FAO Sue Carnell. Not trying too hard!!

[Kerry's Partner]

Well having been reminded by Sue W's thread of this problem - which I have too. I remembered to use the nonchalant approach this evening.

As a result Kerry was brilliant - and not having a care in the world her Mum noticed so easily that her wrists were not quite as nonchalant as the rest of her - so we fixed that (well I relaxed them of course I didn't fix them even more) and Kerry, of course was even better.

And Sue, our canter was better than the one we produced when you sorted us out a few weeks ago - hurray!! And, because she felt I deserved it Kerry then showed me how to do turn on the haunches. Sounds mad folks but it is true. It really is how she is.

[Sue Carnell]

Well, Sandra, you gave me a real laugh there! I'm just thinking about your nonchalant wrists and what they say about dressage riders. Bahhah. Oh dear, there really must be something wrong with me and no-one is going to find this at all funny. Except Heather perhaps. That's it then, I shall use this as part of my teaching. Nonchalant wrist action. :D

Ok, I've collected myself now. WELL DONE!!

Sue
sue@eclipse.co.uk

[Kerry's Partner]

Hmmmmmmm. Nonchalant not meaning haughty but meaning "calm and casual" ha ha ha - the dictionary definition is even worse I suppose as far as a word for teaching goes!!!

Anyway, when you stop laughing this time you could at least confess that YOU know quite well what I mean when I refer to my wrists and their effect on Kerry.

[Heather]

Well Sue C, after 'arthritic lemons' and latterly, 'penguins', nothing would surprise me ( sorry folks private joke!!!). Sue and I have unfortunately for some, got the same warped sense of humour!

Heather

[Sue Carnell]

Yes, of course I do and I do know what hard work it is. Very mean of me to laugh, but I'll PM you. WELL DONE!! Sandra and Kerry.

It's very difficult to undo something when you don't know you're doing it half the time and get annoyed with yourself when, yet again, you find there you are doing it. Still, I'll bet you'll have nonchalant wrists all the time from now! :D

Sue
sue@eclipse.co.uk

[Kerry's Partner]

I'd just better watch out I don't exchange fixed wrists for casual wrists I'd say. OR, even worse, I'll have to guard against looking like an arthritic lemon - or dread the thought a penguin!!

[Kerry's Partner]

I guess "out of context" this thread which started a bit seriously and then the humorous posts could possibly be a bit worrying to some. Fear not, Sue was not having fun at the expense of her pupil, or any other riders actually - it's just that the phrases I used reminded her of something quite outside of her "teaching" career. So I felt I should let you know that and also let you know that I've been laughing for the last half hour with tears running down my cheeks.

Anyway, all of this has reminded me of something I've been meaning to comment on for a while.

In a fairly recent thread Sue (who trains Kerry and myself) and I had a "conversation" about the topic in question (can't remember the thread title, sorry). I thought nothing of it at the time until someone posted a reply commenting that we were demonstrating "really good communication between instructor and pupil".

That post reminded me that what I now experience as the norm isn't necessarily the norm when you look around and about many riding schools across this country. In the past when I've had riding lessons at various schools the norm I have observed and experienced I would liken to a "lecture" delivered parent:child style (whatever the ages of the instructor and pupil).

So I think I'm so very lucky at the mo' - and that's quite sad in many ways really. In fact, I can even question my trainer "in public" so to speak on this board and she expects me to. I also have a home-based instructor who doesn't deliver a parent:child tirade either.

[Heather]

Explanations!

The 'arthritic lemons' came from a letter to me which was written with absolutely terrible handwriting- as it happens not due to arthritis. Sue and I were trying to decipher it, and had been holding the page at all angles trying to figure it out. The we got to the bit that loooked like 'arthritic lemons' which I am afraid, as we were already in a giggly mood due to trying to decipher the rest, did not help one bit. It turned out to be 'arthritic humans' as it happened, but it did not conjure up quite the picture that lemons did!!

Then a couple of weeks ago when I was away, Debbie my yard manager, was saying to Sue and Simon our working student, that 'we must get some penguins in for Simon to teach' 'Eh?' said Sue and Simon in unison apparently. Debbie repeated that they must get some penguins in for Simon to teach- then of course she realised what she had said- She, of course, meant 'guinea-pigs', and apparently the rest of Si's simulator session degenerated into a 'lets take the bung out of Debbie' session, with much hilarity all round. Debbie couldn't believe she had said it and hadn't a clue what had made her do so- even now she howls with laughter if anyone brings it up. I think that after getting on for eleven years of working here, she has finally succumbed, poor girl.

So now you know the sad tale of Sue's and my sense of humour!

Heather

[Wally]

On the subject of Penguins - Ian came home the other day with a tale of hilarity from work. He and Sean have races at break time with penguin biscuits. You bite both ends off the Penguin and suck your tea through them, first to get tea to the other end is the winner. I know-Men!

When they were describing their game to one of the lasses who works in the office of biting both ends off a penguin she listened and then asked"What real penguins?"

I know it gets cold here somtimes.

So long as your working pupil doesn't bite both ends off his "penguins" or the guineapigs for that matter........