All The Kings' Horses

 I did dressage again with Gia today.  I did much of the same work today that I did on Wednesday.  I warmed up with walk and trot, changing bend, softening her through the transitions, leg yields, working on obedience.   We quickly moved on to canter work.  As soon as she threw in a small buck, I sent her forward with BIG kicks (not much whip), but fast and forward.  After a few half halts and forward reminders, we came back to trot, changed direction, walked for a minute, then trotted and cantered the other way.  She had a few steps where she was on the wrong lead, but not bucking, so I quietly brought her back, then asked again.  As soon as she thought about bucking - KICK and GO!  We repeated that process several times in each direction, until she was MUCH MORE obedient!  By the end of our ride, we were able to get a really nice canter in each direction without any fuss.

 Gia and I had a dressage lesson with Suzin today, where we worked on a lot of transitions between walk and trot, as well as changes of bend, and staying soft throughout.  When Gia felt good, we threw in some trot/canter transitions as well, during the warm up.  They were fairly good to start with.   We left the canter alone for a little bit to work on some lateral work, changes of direction and bend, as well as lengthening and collecting.  I had to focus on staying straighter in my position, staying more aligned with Gia, being more correct and precise with my aids, and firing my aids even quicker.   We went back to the canter at the end.  It was only supposed to be once each way, but Gia threw in a big buck when we were tracking left, and I had had enough.  I got my bearings, and then kicked her on, and then kicked her on again into a light gallop around the arena.  Everytime she even thought about resisting, or quitting, I kicked her on again.  When she seemed more obedient, I broug

 I took Gia to CDP for a lesson.  She was very good with her shipping boots, and she got on the trailer with only a little redirection of her face, but otherwise no problems!  I did load her from the off side again, and I did offer her one of the very best treats I have (very rich molasses type treats).  She usually turns her nose up at treats while loading, even at the good ones, but I prepped her, before loading, with a little nibble, and maybe that helped.  One more like that, and then I'll try it the "normal" way again.   At CDP, we warmed up with the usual - leg yield, haunches-in, transitions at walk and trot, collection and lengthening at trot, then we added canter.  I had to focus on being very direct with her with where I was going, rather than just meandering around.  I also worked on keeping my body very aligned with hers, as she figured out her own balance.  She didn't do any bucking, and we were able to do a lot of trot/canter transitions. Bonus work - I

 Danielle rode Gia today for our hack on the trail.  They were supposed to be the lead, while I rode Phillip, to help him become more comfortable.  However, Gia was worried about all the puddles, from all the rain, and all the different colors of ground, so Phillip just ended up ignoring her, walking right past her, and leading the way himself!  I thought maybe he would want a lead once on the trail, but he seemed really relaxed, so we let Gia handle her "issues" on her own.  She was still a little upset about the ground once on the trail, but she eventually go over it, and Danielle was almost  able to fit under the very low branch on the trail without touching it 😆.

 I lunged Gia with a surcingle  and side reins today.  I used a type of side rein called a Balancing Rein.  I attached it to the bottom ring in the middle of the girth, and then the low middle ring on either side of the surcingle.  I started with it on the loosest adjustment to allow her to warm up without too much restriction.  I wanted to start doing this with her on a weekly basis to help her work on staying soft during her up transitions, especially.  I attached the lunge line to the noseband of her bridle Gia started out nice and relaxed, and did not seem to mind the side reins at all.  After several laps of trot in each direction, and several walk/trot transitions, I increase the side reins at the top by one notch.  We continued to work on walk/trot transitions.  As she softened to those, I started to ask for trot/canter transitions.  I moved the side reins up one more notch, and continue with more walk/trot and trot/canter transitions.  I praised her every time she softened, an

 I had a dressage lesson with Suzin today.  I worked on a lot of transitions between all gaits with Gia.  The main focus was on working through her resistance during up transitions, especially.  We were able to get some nice moments between all gaits, but it was harder for her at the canter tracking left today.  She only bucked once.  It was because I used my whip a little too hard.  Technically, my fault, but she still shouldn't have reacted that way.

 I took Gia to CDP for a lesson today.  She was very good for her shipping boots.  She hesitated a bit when getting on the trailer, but I loaded her from the off side, and it seemed to do the trick, because she did not back off!  I will plan to do that the next few times, and then try again from the near side. At CDP, Charlie had us start with our usual routine at the walk and trot - checking her obedience to the go and whoa aids, as well as  the leg yield and haunches-in aids.  She was a little sticky in the first up transition to trot, and a little nervous about a few things, but otherwise seemed pretty good.   At the canter, we did much of the same.  I had to work on keeping my circle more consistent, but when I did, Gia was better with her obedience and straightness.  There was no bucking, and she was obedient.  I also had to work on being a bit quicker to insist on my half halts and down transitions.  I was letting her take too long, so I had to make her respond much quicker.  She

 I took Gia for a hack on the trail today.  It was very low-key and uneventful (the way a hack on the trail should be).  She was only slightly worried about the stuff on the way to the trail, but nothing specific.  Once on the trail, she was relaxed, but quick.  She slowed a little towards the end, and was pretty relaxed coming off the trail and back to the barn.  Maybe being the lead horse for Phillip the last few times has made her braver!

 I worked with Gia on the lunge line today.  I mostly worked with her on being very obedient about going forward and coming back.  She was quite good about going forward when asked.  Her biggest issue (the same a lot of horses have) is that she wanted to pull away from me on the lunge line.  Every time the lunge line tugged on my hand, I asked her to halt and turn towards me.  Once she did, I sent her forward again.  We repeated this exercise until she was much lighter in my hand, and then I would let her take a jump.  We started it at the trot, and once that was good in both directions, I had her repeat the exercise at the canter each way.  She got the hang of the exercise pretty quickly, and even seemed to have a little fun with it.

 Gia and I had a lesson at CDP today with Hayley.  Gia had zero problems with her hind shipping boots today, she didn't even walk the slightest bit funny in them.  It only took her two attempts to get on the trailer today as well.  I think I might try putting her on the trailer from the off side first next time, and see if she just likes it better from that side, or if she just wants one test attempt.  Either way, she eventually has to learn to do it on the first try. In our lesson, Gia started out tense, but Hayley and I chatted for a bit in the beginning, and by the time we were ready to get down to work, Gia had gotten bored, and was pretty relaxed.  The rest of the ride was fairly relaxed as well.  I did a little work on circles, collecting and lengthening, as well as leg yielding out, and then back in, just a little, to make sure she was listening and prompt to my aids.  She was fairly responsive today, and I only had to use the whip once when she wouldn't get off my right

 In my lesson with Suzin today, I started Gia out with a free walk that was long and low and reaching.  I worked on circles, and changes of direction, and keeping Gia straight.  Then I worked on transitions between medium walk and trot.  She was very much against my hands, so I worked softening and straightening her, especially with my outside hand and legs.  I often had to add encouraging taps of the whip behind my leg as well.  I continued to change directions, and work on transitions.  Eventually, I added canter transitions as well, continuing with the same work I had done at the trot and walk.  We did get a lot of good moments at all gaits today!

 I took Gia for a hack on the trail today.  Phillip went with us as well, with Danielle in the irons.  The plan was for Phillip to try to be the lead horse today.  He made it about halfway, but he was very nervous, so we let Gia take over.  That definitely made him feel more comfortable.  Gia could have cared less either way.  Although, she did prefer to be in the lead, since she walks much bigger than he does ☺.

 I took Gia to the first War Horse event of the year yesterday.  It did not go as well as I had hoped.  I thought we had made some good progress on her canter work, and she did really well schooling at the show last weekend without lunging, so I opted not to lunge again this time.  (I truly don't believe that would have made a difference anyway.  I just don't think we have things completely figured out with the canter work.) In dressage warm up, she started out ok.  She felt a bit tense, but I put her to work, at the walk and trot, moving around the arena, and getting her to reach into my hands.  She seemed to be going well, so I asked for canter.  Then she performed one of her airs-above-the-ground-launching-type-of-bucks, and I was on the ground.  Luckily, unharmed, and luckily, she didn't go far, and luckily, was easily caught.  I got back on, found a corner to work on a small circle, and just let her trot on the circle until the circle, itself, helped her slow down, thi

 Gia was much better this morning for the trailer!  She was very quiet with her shipping boots.  She almost got all the way on the trailer on the first attempt, however, she got her head stuck on the opposite side of the divider, and when I tried to help her fix it, she backed off.  I put her on a few circles, and then attempted again.  She went right on with no problems at all the second time. At CDP, she was very good!  She was a little nervous when we first entered the arena, but she settled quickly.  I kept her neck straight while we worked all over the ring at the walk and trot with tiny leg yields and changes of direction.  She got suddenly spooked by some random jump materials in the arena, so we worked around and over poles nearby until she was quieter and more accepting.   Then we worked on the canter.  Oddly enough, her canter to the left was much easier today, but her canter to the right was more difficult and more crooked.  To the left, she easily picked up the canter, bala

 Gia started with a nice, relaxed, stretching walk in our lesson with Suzin today.  When we picked up to the medium walk, we started working on staying soft, straight and obedient to my transition cues.  We worked through all the transitions, and all over the arena, using whatever figures were necessary to correct whatever straightness issues she was having at the time.  I focused on keeping everything as subtle as possible, including the use of my whip, seat bones and hands.  We ended up with a lot of nice results, even at the canter!

 Once again Gia went on a hack today as lead pony for Phillip, with Danielle in the irons.  She seemed mildly wary of a few things as we headed into the woods, but once we were on the trail, she was pretty relaxed.  She only got quick a couple of times, but was very responsive when Danielle asked her to slow down.  Coming out of the trail, she seemed less nervous.

 We went to a hunter show yesterday, so I took Gia along to school a little.  It was raining pretty hard, but the arena was covered, so we just went straight down there, with no lunging.  It was a good day to see how she would do at a show with no lunging since it was a small, quiet show.  She was a bit looky and anxious when we first got in the arena.  I focused on riding her deep and low and forward.  I also worked on keeping my hands out in front of me, relaxing whenever she softened, and keeping her neck straight.  Once she was slightly better at the walk, we did the same at the trot.  She actually did fairly well!  I was able to work her through everything, and she eventually got to the point where she was much more relaxed and able to go on a longer rein.  I also took her over several of the jumps.  They were set at crossrails, so she didn't actually jump them, but she did listen to me before and afterwards, which was what I wanted.  When we left the arena, we watched the fir

 I took Gia out to the field today for a jump school, after a warm up at the walk and trot.  I mainly focused on obedience to my up and down transition aids, as well as keeping her neck straight.  She only bucked one time, but I had allowed her neck to get too far bent to the right.  She jumped everything I pointed her at, but was a little hesitant to the flat tires the first time, and a little wary of the skinny barrels as well (much better the successive times).  She was too fast to a couple of jumps, but once she was listening to my aids better, she had much better jumps!

 Since Gia had a pretty intense chiropractic and acupuncture appointment on Tuesday, I took it pretty easy on her on Wednesday.  I just walked her around the farm and worked on desensitizing her to a variety of things that she was worried about - swings, panels, logs, etc.  Each item took a few minutes for her to relax, and eventually touch, but once she did, I allowed her to have a bite or two of grass.  She seemed to be having fun by the end.