Day 17

I get to write this a second time.
I worked with Ceasar today and decided that I would try a different tact.
Instead of just going up to him in the pen, I ignored him. It wasn't long before he was coming up to me and so I would disengage him and move his shoulders and just keep ignoring him. I would rub him all over then walk away. He would follow me. Then I picked up the halter and he started to move away, but I just ignored him as before and soon he was back with me again. But I just rubbed him and acted like I didn't want the halter on him. We played this catch me game a while longer and then I put it on him. He was willing. I did the same thing with the pad. The saddle I put on him and he stood there then I took it off and walked away. Finally I put it on him and started to cinch him up and then took it off. I put it back on and cinched him up and then walked around. He did hump up some like always and so I just moved him around and then he settled down. I didn't drive him today, I just put the bridle on and flexed him some then got on him. He moved off so I disengaged him to a stop and made him wait til I wanted him to move. When we did go he gave me a good walk and I just played the circle ess game with him. We then moved up to a trot and he for the first time kept it up good for me, even having his ears pointed forward and up instead of back like usual. We changed directions several times. Then I asked for a canter in the right lead and he gave it to me without much discussion and we kept it up for two laps. Then I slowed him, stopped, backed up and let him rest. We did the same thing in the left lead, but I hindered him by not asking on the correct foot. I was off so it was hard for him to give me what I wanted. Finally, after a few tries I got him into it and he kept it up for a lap. We stopped and rested. Then we went to a trot and through this process for a while longer. I stopped and got off then mounted on the other side. He didn't seem to like that we weren't done. But he went along and then I did stop. I know that sometimes the problem is not him, but me, ie. the canter. However I still wonder if saddle fit, back problems or something like that is causing him to want to buck everytime I saddle him. I think I will try a different saddle too. Anyway it was a good session.