3. Miss Afraid-of-my-Shadow

 

 

 

This is the rider who is absolutely terrified…… She jumps if her horse snorts or moves. She stops immediately if her horse stubs a toes, yelling something like, “What was that??!!”

 

 

 

She has 80 time faults in a Starter division because she WALKED up to & off the bank, into the water, and around any turns she deemed too sharp to safely trot around. 

 

She clutches at her horse during every transition, and holds her breath over every jump. She rarely hears instructions because all she can hear is her heart beating……

 

 

 

and she has no hope of following instructions due to a significant lack of oxygen…..

 

 

 

This rider has so much fear her coach finally says, “I need you to go to your doctor for some anxiety medication…….

 

or maybe…. if you’re really that scared you should find something else to do??” 

 

 

 

 

4. Miss Argues-About-Everything

 

 

 

This is the rider who has jumped around Training or Prelim once or twice and considers herself “an upper level rider”. She still shows up for lessons but doesn’t like the exercises and disagrees with everything.

 

 

 

Coach: You need to put your heels down.

 Reply: They ARE down.

 

Coach: Lengthen your reins.

Reply: They’re too long already.

 

Coach: Slow down.

Reply: No, I’m too slow already.

 

Coach: If you would follow my instructions your horse would stop doing that.

Reply: No he won’t, that doesn’t work.

 

 

 

I was in a clinic with one of the top riders in the world, it was FABULOUS. But I happened to have Miss Argues-About-Everything in my group. She never openly argued with the clinician…. but she chatted with her friends while the instructor explained theory. She complained bitterly about the gymnastics we were doing. She was quietly haughty and made snarky comments about everything to her friends. 

 

 

 

 

When I couldn’t stand it anymore, I commented to her, “You know…. he does have a gold medal… he might know something.”  I’m sure I got an eye roll in reply.

 

 

 

At the end of the session the clinician gave each student a short personal evaluation about what he thought were their strong points and what they needed to work on.

 

 

 

When he got to Miss Argues-About-Everything he said, “You have naturally good balance, and aptitude. However, until you start putting in some effort and paying attention you will never get anywhere.”

 

 

 

It blew me away that he noticed, and even more so that he called her on the carpet. 

Later, I heard her tell someone, “Well….. he does have a gold medal.”

 

 

 

 

 

to be continued………..