Foundation work
Boy, this is a tough one. People's egos get so in the way of foundation work. Seems it's so much better to canter and stay on and feel that that makes you a much better rider than it is to BE a much better rider by being so good at every level of movement with the horse.

Saddles don't help you become a better rider very fast or very well. People who have ridden for years have no idea how bad their balance is and how NOT with the horse they are because they never sat on a horse bareback. Try it and see. If the horse takes one step and you're swinging all over the place, maybe you're not as good as you should be. If you can't feel comfortable walking on a loose rein all over the place without you BEING all over the place, you're just not that good. And if you feel that you are, then your ego is more important than your riding. And what about trotting or cantering? Ouch. That's harsh. Maybe, but maybe it's not harsh and is just what is.

Maybe I'm cranky today or maybe I've just had a lot of people this week wanting to do things to and with their horse that they haven't prepared for. Either way it doesn't change the issue. The ways of the ego are detrimental to your riding.