Pacha and Milha - march 16, 2009

Fair weather, large indoor arena. F. on Milha and myself on Pacha. During the first half of the session, I walked Pacha while looking at F. and making some comments to him. Milha was rather slow to get into impulsion, and I encouraged F. to push her slightly with his seat to put her more forward, and to get her to take her bit. Following the usual start at walk, F. went into the trot session, first posting. After 10' she went into a good trot, but with too flat a neck and I suggested F. to widen his hands apart, bring them down, move them without pulling, but looking for Milha to take a lit stronger grip of her bit. She began to lower her head carriage and take a horizontal placer, with a nicely albeit slight arching of the neck. F. did some good extensions at trot, and he could use his calves with slight pressure without resistance from Milha. He ended with a short canter, on left lead only (the easiest one for Milha). Two or three good canter departs by 'prise d'équilibre'. Transitions down to trot were varying, but two were OK without Milha falling on her fore. A quite satisafctory work indeed. it was good to see that her improvements are at F. disposal as well.
As for Pacha, he was a bit on his toes because the arena had been compacted, and he sensed a different feeling in his feet. So I decided to relax him until full descente d'encolure. After 15' at sitting trot on circles, change of directions and hands etc.., I finally came close to it, and I checked his concentration on a 'scaring' object ( a piece of cloth) laid on the arena border. Whereas he fidgeted very much at it when we first came into the arena, after this work he did not pay attention to it. We carried on this work for 30', with some downward transition to walk.
A good, square halt ended this satisfactory and enjoyable session.