Gia - session 61 - First dressage test, and free walk!
Gia was a bit of a brat on the ground again today - spooking at things she has seen before and planting her feet. Danielle worked with her on going past the "scary" things several times until she was walking like "normal". When I lunged Gia today, she was also quite bratty and distracted. Every time she looked at something other than me, I sent her more forward, but on a short line so that she was encouraged to look at me more. As she relaxed and quit getting distracted, I allowed the line to lengthen. When she was completely relaxed, I sent her the other direction at the other end of the arena. We went through the same process, but it did not take as long.
Under saddle, Gia was awesome! The last ride was pretty good, but this one topped it! She immediately went into a relaxed walk, and did not really ever try to look around. I was even able to encourage a bit more forward of a walk today! At the trot, she almost moved off my leg promptly, but definitely with very little resistance. Her trot was so nice and floaty too! After several laps and figure 8's, I decided to put her through the most basic of dressage tests, Intro Test A. For her first time, she did pretty good. She went everywhere I told her to, was hardly distracted, and we were even able to get some beginner bending on the circles and corners! It went so well that I decided to try the next test, Intro Test B. She also did that one quite well! To finish, I started to ask her for a free walk. In a free walk, a horse is supposed to keep a nice march, while stretching down and out in the bridle, and keeping a soft contact. Since this was Gia's first time being asked for free walk, I kept it very light. She already had a decent march, so to ask her to stretch down, I alternated wiggling my fingers on my right and left hands until I felt her start to go a little lower. It wasn't much at first, but every time she even hinted at dropping her head, I would quiet my hands until she stopped reaching, and then ask again. By the end, she was actually much lower than I expected!
After she was untacked, Danielle held her while I approached her with the clippers. She did not startle at all! She even approached the clippers with her own nose and touched them herself. Very carefully, I started to clip her muzzle. She was also cautious, but allowing. Once she relaxed a bit, I had Danielle start to rub her neck as a reward. That actually startled her, and she went backwards a few steps with her legs bracing. I brought her forwards again, and went back to her muzzle with the clippers, while Danielle rubbed her. She relaxed a little again, and I proceeded to clip her entire face without using the twitch at all! Once she licked and chewed, I turned off the clippers and we ended on that.
I worked on pulling her mane while she ate grass for a few minutes, and then I held her while Danielle bathed her. She was a bit more fidgety today than she was on Wednesday, and I had to keep pressure on her halter while tapping her with a long whip when she tried to move sideways or backwards. After a few minutes, she relaxed for the most part. I sprayed off her face while holding her, and she only moved a few steps. I did startle her a little later when I was trying to turn the hose off, so she backed up a few steps. I pulled her forward, and she settled back down again pretty quickly. Once she was all dried off, Danielle walked her back out again past all the scary stuff. She did much better on the way out.
Under saddle, Gia was awesome! The last ride was pretty good, but this one topped it! She immediately went into a relaxed walk, and did not really ever try to look around. I was even able to encourage a bit more forward of a walk today! At the trot, she almost moved off my leg promptly, but definitely with very little resistance. Her trot was so nice and floaty too! After several laps and figure 8's, I decided to put her through the most basic of dressage tests, Intro Test A. For her first time, she did pretty good. She went everywhere I told her to, was hardly distracted, and we were even able to get some beginner bending on the circles and corners! It went so well that I decided to try the next test, Intro Test B. She also did that one quite well! To finish, I started to ask her for a free walk. In a free walk, a horse is supposed to keep a nice march, while stretching down and out in the bridle, and keeping a soft contact. Since this was Gia's first time being asked for free walk, I kept it very light. She already had a decent march, so to ask her to stretch down, I alternated wiggling my fingers on my right and left hands until I felt her start to go a little lower. It wasn't much at first, but every time she even hinted at dropping her head, I would quiet my hands until she stopped reaching, and then ask again. By the end, she was actually much lower than I expected!
After she was untacked, Danielle held her while I approached her with the clippers. She did not startle at all! She even approached the clippers with her own nose and touched them herself. Very carefully, I started to clip her muzzle. She was also cautious, but allowing. Once she relaxed a bit, I had Danielle start to rub her neck as a reward. That actually startled her, and she went backwards a few steps with her legs bracing. I brought her forwards again, and went back to her muzzle with the clippers, while Danielle rubbed her. She relaxed a little again, and I proceeded to clip her entire face without using the twitch at all! Once she licked and chewed, I turned off the clippers and we ended on that.
I worked on pulling her mane while she ate grass for a few minutes, and then I held her while Danielle bathed her. She was a bit more fidgety today than she was on Wednesday, and I had to keep pressure on her halter while tapping her with a long whip when she tried to move sideways or backwards. After a few minutes, she relaxed for the most part. I sprayed off her face while holding her, and she only moved a few steps. I did startle her a little later when I was trying to turn the hose off, so she backed up a few steps. I pulled her forward, and she settled back down again pretty quickly. Once she was all dried off, Danielle walked her back out again past all the scary stuff. She did much better on the way out.
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