BBs
Well-Known Member
Today I spent the morning stewarding at Gt Tew. Was great as got to catch up with Jiffy, Tigers_eye and Saf.
Well another fun packed morning, Ive been stewarding dressage for years normally theres just the odd one or two you have to remind to drop the whip or take boots off before entering, but today........
I had one lady who was late (first in) had phoned in to secretary who hadnt passed it on. Judge (very well known) was furious - but i managed to dampen the flames.
Anyway, things ran smoothly, and said rider came in on her 2nd horse at her allocated time.
Meanwhile mother (also stewarding another section) gets told WHY didnt she tell so and so to drop their whip? because theyve just been eliminated for carrying one... now i dont mean to be rude but WHOSE job is it to read the rules?
TBF on stewards we dont have eyes in the back of our heads, but usually we will just make the comment although MOST riders read the rule book, but there were quite a few riders who would watch out for themselves when they were going in and by the time we had found them they were hot footing it to their arena, which is perfectly acceptable and makes our job easier.
Next up in my arena girl with very nice horse who did Badminton last year (so is semi retired with younger less experienced rider) trots around i see she has no gloves and tell her connections who manage to stop her whilst trotting round and she puts her gloves on. She did a smashing test even tho said horse promptly flying changed every single time over the center line, obviously remembering his 4* tests lol.
Later on first horse that missed its slot, goes in, again i notice rider with no gloves, which i mention to mother, mother shouts at daughter who has already realized as judge has blown her up for it - shouts back to daughter who says *mother where are my gloves*
Im sorry but whose job it is to remember gloves??
Rider continues down center line.....
Oh but it gets better.......
Whilst checking out the competition i notice someone trotting around who doesnt look particuarly tidy, rider slouched horse being hurried along, there seems to be something looking not quite right with his tack....
His bridle is back to front, brow band behind the ears and the headpiece where the browband should be. Looked all very uncomfortable.
Steward asks him to change it, but said rider wont! apparently horse was being a dog to fit a bridle to.
Said rider continues to warm up, at least an hour in quite hot humid conditions.
Rider then goes in to do test, afterwards judge goes over to tell him about his headgear.
I dont know the outcome but to me it was wrongly fitted tack, and looked quite dangerous/uncomfortable for the horse - i did check score board as i left to see he hadnt been TE or anything.. so i give up on that one.
There were also your odd one or two who looked like they had been dragged through a hedge backwards, missing buttons on jackets and badly fitted numbers or hair flowing in the wind (and im not just meaning the girls).
So today was def not a boring day stewarding........
Well another fun packed morning, Ive been stewarding dressage for years normally theres just the odd one or two you have to remind to drop the whip or take boots off before entering, but today........
I had one lady who was late (first in) had phoned in to secretary who hadnt passed it on. Judge (very well known) was furious - but i managed to dampen the flames.
Anyway, things ran smoothly, and said rider came in on her 2nd horse at her allocated time.
Meanwhile mother (also stewarding another section) gets told WHY didnt she tell so and so to drop their whip? because theyve just been eliminated for carrying one... now i dont mean to be rude but WHOSE job is it to read the rules?
TBF on stewards we dont have eyes in the back of our heads, but usually we will just make the comment although MOST riders read the rule book, but there were quite a few riders who would watch out for themselves when they were going in and by the time we had found them they were hot footing it to their arena, which is perfectly acceptable and makes our job easier.
Next up in my arena girl with very nice horse who did Badminton last year (so is semi retired with younger less experienced rider) trots around i see she has no gloves and tell her connections who manage to stop her whilst trotting round and she puts her gloves on. She did a smashing test even tho said horse promptly flying changed every single time over the center line, obviously remembering his 4* tests lol.
Later on first horse that missed its slot, goes in, again i notice rider with no gloves, which i mention to mother, mother shouts at daughter who has already realized as judge has blown her up for it - shouts back to daughter who says *mother where are my gloves*
Rider continues down center line.....
Oh but it gets better.......
Whilst checking out the competition i notice someone trotting around who doesnt look particuarly tidy, rider slouched horse being hurried along, there seems to be something looking not quite right with his tack....
His bridle is back to front, brow band behind the ears and the headpiece where the browband should be. Looked all very uncomfortable.
Steward asks him to change it, but said rider wont! apparently horse was being a dog to fit a bridle to.
Said rider continues to warm up, at least an hour in quite hot humid conditions.
Rider then goes in to do test, afterwards judge goes over to tell him about his headgear.
I dont know the outcome but to me it was wrongly fitted tack, and looked quite dangerous/uncomfortable for the horse - i did check score board as i left to see he hadnt been TE or anything.. so i give up on that one.
There were also your odd one or two who looked like they had been dragged through a hedge backwards, missing buttons on jackets and badly fitted numbers or hair flowing in the wind (and im not just meaning the girls).
So today was def not a boring day stewarding........
