Hi,
I am involved in a rather sticky situation
and would like some advice on how to
handle this.
I am getting ready to ride my first 50 in two weeks and have spent the
past year
getting ready and training/conditioning. Apparently, I have been
a little too vocal
in expressing how much fun I was having.
An aquaintance/friend called Sunday morning before I left for a
"training" ride and
invited herself along. I repeatedly informed her that this was a
training ride and that
those of us going were planning on trotting and loping most of the
ride. She was
quite sure that she was ready for this and would not be in the way, so
on and such
forth.
Well, the first mile of the ride was fine. We had just walked and
warmed up. Then
we decided to start trotting and because she was the newest person
along, we put
her in the middle of the line. This worked until we were about 5
miles from the
trailer. At this point she decided that her horse was being a
brat and proceded to
yank on the reins, kick the horse with her spurs, and yell obscenities
at it. We were
all so surprised, that we stopped and waited until this outburst was
over.
From this point on, things went downhill quickly. She insisted
that she was OK, that
the horse was just being stubborn and we should continue. ( Which
we did at a walk) Every two or
three minutes this temper tantrum of yelling and hitting was repreated.
We tried to
calm her down-we walked the horses-we let her go in front-etc. etc. At
this point, we
just were trying to get back to the trailer to go home and end this
terrible day. Then we came to a
SMALL, SLIGHTLY sloping part of the trail that has rocks on it.
When her horse started to go
down this area, one of
her rear hooves slipped on a rock and this person jumped off the horse,
and began
to kick her in the belly, and hit her with the reins. The mare
backed up right into me
so fast I didn't have time to move and kicked my horse in the
chest. This ride was
definately falling apart!
Well, finally, we all got settled down and we walked back to where the
trail forked.
We informed her that the trailer was to the left and that we were going
to the right and
would meet her back at the trailer. This was agreeable to
everyone and the rest of
the ride was OK. When we arrived back at the trailer, she was
there. She obviously
has a very selective memory because the ride home was filled with her
talking about
how wonderful her horse is and how she would really like to go
again.
Of course, everyone that I usually ride with is
shocked/appalled and although we
don't want to be rude-no one wants to ride
or associate with this person.
This woman is the type that has already done/tried everything and of
course has
done it better than anyone else. She calls me 3-4 times a week to
tell me how wonderful
she and her horse are. I try to be nice and make conversation,
but over the last six
months, it is becoming harder.
Any advice on how to not ever have her ride with us again without us
looking like
rude/ignorant people? Should I just be blunt and tell her that we
feel her behavior is
not appropriate and that she is not welcome without a major
change? I am SURE that
with this woman's selective memory, I will become the person in the
wrong here.
I guess I am just a wimp and would like everyone to behave and get
along and etc.
I know-the perfect world :)
Thanks for listening,
Carrie
and Poco (yes I'm fine-the kick didn't hurt me)