Transition day in arena.   Just not sure how well this is working.  Sometimes it seems as though he's relaxing and stretching out but more often it seems as though he's sucking back.  Certainly he is responsive and his back comes up beneath me, he is rounder and more collected, even without contact, but is he more relaxed about it all?  I think not.  Tried to transition up if he was losing energy and slacking off and transition down if he appeared to be getting tense.  Again he ground his teeth when we stopped but it wasn't as much or as prolonged as the time before.  Perhaps he recognises that we've done this before and nothing untoward happened. 

In any case, all these quiet transitions, the circling (large circles) and bending through the corners (I do touch the reins and ask him to bend through the corners otherwise he's moving through like an 18 wheeler with no bend whatsoever), has to be good for his overall suppleness. 

One thing I do notice is that whenever I ask him to back he has to toss his head once before complying.  I'm not pulling on the reins or being harsh in any way yet we still have this quick but emphatic resistance. 

Must admit when he becomes very light and senstive to requests and his back rounds up beneath me it is a lovely feeling - despite his Pretty Pony silhouette.  Was hoping that we'd have the sensitivity and the roundness allied with relaxation.  Maybe next time it will be better.  It's not hurting him or stressing him more by these exercises so we'll carry on.  Took him out for pick afterward.  The water is too cold to hose him so I let him dry in the sun and brush all the sweat marks out.  He's very shiny.