The first couple of weeks I did a lot of trotting and circles, getting his flexion back, getting his jog back. His canter was very fast but relaxed so I left that for the time being. I rode him in.a snaffle and German reins for a short time, although there wasn't much of an issue. A few kicks in canter transitions but otherwise nice attitude.
I stepped it up and put sliders on him after that and then he went back in his curb bit. At the trot his stops are nice. He's clearly been hauled on the mouth though as getting him to stop just from whoa and my seat hasn't been easy yet I take a pull and bam, I feel the slide. Anyway, I lost my own confidence with that in the canter as I just couldn't get the timing right in my command and he was very crooked so I went back to basics and worked on all gaits straight lines, circles and curves back to the straight, one and two handed. I also took his canter right back to small circles and a lot of collection and this past two days he's given me some super work, enough that I loped him one handed on a nice small square off the wall. Normally one handed is the signal for his head to go up and race so I was super happy to have him release the tension once he realized my hand wasn't holding him.
I've been taking it slowly with his spins as they really stressed him last summer. Right now he's touching his nose to his shoulder by choice before I let him in and he's very soft. I still need to work his outside rein so we're a little way off one handed spins for now but it will come. His neck rein is a lot more responsive than last year.
Today my trainer said the good days were starting to come together so that's a big compliment from her! Usually she only comments if it's bad so a positive comment means things a going VERY well.
We missed a schooling show at the weekend due to rain which is a shame as I had planned to school him round patterns 5 & 6 but now it's just over a week to our first local show. I'd like him to be ready to go one handed so I can do all three classes but it's all about what he's ready for so I might stick to the green and novice. Last year I lost about 60% of his attention in the pen without even asking much so my goal this year is to keep the focus and the trust through the pattern without asking too much of him.
Hard work is paying off and I am happy. Broke, but happy!
