Gia - session 626 - dressage with Suzin

 Gia and I had a dressage lesson with Suzin today.  We started with some stretching at the walk.  As we moved into the medium walk, I was insistent that she not come against my hand.  I tried to keep that theme throughout the lesson.  Each time she did, I would bring my shoulders back and down, tighten my abs, tighten my legs and brace.  As soon as she softened, I would relax EVERYTHING!  I had to do this ALOT throughout my lesson, especially before and after up and down transitions between all gaits.  

After Gia was warmed up and more supple, we started working on transitions.  We started with walk to halt, then walk to trot, then trot to halt to trot.  Once those were better, we worked on trot to canter and walk to canter.  I only had her go a few steps of canter at a time before making a down transition.  She did give me a couple of naughty moments at first, but once I used a lighter cue, with my leg not as far back, she seemed to do better.  By the end, she was giving me a couple of lovely transitions in and out of the canter in each direction!

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