Tempo Changes

I've been focusing on the areas that Joan reviewed with me - regulating tempo in walk and trot, ramener, halts and half halts, and canter transitions. It amazes me how these simple exercises are polishing his performance. He listens to all aids more closely, even the ones we haven't focused on, after the above.
I had trouble with Rogo lacking forwardness in his trot from the time I left lessons with Joan until the time I came back (leaving lessons with her was an unavoidable circumstance). The teacher I had between Joan insisted that I not slow down his trot because it was too slow already, and he needed to go forward consistently before I slowed it down. I didn't fully trust this approach, because I knew from when Joan started us that Rogo would be much more forward in his trot if I alternated between slow and fast. He got to understand the difference. He would slow when asked and then really engage and speed up (in a good way) when asked (keep in mind he was just being started). When I only asked for forward, without differentiating, he just stalled into a very poor quality, on the forehand slowish trot without energy or impulsion that I spent all my time trying to 'push' forward. I don't know enough about training to know if the other teacher's approach would work better with different horses, but it didn't work for us. We spent a year and a half trying to do something that Joan can make improvements on in one lesson. I wish I'd had enough time with her in the beginning to have really understood and stayed with her approach. Do any of you vary the tempo to get improved forward, i.e. slow down so that when you ask for more the horse will power forward?
Of course slowing down while staying engaged sets the stage for beginning collection, varying the tempo builds hind quarter strength, the horse doesn't get bored as quickly when things switch up frequently and I find we focus together as a partnership when we 'converse' more. A lot of benefits from simply slowing down and speeding up. This will lead to lengthening and shortening stride, which shouldn't include tempo changes, or at least only very small ones.
After a solid training session last night I rode Rogo straight to the beach tonight. The sun was shining, it was warm and there was a stiff breeze, so the ride was heaven. I've been a bit stressed out - I've been in the media - there is a financial scandal involving big name concerts in Halifax and the Mayor of Halifax breaking financial rules. I chose to leave employment with Halifax 5 years ago, after almost 30 years and an good track record, and it was triggered by poor handling of the Rolling Stones concert I was project managing. I gave a fairly lengthy interview about it on CBC last week. Today I was attacked by a politician on air for speaking up :(  . No surprise there I guess. I feel good about what I did 5 years ago and what I said last week, which is more than those involved can say. Oops, I see I'm off topic! My point was that I knew after I heard about the negativity directed at me today that I needed to get to my horse. Rogo worked his magic and I went from feeling stressed and wanting to 'get even' to feeling mellow, happy and seeing the humour in it (believe me, they aren't the smartest bunch, it's quite embarrassing for our Capital City and our Province). If you're interested there are media stories posted on this facebook page and a few references in my Twitter sidebar.
After riding Rogo on the beach I rode Savanah bare back in the riding ring. She is doing just amazing! She is schooling most or all of Level 2. Did I mention how startled I was the other day when I asked for leg yield when riding bare back? We were trotting quite forward and she moved sideways so quickly and easily I almost lost my balance. Bare back has a whole new set of challenges when going sideways! I've been riding her more, and riding bare back, so it's starting to help my seat.
This week we'll keep working on the tempo changes and transitions, and add in stretching circle and  20 and 15 meter circles at the trot and canter.