Arena again today.  Had planned to trail ride but wind was blowing great bullets across the land, shaking the trees and making even me spooky.    Groundwork good.  Balthazar spooked when Richard came down to the arena but I ignored it and just kept asking that he continue to circle.  Was interesting to watch him give up the spook and carry on.  Then we worked on full passes over the witches hat.  Placed the witches hat beneath him.  He wasn't worried.  He was awkward but he did full pass over it from both directions.
   Mounted up, warmed up at the walk and trot making use of the full arena, also incorporated some 20m circles and a little bit of figure 8s and weaving.  Didn't do much of the latter however because I wanted him thinking forward, thinking big expansive patterns rather than getting worried and sucked back - we had plenty of that later.
     So then we returned to asking for full passes over the witches hat.  He was quite good from right to left but completely refused from left to right.  Again he was reversing when asked to go forward or going against my leg rather than yielding to pressure.  Took him around in big trots and or canters then returned to the witches hat.  Same thing.  This wasn't getting us anywhere except for imprinting upon him that this was a Bad Thing.  If I persisted we would have a fight and I didn't want that.  The third time I dismounted.  He nickered.  Thought, great, we've finished for the day and I've been rewarded for refusing.
    Not!
    Instead I got him to full pass over the witches hat from the gound at least half a dozen times.  We did it until it wasn't a big deal and THEN we quit.
   Took him out for pick.  Again.  Still worried that we won't be buddies just because I ask him to work and to do things he doesn't want to do.  Does he sense my divided self?  I'm sure he does.