Lateral work extra super fun time

Took another walk-only flat school again today due to some wet footing in the indoor.  Two weeks ago it was dusty, then it got watered/dragged and was nice, then after about 3,487 up-down lessons the rail was like concrete, then it got watered and only partially dragged today.  It was a bit of a mess.  I had planned on doing cavaletti work, but not so much.  So...walking, yay!

After our usual warm up, walking squares, leg yields, etc, I played with some shoulder-in and leg yields on the rail.  Soonie got a little confused, but we slowed down and took it one step at a time.  He got a couple of steps and that was enough.  I'll work more on solidifying his leg yields at the trot as those aren't quite 100% established yet, before I worry too much about shoulder in and things like travers.  I don't see him having any issues with those movements when the time comes, and he's strong enough and solid enough in his lateral work to really introduce them.  No need to rush right now. By the end of today's ride we had more of that big, swinging walk both in a shorter outline and in a deep stretch.  :)

Hopefully the footing dries up for the weekend, because I have a friend coming out to take some good video of Soonie and I doing a full flat work routine.  I need to see where we're at...I really hope I ride well.  Because otherwise, the awesomeness is all in my head, and I end up looking like this: