Gia - session 782 - lunging over jumps

 I lunged Gia over jumps in my round pen today.  She started out very "fresh" and "up", so I just turned her loose in the round pen, and sent her around in both directions a few times at trot and canter, until she was more relaxed and focused.  Then I start putting the jumps up. We started with a pole on the ground, then a 12" vertical, then a 2' vertical.  When those were going well - not too fast, not too slow, centered, etc - then I started adding "scary" items as filler for the jump.  I draped a towel over the pole, which was a little startling to her, but she still jumped it ok.  Then I put up a solid piece at a slant down from the jump.  That was a LOT scarier to her.  She stopped hard at it, and it took several attempts before she got over it.  She did get a treat after each successful jump, and I had her do it until it was smoother.

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