SJL lesson MW 11-09-15

A lesson based on the moves in AM85/92 that I was doing the following day.  Explained have been having issues with the counter canter not being balanced and so the simple changes proving challenging.  Worked on hotting up the normal canter and his response to upwards/downwards aids so walk to canter, canter to walk on a 20m circle keeping the canter collected and his responses quick.  This really helped as meant I could collect the counter canter, keep him balanced round the corner and get the simple change back to true canter at C.  Before, the counter canter was getting long and unbalanced so he was on the forehand and couldn't sit to give me the transition to walk.

Having difficulty getting him straight across the diagonal for the flying change right to left so worked on leg yielding from the corner to the 3/4 line and back again to get him used to changes of bend without changing the leading leg.  Then try to leg yield a step before asking for the change.  This one needs homework.

We did manage some nice changes though - here is a 3 loop serpentine with good changes both ways:

Then some trot work, keeping the energy levels up - at the moment am losing the softness a bit from the increased forwardness but this should come back as he gets more used to giving me more energy.

Finally some canter to halt down the centre line - transition needs to be direct, not through trot or walk.  If only they were all as good as this one!