Safety Issues

21. January 2007

With the temperature going below zero comes the bad behavior. I find myself spending large amounts of my teaching time actually riding. Not only because I am cold, but because the horses are being fresh and difficult. The other day the girl I was teaching was literally climbing off the horse as soon as I got in the school.

It being Sunday I had hoped to avoid the scenario of having to get down to any physical activity. Not quite an on-the-fence-day, I was nonetheless not terribly keen on riding. But something in the girl’s eyes told me the horse probably needed some sorting out. So I borrowed her far too small hat, put my far too large boots in the stirrups and got on trying not to split my far too tight jeans in the process. Well far too tight for riding anyway, for the dinner I was going to later they were perfect. With her pink stick in hand, matching the pink numnah, I must have looked like the world’s biggest pony club’er with my hair in a rather wild pony tail in a desperate attempt to control last night’s hair style after sleeping on it. I am all for colour coordination but this obsession with pink at the age of 17 can’t be healthy.

But the girl was right, her horse was being silly. Nothing shocking but enough for it too need some tuning in. So I got going and having got the trot under control I put it into canter waiting for it to let rip. But it was being quite well-behaved actually so I relaxed and did some circles. One minute I was happily cantering along and the next I had to throw all my weight to the left to avoid ending up underneath its stomach as the saddle slipped around. Luckily the brakes worked and I managed to grind to a halt before gravity did its bit and placed me upside down between the legs of a cantering horse.

So something tells me it would probably be a good idea for me to have a little look in one of my old BHS teaching manuals one of these days. More specifically the chapter about safety. I seem to remember that is says something about checking the tack for a start. Then there was that bit about a properly fitted hat, not just somehow strapping on the one you pupil happens to be wearing, if putting on one at all. I used to be quite amused by the bit about suitably clothing with drawings showing how your jacket should not be restricting the movement and so on. But in this part of the world you have to weigh that up against freezing your tits off - and I know what I choose. Breeches are preferable though, rather than too tight designer jeans, as you should never underestimate the advantage of a full leather seat when things go a bit wrong. And after my rodeo performance on the insane trotter I should at least remember the bit about big enough stirrups for a while –or just start wearing my moonboots, as in the unlikely event of leaving the saddle involuntarily at least they come straight off your feet and you avoid being dragged around the school. Even if it would leave me rather ungracefully in just my socks.

But still teaching in winter is tricky here on these latitudes as first priority is not freezing to death. Therefore I doubt I will give up great big jackets, warm totally unsuitable footwear and woolly hats until we’re writing at least April.

So I think I will just start with double checking the girth for now.