I don't show much and when I do it's reining or working cow, but as a solid 2 I want them to respond to both direct and indirect rein, move nicely off of my leg with a willingness to learn. I don't want them to still be at the"yeah, but" stage. They should stop when pressure is taken off and I lift up on my rein and back off of really light pressure. Side pass, start coming over their hocks, pivot on the forehand, open gates, drag a log and handle slickers and such. They should at this point also load up nice and stand for the horseshoer and be able to clip. Then I turn them out for 5 or 6 months get them back and if they ride off nice I let them go until they are a solid 3. If not we go back to square one. I like to ride them steady as threes and fours. Going back to the 30 day start, for what people pay now a days the horse should be started really nice, if it is mature enough to handle it, some horses need more time to mentally develop. But dead broke as a 2 I call BS. I have seen the brokest horse ever buck under the right circumstances, thats like saying that a 5 grader can graduate college. One other thing I don't lope a 2 much. It's hard on legs/joints that aren't done fuseing. As long as I can move them freely around in a circle at the lope and they handle well, then I don't lope them much.