All The Kings' Horses

 I had a lesson with Hayley today at CDP.  Gia felt great today!  We started with a nice, crisp walk, and then moved right into a forward trot.  We worked all over the ring with changes of direction and in a good, steady tempo, we also worked on lengthening and collecting the trot.  Gia was nicely obedient to everything I asked her to do.  When I first asked for the canter, I forgot to keep my arms soft, so it didn't last more than a few steps.  But the second time, I remembered, and stayed a little off her back as well.  It started awkward, and counterbent, but as I stayed soft and following with my seat and arms, she eventually figured out what to do with her body, and started to come nicely around my inside leg.  We did the same thing in the other direction (which is usually her bad direction), but it went really well!  We decided to quite while we were ahead after that!  Hopefully, this ride will carry into this weekend for the show! 

 I had a lesson at CDP with Susan again today.  Susan rode first again today, and did much the same as last time.  Gia was a little bit naughtier due to having the day off before.  I hopped on, and did much the same as last week as well.  However, Gia did feel a lot better today!  We moved into a nice, marching walk, then right into a forward, rhythmic trot.  After a bit of trot work, including circles and changes of direction, I asked for canter.  She was nicely prompt, and fairly quiet.  She kept her canter fairly well, and longer than usual, but I also noticed that she pulled me along more, rather than trying to stall out.  I went across the diagonal, then cantered the other way after a quick, simple change.  She was very responsive, straight and obedient.  I gave her a break, and we repeated everything, but started with the canter in the harder direction.  She was still very good and obedient.  It was one of the best rides I have had on her in a while!

 I had a lesson at CDP with Susan today.  She rode Gia first to show me what they have been working on with her - keeping her walk more forward but not rushy, making more prompt trot transitions, making quiet canter transitions on both leads, staying soft in the bridle, and reaching down and out in the bridle. I hopped on after Susan, and she had me do all the same things.  My big take-aways are that I need to really work on keeping my arms more limp and lower.  I also need to post with my hips more forward, which allows me to sit taller.  I need to demand a better reaction when I ask for a transition, especially to the trot.  But her canter and her canter transitions felt really good today!  They have also started her on Regumate because they noticed some nasty behavior timed with her cycle.  Not sure if it's doing the trick yet, but we should know for sure next month!

 Gia and I went to the War Horse Schooling and Show this weekend at the Carolina Horse Park.  This was our first show since she has been in training at CDP.  When I first got on her on Saturday morning to head out for stadium schooling, she was VERY charged.  She felt like she was going to go up in the front and up in the back, all at the same time.  Forward was very hard to get as well.  Kicking or smacking with a whip were not going to work because she felt extremely overreactive.  My goal was to help her relax, and become less reactive to my aids.  I had her follow Butch up to stadium, so that gave her something to focus on for a little bit.  Once in warm up, I just had her walk back and forth over a pole, encouraging her to reach low and deep until she started to let go.  Once she did, we tried the same thing at the trot.  That helped her a lot, so we were able to get over a few warm up jumps before it was our turn in the ring.  Once in the ring, she got nervous again, and started

 I drove down to CDP for my lesson on Gia today.  Susan rode her first, and I studied how she kept Gia's hind end moving quick and forward, towards her hands, but did not restrict her with tension in her arms or fingers, just the length of the reins, and her upper body tall with shoulders back. I got on, and Susan coached me through the same steps at walk, trot and canter.  I had to keep Gia's feet moving and rhythmic, but I couldn't be tight up front.  It wasn't too bad at the walk and trot, but it was very difficult at the canter.  We were able to get a few moments where we had it, but this work is also hard for Gia, since it has her using her hind end muscles more, so she tired quickly (and the heat doesn't help either).  It will take her a while, but she is making good progress!

 I had a lesson at CDP with Gia and Charlie today.  I started at the walk and trot with straightness in the shoulder, a soft, equal connection in both low hands, sitting back with my leg on, and asking for her to collect, sometimes go a little forward, and sometimes leg yield out, change direction and haunches-in.  When she was obedient to all that, I added canter transitions.  I had to work to remain soft in the connection, but keep the shoulders straight.  With transition after transition, she started to get it, and we had at least one good one in each direction.  No bucking, and she felt more studious than frustrated today.  I also collected a new catch phrase to practice with - "You don't have to be perfect, but you do have to be CONSISTENT."