Gia - session 924 - lesson at CDP

I took Gia to CDP this morning for our lesson.  She was very good walking in her shipping boots - no overreacting.  It only took two attempts at the trailer to get her on.  She seems to be understanding that it's just going to make her life easier to follow directions.

Charlie had us work on staying straight as we warmed up at the walk and trot with transitions, a little collecting and lengthening, a tiny bit of leg yield, and a tiny bit of haunches-in.  When we cantered to the right, I focused on keeping her straight, keeping my leg on, keeping a consistent feel of her mouth, and not letting the canter stride get too big - half halting just enough to collect the stride, but then enough leg to keep going, then half halt again to collect.  Cantering to the left took all that, plus a little bit more.  Rather than thinking about keeping her haunches to the inside, I tried pushing her shoulder to the outside, just enough, so that I could feel  her haunches trail to the inside just a little.  Then I straightened her neck, just a tiny bit, to the right.  That was much more do-able for me and for Gia, both at the trot, and at the canter.  And it was sustainable.  We were able to get the canter, nicely.  And we were able to keep it for quite a while.  I decided when I brought her back, and it was actually a nice down transition too.

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