Efficiency

One of British Equestrian  Federation  most progressive innovations  is the  professional   attitude  the federation is trying to   cultivate within its membership , sport!!! and riding is no different,  is not just  a game ,  in order to survive  in these  modern  times  a sportsman has to look like ,act like  and be a professional  in his field .

For that reason from time to time  the BEF  conduct seminars  and clinics  given  by successful  and experienced  professionals not from the equestrian community   for the benefit of young  trainers and riders.

During  one of these clinics  the the renowned  business guru  Sir  Marlon Brandon   EMPHASISED   to the participants that efficiency,  good use of time  and personal energy   are  the back bone to success  .

Junior Trainer  MOTIVATED  and EXITED after  the  efficiency clinic   made a note  to instil  professionalism  to his stable staff  and the first  activity  to be tackled is  the long drawn, time wasting manner in which  the horses were  being tacked up in his yard.

He explained to  his working student /groom  that from now on  when asked  to tack up a horse  it is no longer acceptable  to walk out of the tack room carrying only a saddle ,returning  to collect the girth then another trip to bring the front boots  which   are marked  size   small  for a 17hh horse,  requiring      another journey   to the tack room  and few more until all the  equipment  has been assembled   so  the tacking up can commence , as a side note he mentioned that  the horse to be tacked up is the one  meant to be tacked up   not the one the collected tack belonged to  AND   by the way  all members of staff  Please note that a broom is not some kind of self propelled mechanical instrument  and in general requires some energetically induced pushing.

In principle   the  allocated time for  tacking up  a horse will BE  no LONGER  then  10 to 12 minutes and that includes the feet picking as well, the usual  duration of 51 minutes that used to take 3 members of staff  to  prepare the wrong horse  with the wrong tack   is no longer     acceptable  in Junior  trainer,s   yard.

Some month later Junior Trainer met   Sir  Marlon Brandon    in a BEF  social function  and he used the opportunity  to thank him for the enlightening, inspiring  and  life changing  lecture.

A  very pleased (with himself) Sir  Marlon Brandon   inquired with Junior Trainer  if he was able to  implement  practically  any of the points learnt in the  “efficiency  seminar “ and has he passed  any of it on to his staff.

Junior Trainer   assured him that he  had  followed Sir  Marlon Brandon    advise  to the letter  , he identified  what had to be rectified   passed the information to his working student/ groom   and now  efficiency rules the yard , for instance tacking up  TIME  takes at the MOST  10 to 12 minutes NOT A SECOND LONGER .

“That's  wonderful  “  Sir  Marlon Brandon    said “and what did your   working student/groom say when you  relayed  this information to her/him ? “

Junior  Trainer  replied   “when I told her how  professional   we are going to be  and how we are going to do it,  she  told me  “  YOU CAN  F,,,,,OFF “    so now I am doing it ALL BY MYSELF”