Although I haven't written in over two weeks, I have ridden Balthazar.  Granted until today I haven't done anything except take him out for pick since 29 November when I took him up the road in his new boot and didn't have to get off once to adjust it!
       Motivation melts in the heat.  Today 36 celcius, tomorrow 41 or 42.  The horses came up last night with dried salt sticking their hair together.  They all looked bright enough but it must be hard on them. 
      Yesterday, because it was too hot to do anything else, I watched a couple of Parelli videos. The most helpful for the stage we're at, was the weave pattern.  So this morning I set up 5 20 gallon drums in the arena and got the boy.  Warmed up with some of the seven games in the usual sequence.  Must admit we usually skip the squeeze  and the friendly games.  He was fine, a little slow to start.
      What I found with the weave pattern is that it showed up  our weaknesses, in particular with driving.  If I led him through the weave, he did well.  If asked to take himself through the weave (me driving) he'd stop particularly at the trot.  We'd practiced a few changes of direction on the circle beforehand using the draw and the drive.  After watched PP yesterday I wanted to get it done without Balthazar coming into my space.  He's always had the tendency to push into me during the change, to the point where I'd even take a step back.  Today I pushed back, made him give way.  As a consequence our changes were snappier and he was more lively.  And the ear pinning disappeared too.
      But back to the weave.  Once he had the idea I tried it at the trot.  Everything fell apart.  He'd circle at the trot but he wouldn't be driven.   He'd slow to a walk or stop.  We had to practice just being driven up and down the line without attempting the weave.  After he got the idea we tried the weave again.  It overwhelmed him.  He went into his Pretty Pose trot where he looks very pretty 'on the bit' but is actually mentally somewhere else.  It seemed the only way through this was to keep driving him.  It worked.  It wasn't easy for him but he seemed to finally pay attention to this thing that was after him and when he did, driving him through the weave at the trot was a success.  We did it a couple of times then quit.  We spent thirty minutes in the arena to get it.  Tomorrow, our really stinking hot day, if I can get organized early in the morning, we'll after another go before the heat becomes intolerable.