1-2 improvement

We rode 1-2 in my last lesson, and wooo, what an improvement two weeks has made! I think I've only ridden it a couple of times, and it surprised me when I knew the test today. Being used to the eventing tests, it's the longest, most complicated test I've ever done.
It was really great to have Mike watch and comment, because he has a lot of tips and insight into some of the "details". For example, you walk on a long rein from K to X and then from X to H, then medium walk to C, then trot at C, then at R a 20 meter stretchy circle. And I had a hard time with the logistics of this sequence of movements (from H to R) - it seems weird to have a long rein, suck them up, trot, let them back out, all in basically the short corner. Mike's tip was not to suck the reins all the way up. Brilliant, simple, and I can almost guarantee it never would have occurred to me on my own.
We started with some obedience/bending work. Mike had me take charge of Willig's connection, and then keep it. From the halt, I connected him up (to make the waterfall neck) and then I had to keep that neck, particularly when I knew he was going to try to shoot it up to look outside, and then I also had to keep the inside bend, even if it meant using a heavy hand. This worked really well, and after a couple of times past the scary side, Willig gave up on battling me and just went past nicely. What was a bit weird was how out of breath it made me.
Also, I am still clenching up with my knees and grabbing with them whenever I get the least little bit nervous. So we're also back to thinking about putting my legs down and long.
Side note on Willig's progress: we warmed up entirely on the scary end, almost without incident, despite two riders outside and a car, and B with a pitchfork cleaning up some poop at that end.
Then we did canter work, and our first transition (like always, it seems) was sloppy. Mike pointed out that to ask him to keep going into it, by pushing him onto his forehand and making him run, doesn't get me what I want. Go ahead and regroup. Don't insist on canter if it's ugly.
Then we did what I call horsey sit-ups (even though they're not, but it's stuck in my head), where we made the canter smaller and smaller. Willig did excellent at this. From December, when he could hardly do two steps, to now, where he can just keep going around and around until Mike tells us to stop, is a world of difference. And I don't have to work as hard either.
My homework for the next lesson is to keep working on horsey sit-ups, which I think (but am not sure about), are helping Willig build muscle for collection. Mike said it's important to think lift-lift (like rearing) and not let him slam down on his forehand (the easy way out for him).
Second side note: Willig has been a bit tired the last two days, so it was also impressive how he didn't try to act naughty to avoid work, even though he was willing to walk along stretched out on a long rein (usually, it takes an hour of hard riding before he really wants to stretch out and down).
Then to work more without stirrups. I have let that slack with everything else.
And ugh! There was a third major thing that now I can't remember.
I also talked with him a bit at the start about Willig's attitude. He pointed out that I won't learn anything on a horse that doesn't challenge me. Very true, but it's also not as much fun to be constantly struggling. But then I went to the gym and spent time thinking about it while I was running, and when Willig is brilliant - holy cow is he amazing. It's just that he's brilliant only maybe 10% of the time. So CAN he increase that? I think he has come a long way, and I am learning an enormous amount, and Mike believes that the dressage will translate to the jumping. And while he's not what I wanted (isn't that life, though?) maybe I'll learn something different. So I'm going to stick with my plan for the next six months, and then I'll re-evaluate again, because if I'm going to sell him, I might as well put in a break with the crazy period coming up at work when I won't be able to ride anyway. Although I have been making excuses for a while now, deep down I really like him, even if it does make me anxious every time I jump. But when he jumped that course Sunday - it was a delight. And last year at Caber - a delight. And when we learn something new in dressage - a delight. And when he picks his head up and comes to the fence because I called his name - also a delight. He's not what I would have picked for myself, but maybe in the long-term, there's a reason the universe got him for me. At least for the next six months.


In hive news, after 3 days without a new hive, today he had three new ones on the right side of his neck. Bummer. It probably wasn't the cob, or ulcers, since he's on his 4th day of the omeprazalone (sp?) and they said it only took 24 hours to see a difference. BUT - just a few small ones a month after the first one (and some deflated fat ones) is something I can live with. I just wish I knew what caused them.