and a good day...

Worked on the canter transitions some more yesterday, and felt pretty pleased when we got 3 good ones each way. Hopefully we're slowly building back up- things were good as long as I went walk, trot a couple of steps, half halt, canter- quiet, nice transitions and very good canter. I was pleasantly surprised when we did one from a too-energetic trot (usually at that point she would just run into it) and it was good- apparantly the little half halt went through better than I realized.
Trudi was good in spite of a loud mower just outside the barn. We did have some arguments about straightness while trotting on the circle again- it happens every once in a while. She kept bulging her shoulder and I worked like crazy with my outside leg and rein, but each time she fell out it took a while to get her back. I found that a quick bend on the inside rein followed by taking the outside seemed to help- I think it simply disrupted her long enough that she couldn't keep leaning outside. We played around a little with trying to shorten and lengthen her stride- I'm not sure how much difference there really was, but it did make her pay attention. I think she might be in another little growth spurt-- she's starting to get that gangly look again. Since the clinic, I've been watching my left rein/hand, and realized how much I move it around- it's SO HARD to fix it and keep it with my right hand....^_^