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.

A Derby Magic Hat?

Jill was sweaty and grubby and without a stitch of makeup.  She enjoyed weather so hot that she would forget about appearance entirely, and just relax in the heat... On a total whim walking past the fancy hat shoppe, she had tried one on and the clerk snapped her picture, in her non glamourous but dress up condition, ha...

but its true the hat turned out to be magical as many friends on facebook had sent messages about how lovely she looked in it, ha.

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!

*

Goals Go Bye Bye

Its true that once Jill had finally got him consistently past the huge fluffy sheep up the street that had so freaked him, she got her aspirations about riding the rider level 8 on him at the next testing.  Even though that would be followed by re-doing all the lunging rigamarole that she had already passed for the instructor certificate -- a facade of process that had nothing to do with anything she ever did in real life, ug.

And, it was also true, that therefore, she would sometimes practice jumping unsupervised in the show ring before she went to work in the morning, ha.  The pink plank had provided quite a wake up call one time, she remembered and that's when she'd also learned her little buddy's if in doubt go faster philosophy, ha.

"I guess I gave up those dreams when the owner of the horse took him back," Jill had forgot she even intended once.  It saddened her to recollect how the owner was was so bent out of shape that Jill had pulled his shoes and turned him out overnite with another horse that she lost the ride.  Jill didn't try and splain how overgrown barefoot might be better than overgrown and shod given the unpaid farrier bills.  And she didn't argue that he'd been turned out with the other big bay overnight many many times when the board payment was late, and that all the horsies survived just fine.  Jill was silent as she let her heart break for not just the loss of her current mount, but also their shared retired show buddy, the big bay that was so happy and relaxed an old man.  A horse she knew trusted her more than any other person he knew already or would ever meet.  A horse she loved to groom and visit and play with, before and after riding the younger thoroughbred.  Boo hoo.

At least she had met a media buddy out the deal. ug, ha etc.

*

Please please please make a video series!" Jill would beseech her mentor.  The people with your depth of expertise are disappearing.  Maybe based on pony club? Pony club is an internationally known system!!  Nevermind the EC Rider levels (which by the way, you continue to accidentally call CEF an out of date nomenclature).

*

"My issue with a horse to ride in my life now is usually the car ride to get there."  Jill would ride the horse no one else wanted to, but lately no one was willing to come and pick her up so she would do so, ha.

Wishful Reminiscing?

While attending the World Equestrian Games, as a volunteer-blogger for the National Sport Office, Jill was surprised that about half her informal, verbal survey results indicated that 50% of attendees were local, but NOT horse people.

No wonder it seemed so different from when they were held on European soil...
*
It was amazing to see what was happening around the world.  When 20% of a population have a cell phone a dictatorship can no longer exist! Jill was thinking of getting on board.
*
Jill did not want the group lesson exception the woman was willing to try and arrange for her.  She graciously declined.

Obviously long gone were the days when Jill would get PAID to ride.  Two different winters in the last few had been spent with Olympians, hours and hours of exciting, challenging and valuable training rides.  One season in sunny warm Florida and one season in snowy, hilly, amazing Ontario.  Jill missed that kind of opportunity more than she could begin to express.  Priceless access and pay.