Good horse.

Well, Apollo is fine.  Hooray!  Just being a horse, with random off-ness; he must have slept on it funny or something.  The left pastern was still noticeably warmer than the right, but ... well, he's sound on it.  So we rode.  Sort of.  :)  I didn't have a lot of time, but I got to play with all three gaits both directions.

And I rode in spurs.  I don't think this will need to be a constant thing, but it did help with the lazybones bit last night.  I will still need to warm him up slowly and completely, but other than that, there's no reason why I shouldn't be riding him like a normal, sound horse in training, so let's get ON with it!

For the first time in a while, I got a gorgeous, sound right lead canter.  :)  It's his better lead, and that canter is  just so fun to ride!  Now, to get the left lead to match.   I should probably schedule some dressage lessons to get some assistance on the places we're lacking.  

For instance:

* Certainly when we're just getting started and sometimes when we're good and moving, if I go to bend him (especially to the left) or take a feel on the outside rein, he slams behind my leg and slows down.   I actually think this is something I can resolve on my own by getting him pushing from behind and truly connecting through the rein, riding from back to front.   Practice required.  I see a sweaty horse in my future.

* Getting the left bend dialed in, loosening the left side of his body.

* Working on my position in the canter transition and in riding the canter.  Getting us both in the habit of long canters.

* Staying connected and round through transitions up and down -- see the first bullet, I think.

* Keeping me sitting up and my shoulders back.

I'm sure there's more, but I'm thinking about work at the moment, so.  :)