Gia - session 119 - added trotting down centerline, and HAPPY FOURTH BIRTHDAY!!!
Today is Gia's 4th birthday!
It's amazing to look back at pictures and see how far she has come!
I am always excited whenever a foal is born (or any baby animal!), however I actually wasn't as excited for Gia as I was for other babies. I never had any intentions of keeping Gia. I had purchased her mom, Fiona, to be my primary broodmare, and she was already pregnant, so Gia was a freebie. I had plans to breed Fiona to a stallion I had used before, and I was definitely planning to keep that baby, but meanwhile, I would bring Gia up and prepare her for a sale. I even advertised her for sale as soon as I could.
However, as many of you may know, my plans were dashed. I bred Fiona to the stallion, and she had the most gorgeous, friendly, striking colt I have ever seen. However, on his 8 month birthday, after having already been through one colic surgery, he colicked again and had to be put down.
I couldn't even look at Fiona or Gia for a while. All my hopes and dreams had been massively crushed, and I even almost quit horses entirely. I had never been that close with a horse before, but Baker was truly special.
I did eventually lease Fiona out as a broodmare, and she was actually just purchased by that person a few months ago. I decided to keep Gia and see what would become of her. Little did I know that she would turn into such a lovely mare, and steal a piece of my heart too! I will admit that I don't think I will ever be in love with a horse like I was with Baker, but Gia is definitely a close second!
As for today, we worked on all the same things on the lunge line with the Pessoa, and under saddle as well. Everything went about the same. Her attitude towards being asked to canter has definitely improved. She strikes off much more willingly and doesn't pin her ears at all. Her consistent circles at the walk and trot felt better and easier today.
I worked on centerline at the walk, and then added it at the trot. She was definitely very wiggly in her turns and her centerline. I made the mildest corrections I could, and she responded fairly well. By the last few, she was much straighter on the second half of centerline.
Also, now that Gia is four, I will be working with her four times per week instead of three. I also plan on setting up an appointment with the vet to see if she is ready to start any jumping work. I am a firm believer that a horse should not start jumping until their joints are completely closed. For some horses, this is at age 4, but for larger breeds, it might be a little later. As big as Gia is, I won't be surprised if they say that she is not quite ready.
As a horse grows, just like any other animal, the cartilage at the ends of the joints are eventually replaced by bone. If you put too much stress on a horse's joints by riding them too early or jumping them too early, then you risk damaging the cartilage and making them susceptible to arthritis much earlier than they should be.
I intend to be able to ride and jump my horses for a very long time, so I prefer to have my vet check them out, probably using x rays, to determine if they are ready for the rigors of jumping. If I have to wait, then what's another year of not jumping, so that I can spend the rest of her life enjoying time over fences?
It's amazing to look back at pictures and see how far she has come!
I am always excited whenever a foal is born (or any baby animal!), however I actually wasn't as excited for Gia as I was for other babies. I never had any intentions of keeping Gia. I had purchased her mom, Fiona, to be my primary broodmare, and she was already pregnant, so Gia was a freebie. I had plans to breed Fiona to a stallion I had used before, and I was definitely planning to keep that baby, but meanwhile, I would bring Gia up and prepare her for a sale. I even advertised her for sale as soon as I could.
However, as many of you may know, my plans were dashed. I bred Fiona to the stallion, and she had the most gorgeous, friendly, striking colt I have ever seen. However, on his 8 month birthday, after having already been through one colic surgery, he colicked again and had to be put down.
I did eventually lease Fiona out as a broodmare, and she was actually just purchased by that person a few months ago. I decided to keep Gia and see what would become of her. Little did I know that she would turn into such a lovely mare, and steal a piece of my heart too! I will admit that I don't think I will ever be in love with a horse like I was with Baker, but Gia is definitely a close second!
As for today, we worked on all the same things on the lunge line with the Pessoa, and under saddle as well. Everything went about the same. Her attitude towards being asked to canter has definitely improved. She strikes off much more willingly and doesn't pin her ears at all. Her consistent circles at the walk and trot felt better and easier today.
I worked on centerline at the walk, and then added it at the trot. She was definitely very wiggly in her turns and her centerline. I made the mildest corrections I could, and she responded fairly well. By the last few, she was much straighter on the second half of centerline.
Also, now that Gia is four, I will be working with her four times per week instead of three. I also plan on setting up an appointment with the vet to see if she is ready to start any jumping work. I am a firm believer that a horse should not start jumping until their joints are completely closed. For some horses, this is at age 4, but for larger breeds, it might be a little later. As big as Gia is, I won't be surprised if they say that she is not quite ready.
As a horse grows, just like any other animal, the cartilage at the ends of the joints are eventually replaced by bone. If you put too much stress on a horse's joints by riding them too early or jumping them too early, then you risk damaging the cartilage and making them susceptible to arthritis much earlier than they should be.
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