Gia - session 268 - jumping!

 Today was definitely a crappy weather day, but I was determined to get some jumping in with Gia.  It's been a while since we have really had a chance to go over something substantial.

I fitted her with a quarter sheet (mostly to help me stay warm).  She was a little nervous about it at first, but eventually forgot all about it.

I started out with a connection at the walk, and I asked her to move off my right leg and into my left rein more.  I also asked her to flex, mostly to the right, but a little to the left.  When she was straighter and softer, she gave me a really nice stretch at the walk.

Then I asked her for similar work at the trot.  She felt nicely forward today (possibly helped by the quarter sheet).  It made it a lot easier to get her into the shape I wanted.

Once she was warmed up, I started her over a large X, and then progressed to some taller verticals and oxers.  A couple of the jumps had a block for filler and one had a barrel.  She was a little awkward over the jumps at first.  She wanted to be a little too quick throughout our ride, and I had to remind her to slow down.  She was very eager to jump though!  She hesitated a tiny bit towards a couple of them the first time, but it only took a little extra leg to make sure she went over.  She did over jump a few of them the first time.  The highest jump was set at about 2'7", but a couple of them felt like we were jumping over 3'!  She only ran out at one jump, but I don't think it was the jump, I think it was the approach.  It was set on a little bit of an angle, and I think it surprised her.  I think she thought we were going around it at first.  She came right back and went over it with no problems at all.  In the beginning, I presented the jumps at a trot, but if she cantered on her own, I allowed her to take some at the canter.  Towards the end, I asked her to canter a few of them.  She struggled a little with her leads at times, and threw in a few bucks, probably in her effort to get her feet under her.  The biggest issue I had with her was just that she was a bit too quick.  By the end, she was taking the jumps a little quieter though.

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