Those wonderful Crews!!!

["Cathy Sabe" <csabe@servicepaper.com>]

With our season just around the corner, I thought I'd throw a few reminders
out there to those of us who get to enjoy the luxury of having a crew along.
Our crew last season came along not just to help and pamper us, but to enjoy
the camping and share stories after the ride, and boy, could they cook!!!
The below examples are taken from actual experience when I crewed at the
beginning of my "endurance life" , and now when I get overwhelmed or caught
up in the moment, I reflect back to the below experiences to put things back
into perspective!!  I'm sure my experience was not the "norm" for crew
treatment, but I sure know what "not" to do!!!
1. Don't yell at your crew!!  Barking orders will result in *no crew*.
2. Remember your crew is there to help you, they're doing the best they can,
even if they're not moving fast enough for you or grab the wrong blanket!
3. If you are borrowing a crew member's tack, treat it with respect.  Even
if you like to drop your tack on the ground at the vet check's, others may
not appreciate having theirs being returned to them dented and dirty.
4. Keep your sense of humor!!! If the "rocket fuel" you've instructed your
crew to paste to your horse ends up mostly *on* your crew because your horse
was unwilling, instead of humiliating them in front of the entire camp, take
a moment and enjoy the comic relief, after all, the horse *will* live!!
Finally, after all is said and done, and everyone is relaxing around the
fire, be sure and thank your crew, rather than ask "has anyone re-checked
water buckets"??
Cathy.