PC stewarding - traumatising...

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That was a fab wriiten story made me smile, but sounds like a dreadful day!


I have only had one brief involvement with PC when they ask me to teach at a rally.

After I refused to let the darling child of one of the big wig parents not ride in the jumping lesson in side reins I was never asked back!
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ewhh, quite right too! Honestly, some people...
 
Poor you - I often do this, and enjoy it. I have found the following to work:

Loud gob - no one cannot hear me when I call them in. Very business like attitute, take no crap. Be polite and expect it in return. Develop the hide of an alligator and keep cool. I find the cold stare and short to the point response works best.

Anyone going near the entrance is firmly told to move away immediately - a mass of horses by the entry gate is a disaster waiting to happen. What I like to do is have the next entry ready to the side as the current one goes in. That way the class runs fast. If they miss their turn, they go to the end. I give them a 5 min yell to be ready.

When putting numbers down, they are told they will be called when I am ready for them, provided they listen out they will not miss their turn. Explain it is for their safety that you are concerned to avoid gate crowding with a smile.

When stewarding the warm up area, again polite and firm. As a final resort, I find sitting on a 16.3 clyde does the trick - no kid's pony argues with that bearing down on you
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Such a shame Cairo is now retired and Chancer is only going to be about 15.1.

Anyone who is swears, shouts etc is told they will be eliminated and banned from further shows. To be honest, I have had very few people do this once I chat to them. I never shout or swear, but I can be abrupt and to the point with unreasonable people.

I do lead nervous horses in, bend over backwards to help out first timers and those who need a bit of "you will be fine" encouragement. I try to be fair to all.

Helpful tip - work as an IT manager for lawyers for 20 years - you can handle anything and anyone after that.
 
I was stewarding at a PC ODE years ago, to help a friend out, and made the mistake of turning up on my motorbike, after all it was a sunny day. The other steward I was with dismissed me immediately as a complete twit and took over! Several hours later, no refreshments as I was obviously not the right sort of person (I had put my leather jacket and crash helmet behind a car!) and no thanks I finished and got asked to help load a horse. Welll........ not only did I have a motorbike but I was now helping the local bad boy farrier try and get a horse in a lorry. The comments received were interesting to say the least. Needless to say I won't be doing that again, turning up on the motorbike or helping the PC out.
 
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