Flossy is well known to many on the British Dressage Forum as a teller of interesting stories and perhaps the odd joke or two. We have selected a few tales for your pleasure.

Training styles

Recent posts  on BD forum highlighted the fact that different people  benefit from different teaching styles, what is suitable for one student  maybe totally alienating to another.
One  student  may  appreciate the trainer that deliver  short sharp to the point commands, like “do this, pull that  up or down “, and then be left alone to work it out  for one self, another student will relish  on detailed analysis  of the situation that may cover the formula  of calculating the distance from  the Moon to  Mars but will miss  the explanation of how to rise to the trot .
The variations are as many as the number of people that ride  and the modern certified coaches  must be able  quickly assess the style of learning   preferred by  a student  and conduct the lesson accordingly.
One  forumist commented  about a learning experience  she had in Germany many years ago. The trainer, with Olympic credentials both as rider and coach ,  used to employ one word only  with differing  emphasis to convey  his  message, the lesson mostly would start with the usual “ZO” which means “so”  as the riding improved  and the rider attained a level of proficiency   the trainers respond was “ZOOOOOOO”, should  the rider really excelled  himself , the well known trainer would burst into  a spontaneous exclamation   of     “Achhh  ZOOOOOOO”   
The  debate was going on , with each person singing the praise  of their trainer.
“My trainer is so good I love the way she explains things  I wished I went to her 49 years ago when I started riding” (well you could not  she is only 15.5 years old)
Another person described  how clear and concise her trainers is  , with few chosen words  he effects a complete transformation.
“My trainer  shouts ,screams  and threaten physical  abuse should I fluff the corner again,  but I dont mind it, as long  as  he does not gloss  over   or flannel  me “ (the trainer is obviously a non cricketing  male   and the student a middle age Diva).
One contributor to the debate  mentioned that her extremely knowledgeable articulated trainer  delivers the best instruction  in spite of a small speech   impediment,
“What do you mean?”  the others asked
“Well, during a lesson he some time has to stop talking in order  to breath” she  replied