Brace

Where do I start.....Still not feeling 100% yet so my time with Chiclet has been not very productive until today. tacked up played got on all he wanted to do was canter and brace. I didn't have it in me to fight with him about it so I just cantered around. Not a good idea...... Avery drove in and said what ya doin holding your reins so tight? Damn it!! My reply was it's a old habit that I'm having a hard time getting rid of. I'm not sure what to do about the bracing so having a short rein helps well...not really. Avery got on him and it as pretty rough at first. He had a plan and what Avery was asking as not part of it. It was lots of sideways and holding him head up higher then he wanted. After she rode him she said he was stuck in his ribs and that's what I have to play with. I knew that but I think I need see how to work through it to fix it. I learned something new today. Circles are for shortening the stride and straight line are for lengthening the stride. If I use the straight line to reword good circles thing will be easier. After watching Avery ride I feel a lot better about going to faze 4. I was a little unsettled about going there while riding.