We worked in the snaffle again today, continuing with working some leg yield in the trot. We played a bit with going back and forth from head to the wall leg yield to haunches-in, which helped get him better on the outside rein while bending. Then we took that into some haunches-in and haunches-out on the circle, asking Hans to slow down and really wait on his hind legs, rather than getting tight and hasty.
In the canter, we started with haunches-in down the rail, playing with the stride length and making sure than he kept covering ground and going to the bridle. Because he can get tight and a bit “balled up” feeling in the canter, especially when he is excited, the haunches-in work really helps to get him looser behind the saddle. From there we did some work on the canter half-pass, going back and forth from leg yield to half pass to once again address the suppleness. This was really helpful, and I could feel him more evenly in both reins.
Throughout the canter work we also incorporated counter canter both directions, with transitions from collected to medium canter and back. Just another exercise to help with the quest for more suppleness and better connection.
