The way to get the horse through at the poll is to bend to the inside and ask for the bend using the outside leg. You may have to kick 2 times per stride if the horse is being tough. This is hard if you're white and have zero rhythm (like yours truly) and is a trial of balance, but damn if it doesn't work. The horse goes from hard on one rein to chewing the bit and evening itself out so there's equal pressure on both reins. Don't ask for a big trot, just a small sleepy trot. Fingers and arms remain loose. Guess what, you will have to redistribute the horse's weight and control the speed using your back. And guess what, your back will hurt after if your horse is forward like Nic. You're asking the horse to maintain softness and throughness and self-carriage.
Maybe if I can remember to do this, one day my horse will look and be like a real, live dressage horse. And I can pretend to be a real, live dressage rider.
