All The Kings' Horses

 Suzin wanted to work with Gia on the long lines today, so we tacked her up in the surcingle and headed up to the round pen.  The main thing Suzin wanted to tackle was Gia's trot to canter transition.  First we needed to get her to soften at the walk and trot.  She was fairly willing to do that, although sometimes she didn't want to move into the outside rein.  Once we got her loosened up, and she was soft at the trot, we asked her for the canter.  For the most part, her transitions were much better than they are under saddle.  Sometimes she came up against the lines, but not very far and not nearly as hard as she does under saddle.  Sometimes she fumbled with her feet, taking the wrong lead, or stumbling through the transition.  All of that is part of Gia learning what to do with her body during the transition.  She did give us several good transitions to canter in each direction. Suzin also worked a little on teaching Gia to move away from the whip on the inside, towards the

It's been a while since Gia and I have been out in the field, so I decided to lunge her out there today.  She was very obedient and responsive to the walk, trot and halt cues I gave her to warm up.  When I started working with her over the jumps, she was a little too excited.  So, we worked on the same exercise Hayley had us do last week, but on the lunge line instead of in the saddle.  She had to walk up towards the jump, but she wasn't allowed to jump it until I said she could go.  Once I sent her off, if she went too quickly, then she had to halt afterwards.  If she was a bit clumsy, then we repeated it until it was smoother.  After a couple of smaller and medium ones, I decided to try her over a new one - the corner jump.  It's a bit complicated, especially from the horse's point of view.  It's quite narrow, and easy for the horse to "glance off of" rather than go over.  I had to put up a couple of poles on either side as guides to help Gia figure out

 Gia had another small break from work, due to the holidays, so I decided to long line her today.  I kept it pretty simple.  We just worked on flexing left and right at the halt and walk.  The challenge for her was that she had to do it without coming against my hand, and without backing up.  She would either try pushing against my hand by putting her face up, or by pulling down on the lines.  Neither is acceptable though.  And, when frustrated, she would try backing up, and even piaffing.  Also, not acceptable.  She finally figured out what I wanted, and gave me some nice flexions by the end.

 Gia and I had a lesson with Suzin this morning.  We warmed up with a lot of stretching, bending and leg yields at the walk and trot.  Gia was a bit against my hands during the walk trot transitions, so we repeated those a lot until she remained softer. In addition to the walk trot transitions, we also did a lot of transitions between all gaits, including halt, a little rein back, and canter.  Since Gia has been a bit naughty with her canter transitions, I just started by putting my leg back for the cue, but not making a bid deal of whether or not she actually cantered.  She immediately had a negative reaction to my leg (a little kicking out and bucking), so I just kept my leg in place until she softened and behaved, and then immediately took my leg away.  When she wasn't so reactive, I followed through with the canter cue by adding a kiss sound.  She started to get reactive again, so I just kept at it until she gave up and just cantered.  As soon as she cantered, I released my cue

 Gia and I made our way back to CDP today for a jump lesson with Hayley.  We warmed up with our usual stretching, bending and leg yielding at the walk and trot.  She was a bit looky, but not too bad, and not naughty. Once we started jumping, Hayley wanted me to work on letting go of the connection between me and Gia, and not "helping" her as much in front of the jumps.  She had us trot until we were on approach to the jump, and then walk.  We had to walk until we were about 12 feet from the jump, and then I squeezed her into the trot again.  Then it was up to Gia to take care of herself over the jump.  In the beginning it was quite awkward.  Gia didn't quite know what to do without my connection and "help".  However, after just a few jumps, she figured out what she needed to do, and started to carry herself, quite nicely, over the jumps.  She even started to canter off in a nice, balanced way, although only to the left.  After Gia figured things out over a cross

 So, Gia had about a week off while I was in the hospital last week for a kidney infection (definitely no fun!).  I'm feeling 100% better today, so back to work!  Gia seemed very eager to work, as she almost put the bit in her mouth by herself!  I did opt to lunge her today, just in case she had some extra energy.  She was pretty "normal" on the lunge today, so after about 7 minutes, I hopped on to ride. We started with a lot of stretching and bending at the walk.  We also did some transitions between medium walk and free walk.  She felt pretty good with all that, although a little stiffer on the left side.  When I picked up the trot, I expected some drama, but my ride today was completely drama free!  At the trot, we did a lot of work on bending and stretching, with baby leg yields.  We also worked a lot on walk trot transitions, and even some trot halt transitions as well.  By the end of our ride, she was much more supple, and very relaxed!

 My ride on Gia was a bit brief today, but we managed to get a good one.  We started out stretching at the walk.  Then worked on some medium walk/free walk transitions.  She picked up the trot with much less fuss that usual.  We worked on a few walk/trot transitions.  We also did a bit of bending and leg yielding at the trot, and managed to fit in one trot lengthening.  She was pretty pleasant overall!

 I started Gia out, as usual, with some stretching at the walk.  We worked all over the ring - lots of figures and changes of bend and direction.  We also worked a little on transitions between medium walk and free walk. When I picked up the trot, she was a bit resistant to my leg, and then resistant to stay soft in my hand.  She felt like she wanted to buck, so I worked on keeping her over flexed to prevent the bucking, as well as to help her soften to my rein aids. When she felt a bit better, I put her over a few small jumps.  She approached and jumped them well, but then wanted to get heavy in my hands afterward.  I worked on pushing her forward after the jump until she lightened her forehand.  Sometimes she canter off, sometimes she just trotted.  By the end, I was able to get a jump in each direction that didn't feel heavy afterwards.

 Despite the crappy weather yesterday, Gia and I were able to get a lesson in with Suzin.  We started with a nice long stretch at the walk.  Gia was very willing to stretch down.  I did a few transitions between medium walk and free walk, and she was a little stiff between the gaits, but not too bad. At the trot we did a lot of walk trot transitions, shoulder-in, and leg yield, as well as a few lengthenings.  She was pretty good for the most part ... except for when she wasn't.  She threw in a couple of good bucks here and there, usually when she felt resistant to bending left and going forward.  I was able to work them through, but hopefully she grows out of those soon!

 It's been a while since Gia was back at CDP, due to holidays, vacations, Butch's lay up, etc.  We finally got back there today for a lesson.  Charlie wanted to work with Gia first on the lunge line to see how she was.  I expected her to be a bit full of herself for him (she had decided not to get on the trailer this morning ... wait for it ... because it was too clean.  Sigh.).  However, she was actually really quiet and obedient. She felt a little bit tense when I got on, so I went right to work with lots of bending, leg yielding and travelling all over the arena at the walk and trot.  Once that was feeling better, we worked on some walk/trot transitions.  Surprisingly, she got to a point where she was very soft and responsive!  We kept our ride a bit short and sweet today, so we finished once we had a really nice down transition in each direction.

 I worked with Gia on her flatwork today.  I added my version of the "Equiband" - basically just a standing wrap that goes around her hind legs and attaches to the girth on either side.  She seemed a bit upset about it at first, but eventually settled down.   At the walk, we worked on a lot of stretching.  When I picked her up to a medium walk, she felt very resistant.  I basically spent the rest of the ride working on softening her up.  I did a lot of bending, flexing and changing of direction, as well as some lateral work like leg yield and shoulder-in.  I also did a lot of transitions.  She was a bit naughty at times, but by the end she was going around much better - more obedient and much softer!

 I worked with Gia in long lines today.  I mainly focused on getting her to soften on the inside rein, and move into the outside rein, allowing me to let go of my cue on the inside rein.  This is not an easy task for any horse, and she was no different.  It seemed particularly difficult for her tracking right at the walk, but tracking left at the trot.  I worked on keeping a consistent feel in my outside rein, while moving the bit, or wiggling, the inside rein.  When she would soften on the inside and move towards the outside, then I could let go with my inside rein cue and see if she could maintain it herself.  That last part is the hardest part, but she did give me a few good moments at each gait, in each direction!

 Gia was a bit tense when I got on today.  I worked on stretching at the walk, and that helped a little.  When I picked up to the trot, she still felt tense, so we did a lot of transitions and bending.  It helped a little, but she was still quite tense. Sometimes, if I let her jump, she actually relaxes.  So, since today was supposed to be a jumping day anyway, I decided to pop her over a few jumps, despite her flatwork not being so good.  (I did opt to keep her in the arena today rather than going out in the field though).  The first few jumps were a bit of a mess.  They were small, and while she was picking her feet up over the jumps, she was not really staying balanced afterwards.  I have also noticed that she tends to jump better if the jumps are bigger.  So, once she was a little more warmed up, I put her over some of the bigger ones, even though the smaller ones weren't so good.  She was much more together and organized in her movement, and much more relaxed!  It doesn't

 Gia and I were back in the saddle today after about a week and a half off.  We started out with a lot of stretching at the walk, which felt pretty good.  As soon as I started to pick up the trot, she got fussy and naughty.  Each time, I focused on pushing her sideways into a leg yield or shoulder-in until she softened and behaved.  It only took a few minutes before she was going in a more consistent, steady trot without throwing a tantrum.  She did throw in a couple of small bucks here and there throughout the rest of the ride, but they were few and far between after the beginning. Suzin had us do a LOT of changes of bend and direction in all ways.  We also worked a bit on shoulder-in, halts and rein backs.  Gia felt a little stiffer on the left side, but overall was fairly obedient and responsive.  I also worked on being a bit more tactful and soft with my cues.  She quickly learned to respond to them, even when they were very light!