Gia - 202 - another great lesson at CDP!

 Gia and I had a great lesson with Charlie again today!  She started out VERY relaxed, and very responsive to my leg aids to stay straight at the walk and trot.  While we warmed up, Charlie set out a few ground poles, and our two usual jumps, and then started adding a few more around the ring for us to play over. 

As Gia went over the jumps, she didn't stop at ANYTHING, even the new ones!  Even the one with the scary red blocks under it that I was SURE she was going to stop at.  She took most of the jumps correctly - straight, in the right tempo, and with the right rhythm.  She did have a few misteps, but just a few.  When she cantered off, we worked on the balance and straightness at the canter.  She was fairly even in both directions.  I could definitely feel her looking for which jump I was going to ask her to take next, so she is definitely understanding, and enjoying, her job.

On another note, I tried some new hind "shipping boots" on her today, and I think they were a success!  They are more like wraps than boots, and they don't protect as much of her leg as I would like, but I think they will be a good transition to regular shipping boots, which I will try again once she is relaxed about these wraps.  After I put them on her this morning, she stepped pretty big, but they were still on her when I got to CDP.  When I put them back on her to come home, she walked completely normally.  I think these might help her get used to something on her hind legs without too much restriction.

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