It’s been eleven days since I posted an update on Levi’s (Elix’s) training. Although it’s the holiday time of year, we have been able to keep working pretty steadily. Last week I worked with Levi four times, and this week I’ve ridden him twice already.
Today was a milestone because it was the first time I asked Levi to canter under saddle. It went really well! I’m pleased with him. He has progressed to the point that he understands and responds to my “go forward” aids pretty well, and I am able to ask him to go much more forward in the trot. His canter on the lunge line has also been improving, and as his understanding increases the quality of the canter on the lunge has improved because he is a lot more relaxed. And as his fitness improves the canter on the lunge has gotten better as well.
So today I decided all the building blocks were in place for the canter under saddle. I did our normal warmup in rising trot both ways. I wanted to ask for canter while going to the right, because his right canter looks better on the lunge. So from a rising trot on the 20 m circle going right I rode the trot more and more forward, and then as we were approaching the wall I said “Canter!” as I squeezed him and slid my inside hip forward and outside leg back. I think the outside leg going back kind of surprised him and he shot forward into canter (Yay!) He seemed worried that he shouldn’t be doing that, but I was thrilled and praised him “Good boy!” He immediately relaxed, and dropped back into trot. 
No worries though, because we got it once so I knew the next time would be easier. I stayed in trot another time around the circle and then repeated the sequence above to ask for another canter depart. He picked up the canter and was a lot more confident that this was what I actually wanted him to do and I was able to keep him cantering all the way around. I then brought him back to trot with my voice and rode him over to the sugar box for a treat, making a big fuss over him the whole time. Then I got off and took him back to the barn. Often when introducing something new I will do it on only one side the first day and then finish for that day, to make a point! On another day we can try to the left as well.
