Pacha - november 19, 2010

Since last Monday, we returned to simpler work (snaffles plus draw reins), with lungeing and riding in the outdoor arena despite the windy, cold and wet weather. My intention was to give him enough physical exercise, in order to cool him down gently with canter and trot work, lots of transitions and halts with jaw flexions. Over the past month, he was not exercised enough, and this had done nothing very good to calm him..
Yesterday, we resumed school work in the indoor arena, alone with F. on Milha. Pacha showed restlessness at the mounting block: not before I mounted, but just after - he wanted to move off immediately. He had done this long ago, and I thought this problem was behind us. But the little rascal can be really trying on my (reasonably good) patience) at times! I brought him back to the block, but he began to turn, shift and fight the hand for no reason. I dismounted and started all over again. Same response. I was worried that he might rear, so I pushed him forward into brisk walk, did some rounds at walk, a few halts with jaw flexions. Then we came back to the mounting block and I asked him to halt and rest. Some success with about one minute at halt.
Leg-yields, SI, halts, reining back during 15 ' at walk. Overall satisfactory. We began half-pass only a few strides. Then sitting trot with many transitions to walk. Good, energetic tempo with correct, steady head carriage and lovely engagement. Quiet waving tail.
SI were acceptable, so were leg yields. Resistance appeared at half pass to the left. We came back to walk, with several halt, reinback, walk,halt, reinback over  to four strides each time. Pacha remained straight and with steady placer. Aids were extremely light. Good impression.
I took adavantage of this engagement to ask a few canter strikes on long neck, looping draw reins, over ten or so strides only then transition to trot, then again canter. Worked nicely both hands so I pushed a little bit further by asking slow canter with beginning of ramener with poll highest point, draw reins still looping. Any time he tried to speed up, I just got myself taller in the saddle and brought my navel forward. My hands remained fixed with a very light contact. It worked quite well, best on left hand, but ok on the right hand.The hotter the horse, the lighter the aids is a good thing to remember -easier said than done, but implacably true. He raised his forehand, whithers, and I believe it was the first time I got such a round canter from him.At last a very positive encouragemenr again which put my spirits up again. After a last walk session, long reins where we did several stops near the mounting block, I dismounted and ended the session with some jaw flexions, lateral poll flexions at halt and walking inside the arena with Pacha following me his head near my shoulder, stopping when I stopped and moving again when I did, without any word nor other signal.Lovely relationship.
He was not wet, and we both came back to the stables in a relaxed, pleasant mood.