End of the week, whatever week of canter work we've got to now

Have blogged about most of the week already.

Yesterday went up the ranges for a bit of canter work.  Probably did about 7mins of him pulling my arms out wanting to gallop flat out - pesky fit beast.  Not allowed to do fast work until January!

Schooled him this morning before hunting Llewi.  He was good - we did lots of round and deep in trot and canter, then some transitions and some on and back in the canter.  He can really motor in the medium canter on a circle - hoping that movement goes well in our Novice BD in a couple of wks.  Counted strides and he does about 10 in half a 20m circle in medium canter and 14-15 in a slightly collected working canter.  4-5 strides difference in half a circle is quite good I think.  Managed a walk to canter on each rein without him blowing up.  Have been getting some better trot to canter on the right rein with really thinking about sliding my outside leg back like I do on the left rein so he gets a nice warning that I'm going to give a canter aid - he seems to like a bit of warning!

Really need to work on the halts on the centre line - need to do lots of nearly halts and some trot-walk-trot work I think.  He is terrible at just falling into a sudden halt as soon as he thinks I want halt.  He just backs off, comes above the bit then yaws into it - horrible!  Not a nice lasting impression for the judge!

Got Merrist Wood booked on Thursday so will be really nice to work him in their lovely big arena and do some counter canter and lateral work.