Gia - session 442 - lunging over jumps

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 where to go.  She was definitely challenged by it, and did stop a couple of times, in addition to taking it awkwardly a few times.  But eventually she got over it fairly well.  It wasn't perfect, but I didn't want to push it too much and make her hate it.  There will be time to perfect it later. ☺

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