well, for a pad get an all purpose english saddle pad, whatever kind you like is fine. I would personally only use polos if I was lunging, and then the first couple of times I canter.


How I would start is start out doing a lot of walking and trotting to get both of you balanced and back into shape, lots of circles and serpentines, lots of transitions. going from trot to walk, walk to trot, halt to trot, trot to halt. If you can hill work is very good to build muscle. After you have worker him for a while just walking and trotting, then start in with some canter. Do both ways. Once he is comfortably cantering both ways no problem, then ad in circles and transition work, and serpentines (with lead changes) You can also do some trot poles. Also work on your two point, and no stirrup work. If you cannot do what you are doing at the moment with not stirrups, do not move onto the next thing.