Gia - sessions 1067-1070 - More of the same, but with added jumping and cantering!

 Each day of this week's sessions with Gia started with more of the same work - halt to walk, walk to halt, walk to trot, trot to walk, and yielding to the heavier rein.  All of that was getting a lot more consistent, and we were adding bending and changes of bend as well.  She was definitely getting a lot more comfortable with the new work!

On Monday and Wednesday this week, I worked with her out in the field where the jumps are, in hopes that if things went well enough, I might just point her at a jump or two and see how that would go.  It was a little messy at first on Monday when she first realized that things were changing a little.  But by the end of the session on Wednesday, we were doing an entire course, comfortably, in a dressage frame!

On Tuesday and Friday this week, I rode her in the dressage arena, mostly to get us out of the dusty main arena, but also for a change of scenery.  That didn't seem to affect her at all.  Since things were going so well at the halt, walk and trot, I decided to ask for the canter.  As expected, things were messy.  However, she was very familiar with the work we had been doing at the halt, walk and trot, and I kept it the exact same at the canter.  After a few tries, I did realize that my legs were coming off, unintentionally, but probably a result of my gut reaction to her disobediences for so long.  Once I kept my legs on, and kept my cues and aids the same as I had at the halt, walk and trot, she eventually realized the familiarity, and settled.  I was able to get one decent canter in each direction each day.  It may seem like a small start, but that's how the other gaits started as well, so it just makes sense that is how the canter would start.  Hopefully, as long as I stay consistent, she will settle into it fairly quickly, and I will start to see some nice progress!