Lesson on 9/23 and show tidbit

I either forgot to write this in the show summary, or I like it so much I want to write it again. When Bob and I were driving the course (except for we were on the wrong course), he asked, in his typical Bob way, if he could ask me something without making me mad. I said it depends, and he said that he talked to Alice after my last lesson about whether he was doing something wrong and why I got so upset during lessons. I said "oh, it's not you, it's ..." and he said "good." He said that he wondered if he expected too much from me and pushed me too hard because he expected more from me than his other students. I took that as praise and glowed in it.
Then of course, I rode like I've never jumped a horse in my life. It actually didn't look so bad on video, but that's because Debbie did an excellent job taping, but I'm so far away in everything that you can't see me noodling around.

My lesson this week was on the lunge line. We were supposed to talk about my goals, but I forgot them at home, so we talked in general about goals. Bob said I can't have a goal of "winning at beginner novice" because it is too variable. He said my goals need to be like "In 60 days, be able to do two laps in the sitting trot with Mercury on the bit." So I said next week I'd bring my goals and he could help me modify them.
He also said, again, that it is Mercury who needs work now, and we need to bring him up to my level. I rode him bareback yesterday (well, with a saddle pad because I'm old now), and his back is so bony. I wonder if he needs more muscling before he can move better.
The problem is, I don't know how to train Mercury, and Bob said just to be consistent, which I've tried so hard at, but clearly isn't working miracles.
It's not going to help with Kevin moving out, because I have to cut back on my lessons and the number of nights I ride. And I can't afford a truck. Or a second horse. Or more lessons. Or more shows.
Anyway, once we started working in the lesson, we worked on long legs (heels to the ground), not pinching with my knee, not dropping my inside shoulder, and still seat. We did some two steps sitting, two steps rising; and then two steps sitting, two steps rising while twisting back and forth. That was hard because my brain couldn't do everything at once. We also worked on picking up the canter and then going back down to trot without me leaning forward. I have to think "sit back" before I ask for the down transition, but when it is smooth, it feels really good.
We need to focus mostly on dressage, but Bob said every few lessons we'll do a jump lesson to keep things interesting because dressage can be boring.
I've taken it pretty easy with Mercury last week and this week. I was giving him some time off after the show, and this week I'm feeling pretty down, so I'm just having a hard time getting motivated to go work him. Hopefully the chiropractor is coming tomorrow, but I'm not sure.