Gia - session 15 - more bumpers

I brought Gia in today, groomed and saddled her.  I spent some time working with her on brushing her forelock.  It seems like such a silly thing for her to be afraid of, but it is what it is.  I unhooked her from the crossties and just held her leadline while I brushed her forelock until she relaxed.  She backed up quickly a few times.  Each time, I brought her back in the crossties and tried again.  It took a little while, but she finally relaxed.  I reminded myself that this is the same horse that threw a huge tantrum, as a yearling, over velcro.  I would sit in the round pen opening and closing velcro fasteners while she ran around me like crazy.  It took her forever to get over that one!  Anyway, she was almost perfect for the saddle.  She did not move a muscle until I tightened the girth, and then she just barely picked up her foot. 

Up in the round pen, I went through the same motions as yesterday.  Today was better, but she still chose to offer a few tiny bucks when I first sent her around at the canter with the bumpers near her flank.  They were smaller efforts than yesterday, and they didn't last long at all.  She was also quicker to show submissive behavior.  Once she had gone around several times without offering to buck at all, I ended her session, brought her back to the barn and unsaddled her.  Today was a lot warmer, but she didn't work as hard as she did yesterday, so she wasn't quite sweaty enough to hose off.  Maybe next time ...

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