Starting Renvers

The chasse were out today so I rode Remy on the yard. We worked on circles at walk. He feels like he's gaining confidence now and is really starting to release through his neck and he's much more consistently soft in his mouth. We did some shoulder-in, counter shoulder-in, starting to combine lateral movements. and then started on renvers. This has been difficult for us as hes found it difficult to move in the direction of the bend. We've prepared for it in two ways on the circle. First by starting in counter shoulder-in and then moving the quarters around into renvers, and today we started in shoulder-in on the circle and then I  asked him to change to flexion outside, keeping his shoulders in and continuing around the circle.  He got it today, for the first time it was there, just a few steps, but he was relaxed and soft enough to enable him to offer it. We finished on a longer rein, circles on each rein, well balanced,  with good even bend. I'm excited! What a good boy!
I took Bonbon on the yard, circles at walk,  asking her to relax and stretch with inside bend. Despite the change of routine, she was fairly relaxed and did well with moving her shoulders and quarters, stepping under nicely and keeping her shoulders up. We then had a short session in-hand, asking for a release and mobility of the jaw, flexions either side and walk/halt transitions on the circle.  I wanted to sit on, but it was enough for today.
I finished by giving them their weekly hoof maintenance, so they all went out without their rugs, freshly rasped feet, and last seen happily snoozing in the glorious warm sunshine!

Ups and downs

Thanks for your comments guys on my truly pathetic post yesterday.  I really wasn't having a go at Rem, in all honesty, he's pretty fab, just my inability to deal with the situation sensibly at the time, and letting my hormones and emotions get the better of me.
Today was much better, I wanted it to be a confidence boosting exercise for Remy, no great expectations, I was happy to accept what he offered and calmly deal with any problems.   Well, he was pretty bloody great. He set off with some purpose and just kept going. Jim followed about hundred yds back and came up once when we crossed the main road and once to accompany us past the stone cutting shed. We were out for over an hour, we went right up to the little stud just outside the village where Remy was very interested in the horses grazing in the far fields. We turned for home there and he was a little reluctant to leave them and as we headed back started whinnying.
As we neared home he really was on a mission, so I asked him for lots of walk/halt transitions, sometimes with a couple of steps of reinback and it was such a nice feeling as he came up and together, and really soft into my hand. The last few hundred yards I gave him a long rein and it felt like a tidal wave as he really opened up the walk stride. Ups and downs eh, well, today was definitely an 'up'.

A short session with Bonbon in-hand, and she was very sweet. She's a quick learner and I enjoyed our session today. Walk/halt transitions, shoulder-fore on the circle both reins, and a little bit of rein-back.

We spent the afternoon doing the fence in the bottom field, so a busy day and I'm cream crackered now!