Spurs are my new friends

Shannon pulled out some honkin' spurs today (honkin' to me, after my THREE total times of wearing spurs - and the teeny tiny baby ones at that) after I foolishly said he didn't seem to respond at all to the baby ones. They were maybe an inch, and soft little round ends.
We went outside, and started warming up, where I showed her my idea of 'collection' and asked whether it was really. The answer, as I suspected from my dressage comments, is "no". She had a very simple solution - get some of my rides taped and watch them. If she's not there, watch them with her (or with Mike) later. Because what I feel (think back to "sitting up straight" for dressage seat) might not (likely IS not) accurate, and I have to see it - either in a mirror or on tape or in a photo, to really understand.
We started with a cross rail and worked on some 'close' distances - a ground pole on either side that Shannon inched in so he'd have to make himself more compact. He was in a pretty easy going mood today, so he was barely looking at the spooky stuff (the barrel sitting on top of the wall, the wadded up tarp). He was fine, but I couldn't get the right lead over the fence.
That's because I BARELY (like maybe an inch) put my leg back when I "ask" for it. And since Willig isn't a mind reader ...
Then we set up a little course. He refused the skinny. So then I used the honkin' spurs, and that's when I fell in love with them. My new BFFs.
I can twist my ankle faster than I can kick (who knows why) and so when he gives me a jig a couple strides out, I can twist my ankle on the jiggy side (usually the right) and then he straightens out again and goes over the fence. Eureka!
Shannon was also telling me to growl at him, and, like a bored teenager trying to get a kid to fall asleep by reading a book in the most boring tone possible, I'd say "grrr" in this weird, flat, monotone. Like a computer or robot reading the word "grrrr" only more boring and not funny. She was happy at least I made a noise, but it was a really stupid noise. I guess it was kind of funny, after the fact.
So he did ok on the course (we did it a couple times), but she had made it kind of small since he was such a ding bat at NWEC schooling (the last time I jumped), and so then she raised everything and added this decent oxer. I was carefully eyeing her when she was setting it up (to make sure it was hip height, not belly button height) and it was fine (top of hip) but then when we got further away, I noticed it had a "decent" spread (2'?) and it looked much, much bigger without her standing next to it. I was trying not to be a wimp, and she suggested I jump it with my eyes closed (which seemed worse than jumping it looking at it) so when I came around the corner towards it, I made myself breathe in and out and ... he just sailed over it. I even had the angle a bit funny, instead of facing it square, we jumped it like a corner, and good lord that horse can jump.
Shannon said my leg position is loads better, and she liked that I got him collected right up and headed towards the next fence in just a couple strides - instead of flailing about (my word) for half the arena. This is from last lesson - the 1-2-1-2 on the way to the fence keeps him together so that we don't rush at it, then land rushing.
So in addition to that big one (which is very wise, and I get that if I jump stuff like that (big, spread, skinny, ditch, corner, wall) at home, when I see it at the show, it will be smaller and I'll know I can do harder and so I'll be confident and have fun instead of pushing my upper limit, but each step up still makes me a bit nervous), she's also working on my position between fences now. Like we did at NWEC, sit in a three point until about 10 strides out, then lean back a bit, then sit up just a couple strides before the fence. This also requires some trusting of him, with my hands pressed into his neck, that is REALLY hard for me to do, and then that sitting up also adds the kick/jab if he's jiggy, which is also hard for me to do but I'm not as sure why (I'm afraid he'll buck on the landing?).
Anyway, it was a great lesson and a huge confidence builder, although when I was sure we were close to over time (so sure, I asked her), we were actually only a half hour in. Ha!
Afterwards, I went on a trail ride with my friend K, and we even trotted a bit. There was a lady walking her dog on the other side of the woods, and normally, that would have sent Willig over the edge (she kept coming in and out of view and stepping on sticks and stuff), but today he held it together pretty well.