Help with trotting circles, Bonding with a lease horse, improving my riding?

When trotting a circle you need to make sure that you use both your inside leg and outside rein to keep your circle round. Use these along with your other aids when you need them. If your horse does not listen to your aids as he should, you might need to carry a crop or, if your trainer feels that you are ready, spurs. However, these should ONLY be used as a last resort. You mentioned that your horse is stiff- this could be causing him discomfort in circles. Try to loosen him up by walking different sized circles, weaving through a line of cones or jump standards at the walk and trot, walking and trotting serpentines, and by stretching him before you get on by using carrot stretches (http://www.todayshorse.com/Articles/HorseCarrotPractics.htm) If you are really having difficulty, talk to your trainer and have her help you. To bond with your horse, keep grooming him. Also, just go to his stall and sit with him. Take him out on a lead line and just walk him around. To help with ground work, set up an obstacle course and lead him through it. You could have some poles to walk or trot over, cones to weave through, a barrel to circle him around, and a chute of hay bales to walk through. Be creative! As for your progress, it sounds to me that you are on track. Good luck with your riding! :)