Bending and Counter-Bending

 Goal(s) :

Proper mastery of bending, coordination of aids

 Process :

On a 20m circle, at a walk.
Ask your horse for bending, then straighten.
Following this, ask for a counter-bending (while staying on the 20m circle) for a few strides, then ask to reduce the circle using your outside leg (discontinuous action to "push" the horse towards the inside), and your gaze (also towards the inside of the circle).

Once you reach a very small circle (2/3m in diameter), straighten the horse for a few strides, then ask for bending. Then vice-versa! Ask the horse to return to its original 20m circle using its inside leg and gaze while maintaining the bending.
When the exercise is well mastered at the walk, you can also perform it at the trot :)

 Difficulties :

Maintaining the bending
Not using your hands/reins to enlarge and/or reduce the circle.