Gia - session 200 - Mini jump course!

 Gia was more energetic today, but also a bit grumpy.  I started our ride with work at the walk - leg yield towards and away from the rail, moving off my leg on circles, and nose-to-wall.  At the trot, I just did a little bit of the same, and then started over fences.  

I had set up a variety of fences throughout the ring - different sizes of crossrails, as well as verticals, some across the diagonal, and some down the long side.  I decided to just play around and see how things went today.

We started with the smallest jump and moved up from there.  The highest jump that Gia tackled today was probably about 2'.  After each successful jump, I would stop and give her a treat - partly to work on her halt transitions, and partly to boost her mood.  She definitely seemed happier when we started jumping!

Sometimes she was too slow, or clumsy over the jumps, but there were a lot of jumps where she had the correct speed and moved her feet in an organized fashion.  By the end, she had even managed to jump a few "mini courses", consisting of a diagonal X to a line of two jumps on one long side, to a single vertical on the other long side.  She did canter a little today, but not as much as she usually does.  Lately, I think she has felt confused with the lateral work, and thinking that I want her to canter, but today she seemed to understand more what I actually wanted.  She really only cantered after jumps, and when she did, we took the opportunity to school the canter as well.

I ended the ride with a few more halt transitions.  She wasn't as prompt about them today, but she is starting to get the idea of the treat afterwards!

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