Gia - session 88 - Fantastic ride, especially the canter and straightness!
Gia was a bit anxious in the crossties yesterday, so I was expecting her to be a bit tense, but I decided to go without lunging anyway. She was a little fidgety at the mounting block when I brought her up to it, so I repeatedly asked her to stand still. Once she did, I hopped on, and she was a statue until I told her she could walk on! She felt a bit tight and tense at the walk, but after a few minutes she was starting to loosen up. We worked on the figure 8 between the poles, and her walk work was the straightest it has ever been! I had to make minor corrections, but she was very responsive and stayed more consistent. By the end of our walk warm up, she was moving forward more fluidly, and covering more ground with a bigger, swingier step.
She moved into the trot very promptly on the first cue, not sluggish at all, but also not tense! We worked on the same figure 8 pattern. She started out fairly straight at first, but after a little while, it was getting harder for her to maintain the straightness. She's young and tires easily, so I didn't worry too much about it. Once I had helped her improve a little bit, I gave her a break.
After a brief break, I asked for the trot again. It was nice and relaxed, and once I got it straight, I asked for the canter. She moved into the canter promptly, with maybe a hint that she might buck, but I kept my leg on and pushed her up into my hands, and she relaxed and cantered around in the most beautiful, relaxed, straight, quiet canter she has ever given me! I asked for a little bit of straightness at the canter, and once I had gotten a response three times, I allowed her to trot. After another brief break, we turned around and did it again the other way. She started out a bit more tense at the trot at first, because she knew what was coming. Once she relaxed, I asked for the canter again, and she moved into it promptly again, with only a little bit more of a hint that she might buck, changing her mind after I kept my leg on and pushed her through it. Her canter this way was quicker, less balanced and less straight. I still asked for three responses to my straightness cues, and once I got them, I allowed her to trot. She came down into a REALLY NICE, balanced and straight trot!
We ended our session with a few down transitions from trot to walk and then walk to halt. She was very responsive and definitely tried to give me what I was asking for without resistance. After a big pat for one of our best rides yet, I told her that her brother, Baker, would be so proud of how far she has come, and how smart and willing she is. After losing Baker, I never thought that I could connect with another horse the way I connected with him. My connection with Gia was definitely not as instantaneous as it was with Baker, but it is growing, and yesterday I finally started to feel like Gia and I could have a great partnership together!
She moved into the trot very promptly on the first cue, not sluggish at all, but also not tense! We worked on the same figure 8 pattern. She started out fairly straight at first, but after a little while, it was getting harder for her to maintain the straightness. She's young and tires easily, so I didn't worry too much about it. Once I had helped her improve a little bit, I gave her a break.
After a brief break, I asked for the trot again. It was nice and relaxed, and once I got it straight, I asked for the canter. She moved into the canter promptly, with maybe a hint that she might buck, but I kept my leg on and pushed her up into my hands, and she relaxed and cantered around in the most beautiful, relaxed, straight, quiet canter she has ever given me! I asked for a little bit of straightness at the canter, and once I had gotten a response three times, I allowed her to trot. After another brief break, we turned around and did it again the other way. She started out a bit more tense at the trot at first, because she knew what was coming. Once she relaxed, I asked for the canter again, and she moved into it promptly again, with only a little bit more of a hint that she might buck, changing her mind after I kept my leg on and pushed her through it. Her canter this way was quicker, less balanced and less straight. I still asked for three responses to my straightness cues, and once I got them, I allowed her to trot. She came down into a REALLY NICE, balanced and straight trot!
We ended our session with a few down transitions from trot to walk and then walk to halt. She was very responsive and definitely tried to give me what I was asking for without resistance. After a big pat for one of our best rides yet, I told her that her brother, Baker, would be so proud of how far she has come, and how smart and willing she is. After losing Baker, I never thought that I could connect with another horse the way I connected with him. My connection with Gia was definitely not as instantaneous as it was with Baker, but it is growing, and yesterday I finally started to feel like Gia and I could have a great partnership together!
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