Gia - session 568 - drill team

 Gia and I had drill team practice yesterday, off the property.  It was probably our roughest practice, but it wasn't just Gia.  Gia was a bit tense when I started warming her up.  I ran through my test at the walk, working on getting her to stretch into my hands and relax.  She was doing pretty good by the time Dover and Julia were ready to join us.  

However, as we came around the arena to enter at A and start our test, the ground was a bit mushy from all the rain, and Gia decided she was not going to go forward.  I instructed Julia to just keep going, and that we would catch up, so that "the team" stayed with the music that was playing.   Gia put up a bit of an argument - bucking, side stepping, even a little rear, but I just kept pushing her forward and kept my hands wide to keep her straighter.  

We eventually got through it, but she was a bit of a hot mess after that as well.  I managed to get her back together, but then Dover saw an opening in the ring, and took it .... all the way back to the trailer in a nice lope.  We had to wait until Julia was able to get him back under control (with some help from Amanda) before we could start our test again.  

When we restarted the test, we had to go back through the mushy spot again.  Gia was still upset about it, but less resistant this time.  However, she was all over centerline like a giant, drunk, giraffe.  With the music playing, we just had to keep going.  I got her back organized and settled, and the rest of our practice went fairly smoothly, despite Dover not wanting to slow down anywhere, and almost passing Gia a few times.

The other team, and single rider, also had several mishaps - going too fast, a little bucking and kicking, a lot of distraction and lack of focus.  So, at least it wasn't just Gia.  Maybe the cooler weather?