The last couple times Jill'd been riding, she'd thought what a lovely pony he was. It was boring to only have the grass ring to go round and round and she was tempted to try some other course soon...
It was nice to be challenged about riding the line in a certain number of strides. He really listened when she asked him to come back - twas lovely to know he was so responsive and adaptable. whoo hoo!
She was still sick however. The pain in her side was not abating, in fact it was going on a week this time. Recurring, long lasting and at least moderate pain... isn't that the kind of thing one sought medical attention for? The doctor's didn't have any suggestions for her however. Guess work in white coats, that what a friend of hers always said and that's what it felt like at the moment.
Jill said the rash he had from all the rain was clearing up nicely and was asked "Why does he have a rash?" She thought the rain explanation was pretty clear, and was taking her time coming up with an answer to the boss -- it reminded her of when a kid asked her at the Equine Research Teaching booth WHY a horse has bars in their mouth. Evolution she'd said, but the child insisted again, "But WHY?"
*
Remember when she sat the little tiny blond on the huuuuuge haystack and said “stay” and left the child there in the sun on the prickly straw for hours?
*
The woman needed a shot of whiskey before mounting her horse. Jill did not normally approve of such behaviour, but in this scenario, it made sense to her. The horse owner needed just to r e l a x a little bit, to make it all better.
It was not as easy to accept for Jill that the coach suggesting this unusual and no doubt uninsurable technique needed a shot too, but she withheld comment. She also kept her mouth shut when the horse owner mentioned that the booze bottle in the tack locker had a fullness level shrinking faster than her sips warranted. Far be it for her to be outspoken in regards to her boss's conduct.
2008-06-29
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.
2008-06-25
Muddy Bud
The big dark bay had rolled so thoroughly in the mud that Jill had to spend as much time grooming and she did riding! The dressage practice wasn't bad, though it wasn't great. Canter was better than trot - Jill was finding it was happening that way, one gait would be good, the other not and then it would rotate.
They did some gallops around the grass ring and then jumped all the jumps from a collected canter, including the creepy wall and the gate that he had never seen before. Jill felt that he was not stopping anymore, he seemed to be enjoying jumps! And, he was letting her organize in front of them.
She'd been looking at old photos at her parents. She sure hoped her position didn't still look like that!
*
In the lesson, they targeted some oxer practice. The horse was confident now and it was nice for Jill to feel that she could actually flub it once in a while and the sky wouldn't fall in. And, he could flub it once in a while and still bail himself out too... He impressed student and teacher with a freakasorous spot to a fair size spread, because he had the scope to work it out anyway, with ease!
Some of the camp kids were watching the lesson. When they finished schooling the teacher said to the young 'uns, "Jill's got a big show this weekend." One of the little people piped up enthusiastically, "I think she's gonna win!"
They did some gallops around the grass ring and then jumped all the jumps from a collected canter, including the creepy wall and the gate that he had never seen before. Jill felt that he was not stopping anymore, he seemed to be enjoying jumps! And, he was letting her organize in front of them.
She'd been looking at old photos at her parents. She sure hoped her position didn't still look like that!
*
In the lesson, they targeted some oxer practice. The horse was confident now and it was nice for Jill to feel that she could actually flub it once in a while and the sky wouldn't fall in. And, he could flub it once in a while and still bail himself out too... He impressed student and teacher with a freakasorous spot to a fair size spread, because he had the scope to work it out anyway, with ease!
Some of the camp kids were watching the lesson. When they finished schooling the teacher said to the young 'uns, "Jill's got a big show this weekend." One of the little people piped up enthusiastically, "I think she's gonna win!"
2008-06-23
Growing Up
At some point you have to take up riding as a sport, instead of passtime and one of Jill's students hadn't been showing the maturity or concentration while on horse back to crossover. It was frustrating.
They went out that day for a walk in the snow before heading into the arena, because the young blond was ready early and the class before had gone in late. Jill had the pony on a shank instead of just holding the bridle and was explaining to the child how riding outside required her to be even more aware than when in the arena. She was stressing the importance of sitting up and deep in the saddle with your anchors on and feeling what your horse was doing - for the spook factor et al. But the student was bored and not listening and asking when the "real" lesson would start.
Then, the pony spooked and knocked Jill over and dumped the kid. After that, she showed real concentration. Even later in the arena when someone didn't call door and spooked the pony by coming in unannounced! The kid rode the horse like the live animal it was instead of making comparisons to her horse video game etc.
Telling another more advanced same age student about it later, the child laughed at her saying "you fell off and you weren't even riding!?"
*
The farm owner quoted the inn keeper's act and said that the horse(s) could be sold at auction for the amount owed.
When the senior vet called Jill directly, she summed up the horses' condition as a side note saying "they need more food." Jill was not so sure she would have gone so far out of her way to follow the detailed recommendation of the more junior vet... changing every item they ate, instantly. Purchasing it at great, unexpected expense in bulk no less. She would have made gradual changes and made sure they like it and assured herself she was prepared and able to follow it through for a long time. The old guy's teeth still hadn't been done, which was the problem that prompted Jill to request the vet come in in the first place!!! If it hurt to eat, why try feeding him m o r e ???
In Jill's observation, a lack of consistency of care and treatment was one of the challenges the equines had already experienced... especially the old guy. She didn't mean to be skeptical, but she was. And, in making realistic decisions, Jill suspected it was better to go too long between farrier attention (due to financial constraints or worse, bad debts) if the beast was barefoot, and could break over and wear down the foot naturally. But she wasn't in charge of whether they were shod or not, or if the service provider was paid promptly and tried to find the upsides.
Since they weren't allowed to be turned out together, Jill was not as pleased with the place they were now boarded. Yes it had been a place she found, but she thought she would be able to direct their routine there. Instead, she worried about them constantly. First of all, she didn't have the time to police TWO paddocks for safety all the time - and she'd addressed boards down with giant nails and old rusty shoes with sharp nail sticking out lying around and other such concerns in the old guy's field a few times now. And the little guy just stood at the gate all the time. He had been so happy for the months before when he'd had a fellow herd animal to herd. The owner wasn't aware of that and now he had no buddy to stand head to tail with and swish flies away, or snuggle into in all the bad weather they'd been having. Maybe she could make him a run in, since she couldn't find him a friend. Individual turn out for 12 hours a day was a lot different than for the 2 hours a day he got once upon a time and Jill wondered if there was anything she could do to help him out. She couldn't afford a rain sheet and she couldn't afford to go out there every time it rained to put it on him!
She had bought the venice turpentine for their feet even though her own rent wasn't paid. And she'd borrowed a saddle pad in order to clean the other one which came out looking the same as it went in. ACK. She didn't want to give the boss the info/idea on the potential part boarder til she got the money she was owed. She hoped that would be soon.
*
if anyone can talk the boss into it, its Jill. That's what a mother said to her pony birthday party wishing daughter.
They went out that day for a walk in the snow before heading into the arena, because the young blond was ready early and the class before had gone in late. Jill had the pony on a shank instead of just holding the bridle and was explaining to the child how riding outside required her to be even more aware than when in the arena. She was stressing the importance of sitting up and deep in the saddle with your anchors on and feeling what your horse was doing - for the spook factor et al. But the student was bored and not listening and asking when the "real" lesson would start.
Then, the pony spooked and knocked Jill over and dumped the kid. After that, she showed real concentration. Even later in the arena when someone didn't call door and spooked the pony by coming in unannounced! The kid rode the horse like the live animal it was instead of making comparisons to her horse video game etc.
Telling another more advanced same age student about it later, the child laughed at her saying "you fell off and you weren't even riding!?"
*
The farm owner quoted the inn keeper's act and said that the horse(s) could be sold at auction for the amount owed.
When the senior vet called Jill directly, she summed up the horses' condition as a side note saying "they need more food." Jill was not so sure she would have gone so far out of her way to follow the detailed recommendation of the more junior vet... changing every item they ate, instantly. Purchasing it at great, unexpected expense in bulk no less. She would have made gradual changes and made sure they like it and assured herself she was prepared and able to follow it through for a long time. The old guy's teeth still hadn't been done, which was the problem that prompted Jill to request the vet come in in the first place!!! If it hurt to eat, why try feeding him m o r e ???
In Jill's observation, a lack of consistency of care and treatment was one of the challenges the equines had already experienced... especially the old guy. She didn't mean to be skeptical, but she was. And, in making realistic decisions, Jill suspected it was better to go too long between farrier attention (due to financial constraints or worse, bad debts) if the beast was barefoot, and could break over and wear down the foot naturally. But she wasn't in charge of whether they were shod or not, or if the service provider was paid promptly and tried to find the upsides.
Since they weren't allowed to be turned out together, Jill was not as pleased with the place they were now boarded. Yes it had been a place she found, but she thought she would be able to direct their routine there. Instead, she worried about them constantly. First of all, she didn't have the time to police TWO paddocks for safety all the time - and she'd addressed boards down with giant nails and old rusty shoes with sharp nail sticking out lying around and other such concerns in the old guy's field a few times now. And the little guy just stood at the gate all the time. He had been so happy for the months before when he'd had a fellow herd animal to herd. The owner wasn't aware of that and now he had no buddy to stand head to tail with and swish flies away, or snuggle into in all the bad weather they'd been having. Maybe she could make him a run in, since she couldn't find him a friend. Individual turn out for 12 hours a day was a lot different than for the 2 hours a day he got once upon a time and Jill wondered if there was anything she could do to help him out. She couldn't afford a rain sheet and she couldn't afford to go out there every time it rained to put it on him!
She had bought the venice turpentine for their feet even though her own rent wasn't paid. And she'd borrowed a saddle pad in order to clean the other one which came out looking the same as it went in. ACK. She didn't want to give the boss the info/idea on the potential part boarder til she got the money she was owed. She hoped that would be soon.
*
if anyone can talk the boss into it, its Jill. That's what a mother said to her pony birthday party wishing daughter.
2008-06-19
Working Woman
The bay thoroughbred school horse had been whinnying and carrying on in his stall for ages. She couldn't believe how much he looked forward to turn out. When she finally had him and her favourite trustworthy clyde friend in hand, on the way out the wide door, she saw the hay truck. She scowled trying to stop her horse friends, because there didn't seem to be a reasonable way to walk around the big rig. But, there was no turning the beasts around either, they expected to march on full speed ahead! Fortunately, the driver realized the predicament and backed the rig up enough that they could fit through.
*
Jill was singing the songs in her guitar practice while she worked. It was a good way to keep your voice strong - the hard work had her out of breath but she could still carry her tunes! The ones she was trying to learn on guitar right now that is. One of the hay supplier loader guys made a comment about singing along... the other one was wearing a hard rock cafe t-shirt that just revealed a touch of tatoo under each sleeve. No matter how she tried she couldn't make out what they were. A Warner Brothers logo maybe? She watched him work through the office window while she ate her sandwich. He was attractive, in his way, but needed to cut his hair. She never understood why grown men didn't recognize the point when they had to stop carrying the long tresses of their youth!
*
Jill mentioned she thought the big black horse looked like a police horse. Turned out that Len and Rob deliver to the mounted cops regularly and have noticed how unspookable the animals there are. "They treat them like motorcycles" Jill said, frowning, knowing that horsemanship is not actually welcome in the mounted unit.
*
Blabbety blabbety blabbety he quoted a scottish proverb, obviously meant in celebration that their work was done. Jill made a joking interpretation about how it was so kind of them to offer to stick around and do the rest of the heavy lifting at the farm, for free, for the rest of the day.
*
The fence was falling down all over the place. One board was down in her old man friend's paddock with nails sticking up, but she fixed it. At least in a makeshift way. And checked him all over for injuries, thankful that there was none. He didn't seem to like his new food, but she hoped he looked a bit let hippy anyway.
The little guy was eating his. His coat was a bit gross and his nose a little runny. It had been the old guy last time. There was a scrape mark on his neck but the tooth was looking good.
While being ridden, in the grass room only, her little pocket bay was being good. She was trying to see the benefit of the blacksmith delay, instead of being disappointed she wasn't out riding the roads already. If she couldn't get some lessons soon, would she get some students? Maybe one to video tape her dressage school and/or stand guard during some jumping once in a while.
She has some ideas to find a part boarder. But she didn't dare start dealing with "the boss" just yet, the peaceful silence was appreciated, even if she was still unpaid.
*
Jill was singing the songs in her guitar practice while she worked. It was a good way to keep your voice strong - the hard work had her out of breath but she could still carry her tunes! The ones she was trying to learn on guitar right now that is. One of the hay supplier loader guys made a comment about singing along... the other one was wearing a hard rock cafe t-shirt that just revealed a touch of tatoo under each sleeve. No matter how she tried she couldn't make out what they were. A Warner Brothers logo maybe? She watched him work through the office window while she ate her sandwich. He was attractive, in his way, but needed to cut his hair. She never understood why grown men didn't recognize the point when they had to stop carrying the long tresses of their youth!
*
Jill mentioned she thought the big black horse looked like a police horse. Turned out that Len and Rob deliver to the mounted cops regularly and have noticed how unspookable the animals there are. "They treat them like motorcycles" Jill said, frowning, knowing that horsemanship is not actually welcome in the mounted unit.
*
Blabbety blabbety blabbety he quoted a scottish proverb, obviously meant in celebration that their work was done. Jill made a joking interpretation about how it was so kind of them to offer to stick around and do the rest of the heavy lifting at the farm, for free, for the rest of the day.
*
The fence was falling down all over the place. One board was down in her old man friend's paddock with nails sticking up, but she fixed it. At least in a makeshift way. And checked him all over for injuries, thankful that there was none. He didn't seem to like his new food, but she hoped he looked a bit let hippy anyway.
The little guy was eating his. His coat was a bit gross and his nose a little runny. It had been the old guy last time. There was a scrape mark on his neck but the tooth was looking good.
While being ridden, in the grass room only, her little pocket bay was being good. She was trying to see the benefit of the blacksmith delay, instead of being disappointed she wasn't out riding the roads already. If she couldn't get some lessons soon, would she get some students? Maybe one to video tape her dressage school and/or stand guard during some jumping once in a while.
She has some ideas to find a part boarder. But she didn't dare start dealing with "the boss" just yet, the peaceful silence was appreciated, even if she was still unpaid.
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