Gia - session 919 - flatwork

 I had intended to take Gia out to the field for a jump school today, but as soon as I got on her, she was anxious and tense.  I decided to stay in the arena and make it a flat day.  We went right to work - deep, low and forward at the walk.  We did lots of changes of direction and bend.  I worked on slowing my seat to slow her tempo.  We did several walk to trot to walk transitions.  She was resistant and messy at first, and also wanted to be explosive.  I kept riding her deep and low and forward, kept changing direction and bend, kept asking her to move off my leg and yield to my hand.  I slowed her tempo by slowing my posting.  Eventually, her trot settled down.  We did a little bit of leg yield on a straight line, and she was obedient to that.  We did a tiny bit of baby shoulder-in (especially past "scary" stuff), and she was quickly obedient.  Since she was listening, and "on the aids", I did ask for canter each way.  I only did a few steps at a time to begin with.  As she continued to be obedient, I increased the amount of canter.  As usual, she was better to the right than she was to the left, but she did get fairly decent to the left.  I managed to get through a pretty high tension morning with only one buck, so I'll take that win!

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