Slowed things way down today.  Took him out for a game of 'touch it' and he didn't have a clue.  He went to the target readily enough (a blue 20L drum) but then just stood there, seemingly half asleep.  After waiting five minutes or more decided to try something else.  That's when I discovered he didn't have his go button set to go.  It was set to halt instead.  Only because he was unsure of what to do I think.  Better to stop and wait  rather than try something which might 'get him in trouble'.  My fault for ever putting that paradigm in his head.  Anyway.  We worked on the 'go' button ( tapping the drive line in zone 3) until he consistently went forward.  Then we worked on driving the forehand away with a motion of my hand.  Not so hot.  Had to go over and encourage him to move.  He does a turn on the forehand readily enough with the driving game but doesn't make the connection to yield at a distance.  I was happy when he finally moved his head and neck away at an indication from me.  I relaxed, let him off the hook, stopped all movement/asking/communication except to stand relaxed.  We got that head/neck movement away from both sides.  It is something to build on so that's fine.  He is also a bit slow to move the hindquarter away with driving.  I'm practically chewing horse hair before he moves.  I don't want to get too heavy or too quick with him for he goes and hides (so to speak) when I'm too strong.  DIdn't worry about it today.  Will have to give it some thought.  He was reluctant at first, from not understanding not from being recalcitrant, to go before me when I asked him to walk ahead of me.  When he did get it and was walking confidently he went to the next object and touched his nose to it.  Very pleased.  Balthazar was inclined to stop and look/turn towards me when walking on the circle.  Was trying to do a very slow, so there was no confusion, falling leaf pattern at the walk - which we did do.  He was quite good when on my left to change direction and go right but very bad when turning left from the right.  He'd just halt and look at me and it took a bit of ground slapping with the carrot stick to get him moving again.  It's not his fault.  Every trial and tribulation I encounter with Balthazar is of my own creation.  At any rate, I was going to ride but we did ground work for so long we ran out of time so I took him for a pick instead.  I am being (can I make paragraphs here?) more insistent that he have a friendly face when I am around him now.  He always pins his ears when he is eating and I am near and also when I rug him at night.  I used to just let him get away with it but now I am asking him, quite low key but low key insistent, that he move his feet when he pins his ears.  If I ask him to move away from his food he can't return until I invite him.  That makes a huge difference.  He decides it's not worth pinning his ears at the Boss Cocky.