Gia - session 181 - Homework!

 So, today was supposed to be a jumping day for Gia, however, things don't always go as planned.  As an aside - as a VERY type A personality, I have to work hard to remember to be flexible when it comes to horses. ☺

Anyway, I started by warming up with the homework from my lesson yesterday with Hayley.  Once I had warmed up with circles and bending and counterbending at the walk and trot, I was going to work over ground poles, and, hopefully, get to a crossrail.  However, the flat work was a big challenge today.

I'm not sure if it was an excess amount of energy (she didn't feel excited when I got on), or flies bothering her (despite the flyspray she already had, we flysprayed her again), or if it was simply because I was asking her to move off my leg, but without the "normal" restrictions of my hands, but she was extremely sensitive and reactive to my leg aids today, at the walk and trot.  

She seemed annoyed when I first started asking her to move off my leg on the circle at the walk.  Then she kicked out at my leg aids.  Then things escalated a couple of times to full bucks.  Each time, I fought the urge to contain her with my hands, and instead put her on a smaller circle to let her figure things out and learn to balance herself.  A couple of times, she broke out into a canter, but I still fought the urge to contain her with my hands.

By the end, she did manage to figure things out and was moving off my leg in a more ladylike fashion.  This change in how I am riding her is probably very confusing to her, and she is probably feeling a little frustrated.  Just like other teenagers, she will sometimes take her frustrations out on me by throwing tantrums.

It took her a little while to get to the point where she was more relaxed and obedient, and it was such a big deal for her today, that I decided to let her end on that good note.  Hopefully, she will remember that for next time!

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