All The Kings' Horses

I warmed Gia up with our usual routine.  She was a bit stiffer on the right as usual, and needed more straightening work on that side.  I interspersed the canter work with the trot work again.  She was a bit resistant to canter to the right today.  She hesitated more than she has the last few times, and she got a couple of wrong leads.  When she did get the canter to the right, it was too quick, and I had to slow her down a lot more.  She did give me a decent one by the end though, and her canter to the left was just fine. So, I decided to add jumping back in to her routine! We started with six trot poles down centerline.  She was a bit surprised by them at first, but quickly remembered how to navigate them.  I did have to work on keeping her straight, but otherwise, she did great with the poles! Then I added a crossrail to the end of the trot poles.  That also surprised her the first time, and she drifted hard to the right immediately after the jump.  I made sure to keep her str

Gia did all the same flat work stuff that we've been working on lately.  Nothing felt too hard.  She is still a little crooked, with her haunches going more to the left.  I talked to Cameron about that yesterday, and he had me adjust the way we are using the Theraband pads with Gia.  Hopefully, that will help.  I sprinkled the canter work in with the trot work again.  She only missed one of her leads to the right.  When she picked up her canters today, she did start out a little fast, but came right back when I asked.  She also had nice, balanced down transitions. Since Gia has been really enjoying walking into the pond, I decided I would take things a step further today, literally, and let her go a little deeper and play a little longer.  When we finished our flatwork and were ready to head out in the field, I hopped off and unsaddled her and changed into some old shorts and boots.  I wasn't sure how wet I might get!  Then I somehow managed to get back on her with no saddl

Our trip to CDP stables today was uneventful.  I opted not to use hind shipping boots until I can get the correct size, since the smaller ones are causing so much trouble. After my ride on Butch, I tacked Gia up and mounted at the trailer, without taking her into the arena for a pre-ride walk around the scary things.  She was a little nervous, especially about the Gator, but once I let her check it out, she was a bit more relaxed.  After our walk work in the jump ring (where she has typically been working), we moved into the dressage arena.  She was still a little worried about the rails and letters, but much less so than last time.  So, I decided to try our trot and canter work in the fancy ring.  She was fantastic!  Her trot work felt so obedient yet full of suspension and energy without being fast.  Her canter work was very correct and also obedient.  Since she did so well, I decided to keep it short, and we only cantered once in each direction. To finish our ride, I took he

I warmed Gia up with the usual today.  I added in some leg yield at the trot, to help her get straighter.  I mixed in canter work with the trot work as well.  She did great with her canter to the left, but she was a little stuck in her canter to the right.  I had been working on getting her to be a little slower and more organized at the canter, which she responded quite well to when tracking left.  However, when tracking right, she keeps wanting to bow her body to the outside, causing her to lose her balance, and then get too quick.  We worked on trying to get straighter, and then becoming more responsive to the slowing and collecting aids after I asked for the canter.  The last canter to the right was slightly better, but it did take a few tries. Then we ventured out into the field again.   The water was super easy, so I let her play for a few minutes before coaxing her back out. Next, I approached the ditch.  She still stopped about 2 feet in front of it, and would not go

I warmed Gia up with the usual again today - stretching down at the walk, corners, diagonal lines and centerlines at the trot. When I cantered her today, it was soooo much better!  Rather than doing all the trot work and then all the canter work, I did a little at the trot, then cantered a little, then back for more trot, then back to another canter, etc, until she had completed three canter sets in each direction.  I liked being able to go back to a good amount of trot work to reset her, rather than just changing directions to canter the other way. With the last few times I've cantered, I've kept going at each canter, until I had gotten three good moments before I would let her take a break.  However, with today's first canter, and all the successive ones, she was doing so good, that I really didn't have to count individual moments.  Rather, I just cantered 1-2 circles and then brought her back.  She never bucked, never took a wrong lead, and hardly even hesitated

I warmed Gia up with the usual - stretching down, corners, diagonal lines, lots of circles - all at the walk and trot.  When her trot felt good, I asked for the canter, twice in each direction.  The first canter in each direction was much more relaxed.  The second one felt a bit tense, probably from anticipating the canter.  I asked for three good moments in each of the four canters, and then moved on. For her adventures in the field today, we started out in the pond.  She hesitated, just slightly, going in, but then started to go in much deeper, and really played around today! When we came to the ditch, she still stopped when I first walked up.  Danielle had to "lead" her across the first few times, but I never had to get off, and she went on her own for several times after that. I decided to introduce her to the bank jump today.  She definitely stopped when I first approached it.  I let her check it out for a few minutes, and then I hopped off and led her up and down

When I got Gia ready to leave yesterday, I decided to try a different set of shipping boots.  These were still too small, but they weren't as restrictive, so she didn't kick out with them.  I will definitely be getting her a much larger set, but for now, these will work. After she chilled out on the walker, I tacked her up at the trailer, where she stood perfectly still.  I opted not to lunge again, since it was still so hot, and just hopped on in the arena and started walking around.  She took a hard look at a few things, but then warmed up with her usual corners, circles and diagonal lines at the walk and trot.  After a lap in each direction at the trot, she was feeling a LOT more comfortable, and even started to feel a little expressive! Since she felt so relaxed, I thought we would try a little canter.  It actually went pretty well!  We only went once in each direction, and there was no bucking at all.  The first time, she picked up the correct lead, and then I just foc

Gia was a bit grumpy while Danielle was getting her ready, so I was prepared for today to be a crummy ride, but she was actually pretty good! We warmed up with stretching down at the walk, as well as corners, diagonal lines, and some haunches-in and shoulder-in.  At the trot, we did some of the same, but she needed more lateral work to get her straighter. After getting her nice and straight at the trot, I asked for the canter.  There was absolutely NO bucking today!  I cantered her twice in each direction, and worked to get three good moments each time.  She only picked up one wrong lead the whole time!! After all the ring work, we went out in the field for some more adventures. I got a video today of her checking out the big, scary cactus and brush pile on the other side of the fence.  She was still slightly concerned, but not as much as before. She hesitated only slightly when I asked her to walk down the small ravine into the pond (no assist from Patti today!).  She also h

I warmed Gia up with some walk and trot work, including corners, lots of circles (she was a bit distracted today by someone sitting outside the arena and by another horse working in the arena), haunches-in, shoulder-in and diagonal lines. Then we worked on cantering.  She did buck a tiny bit with the very first canter in the very first direction, but that was it.  She was a bit tense, anticipating the canter, and did pick up a couple of wrong leads.  I had to work on getting her trot organized and straight and relaxed, and then I was able to get a nice canter in each direction. After our ring work, we went out into the field.  Since she has been pretty comfortable just walking, I decided to try a few new adventures. Opening and closing the gate went very easy today. Then we started with walking over a small jump that could resemble a log.  She could have cared less. After that, I had her walk through a small ravine.  She only hesitated to figure out where was the bes

I decided to skip the lunging again today since it was so hot, and Gia seemed very relaxed.  We even had a little snuggle before I hopped on.  She is sooo affectionate! We warmed up with work at the walk and trot on circles, diagonal lines and centerlines.  I also threw in a little shoulder-in and haunches-in, as needed, to get her straighter. She mostly needed shoulder-in tracking right, and haunches-in tracking left. Then I decided we would canter. I know I said I wanted to get three good canter sessions on the lunge line before I tried it under saddle again, but it's just been so hot.  I will admit that I really waffled about whether or not to canter, since our last canter together had so many fireworks.  I was a tiny bit nervous, but figured that it was now or never, and I had managed to sit her last bucking session, so how bad could this one be ... It really wasn't bad at all!  She did offer to buck a couple of times, once, at the beginning of each canter in

Gia has had three good trailering sessions with her front shipping boots, so today was the day to add hind shipping boots! In the video I took today, you can see how dramatically she reacted, but also how quickly she recovered, and then loaded up on the trailer just fine. However, about halfway through our trip, I felt the trailer shaking a bit for a few minutes.  When I got to CDP Stables, I found both of Gia's hind boots about halfway down her hind legs, and several small cuts on her legs.  Most likely, she tried to kick them off, en route.  Hopefully, she learned that wasn't a good idea, but to be safe, I left them off on the way home.  I think the boots might be a little too small for her, so I have another set, that won't put so much pressure on her hock, that I will try next time. After her walk on the hot walker, she stood tied to the trailer absolutely perfectly!  With it being so hot, and she seemed so relaxed, I decided to forgo the lunging warm up, and even

So, last month when we were at the Carolina Horse Park to school, you might remember that Gia was a hot mess on the lunge line, so once I got her to relax that day, I ended our session and it never went any further. We had another venture to the Horse Park today for another schooling day, and it went much better! I decided to just start with simple lunging today.  Last time, I had tacked her up, in hopes that I would be able to get on her.  This time, I just pulled her off the trailer, put on her splint boots, added a chain to her halter (just in case), and went off to lunge.  She was sooooo much better! She talked a little bit, and looked around a little bit, but relaxed fairly quickly.  All I did was 2 minutes of walk and 5 minutes of trot in each direction, and she was putting her head down and licking and chewing within a minute or two of the work. So, I decided to saddle up and go from there.  She was a bit fidgety tied to the trailer, but nothing bad, just looking aroun

I had a VERY busy day today, so I had to keep Gia's ride brief again. We warmed up with the usual.  But, she was feeling a bit stuck in her haunches.  I really needed to be able to move them over more than I was getting with just circles and bending and leg yields. So, I decided to see if she would give me some haunches-in. Briefly, haunches-in is a move where the front feet stay on the rail, and the haunches move to the inside of the track.  (I can go more in depth on this another day when I'm not so pressed for time :) ). Gia was amazing about it!  I got way more than I bargained for when I asked her for the movement.  Of course, sometimes she did too much, but she'll figure it out. We finished our ride with another walk in the field, including opening and closing the gate.  She really seemed to understand what to do with that today!

Gia took a trip to CDP Stables yesterday.  She gave me no problems whatsoever with her shipping boots, and even walked right on the trailer very promptly.  Once there, she walked on the walker until I was done with Butch.   She had an appointment to see Cameron, from Breezeway Sporthorse Diagnostics while we were down there, so while we were waiting our turn, I walked her in the arena and we hung out in the "scary spots".  She was pretty quiet about those. Cameron evaluated her at the walk and trot, as well as checking her body over for sore spots.  Her gaits were fantastic, but she was sore in a couple of areas - her right hind end, her right shoulder, her lumbar area just behind the saddle, and her withers.  We decided to do a chiropractic adjustment (her first!) and see how that helped her out.  She stood almost perfectly for it!  She was a little fidgety when other horses went by, but she didn't mind anything that Cameron was doing at all. The only problem

I warmed Gia up with more lunging today.  She was more cooperative and less grumpy, but a little lazier than usual.  I think it's because it is so hot. Under saddle, I kept it brief and light.  We did our usual corners, diagonal lines and centerlines at the walk and trot.  I also added a few passes between two poles at the walk and trot.  The last time I tried that exercise was several months ago, and she was VERY crooked.  Today, she was soooo much straighter, and it was soooo much easier! I finished our ride with a brief walk in the field, but in the opposite direction from the other day.  She was even more relaxed with that today!

Danielle lunged Gia for me today, and we added a couple of minutes of canter back to our routine.  She was a little lazy and a little grumpy, maybe because it's pretty hot today. I've decided to add canter back in to the lunging routine for three days, then add it back to our under saddle work.  After three days of that, I plan to add the jumping back in too. Under saddle, I kept it brief and simple.  She felt really good, so we just did corners, diagonal lines and centerlines at the walk and trot. To cool her out today, I decided to take Gia for a walk in one of the fields.  This can sometimes be a precarious thing to do - venturing outside of the arena while riding.  Despite the fact that she lives out there, and that she has been for walks on a leadline many times out there, when you go out under saddle, it's like a whole new world. Gia was amazingly quiet though!  She looked around at a few things, but overall, she didn't react at all.  I wouldn't say sh