Today my plan was to work mainly on canter. He is getting better at it, more balanced and engaged. I feel that I can control him better. However, today I overdid it. I got too excited. He gave me such good canter, he was so supple and easy to shape that I lost my head in joy and kept asking for more. Instead of accepting this gift and just enjoying the moment I got greedy and started asking for more collection. I think I do such things on regular basis. It's just happened that today I really noticed how detrimental that could be. By working him too hard I punished him in some way for being good and trying for me. Next time he will not try, or he will get anxious right away, remembering today's work. I did give him a lot of free walk brakes, but in the canter itself I didn't quiet down when he was good I was asking and asking...

The feeling he gave me was of such slow and balanced canter that every step was like in slow motion. I could stop him at any moment, turn him, let him out, bring him back to almost canter on the spot. I felt I'm walking not cantering so easy it was to do anything, so much time for the aids. Of course I wanted more of it. He executed it with such effortless grace that I forgot how much engagement and sitting such canter requires.

We both getting better. He is getting stronger and I'm getting better at riding the canter, telling him with my seat and my thighs what exactly I want from him. I'm only recently started to feel how much control over a horse I have with my seat. It is exciting. But I'm afraid I'm abusing my power and I need to calm down and not to override my horse. I got there in trot earlier and I did override trot too. Now I'm finding the balance between control and freedom. I need to find one for canter.

Happy riding...