Gia - sessions 1254-1257 - slow down!

This week proved to be another week of excitement and Gia keeping me OFF my toes!

Monday 4/27/26- For whatever reason, Gia was having a bit of an “off” day. Ashley was grooming her while I was working with another horse and shortly after she brought her in, she came to report that Gia was not acting as well behaved as she had been in the prior weeks and months. Ashley stated that Gia was very well mannered for her fly sheet and did not even pick up her foot, but when she went to curry comb her, she acted a bit irritated. Ashley worked with her until she relaxed but then came to check in with me. As I’ve stated many times, this process with Gia is a journey to help both Gia and others learn to work together. As we all know, not every day is a good day. I’m so glad Ashley stopped and acknowledged things were amiss before it escalated too far. After I was finished working the other horse, I went into the barn and observed Ashley grooming Gia. I did notice that she was acting agitated and bothered about being brushed. I didn’t notice Ashley doing anything differently, but I did see that Gia was definitely more annoyed with being brushed on the right side of her body. I stepped in and began to curry Gia on that side to see if I could figure out the problem. When I started brushing, I felt Gia tense up and told her to quit out of instinct. She had not displayed naughty behavior yet, but I knew the body language and the fact it was coming. After just one preemptive correction, Gia was perfect for me to groom. I had Ashley step in and groom her again after I had finished. We spoke about how I caught the behavior before it escalated and what I saw/felt. Gia was much better behaved, and Ashley was much more in tune with what Gia’s body language was conveying. This ended up being Gia’s whole work for the day. It is not imperative that I ride her every day, but it is imperative that each day we end on a positive uplifting note for both horse and groom.

Tuesday 4/28/26- Mariana was our groom of the day. After seeing that they had a good grooming
session, I decided it was time for Mariana to try saddling again. Everything was going well until a truck came down the road WAY too fast. Gia got very tense, but Mariana stayed with her and they both did well overcoming the obstacle. Seeing how Gia had been quite nervous after the truck passed, I opted to lunge Gia before getting on her. It only took a few moments for me to realize I had made the right decision. All the tension that Gia had been trying to hold in since the truck barreled down the road came out on the lunge line. I was pleased to be at the end of the line and able to make her move forward from the ground. I let her get all her craziness out on the lunge line and waited for Gia to give me a sign of relaxation. After she did so in both directions, I adjusted her tack and was able to get on her to do her walk work. Gia was a bit anxious when I did get on, but I was able to get her moving and she only swished her tail a few times before going into “work mode.” One thing that is clear with Gia is that she has to keep her feet moving. When she is tense and stands still, it is like shaking a can of soda. Moral of the story-if in doubt, SLOW DOWN and BE SAFE-both on the road and in the saddle.

Wednesday 4/29/26- Ashley was grooming again and she was able to incorporate Monday’s lesson into Gia’s grooming session. I did lunge Gia first to let her get any silliness out of her system. She was a bit quick, but she listened and obeyed quickly. Our ride was generally uneventful. I will take uneventful any day.

Friday 5/1/26- Another good day for Gia. Chloe was able to groom and saddle her without issue. I can officially say Gia is cleared to be saddled by all the grooms now. I have, at this point, decided that since I no longer need to saddle Gia, that I will plan to lunge her for about 5 minutes before getting on. This gives me an opportunity to see what mindset Gia is in but also allows her to work out some of the tension she may be carrying with her. Gia is large and powerful. She is also getting stronger and while we are only walking under saddle, she is capable of much more. In time, we will get there riding, but for now, it is a good exercise for her to start our ride. There was a lot going on during our ride on Friday and Gia was a bit more nervous. It took her a few minutes to relax and move forward but she did eventually focus on her work, and we ended on a positive note.

- Danielle