Gia - session 318 - in-hand work, flatwork, lengthenings

 I started Gia's session with some in-hand work again today.  We worked on the same thing - getting her to flex to the inside while walking along the rail.  She was really struggling with it to the right today, so I brought her to a halt to see if I could help her a little better.  When I tried it at the halt before, she was too fidgety, but today she was a bit quieter with her feet.  She was able to give me several acceptable moments at the halt to the right today.

Under saddle, I worked on changes of bend and direction to loosen her up.  Then we worked on a serpentine, across the width of the arena, with several loops.  When she felt better in both hands, I added a lengthening down the long side, and then back to the serpentine.  I liked the serpentine exercise today because it helped to get her a little softer in both hands, and then equal in both hands.  She wasn't as responsive and explosive to the lengthenings today as she was when I warmed up with trot to halt transitions, but she was softer and didn't come up against my hand.

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