The first was to help with straightness, a real problem for me and my eel. She had us do a 15m circle at one end of the school and when he was balanced and submissive we then went down the 3/4 to the other end of the school where we worked on the 15m circle till again he was balanced then back down the 3/4 line, 15m circle then across the diagonal. All the time thinking of keeping an even weight in both hands.
The second was a good way of getting him to take a contact rather than suck back. As you know he tilts his nose to the right, well now most of the time I can straighten his head by taking a bit more contact on the left rein. However sometimes I can't get anything in my left hand and he sucks right back if I try. I have been trying to correct this by pushing him forwards till he takes it. This works well in trot but not so much in walk. Marcia suggested that I follow his head back keeping up a firm contact and pushing him on and on with my legs. We did this first in walk and I pushed and pushed him forwards, till he was on the verge of trotting and he was still sucking back and she said to continue like that (firm contact and lots of leg) until he felt like he wanted to take the contact forwards. I thought it was never going to happen and was tempted to give with the reins to see if he'd take the contact anyway but just then he pushed his head forwards and took a lovely contact. This lasted for a couple of strides and then he sucked back again so I repeated it and a little quicker he took the contact and it lasted a bit longer. It only took a few repetitions to get him relatively consistent and much straighter in the head. We also did it in trot, but the sucking back isn't nearly such an issue in trot and he's much happier to take the contact, so it was much easier.
By the end of the lesson he was as straight as he's ever been. He was a little bit more compact through the body and neck than might be ideal, but she will help me using similar techniques to get him longer next time. So another excellent and fascinating session that both Xaile and I enjoyed.
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