Took Giant for a hack out to the beach, he was pretty good, as in he didn't actually do anything wrong, but I still wasn't that happy with him. He just needs to breathe and relax, he constantly feels on edge.

We walked down the road, and this part he was actually very good, thought it was going to be a great ride. But once we got to the beach he just got that edge, there were people and dogs everywhere, but he was suprisingly good with them. We trotted down the beach, through the surf, past people, no problems. But I get the feeling he would have taken advantage of you...

As we got up to the second beach access a guy in a red jacket came out, everyone else was wearing black, this one guy really caught his eye. Again he didn't really do anything, he just did that thing where he stops and looks around very intently with his head right up. Then he walked off again just fine.

On the way back he is just getting too quick and he never settles down properly. The lady walking in front on us clapped to her dog and Giant leapt, there was just no need. He was however very good when two stupid cars drove past very close and fast (you know when they're so close you can feel them?). But then again there were a few times where I stopped him and he just wouldn't stand still...

Giant - warmed up on big circles encourging him to stretch fdo in trot, he understands the attitude of what I'm asking him, but hasn't yet actually done it, although a few times hes tried. This can take a while to do properly, its easy to manipulate them to putting their head down, not so easy to get them to willingly stretch forwards and they have to physically ready for it so they don't just fall on their shoulders and drop in the withers. He'll get there, I think it will be his favourite thing lol.

Then we worked on getting his downwards trans from canter to trot better, slowing the canter, waiting and then rising into trot, so that I could introduce canter lead changes through trot. Firstly we just went on a circle and did canter trot canter trans, then used a figure of eight to get him to pick up the other lead. We started by doing about 10 strides and got it down to 5, he was good, he only got it wrong once.

Eventually he will do only 3 trot strides on a straight line. And then through walk...

Harry - Only working on that canter now, after a quick warm up we started. He got the lead 3rd or 4th time and I thought we had finally got there. Apparently not. After another 30 or so he didn't get it again. So I made it a bit more clear, everytime he struck off wrong I halted him and backed up, then waited in halt for a second for him to settle, and started again.

It took a bit, but finally the penny seemed to drop. He got the right lead again, and then again a few minutes later and then to end with he finally got it 3 times in a row. Sometimes he pops onto it easily, I think this is when he does it by accident so it sort of doesn't help in training him to do it. Usually its very difficult and takes half a circle of coaxing before he can pick it up, but when he does get it the canters fine. I think its all in his head, perhaps he has had an injury at some point (hes uneven behind) which prevented him from doing it and that has stuck even though he can do it now. It would have been way too difficult for them to fix in the riding school.