Nothing's really new. Nicole is getting used to the fact that she will have to counter canter whether she likes it or not. We went through a phase for about 2 weeks when she realized the counter canter takes work, and she just has to do it. She would switch her lead behind to compensate for a tired outside leg.
The key to everything in dressage, from what I've experienced, is that making sure the horse is through and soft makes everything a lot easier. This sounds elementary, but in the heat of battle is easy to forget, and as Nic strains to accomplish a new task (such as the counter canter), she can become tough in the mouth, which equates to a lack of throughness. But when I don't work towards that softness, she is more likely to switch her leads behind.
We've also been spending some time riding without stirrups, to fix my leg position and tighten up my seat.
