Gia - session 762 - lesson with Suzin

 Gia and I started our lesson with Suzin today in the arena.  We warmed up with a good free walk, and then a little bit of trot work - bending, transitions, etc.  Then we headed out into the field to work on the hills.  

Suzin had me work on collecting Gia going down the hill, whether at walk or trot, and then ask for a stretchy trot as we were going back up.  Both of these helped her to use her hind end better.  She struggled with both for the first few laps, but then really started to give a good stretch, and seemed better balanced going down the hill as well.  I had to make sure to keep her very straight as well.

Suzin also had us add halt and rein-back, as we went down hill.  We had to work on staying very straight and even, but Gia gave me several good moments in rein-back.  She also had us do a little turn-on-the-haunches on the hills.  This was a bit harder for both of us, but we did manage to get a couple of decent ones. 

On the last few trips up the hill in each direction, I asked for canter, and was rewarded with a nice, balanced, collected and organized canter, for a few strides.  She did also try to buck a few times, but was not as successful, and I was able to get her back together more easily.