Lesson on 12/30 - only December lesson

December remained just as hectic as November, and I only had one lesson (today) and very few rides. Mercury's behavior stayed pretty good until this week, then he started to really act up.
However, like usual, Bob explained everything. First, he said that Mercury has also been bucking and acting up when they turn him out - so he's hyper. Second, when he acts up about "mid-way" through my ride, it's because he's gotten tired. I have never heard this before, but when he explained it, it made sense. He said that Mercury usually does his work out in kind of a dull frame of mind (which is my fault - I should be making it interesting by doing a lot of transitions, changes of direction, circles, etc.); and so when he gets tired, he is easily surprised by things - like the wall that has always been there.
He said if I have to keep my riding time low (which I do for the next few weeks), to focus on working with him, just for a shorter period of time. He said in the winter all horses get like this.
So that was huge for me to understand.
Then we worked on putting him on the bit, and my top three things to keep in mind: inside hand short and steady; outside hand half-halts; outside leg pushing whenever I give a half-halt. And Mercury made his neck all round and beautiful and just looked great, until he started getting tired, then he started pulling on my hands and being really hard in his mouth and throwing his head around. Bob said it's because he's had too much time off and he's forgotten he's supposed to work. I definitely don't work him even close to hard enough. I feel guilty that I haven't been out, so I don't make him go on the bit at all anymore. I just ride him around the arena for 45 minutes.
Bob said even with limited time, here's what to work on: bend in his neck; on the bit; crisp transitions; and to work on the bit for 10 minutes, then take 3-4 minutes off (even at the walk); to work him 30 minutes then do 10-15 minutes of walking on the bit; and then gradually, when I can get out more often, increase the 30 minutes.
I asked him about shows, and he said Mercury is a lot better than last summer, and we need to focus on dressage and getting that score up becuase we don't have to worry about Mercury because he loves to jump. I said yes, but it's embarrassing that I can't jump, and he said we'd just tie a hay string around his neck for me to hang onto. He thinks the four unrecognized Lincoln Creek shows will be good for this year (I have limited funds) and that I should plan on Beginner Novice.
Anyway, the other big breakthrough was at the end of the lesson, when I shows him how Mercury is normally "on the bit" when I ride him - with a long, flat neck, instead of the arched, high neck that was during the lesson. It turns out I'm a total idiot, and I've just been teaching him how to stretch his neck low and long because I don't keep my reins short enough.
Then there was a bunch of the repeats: hands still, consistent, don't lurch forward in transitions, adjust my reins more often (Bob said until you reach Grand Prix, for every five minutes you ride, you should be adjusting 4 1/2 minutes), make him work, yell at him when he doesn't work, ride with feeling, not thinking, ...
It was actually a really good lesson, even with him being naughty at the end. Bob said the secret there is to push him forward with my legs. I know it, I just can't get it all together in real time.
I hope my riding gets more regular again. I feel like I've lost a lot of time, and while we're improving, we still have a long way to go before this summer.
Oh yeah, and Bob thinks the chiropractor really helped. And he gave me a bunch of tips for work because he's actually been in more depositions than I have.