I think he longs for it, as any horse would

I have to add about Dusty's mischievousness over the last two weeks that he was also reaching his head around and trying to bite my foot when I asked him to do something. It was freaking me out and every time he did it my instant reaction was to make him go forward.

I was thinking the first time: "oooh, Dusty, please don't do that." squeeze with my legs.
the second time: "C'MON dusty, don't do that..." squeeze with my legs and getting on his mouth a little in order to make his life a little hellish, as he was doing to mine.
the third time: "I. SAID. STOP. THURMP" he got a fat lip (NOT really) with ARIAT written all over it. He didn't try that at ALL today.

Infact, he was very good today. On the ground (he followed me into his stall when I got there, and he was grazing!) and under saddle. I rode on the buckle (I only need to wiggle my fingers a tiny bit to get him to put his head back down if he raises it), posting/sitting trot, lots of figure eight's and 20m circles. In FRONT of my leg. Riding with my seat and legs, which is huge breakthrough experience for me. I can feel when he takes his back from me and I need to sit, when he is in a good stretch, and when to give him more leg. It's really in conjunction with me putting my leg where it needs to be and riding from the connection of my last vertebrae to his back. I'm trying. I still loose my stirrups every so often, so I let it be- if I'm sitting trot I'd rather ride without. I have never had any kind of mental problem riding without stirrups. At least I don't freak out when I lose one, heck I'll just kick the other off. I have no fear of finding them when I need to. I'm good at that. 

I am letting him free lunge in my riding area and he likes it. It gives him room to run like mad for a little bit and I am seeing a lot more stretching and relaxing coming from him in here. He was cantering around, doing flying changes, then he would break into a forward trot and go around changing his bend. He looked like he was having fun on his feet. He did two "airs above ground" as he jumped straight up off the ground with all four feet twice, then looking like he couldn't believe he just did that he came out of it in a very showy trot tossing his head.

I told leggs he was doing tempichangeofbendshoulderinshaunchestempis. She said he was showing off.

Lots of praise and "good boys". Rode for about 35 mins. then took a walk around the pastures and property. And his favorite, a warm shower. Slathered him with Slub's forcefield super heavy duty long lasting hippy flyspray gave him a kiss on his nose and put him out for the night. 

Oh!, I am also doing the ground stretches with him before and after riding. I've changed his food from Country Acres to Trot A Way. I've come to realize that I have made him onto a horse that I cannot just show up and ride and go home.  Not only does he NEED the attention, I think he longs for it, as any horse would.