Getting Somewhere

Okay, I'm finally seeing improvement in Giz's direct turns. I'm just saying!!!! It hit me when I started working on something else. This past week I have been working on walk to halt transitions and then trot to halt. The problem I'm running across is his backup. When he overshoots the cone I try doing the 9 step backup until he is even with the cone. His backup with hackamore was great, but he is having trouble understanding it with the snaffle. Thats okay, I'll keep working on it. I'd say I have been doing it for about 4 days in a row. I get one step back at a time then I have to start over. Yesterday, a couple of times, he started backing when I just lifted the reins, but he is not getting it like I think he should. The reason I know this is because it doesn't always work. I am definately rewarding the slightess try. When I get that step backwards I release immediately. He'll get it, i'm sure of it. I definately have to give it at least seven day, right? At the end of yesterdays session, he was starting to put two and two together about stopping at the cone. I quit when I got a couple in a row. Then I took him in the woods. He was a little RB but it was very manageable. We did HQ yields, disengagements, and transitions the whole way. When we got back to the barn I unbribled him and he kept his head in the perfect position for me to take off the bridle. I was so proud as he is 10 ft. tall. Anyway, it makes me feel like he's getting somewhere. He was definately relaxed and I know that is a good thing. I rode for almost 3 hours. Then I met Bugg and Joey at the marina for some jambalaya. It was delish! Oh, by the way, FTR is improving also, yeah!!!!