all sounds very positive, good for you. glad to hear the boys were pretty pingy ponies at mf... must have been like trying to turn the Ark Royal in a canal!
I feel tired just reading that! I thought I was busy working full time with 2 horses but I'm just plain lazy compared to you! It sounds to me like you're going to be the one to beat this season on your smart horses.
I hate little arenas on big horses too. I found the 50x30 indoor with 12 jumps in rather tight yesterday on a horse who's a plank and doesn't bend!