Rogo's February Riding / Training

In re-reading my last post I seem to be obsessed with staying warm. That fits.
Back to Rogo's training - I didn't get to have a lesson today. Sue (trainer/teacher/ barn owner) texted this morning that it was -16 and too cold to ride. We had a good Feb. though. He is figuring out working from his hind quarters and is less anxious about it.
His feed was cut back before his surgery due to his bucking episode (the only one he's ever had since being backed), and he still has lots of energy and forwardness without the drama.
Due to the fact that he got very rebellious about being asked to canter in a rounder frame, we are still doing mostly training level work. On one hand this is discouraging given his age and time we've been at it, but on the other hand he is a different horse, which is very encouraging. After two years of dawdling along (check my energy level labels) he is beautifully forward - this alone is revolutionary. The other big change is that he is moving in a rounder fashion, using his hind end. Both of those things are fundamental to progress and I think must take a lot of effort and work on his part. He needs to move his balance from front to back and that can't be easy. It accounts for the canter issues I think.
So the status is that training level is all very good except that he is still bracing / resisting a bit during the first canter transition or two, and he may be difficult to steer some days in canter until he is warmed up, i.e. staying on a good circle.
I half halt to address the bracing. (There are lots of different half halts. I'm calling this a half halt for lack of a better term, but it isn't my usual.) It seems counter intuitive but it works. He's bracing, sucking back, and grabbing the reins. I take and give on the outside rein until he stops grabbing the reins and softens. I immediately give the canter aid and it usually work. After he's done one or two transitions they are better. Some days, once he's warmed up, he'll canter from a walk with a light ask.
To address the steering on a canter circle issue (wanting to go straight instead of on a curved line) I need to remember to use a strong outside rein and if I need it, to use my outside leg, even giving a kick if he is really wanting to get strong, or a tap on the shoulder to reinforce the turn. As we work at this he goes with lighter and lighter aids. As soon as he starts working with me I have to go as light as possible, because once he is steering okay, continuing with heavy aids makes it go bad again. And the heavy aids can cause or at least reainforce another avoidance issue - getting faster (too fast).
He'd been cantering fine for a long time, without any of these issues, but he was on his forehand. Getting him to rebalance more to the hind end caused us to encounter these training issues, but over all things are better - the quality of the canter when he 'gets' it is much better than before we had the problems.
We won't move ahead until things are really solid and it will make it easier in the long run.
He is advancing in some areas - he is doing ten meter trot circles, some leg yeild and some shoulder in.
We worked on ground poles a couple of times in February and that was fun for both of us. He did really well and it helped him get past his anxiety - yeah! We couldn't do too much cantering over poles though - he wanted to gallop. It will take more work but we enjoy it.
So, the big gains are in re-balancing more to the hind quarters and more forwardness. Those things are huge. He's a good boy to work so hard, especially with the health problems he's had this winter (sarcoid - things are still looking good on that front). I'm very happy with him.