Day 24

Yeah! We had a hot, but great session today. I flanked him out and did all the preliminary things I have been doing. The saddling went fine. I started disengaging him both sides and slowly started working in going forward at a walk and then bringing him back to me with a disengagement. Eventually I started to move forward more with him and then sending him out and bringing him back at a walk. We did both sides. His right side is the one he usually has trouble with. It got a little dusty, but no bucking. I shut him down as far as going fast when I sent him out so that he immediately slowed to a walk. When he did get a little fast was during the falling leaf exercise, but I slowed him down to just baby steps breaking down each move so that it was calm and relaxed. This all took about 30 minutes, then I go on him and rode for about 25 minutes. I wantd to work on connecting the reins to his feet, softness and then started to work on a counter turn with him. He gave me a couple pretty good ones on both sides.  I moved him into a trot to work on softness at that gait for just a couple times around in each direction. Then we quit and I rubbed on him on his withers and girth area and he didn't seem bothered either place. We are making good progress.