Progress comes when you least expect it  at least that's what I find.  Thursday, the most amazing thing happened!  I was out riding OV and the crazy neighbors set off some left over fireworks.  Now, let me tell you, there was a day  when that kind of loud noise would have launched my horse into a tailspin.  Without thinking, I sucked in my breath and tightened up.  OV felt it and hesitated, but I pushed him on through it.  We kept riding, and THE OTHER TRAINER showed up to work a horse. Under her critical eye, OV held it together, trotting on without flinching during several major explosions.  I must say, I was really proud of my guy.  It may seem like such a small thing to a non-horse person, but that simple act of trotting on and not blowing up during a big distraction represents the culmination of a lot of hours of hard work and time spent with that horse  doing simple, repetitive exercises and waiting for the correct response.  In .OV's  case, it meant I sweated and ran around a lot too.  Most horses might give it up quicker. or a trainer with better timing and more experience than myself,  might get better results a lot quicker.  But
to me this is a HUGE achievement and I feel great!