Confidence-Building for Newbie Navigator

[ZELLA]

How do you convince a non-horsey newcomer to your life that being your CDE navigator would be great fun?

Although it's been one of those winters where not much driving has taken place, and my pony is so fat it looks like she ate another pony, the good news is that I have a fab new boyfriend. In my mind, boyfriend = navigator, but and so I'm a bit confused by the new guy's reluctance to seize the role with gusto. He's a computer geek and not really the outdoorsy type, but that's not the problem.

He's very worried that he'll make some fatal mistake that will ruin my event, and that he'd never forgive himself. I've tried reassuring him that I've had great runs with novice gators many times before, and that the job really isn't that hard. I've had navigators who forgot to start the watches, and we still had fun and stayed friends. I compete a preliminary single pony, and though we're often in the ribbons, I do this strictly as an amateur. I'm competitive enough by nature to want to bring our best stuff to the show, but realistically, we usually won't be quite good enough to beat the pros--and that's OK with me.

It's been really difficult for me to find a gator for most of my shows, to the point where any warm body will do. How do I convince dearest BF that he really does have all the skills? There used to be a DVD about navigating on the ADS site, but it's sold out. None of my driving clubs have a workshop scheduled at this time either. Help!

[CDE Driver]

I probably should don a flame suit for this, but here goes....

Your navigator pretty much has your life in their hands, a wrong move could send you places you really, really don't want to go. I would never, ever take a first time navigator out with a preliminary competitor unless that person had a really strong horse background, preferably someone familiar with eventing.

I am not concerned so much on the timing or knowing the course aspect of it, you should know that part. What if you do have a problem and you need a header or someone to help you unhitch fast?

Sorry, just my .02

Oh, Drive On Productions does have a navigating DVD I believe.

[Ashemont]

Kandi-

If I could get my overweight and no-longer-athletic hubby of 30+ years to 'gator you surely can get a new boyfriend to do it :yes: BTW great news! So I'll get to meet him soon, eh? ;)

If he's a geek then interest him in figuring the times for the marathon. Although I can do it easily, hubby has a more complicated system that comes up with the same numbers. I make a big fuss over him and proudly put his numbers in a grid that I share with fellow competitors. He gets lots of positive strokes. Enough so that he'll even hop on the back step if I need someone. Of course when he does my goals immediately change and the only one that matters is still being married at the end :D

He also might have fun trying to figure lines in cones and paths through hazards. Joe can't walk the hazards but he often spots a better way than me. If the boyfriend sees it's not all just athletic ability but involves thinking too you might get him hooked that way.

I'm sure you can be persuasive enough to get him to give it a go at least once. Then make sure it's a fun time for him. Will you be at Southern Pines? If so we can get Joe and my 'gator's husband (another great guy) to hang with him a bit and get him a little more enthused. And we'd love to have you both join us for dinner. We'll have a houseful with Laurel, Jackie, their 'gators, my gator and her husband. On Sunday Don and Sammi are coming in so I know Joe will be cooking up a storm ;)

Good luck!

[ZELLA]

CDE Driver,
No flame suit necessary! I take safety seriously, and of course it always would be best to have an experienced gator, but my circumstances dictate training one. My hope is that he will really like the sport and stick around, because continuity in the gator department will likely lead to more consistency all around! Our first outing of the year isn't until May, so I'll have plenty of time to teach him about heading, harnessing, vet-box routine etc.

My pony and I are entering our third year of competition at the prelim level--I want my dressage scores to be more consistently in the 40's before I move up. I'd also be perfectly happy to delay moving up until the BF finds his comfort level in the task, because at the end of the day, it's really all about having a safe, good time and still being friends!

I found a copy of that Navigating 101 DVD in stock online, so that should help also.

Hi Pat,
I'm going to Garden State rather than Southern Pines this spring--can't afford both--but maybe we can take a weekend trip to NC for marathon day so that he can see one in real life. I'd love to hook him up with your posse!

[KellyS]

I bet that once he's been to a few events and gets comfortable with the sport that you'll have a willing participant. :) It took a while for Aaron and me to find our rhythm on course--we did our first CDE in 2002 and it wasn't until 2 years later that we really hit our stride and figured out a system that worked for us. It can be a bit overwhelming the first few times.

Perhaps keep it very simple to start...maybe the first time he just rides on the carriage and gets a feel for the hazards while you keep track of times, etc. It's more responsibility for you, but not as overwhelming for him. Then, as he gets more comfortable, you can slowly turn more responsibilities over to him. I promise you, once he gets the hang of it, he'll be hooked. Plus, there are so any SO (significant other) teams out there that he'll get to see other couples doing it together as well. Hehe...

See you at Garden State!

P.S. Is this the guy we were talking about at Elk Creek last year? ;) You can PM if you want LOL!

[Drive NJ]

Start at home supposing you have some time to get it together

First assess where you are
Is he at all comfortable around horses? If not that's a first priority. He's going to need to be able to help if there are problems.

Is he physically fit enough to hang on to the back of the carriage through the whole marathon - standing over bumps, ups and downs and sharp turns. Does he 'get' the concept of helping to balance the vehicle

Is he comfortable helping you with the math/directions of navitgating or would he prefer bringing a blackberry along to handle that for him?

Then work on areas that need improvement - you are hopefully building a personal AND driver/navigator relationship

Remember too that there are a LOT of parts to driving to enjoy. Introduce him to as many as you can. Vehicle function/math/how he can help you/fun people to be around. Hopefully, some part of the sport will catch his interest.

Let him meet some people who DO navigate to find out their take on the job. Keep reassuring him that at this point its not about winning only, but doing your best and having a good time - and that typically nobody gets killed for making a mistake.

Take him out for some of your training drives. Let him get familiar with handling the horse, harness and vehicle. Make it fun and simple... no racing about just yet. Especially point out what you are trying to do and how he can help. You can start building your preferred 'language' for what you want to hear about and how you want it conveyed to you. Figure ways for him to describe what to do so you know what he means - Right vs Hard Right etc.

Now start playing cones in a ring or adding twist of trees hazards along trail or something in a field. Stay flat, stay slow and work on where he should be - its helpful here to have someone who's good at navigating to give you both some lessons on the job. You have plenty of people around Southern Pines who can help you here.

Now reassess... is he really not enjoying this or just feeling like a fish out of water, or have you made a convert. Hint: Don't let him drive the horse/pony or you'll end up like a lot of couples where you are now BOTH driving and needing TWO navigators :D

[KellyS]

DriveNJ's post made me think of another point--

When he does navigate for you for the first time, make sure he knows what to do if things go south. For instance, you could tell him, "If I say get down and grab her head, I mean..." and show him what to do. It's those moments when you really do need someone to help you and if he's prepared that will make him an invaluable asset.

[goodhors]

You might want to check out training clinics in your area to attend. You get the benefit of trainer's eyes, he gets to ride along, maybe work some slow, easy hazards, as you drive them with new ideas learned today. Perhaps your local club would put on a seminar for gators, with rides at slow pace thru some hazards, up and down hills. Trainer could call out tips, talk about body position as you drive the hazard. We have attended several of these type, found them extremely helpful.

Get him used to wearing the gear, helmet, good gloves, sticky shoes for the carriage floor. We try to wear new work-type shoes in competition, soles are not smoothed out from wear. Worn soles really get slippy on metal. We have the handles in back all wrapped on our carriage, all the time. You NEVER know when the person in back needs grip, so carriage is always "dressed" with grip to go out.

Vetwrap does wear, get slick in rain or over time, so make sure it is still good for grip. Gator Grip is a good product, stays on all the time, so you are always prepared if needed. He needs to be comfortable in his gear, know where to reach and how far, so he can automatically get a grip in any situation. He learns where his feet fit or not, as he moves around in different terrains.

We do some galloping in the ring, lets folks get used to the ride at some speed. He needs to know that getting lower in back, is what you do for speed. Step up for water most of the time. Then he can practice at walk and trot, moving the carriage rear over. Hang onto the horse, some get surprised if carriage moves sideways suddenly. He will learn how much work it takes to pull sideways, just going forward. Some are really easy, while others may be impossible to slip over that extra couple inches for clearance.

Communication is really important, and it seems that the same words are english and chinese between a driver and gator sometimes! As Kelly said, show him physically what you mean with these words, "Get to her head" and show EXACTLY what you want done. How and where to find reins, traces, girth or OVER girth. Not items he would know from childhood games! I find many people cannot tell Right from Left when thinking of other things. Best to signal with a touch on the correct shoulder, so you don't have to ask again by saying, " No, the OTHER Right" to get turned correctly.

Sure sounds promising, but go slow, keep it low-key to not scare him off. Praise works well, as mentioned, keeping you on time is important.

Just like riding, gatoring well takes time and practice. Guys usually have a pretty good time, there are actually other men attending a horse venue!!

Gator's motto, is "Keep the shiny side up!" Maybe a T-shirt for him?

[Thomas_1]

Have you had formal training yourself on backstepping? Or do you know what to do? What specifically do you need to know?

You need to start by just taking him out pleasure driving and seeing if he's got any interest at all. He also needs to be reasonably fit and active and quick witted.

Here we do courses specifically for the purpose. Are there such things there??

I would recommend that you might not want to adopt my technique when I first take out new grooms.

It's become a bit of a joke with all the staff now. I harness a pair or team give the newbie some simple instructions:

"stand on the back, feet a hips breadth apart, flex your knees to take the absorption, hold on TIGHT. NEVER let go with your hands. Do exactly what you're told by me or the other groom. NEVER EVER EVER EVER get off. If you fall off and are hurt lie still. If you fall off and o.k. shout and I might slow down and run like hell to catch up!

So once instructed away we go. Now my boys all have one bad habit - they are all VERY eagre to get going when they know they're going out for a yee ha cross country. So the groom will start by having to sprint after me to jump on if she doesn't do what is sensible and that is just step aside from heading and mount as the carriage passes. We've left a few standing in our time! Or else sprinting after for the first 50 yards ;)

Then after a mile of sedate on road driving I head off up a track yell "you'd best be holding on" and put the boys straight into a full pelt canter. We tear up the VERY bumpy track and into the woods where there's a mass of hazards and mud ;) then further on we slide down a bank and I shout lean right out and back and the experienced groom shows her how and once the newbie is in that position I slip down the bank and into the stream and when in the water ask for a canter transition and as the carriage lifts right up with the power of the horses, I bob her backside in the icy cold stream :winkgrin: (Of course by then the experienced member of staff is standing upright)

I know, it's cruel....... but we've got to have some fun


Goes without saying that safety gear is essential: hat, good gripping gloves and enclosed solid boots with really good traction soles.

[goeslikestink]

your naughty thomas haha

[ZELLA]

Thanks, everyone, for your well-considered replies. I'm not sure if the BF will find them reassuring or terrifying!

Thomas: I've been a navigator at the intermediate level, and that certainly will help my perspective as a coach to this new gator-in-training. I might refrain from copying your hair-raising method though...

[IronwoodFarm]

Zella, the BF just needs mileage. The more he does it, the better he'll get.

IF Jr. was drafted into being my groom/navigator a few years ago. I remember him commenting after a drive out in the field -- "At first it was terrifying, but then it was lots of fun." He has seen me wreck, so he knows there is danger involved. Still, the kid has become a cut throat about cones.

I swear it all came with mileage.