Gia - session 254 - lunging and flatwork at a show

 I took Gia to the Carolina Horse Park to hang out while the rest of us competed at our first show of the year.

When I take her to CDP every Tuesday, she gets to hang out in a stall while I ride Butch, and then I ride her.  She always seems to enjoy her lounge time while she waits her turn, so I thought it might help her to have a stall to hang out in at a show too.  So, I got her a stall for the show yesterday.  She will have to get used to hanging out in a stall anyway, for when she has to compete at bigger shows one day, hopefully!

She was a little nervous and confused at first.  We pulled her off the trailer, took her away from her friends and stuck her, by herself, in a strange stall in a strange place.  She did have some shavings to relax in, and a big bag of hay to munch on.  I also gave her a tube of Total Calm and Focus to help with her nerves.  Most horses holler a lot when they first go in a stall at a show, especially the young ones, and especially if it's their first time.  Gia was actually very quiet, just taking it all in.  She did look a little confused as to why we were leaving her there though.

Later, on a break between classes, I came back to work with her.  She was definitely agitated and wanted to get out of the stall, but she tried to be obedient and tried to stand still.  

I started out just lunging her in a rope halter, with no tack on, like we have been doing at home and at CDP.  She was definitely nervous, but she did get slightly better.  I wasn't completely convinced that she would be rideable, but I took her back to the stall to get her tacked up anyway.  

She was still nervous back at the stall, so I decided she wasn't quite ready to ride, and I took her out to lunge again, this time with tack on, just in case.

She started out nervous again, but did eventually settle a little more than the first time, so I decided to hop on and give it a go.

She was actually quite good!

She was a little slow at first, which I didn't mind at all.  We mainly worked on a lot of leg yield at the walk and trot, to keep her busy.  She was so good that I decided to try a little canter in each direction.  To the left was perfect!  To the right, the first time, she gave a big buck.  I think she was just anticipating the canter since we had done it the other way.  I brought her back and asked again.  The second time was much better!  I think this was the first time I have been able to canter her at CHP.  I definitely think the lunging with the rope halter as well as the stall helped her alot!  I definitely plan on trying that again next time!