All The Kings' Horses

 I drove down to CDP for my lesson on Gia today.  Susan rode her first, and I studied how she kept Gia's hind end moving quick and forward, towards her hands, but did not restrict her with tension in her arms or fingers, just the length of the reins, and her upper body tall with shoulders back. I got on, and Susan coached me through the same steps at walk, trot and canter.  I had to keep Gia's feet moving and rhythmic, but I couldn't be tight up front.  It wasn't too bad at the walk and trot, but it was very difficult at the canter.  We were able to get a few moments where we had it, but this work is also hard for Gia, since it has her using her hind end muscles more, so she tired quickly (and the heat doesn't help either).  It will take her a while, but she is making good progress!

 I had a lesson at CDP with Gia and Charlie today.  I started at the walk and trot with straightness in the shoulder, a soft, equal connection in both low hands, sitting back with my leg on, and asking for her to collect, sometimes go a little forward, and sometimes leg yield out, change direction and haunches-in.  When she was obedient to all that, I added canter transitions.  I had to work to remain soft in the connection, but keep the shoulders straight.  With transition after transition, she started to get it, and we had at least one good one in each direction.  No bucking, and she felt more studious than frustrated today.  I also collected a new catch phrase to practice with - "You don't have to be perfect, but you do have to be CONSISTENT."

 I drove down to CDP today for a lesson on Gia with Hayley.  Gia was groomed and ready for me in the cross ties, but she would not look at me.  She just stared straight ahead.  I was definitely getting the cold shoulder for leaving her! Hayley had us start with a very collected, and what felt like a very slow, trot on a small circle.  I focused on keeping her very straight, almost on a square, more than a circle.  We worked on that in both directions, and a few changes of direction, but the main focus was on keeping the trot very small and straight. Then we added the canter.  That was a lot harder at first.  There was a lot of resistance in her face at first.  Hayley had me put my hands closer down to the withers, keep a softer feel, and focus more on keeping the shoulders straight than anything else.  When I did that, Gia started to figure it out better, and we were able to get some really nice canter moments in each direction!  It was all very hard for her, but she is building the st

 I took Gia to CDP for a lesson today.  She was very good with her shipping boots this morning - no drama at all!.  She was also pretty good for getting on the trailer, with me on the off side.  She did get her head a little stuck on the wrong side of the divider, but I quickly got it unstuck, and she was good to go. I warmed Gia up deep and low at the walk and trot with lots of changes of bend and direction, all over the ring.  She was a bit spooky and resistant, but we worked through it, and she started to settle down, relax, and stretch her neck out a little.  I added canter transitions, and those went fairly well.   Susan worked with us today.  She had me focus on Gia's rhythm and the timing of her footfalls at all gaits.  She also had me focus on my straightness in the saddle and my alignment with Gia, as well as Gia's straightness on the circle, and through changes of direction.  We worked through transitions between the gaits, and they gradually improved, and I felt Gia

 Gia and I had a dressage lesson with Suzin today.  We started out with walk and trot transitions, deep and low, and changes of direction.  She was a bit resistant, but when all that felt good, I added canter transitions.  She was also a bit resistant with the canter, but not too bad, at first.  She did throw in some small, half-hearted bucks, here and there, and I kicked her up and forward every time.  I was able to get a lot of nice moments in each direction at the canter too though!

 I worked with Gia at home in the arena on some flatwork and a light jump school today.  I warmed up with work at the walk and trot, deep and low, lots of transitions, working on softening.  When that felt good, we worked over a couple of crossrails across the diagonals of the arena, first at the trot, and then at the canter.  Most of her canter transitions were good.  There was one, towards the end, that had a small buck in it, but I sent her forward, and that put an end to things.  Before, and over, and after the jumps, I focused on getting her a bit more collected and obedient, rather than sprawling.  It was hard for her, with her big feet, long legs and long back, but she had some good moments!

 I took Gia to the War Horse Event Series Schooling and Competition this weekend, and we had a blast! Saturday was schooling day.  We started out in stadium.  I warmed her up with walk and trot work, focusing on keeping her deep and low, with changes of direction, and transitions.  She was resistant at first, but started to soften as we went on.  I took a few warm up jumps at the trot at first.  She finally landed at the cantered and we worked on that for a little bit.  She did try to buck once or twice, but I quickly shut it down by kicking her hard and sending her forward, then bringing her back and sending her forward again.  In the show ring, she tried to throw in a small buck, but I sent her forward with a hard kick again, on a circle, before the first jump.  After that, she did fairly well through the course.  She was a little fast, and not as obedient to the half halts as I would have liked, but I could have also been more clear.   Next, on to cross country.  She did fairly well