riding after time off..

In march my horse, Flash 5 year old paint gelding, went to training and came back I rode for a month then may he was injured and now he's back and I got a brand new saddle for barrel racing for him and my moms horse when I ride (i have another for my moms horse and my QH) everytime I have to adjust the girth a notch up for moms horse and redo it back for my horse...anyway, I rode 2 days ago and after 2 months off he seemed to pick up on things after doing it a few times. I was trotting him around and he has a HUGE trot and I tried to get a canter to see if he would pick it up a few strides and he threw his head up and then dead stoped or picked up a canter and started trotting again. I kept ridding and trotting him around turning and when I say Whoa he will stop whatever he's doing and strand there. And backed him up got off and walked over to my loung whip and made him canter around the arena and he did it about 7-8 times around with no problem. So I unsaddeled and will be ridding again everyday this summer.

His walk can be slow or fast, his trot is always fast, but his canter is slow and very up hilly when saddles on or lounging. But in pasture he's fast.. how can I get a fast canter when ridding. And to slow down his trot, I don't want to get him to stop when I try because I would rather ride a fast trot then not get a trot for very long. I don't have a big arena its 56' by 64' right now but 2 corners are full of stuff so its a little small around the edges.. it will be going to 54' by 56' when we get stalls in.

How to get him to canter with out him flipping out? We can't take him outside or he will freak out (trainer took him 5 miles from his place and he freaked out the whole time he's very barn sour) he walks fine with me when he's on a halter and lead we walked a mile away and he was pretty good. How to get him to leave home? He's good in arenas and other fenced in areas, I really would like to show him in something this year to get him use to shows.

And how to build a topline? We are backing up ditches now we are starting with a few times and hoping to get up to 10 to 20 times a day..

Have you tried cantering him under saddle while your trainer is on the ground with the horse on a lounge line? I know it sounds silly, but it gives you backup if you your horse acts up.

No we took him home after the month and he had him cantering. He's more of a cowboy trainer and only free lounges. Unless the horse is very hypt up and starts bucking with the saddle.