Schooling/feed

Feedwise have been slowly introducing TopSpec Turbo to his diet with the aim of that replacing the Baileys Endurance Mix/Outshine.  Hoping to simplify his diet to TS Turbo and TS Comp Feed Balancer at full rates as compared it to Farriers Formula and mostly contains same stuff for feet and more balanced overall.  Will carry on feeding a bit of Power and Performance as I like him to have a bit of soaked stuff as he's not a huge drinker esp at shows.  Apparently if he gets too fiery on Turbo I can mix in Performance cubes as needed so should hopefully be able to come up with a suitable diet combining those.  He's been on small amounts during his week off and now building up amounts.

Short schooling session today as had 8days off.  He had plenty of energy.  Had to re-establish the seat aids a bit but he remembered quite quickly.  Really need my body to be a bit more flexible though. No probs moving inside hip forwards on left rein for canter transition but does body want to do it on the right rein?  No, it does not!  Probably why have more problems keeping him round on the right rein in the canter transition.  Pleased with how he remembered that when I put legs on at the girth in halt he has to lift his back and round over his topline - he was really good at this considering only started it the week before his time off.  He has started charging down the centre line though - not sure what's worse - dying on me or running away with me!  Did some walk piris which were ok on left rein although must keep inside hind marching through but crap on the right - just don't seem to be able to get flexion and turning - sure it's all down to my one sidedness again.  Did some lovely sitting trot, esp on right rein - he was very easy to sit to which felt lovely.  Did some on and back in canter and a couple of canter to walks, lots of walk to canters and canter to trot, trot to canter concentrating on scissor legs in canter and normal leg position in trot which is helping with transitions being prompt.  Kept it fairly simple given he hasn't schooled in a while but lovely to have him forwards and willing and also soft and happy.  He puts such a big smile on my face when he's like that.

Watched video this evening of friend learning changes with Damian Hallam - worked on counter canter on a 20m circle, then introducing inside flexion and then taking the weight into the outside rein before very eliberately and obviously changing over the canter aids and the scissor position to ask for the new canter lead.  Then just keep asking - not harder if they don't respond, just keep niggling away and annoying them, tap on the bum if needed to keep annoying them (might not try that with Monty as likely to get orbited!), can make the circle smaller if needed to make it harder to stay in counter canter but just keep niggling and annoying them until they do something.  Sounds like a good method to try with him.  Have previously got him to change by doing leg yield back to the track and he's occasionally given me a clean change but he finds the leg yield quite hard and tends to resist and come above the bit and if he doesn't change when you reach the track then you're just stuck on the wrong leg and can't do much about it other than try again.  I like this way as you can just keep cantering and niggling.  Damian said it could take 10 circles but normally eventually they will get it and offer you something.  SJ lesson tomorrow but might give it a go on Thursday before my lesson on Friday.

Things to work on in lesson on Friday with Sara Jane Lanning:
walk piris esp to the right
stopping him diving into the final halt on centre line
getting canter off the forehand
walk to canter right
changes - simple and flying
medium trot