attached feedback from a Sport Office trainer to support the reasons it was incorrect, to her note.
But, Jill was not surprised there was no reply, no effort for any clarification offered.
One of the key learnings Jill had taken away from that esteemed trainer's teachings was never to SHOW the WRONG way, only to clearly demonstrate correct method. Because of people's way to retaining visual info, the trainer said it was important not to plant WRONG pictures in anyone's mind...
2010-12-07
Resignation
Jill loved train travel and would rather spend time that way than waiting for a plane!
His facebook updates kept making her swoon - she found many of them, posted in France, soooo romantic. But then other babes would click the "like" button and Jill would chastise herself for the weird, distant obsession that actually seemed to be preventing her from some kind of REAL romantic attachment, argh.
*
Jill was one for always trying to find the upside. She enjoyed the fact that holiday celebration dates in her family were flexible, due to her father's Alzhiemers. If business plans or boyfriend family conflicts made complications, they just celebrated in her family on another day. Often Mondays a week or two later! Convenient?
*
Have I ever thanked you for being such a great coach and mentor me me?
*
"Dear Boss,
Due to conflicting priorities at the moment and the ongoing tension I find the other instructor creating around my horse activities, I have decided to find alternative outlets. I am certain this will alleviate any concerns about how your business is represented in the market for you as well…
It is my hope that I will still be welcome as a guest, especially your daughter's.
Thanks for letting me participate here for as long as I did,
Respectfully,
Jill.
"Do YOU have horses?" the lady in the tack shop booth at the Royal Winter Fair show asked Jill back.
"Not right now" she sighed. "I'm kinda here looking for someone else's horse to ride. and you know how THAT goes."
The vendor stared back at Jill with a completely blank look on her face, so she moved on...
*
"Do YOU have horses?" the lady in the tack shop booth at the Royal Winter Fair show asked Jill back.
"Not right now" she sighed. "I'm kinda here looking for someone else's horse to ride. and you know how THAT goes."
The vendor stared back at Jill with a completely blank look on her face, so she moved on...
*
After being without an income for a long time, Jill had got at job at minimum wage and to $14/hr and then to $16hr in six short months. But she never should have happily mentioned to the mechanic about getting her third raise in short order, because he went ahead and did $700 work on the car without checking with her first. What about the plan to put it up on the hoist and TELL HER WHAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH? She had said she needed his advice in order to make important decisions. In the past he had always provided an estimate and info to consider first. This was a big bill at a time when she was considering pulling the $100 month insurance off the gas buzzer of a luxury car she couldn't afford to drive, in order to reduce her debt load and cash flow. And here the mechanic threw in an oil change she didn't need without ever finding out about a few of the other car trouble issues she'd wanted him to look at fixing.
And while she on the phone with the mechanic getting this news, her boss walked off in front of her with her lunch, as well as his to eat.
But none of that was any excuse for forgetting to call her dad on his actual birthday. Jill felt bad.
*
"Are you riding?"" he asked, honouring her with his sort of foolish assumption about her role at the big exhibition. She wrote in her journal later that she was back to having a crush on him...
She loved her friend's profile pic of the high top sneakers strewn on the sandy beach. And felt asleep wondering, does driver position matter in the marking?
2010-11-20
Out in the Field
Jill needed to earn more money. But instead of looking to trade in one office job for another, she was giviing serious thought about ways to earn out in the field, ha.
"Experienced Rider/Trainer with 3rd level dressage capabilities, to exercise several horses in Flamborough area. Must be mature, reliable and knowledgeable. Salary will start at level of commitment and expertise. Duties will also include lunging, grooming, feeding/water, scooping up after horse in arena. Serious inquiries only as this will be a full time job."
*
Much of her management training had come in-house, ha, from her father.
She knew that a powerful manager could have subordiantes who accomplish all sorts of things that said manager didn't quite understand and didn't quite NEED to understand, let alone micromanage.
She had always brought a similar attitude to her teaching practice. She had students that she had coached to riding levels she would never reach. But she had the eye to analyze performance and the ability to motivate that helped improve even the most talented horse and rider teams...
the head instructor with the attitude of withholding secrets, so as to protect their "superior" status was one she was wondering just how to disagree with ha.
"Experienced Rider/Trainer with 3rd level dressage capabilities, to exercise several horses in Flamborough area. Must be mature, reliable and knowledgeable. Salary will start at level of commitment and expertise. Duties will also include lunging, grooming, feeding/water, scooping up after horse in arena. Serious inquiries only as this will be a full time job."
*
Much of her management training had come in-house, ha, from her father.
She knew that a powerful manager could have subordiantes who accomplish all sorts of things that said manager didn't quite understand and didn't quite NEED to understand, let alone micromanage.
She had always brought a similar attitude to her teaching practice. She had students that she had coached to riding levels she would never reach. But she had the eye to analyze performance and the ability to motivate that helped improve even the most talented horse and rider teams...
the head instructor with the attitude of withholding secrets, so as to protect their "superior" status was one she was wondering just how to disagree with ha.
2010-10-27
The Lessons Continue...
Jill had all her life wanted to go, but had yet never been to Europe. She also wanted to put the 5th annual Aimee Mann Christmas concert for the first time on her list of annual traditions, ha. So what its in LA? Some shows are worth it.
Jill always just tried to think about calmly proceeding until her true colours showed. Her intentions were always good! She would always work hard for a win-win solution to every difficult situation. It worked with people and horses, ha.
*
Her boss had written back to the irate client that Jill "did have her days," and, that she did tend to bring her personal issues to work with her. Yikes. She thought that was great payback for representing him 24/7, ha. Meanwhile, they both knew she was about to ask for more unpaid personal days out of the office, for the upcoming annual horse show, ha.
Her coworker got paid days off to go someplace in her stead, when she would have been volunteering, unpaid on all counts. And here wan an upset customer who probably the wanted the volunteer job she'd just been offered elsewhere to boot!
*
"I learned something." Jill felt stoopid for her own compliment… after the meeting. Mostly because of the socially awkward delivery no doubt. But, it was true. And it was truly meant well. And at least she'd said so. There was after all, no evaluation form. She did wonder though, why did she always have to burst in, blurt and bolt?
Instead of pondering too long, she always chose to calmly concentrate on just doing her best, over and over, in everything… eventually that comes around right?
On another session's evaluation form, too truthfully no doubt, she written that she'd resented paying $60 and taking an unpaid day off work for a session that didn't deliver an iota of info she didn't already know. Especially when other people paid $75 and got two meals, more networking and double the chance of learning something! Hmmmmm, was she hungry when she wrote that?
*
Jill could tell from the way her kids rode that women spoke the truth when she rolled her eyes at the question, "I know you've never seen me Jill, but I can ride."
*
Meanwile, in the tackroom, when she announced that the dismal lesson program they had just actually experienced for the the off season, was at least, about double the revenue of last year. As she said this, she saw the Head Instructor's face fall. Jill had taken over the administration of the program with the instruction To Grow It and had done so. But here was a downside.
So, she did not mention how she had decreased teacher payout expenses with improved cancellation handling and other ingenious day-time/double duty initiatives. They all knew she had improved brand with internal marketing only, no outside advertising at all.
And yet, the Head Instructor looked hurt instead of pleased for them. She'd seen it and wanted to cheer him up about it. There had to be a way!
*
Jill sat down on her couch after work and cried. What a rotten day. The stress of her personal life was heavy for her. It felt good to release so much sorrow that she didn't want to ever burden anybody else with, that she never talked about. She was embarrassed by it. Shamed by the sad facts. And then she snoozed on the couch watching a cheesy movie really relaxing and feel safe. She was glad for friday nights with the whole place to herself and the fact that the weekend was about to begin and she could make improvements towards all the difficult aspects in her life one tiny step at a time… and around midnight she realized it was actually SATURDAY and she'd just missed her best friend's surprise birthday party. She wasn't used to her new Tuesday-Saturday work week and made the dumb mistake.
How do you explain such a thing? Jill's friend was so hurt that she could never even begin...
*
Her shy hideaway cat had escaped for a run in the rain! That's what the mysterious thumping turned out to be? Maybe she should turn into an indoor/outdoor pet too? She was only brave about dogs, a total hideaway about everything else. She really could use more exercise!
*
2010-03-28
Horses and Heartache
The boy was frustrated that the pony was not turning when he asked. He was having trouble balancing at the trot and struggling for the rhythm, so his slight signal to the horse was quite hard for him to make. The pony however, was rather green and just doing her best too! She simply couldn't tell the difference between his wobble tug and his real intended turn please tug on the rein and she didn't respond the way he wanted. Yank yank yank he acted out. She was so mad at the student she made him halt and dismount immediately. And as she steamed she told him to just walk the pony around the outside of the arena. This was so she could calm down and figure out what to do to him for yanking the pony's mouth 1,2,3 times like that. As they walked, she realized he was on the verge of tears and halting and dismounting and then having a chat about it was probably a good enough action step.
*
Jill was babysitting an 8 yr old neighbour and they up in the kid's loft bed reading a book before sleep time. The careers for girls book, which made a Very valid point, about a drawback to horse careers. It said you'd have to be able to withstand the heartache. Ellie asked Jill what that meant, so Jill told her a recent experience. Her eyes welled up as she said that little paint pony she'd been working with was going back to her mennoite home. She's just not what the stable boss is looking for. Jill said that pony was one of the sweetest, smartest gals she'd ever met and that she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. Jill was mad at herself for letting the other instructor bully her out of the pony as a project, but she left that part out... She told her kid friend about the pony's intense fear of tree branches and how she hoped it was not indicative of her environment or experience before she came to the farm, and how she hoped the pony would be treated kindly and fairly wherever she ended up. "She is such a high-pitched frequent vocalizer. You should have her the way she neighed."
*
Jill had always wanted to have kids, had already long longed for a family. Her best friend was never having kids, and her sister was becoming a famous feminist who thought anyone who aspired to parenting had fallen for false ideals through society's evil brainwashing. Like shopaholics and obsessed consumerists or something. Jill felt bad for her urge. She knew the world was overpopulated, and she wanted to leave no environmental footprint on the earth, to make the world no worse for wear for her existence, and yet still she wished.
*
Jill was babysitting an 8 yr old neighbour and they up in the kid's loft bed reading a book before sleep time. The careers for girls book, which made a Very valid point, about a drawback to horse careers. It said you'd have to be able to withstand the heartache. Ellie asked Jill what that meant, so Jill told her a recent experience. Her eyes welled up as she said that little paint pony she'd been working with was going back to her mennoite home. She's just not what the stable boss is looking for. Jill said that pony was one of the sweetest, smartest gals she'd ever met and that she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. Jill was mad at herself for letting the other instructor bully her out of the pony as a project, but she left that part out... She told her kid friend about the pony's intense fear of tree branches and how she hoped it was not indicative of her environment or experience before she came to the farm, and how she hoped the pony would be treated kindly and fairly wherever she ended up. "She is such a high-pitched frequent vocalizer. You should have her the way she neighed."
*
Jill had always wanted to have kids, had already long longed for a family. Her best friend was never having kids, and her sister was becoming a famous feminist who thought anyone who aspired to parenting had fallen for false ideals through society's evil brainwashing. Like shopaholics and obsessed consumerists or something. Jill felt bad for her urge. She knew the world was overpopulated, and she wanted to leave no environmental footprint on the earth, to make the world no worse for wear for her existence, and yet still she wished.
2010-03-11
Happy Valentine's!
While concentrating with a big long lunge whip in one hand and the lazy leg ignoring chestnut rascal (who will run from a whip or buck if he doesn't want the rider to use a crop) clipped to a long lead called a lunge line held in the other hand, Jill corrected what a dad had piped up and said to his son:
"Actually do not grip with your knees, just let your legs hang there with gravity and let your body learn to go with the motion." Suddenly the student, holding the crop like a straight bar in front of him, with his reins in knot on the pony's neck in front of him, lost his look of terror and really suddenly got the trot rhythm balance and started having fun with it.
"Actually do not grip with your knees, just let your legs hang there with gravity and let your body learn to go with the motion." Suddenly the student, holding the crop like a straight bar in front of him, with his reins in knot on the pony's neck in front of him, lost his look of terror and really suddenly got the trot rhythm balance and started having fun with it.
He made his teacher and dad laugh by doing this kooky barbell rhythm with his arms all up and down like a disco dancer, canoe rower out on the town or something. He was grinning from ear to ear and the devil pony thankfully, trotted on like a goooood boy... whoo hoo, what fun.
Wisk, who would NOT be caught for the barbell boy, was good for the next student and also seemed fine on the lunge for one of his regular girls later. She brought Jill a box of valentine's truffles. Ain't that sweet?
Wisk, who would NOT be caught for the barbell boy, was good for the next student and also seemed fine on the lunge for one of his regular girls later. She brought Jill a box of valentine's truffles. Ain't that sweet?
2010-03-03
Patience
If she couldn't be in the love affair she longed for, then Jill wanted at least some modern, current romantic relationships to admire. The handsome she'd investigated seemed, unfortunately, to be engaged. So it annoyed her that he'd said "I've put an offer in on a farm" instead of "we" -- as if that meant he was denying his relationship status somehow. Sour grapes? No doubt.
*
The flirt-painter had asked her to be his first topless model. ha. It was cute to see her bareback calendar idea stolen and underway with someone less modest than she. Since he wasn't replying to her emails anymore, she assumed it was romantic for them. She tried to think, good for them! The truth was she was far too private to post such nonsense on facebook or a blog, and was annoyed when her ex posted photographs of her in a bikini in the snow, right around the same time.
*
It was with great disappointment that Jill called the potential riding buddy at the Equestrian Team members farm to say she couldn't make it anymore, at least until she found paid work. It took up half a day just to ride one horse! Not to mention the prohibitive travel expense. She did not mention the condescending discouragement she felt somehow from the paid staff in the boss's absence, but it was a part of the picture too. She felt she had other pony options much closer to home and with much more freedom and potential for new friendships, but she still hated giving up the Wednesday/Weekend hacks that had made such a wonderful winter!
*
"Oh trust me, I know what you mean when you mention needing patience, and what you mean when you say hard to catch!" Jill said.
"I remember trying for ages in the big field to catch Stoney, when I was first getting to know him, while he ran around me as if being lunged, or ran repeatedly away or even just walked out of reach. Over and over and over for ages and ages and ages. I even remember losing it once and whipping handfuls of oats at him til they were all gone and then throwing the bucket at him in frustration as well, just before driving off in a huge huff, because he'd wasted our riding time. And, I consider myself one of the most patient horse people I know!"
But, after Stoney came to love cross country, he became easy to catch. Jill could still remember the first day she noticed. As she drove in, he was in the front paddock. She rolled down the window to say "well hello handsome" and he put his head up cheerfully and instantly started walking to the gate. She was overjoyed. Isn't that ... well, er, ...handsome!?!!
*
The competitors and barn staff yesterday got trading stories yesterday and Jill did not pipe up and add that the shared horse they had all experienced was one of the most agreeable, and safe partners she had ever had the pleasure of trying out. She had never ridden a horse like him that LOVED to jump! She must have rode him at least 10 times, and he was always a good boy. It was very sad for her riding career that he left, and she was sorely disappointed that she never did get to put him on autopilot and get packed around a Training course.
This was about the same time that her co-worker had mentioned to the clients that Jill was an unsafe teacher, while the boss was laid up in hospital. Why wouldn't the co-worker just offer her some safety coaching feedback? It left her in a very awkward position, and she decided to resign in the hopes of supporting everyone's best interest. It was unfortunate for the poor boss's bottom line that her unpaid hours would have to go to the co-worker that got paid in cash, but she was trying to do the right thing.
Jill vowed to learn how to make friends and supporters, rather than undermining enemies as she moved forward towards new opportunities. She truly wished to work as a team, she believed in synergy. She wanted to be a generous spirit, and made conscious efforts to take "the high road" as her older brother had always suggested.
*
The flirt-painter had asked her to be his first topless model. ha. It was cute to see her bareback calendar idea stolen and underway with someone less modest than she. Since he wasn't replying to her emails anymore, she assumed it was romantic for them. She tried to think, good for them! The truth was she was far too private to post such nonsense on facebook or a blog, and was annoyed when her ex posted photographs of her in a bikini in the snow, right around the same time.
*
It was with great disappointment that Jill called the potential riding buddy at the Equestrian Team members farm to say she couldn't make it anymore, at least until she found paid work. It took up half a day just to ride one horse! Not to mention the prohibitive travel expense. She did not mention the condescending discouragement she felt somehow from the paid staff in the boss's absence, but it was a part of the picture too. She felt she had other pony options much closer to home and with much more freedom and potential for new friendships, but she still hated giving up the Wednesday/Weekend hacks that had made such a wonderful winter!
*
"Oh trust me, I know what you mean when you mention needing patience, and what you mean when you say hard to catch!" Jill said.
"I remember trying for ages in the big field to catch Stoney, when I was first getting to know him, while he ran around me as if being lunged, or ran repeatedly away or even just walked out of reach. Over and over and over for ages and ages and ages. I even remember losing it once and whipping handfuls of oats at him til they were all gone and then throwing the bucket at him in frustration as well, just before driving off in a huge huff, because he'd wasted our riding time. And, I consider myself one of the most patient horse people I know!"
But, after Stoney came to love cross country, he became easy to catch. Jill could still remember the first day she noticed. As she drove in, he was in the front paddock. She rolled down the window to say "well hello handsome" and he put his head up cheerfully and instantly started walking to the gate. She was overjoyed. Isn't that ... well, er, ...handsome!?!!
*
The competitors and barn staff yesterday got trading stories yesterday and Jill did not pipe up and add that the shared horse they had all experienced was one of the most agreeable, and safe partners she had ever had the pleasure of trying out. She had never ridden a horse like him that LOVED to jump! She must have rode him at least 10 times, and he was always a good boy. It was very sad for her riding career that he left, and she was sorely disappointed that she never did get to put him on autopilot and get packed around a Training course.
This was about the same time that her co-worker had mentioned to the clients that Jill was an unsafe teacher, while the boss was laid up in hospital. Why wouldn't the co-worker just offer her some safety coaching feedback? It left her in a very awkward position, and she decided to resign in the hopes of supporting everyone's best interest. It was unfortunate for the poor boss's bottom line that her unpaid hours would have to go to the co-worker that got paid in cash, but she was trying to do the right thing.
Jill vowed to learn how to make friends and supporters, rather than undermining enemies as she moved forward towards new opportunities. She truly wished to work as a team, she believed in synergy. She wanted to be a generous spirit, and made conscious efforts to take "the high road" as her older brother had always suggested.
2009-10-07
How Many Mothers
let you ask their 3 yr old if she wants to see the sexy body of the fella you're having them meet for the very first time?
Jill introduced her young friend to her big ole horse friend with this line, before taking off his winter blanket. The child wanted to be picked up so she could reach his big bay belly and she looked sooooo cute stroking his underside with the brush.
*
Jill was concerned about the sand the horses were injesting being turned out so often in the riding rings. She also could see that they had no respect for the fence, since it hadn't been built with turn outs in mind and had no electricity running through it.
She'd worked for folks like this before. They weren't involved in the horse world anymore... it was more work than they could have imagined, exacerbated by their inexperience.
Jill introduced her young friend to her big ole horse friend with this line, before taking off his winter blanket. The child wanted to be picked up so she could reach his big bay belly and she looked sooooo cute stroking his underside with the brush.
*
Jill was concerned about the sand the horses were injesting being turned out so often in the riding rings. She also could see that they had no respect for the fence, since it hadn't been built with turn outs in mind and had no electricity running through it.
She'd worked for folks like this before. They weren't involved in the horse world anymore... it was more work than they could have imagined, exacerbated by their inexperience.
2009-10-06
Same Old Competiton
Jill could see that the other instructor was clearly out to make her look bad, and had also been in cahoots with the new instructor to brainwash her before even meeting Jill.
(The one who had taught lessons already but had not yet signed a waiver, ha).
Was Jill the only one who noticed when she admitted "it might have been me who put the pelham in wrong" and insuated that Jill had been the one insisting on the even harsher bit... The owner of the place didn't know harsh from not and was loyal to the employee she'd hired first.
The other instructor had not completed paperwork, and one of the others had a missing first page, but they were both commended by said boss, Jill's shoddy paperwork left unspoken.
Things were not looking good for her future there.
Which was relief in a way.
She felt that humans made all the decisions around horses and felt that any place that was going to blame "horse error" and "breed inbreeding" for the unfortunate death of new herd member, instead of learning from their own accountability, was a place she didn't want to watch choose and develop other beasts anyway...
All Jill could do was offering the most safe, constructive lessons she could, while adhering to sound business practices, and doing her best to honour the recommendations of the provincial and national governing sport offices (despite their flaws).
Jill said she noticed the gaited newcomers where not meshing well with the pony herd and would not have moved them in 9 days as was done, she was ignored.
When Jill suggested that they should have at least filled out an incident report in order to learn from the occurence, she was told that incident reports only had to do with human injury.
She did not fit with the facilty, despite its advertised but misguided interest in horse welfare.
She was interested to see how things would unfold.
A talented horse would have cleared the fence but the Tennessee Walking Horses were not that atheletic, and Jill could admit that they did indeed seem daft. And, the owners were clearly Very Inexperienced horse folk as well... Who else would have found the facility owners more knowledgable? yikes.
(The one who had taught lessons already but had not yet signed a waiver, ha).
Was Jill the only one who noticed when she admitted "it might have been me who put the pelham in wrong" and insuated that Jill had been the one insisting on the even harsher bit... The owner of the place didn't know harsh from not and was loyal to the employee she'd hired first.
The other instructor had not completed paperwork, and one of the others had a missing first page, but they were both commended by said boss, Jill's shoddy paperwork left unspoken.
Things were not looking good for her future there.
Which was relief in a way.
She felt that humans made all the decisions around horses and felt that any place that was going to blame "horse error" and "breed inbreeding" for the unfortunate death of new herd member, instead of learning from their own accountability, was a place she didn't want to watch choose and develop other beasts anyway...
All Jill could do was offering the most safe, constructive lessons she could, while adhering to sound business practices, and doing her best to honour the recommendations of the provincial and national governing sport offices (despite their flaws).
Jill said she noticed the gaited newcomers where not meshing well with the pony herd and would not have moved them in 9 days as was done, she was ignored.
When Jill suggested that they should have at least filled out an incident report in order to learn from the occurence, she was told that incident reports only had to do with human injury.
She did not fit with the facilty, despite its advertised but misguided interest in horse welfare.
She was interested to see how things would unfold.
A talented horse would have cleared the fence but the Tennessee Walking Horses were not that atheletic, and Jill could admit that they did indeed seem daft. And, the owners were clearly Very Inexperienced horse folk as well... Who else would have found the facility owners more knowledgable? yikes.
2009-09-08
Jill Speaks Up
at the horse show Jill made a point to nominate some of the students for the sportmanship award and encouraging some of the parent to do so as well. the head coach meanwhile, was too busy to eat, so doubtlessly had not. did this make Jill look bad?
The horses had not had a drink when when arrived there, even though they'd gone through the stress of trailering on the summer day, hours earlier. This same superior had spoken to her a condenscending tone about the location of the water trough. But Jill believed in watering by the bucket-from-anyway. Who would let their horse drink in the same bowl as so many unknown others?
She suggested giving the trailer guy his half hour warning at 1:40 and had a load ready to go at 2:05. The head coach called at 2:30 and one of the riders was missing then, re-doing the wraps Jill had done her self on the troublesome horse. Apparently, this was at the boss's direction. Which left Jill wondering why hadn't they had a wrapping clinic well before show day.
*
Jill's crush on the local equine/musical interest was waning. First of all, he hadn't called. Second of all, some of his friends had living styles that didn't quite sit right with her. And, finally, he was the kind of guy that took up horse-riding by heading out to the store to get The Best of All the required gear. She was more of a make due kind of gal "Even when I'm rich I'm cheap."
*
"But, it was sad not to have a romantic interest at least! If you don't have a crush, what are you supposed to dream about? I don't want to fantasize about winning the lottery," Jill ranted to her roommate, "I want to dream about loooooooove."
*
It was funny to do the whole entire ride, panting into the little tiny microphone tucked in around ear (speaking while riding was a much harder work out than she'd expected), only to find the little machine wasn't turned on properly. ah ha ha. next time maybe.
The horses had not had a drink when when arrived there, even though they'd gone through the stress of trailering on the summer day, hours earlier. This same superior had spoken to her a condenscending tone about the location of the water trough. But Jill believed in watering by the bucket-from-anyway. Who would let their horse drink in the same bowl as so many unknown others?
She suggested giving the trailer guy his half hour warning at 1:40 and had a load ready to go at 2:05. The head coach called at 2:30 and one of the riders was missing then, re-doing the wraps Jill had done her self on the troublesome horse. Apparently, this was at the boss's direction. Which left Jill wondering why hadn't they had a wrapping clinic well before show day.
*
Jill's crush on the local equine/musical interest was waning. First of all, he hadn't called. Second of all, some of his friends had living styles that didn't quite sit right with her. And, finally, he was the kind of guy that took up horse-riding by heading out to the store to get The Best of All the required gear. She was more of a make due kind of gal "Even when I'm rich I'm cheap."
*
"But, it was sad not to have a romantic interest at least! If you don't have a crush, what are you supposed to dream about? I don't want to fantasize about winning the lottery," Jill ranted to her roommate, "I want to dream about loooooooove."
*
It was funny to do the whole entire ride, panting into the little tiny microphone tucked in around ear (speaking while riding was a much harder work out than she'd expected), only to find the little machine wasn't turned on properly. ah ha ha. next time maybe.
2009-06-14
Spring Fever
"You are not giving that pony enough to think about" Jill counselled a student passing by. Just one second too late... Splat! The rider hit the dirt before the sentence was even finished.
I'm not as tough as her the other student said "If I fall off I'll cry"
"Horses are dangerous but so is living in a big city. My aunt mentioned four stabbings in one weekend and my uncle says you couldn’t PAY him to live there.”
The student's family were almost as resilient as the rider!
*
I'm not as tough as her the other student said "If I fall off I'll cry"
"Horses are dangerous but so is living in a big city. My aunt mentioned four stabbings in one weekend and my uncle says you couldn’t PAY him to live there.”
The student's family were almost as resilient as the rider!
*
for spooking across the lawn.
is that story down in here already?
*
the paso fino like cantered on the spot when she asked him to slow the rythm
2009-04-22
Reruns
He was talking about the nicer weather and how great it is to have the soft top on the jeep for the drives out to the barn. She couldn't stop wondering if he could be her carpool to the stables on the friday nights for show prep...
it was nice where he showed her the hack paths too. If only she had a horse buddy in training to go out working with him with!
*
To tell you the truth, I think our first meeting was Grandview." Jill smiled to the handsome artsy lanking fella. "That's when you passed your business card through the driver's side window to me, but Bee, the intended go-between, managed to just keep it. I thought she must have a friend that liked you and I resented the entire carpool."
She remembered that he'd made her laugh on course that day. She was just a specatator/cheerleader that day, and was actually impressed to watch the photographer catch a loose horse, the first human it encountered after a rider fall.
He clearly didn't remember meeting her back then.
Would she become more special to him?
it was nice where he showed her the hack paths too. If only she had a horse buddy in training to go out working with him with!
*
To tell you the truth, I think our first meeting was Grandview." Jill smiled to the handsome artsy lanking fella. "That's when you passed your business card through the driver's side window to me, but Bee, the intended go-between, managed to just keep it. I thought she must have a friend that liked you and I resented the entire carpool."
She remembered that he'd made her laugh on course that day. She was just a specatator/cheerleader that day, and was actually impressed to watch the photographer catch a loose horse, the first human it encountered after a rider fall.
He clearly didn't remember meeting her back then.
Would she become more special to him?
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"
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.
2008-07-10
More Training Methods
they each seemed happy in their paddock when she got there. but, any weight gain they may have made was lost to her eye.
she cried in the grassy ring, knowing she could not follow her little riding buddy, where ever he was going next. she could not buy him, part board him or otherwise rescue him, keep him or be associated with the bill payer's irresponsible conduct any longer. she was frustrated about many of the decisions being made for his well being anyway so maybe it was all just as well. what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her? what about him???
he followed her around from jump to jump while she paced in there, and he ducked his head under her arm. he was used to following her around as she set jumps before mounting. they walked together and she rested her arm in the warmth between his ears and it was good quality time.
jill wondered if it was possible to find a SPONSOR to foot the bills. or to provide another horse to ride...
*
at work jill had talked to a rider about the farrier's escapade with her grey mare. Jill had seen him unnessarily beat/discipline an unpopular horse at a former employers. The bosses there had looked on while he did so, today, Jill's boss was off the property.
"so, he whacked her, and i heard it and i heard the scramble afterwards. i knew he shouldn't have done it - she is not a horse that likes to be bullied."
"no she is not. so, what did she do, rear up, break both cross ties and escape?"
"i dunno, but she came cantering out the big barn door completely naked, like with no halter on. i could picture her running all 50 grassy acres but i just opened my arms wide, and said whoa (with easy at the end of the lead shank). and she stepped, actually stopped into my arms, like i am a freakin' horse whisperer or something. you should have seen it! the blacksmith was in the doorway, gesturing with a lead shank and offerring to bring me some tools."
she cried in the grassy ring, knowing she could not follow her little riding buddy, where ever he was going next. she could not buy him, part board him or otherwise rescue him, keep him or be associated with the bill payer's irresponsible conduct any longer. she was frustrated about many of the decisions being made for his well being anyway so maybe it was all just as well. what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her? what about him???
he followed her around from jump to jump while she paced in there, and he ducked his head under her arm. he was used to following her around as she set jumps before mounting. they walked together and she rested her arm in the warmth between his ears and it was good quality time.
jill wondered if it was possible to find a SPONSOR to foot the bills. or to provide another horse to ride...
*
at work jill had talked to a rider about the farrier's escapade with her grey mare. Jill had seen him unnessarily beat/discipline an unpopular horse at a former employers. The bosses there had looked on while he did so, today, Jill's boss was off the property.
"so, he whacked her, and i heard it and i heard the scramble afterwards. i knew he shouldn't have done it - she is not a horse that likes to be bullied."
"no she is not. so, what did she do, rear up, break both cross ties and escape?"
"i dunno, but she came cantering out the big barn door completely naked, like with no halter on. i could picture her running all 50 grassy acres but i just opened my arms wide, and said whoa (with easy at the end of the lead shank). and she stepped, actually stopped into my arms, like i am a freakin' horse whisperer or something. you should have seen it! the blacksmith was in the doorway, gesturing with a lead shank and offerring to bring me some tools."
2008-06-26
"You've Really Improved"
Jill did not know what to make of the compliment. The same person who had scribed the marks during Jill's rider level examination and told her she did well, when in fact she had failed, had more kind words.
She also quoted the former-examiner as having said Jill attended several clinics she ran, when Jill hadn't. Though the woman had offerred her a free horse to ride, even after failing her on the rider exam, saying the beast "had potential for someone who knew what they were doing." Jill had been quite comforted by that offer, and encouraged to manage the politics required to pass, though she hadn't taken a shine to the aforesaid chesnut.
(on second thought, maybe she meant when Jill was a volunteer student at the coach assesment? And when she attended the instructor assesment? it was a couple of "clinics" if you looked at it that way.)
*
Jill had never understood why the other instructor went to the CLIENTS with her concerns, instead of to her co-worker, Jill herself, directly. Jill was trying to pitch in, to pull together as a team, while their boss was laid up, and was in fact working for free (paying the milage to the barn out of her own pocket, despite a lack of alternate income) -- but the other coach, who was getting paid cash, had set about damaging the business, citing Jill as a dangerous teacher. If that was true, couldn't she give Jill some costructive suggestions and support?
If it weren't actually true, what were Jill's options? To argue? To try and generate an alternative word of mouth among clients? To go to the very weak boss with complaints about the lack of team spirit, and requesting the boss solve it? No options seemed appealling and Jill honestly felt the best thing she could do for the boss, was bail out, and so that's what she did.
*
Now, the same fellow teacher was saying "And, I hope this doesn't sound arrogant, but your teaching has really improved." How had she even heard anything? She was riding in a lesson with some strange visitor at the other end of the ring, while Jill did a very boring school with a now 11 yr old student she had always gotten on very well with. Same old, same old. It didn't make sense...
*
They had a private lesson in the grass field. The canter was the beautiful kind of canter Jill would imagine when she wasn't riding... just glorious. The teacher said, "That looks lovely. You should be so proud. " And, Jill was.
Her request for the class had been a focus on related distances, like riding the same line in 5 comfortable strides, then 4 or 6. It went well.
The teacher suggested taking him out to a Dressage show, so that he didn't always anticipate "An Event" when taken off the property.
At the last event, his former trainer had spoken to the teacher while Jill was riding. "Wow, you guys have him jumping so well." From what Jill could remember, the owner had taken him away from that trainer, because the woman was jumping him too much.
*
The little guy was happily strong and sound. Jill was exhausted. She did a few rounds of the up up down posting she'd been making her students do, a few rounds in two point each direction and then let him gallop a little. She let him get his breath back and then the did another little hand gallop the other direction. He seemed to WANT to do the giant 4 ft course that was set up and looking beautiful in there, but Jill's legs were already shaking. And, he was lathered up. And, she was only planning to stop in and admire his new shoes, she wasn't really prepared for riding... T'was lovely to see him. Even though he actually kicked her while she was scrubbing his skin condition. She whacked him back instantly with the hard part of the brush and a shout, hopefully making the point that the conduct was inappropriate.
She also quoted the former-examiner as having said Jill attended several clinics she ran, when Jill hadn't. Though the woman had offerred her a free horse to ride, even after failing her on the rider exam, saying the beast "had potential for someone who knew what they were doing." Jill had been quite comforted by that offer, and encouraged to manage the politics required to pass, though she hadn't taken a shine to the aforesaid chesnut.
(on second thought, maybe she meant when Jill was a volunteer student at the coach assesment? And when she attended the instructor assesment? it was a couple of "clinics" if you looked at it that way.)
*
Jill had never understood why the other instructor went to the CLIENTS with her concerns, instead of to her co-worker, Jill herself, directly. Jill was trying to pitch in, to pull together as a team, while their boss was laid up, and was in fact working for free (paying the milage to the barn out of her own pocket, despite a lack of alternate income) -- but the other coach, who was getting paid cash, had set about damaging the business, citing Jill as a dangerous teacher. If that was true, couldn't she give Jill some costructive suggestions and support?
If it weren't actually true, what were Jill's options? To argue? To try and generate an alternative word of mouth among clients? To go to the very weak boss with complaints about the lack of team spirit, and requesting the boss solve it? No options seemed appealling and Jill honestly felt the best thing she could do for the boss, was bail out, and so that's what she did.
*
Now, the same fellow teacher was saying "And, I hope this doesn't sound arrogant, but your teaching has really improved." How had she even heard anything? She was riding in a lesson with some strange visitor at the other end of the ring, while Jill did a very boring school with a now 11 yr old student she had always gotten on very well with. Same old, same old. It didn't make sense...
*
They had a private lesson in the grass field. The canter was the beautiful kind of canter Jill would imagine when she wasn't riding... just glorious. The teacher said, "That looks lovely. You should be so proud. " And, Jill was.
Her request for the class had been a focus on related distances, like riding the same line in 5 comfortable strides, then 4 or 6. It went well.
The teacher suggested taking him out to a Dressage show, so that he didn't always anticipate "An Event" when taken off the property.
At the last event, his former trainer had spoken to the teacher while Jill was riding. "Wow, you guys have him jumping so well." From what Jill could remember, the owner had taken him away from that trainer, because the woman was jumping him too much.
*
The little guy was happily strong and sound. Jill was exhausted. She did a few rounds of the up up down posting she'd been making her students do, a few rounds in two point each direction and then let him gallop a little. She let him get his breath back and then the did another little hand gallop the other direction. He seemed to WANT to do the giant 4 ft course that was set up and looking beautiful in there, but Jill's legs were already shaking. And, he was lathered up. And, she was only planning to stop in and admire his new shoes, she wasn't really prepared for riding... T'was lovely to see him. Even though he actually kicked her while she was scrubbing his skin condition. She whacked him back instantly with the hard part of the brush and a shout, hopefully making the point that the conduct was inappropriate.
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