Trampoline Seat = Easier Ride

Today we worked our way closer to the elusive poof. Thanks to one of the Pony Club manuals, I realized that what I've been calling the "poof" is when Willig gets off his forehand and engages his hindlegs, which elevates the forehand and creates the "poof". Mike explained how Training and 1st level are working over the topline, so switching to the "poof" for 2nd and 3rd level is a big change for the way that the horse thinks about doing his job.
We started with working on the sitting trot with the "trampoline seat" and an internal metronome to switch from a regular trot to a working trot and back. I can ask for a bigger trot, but unless I think "1-2-1-2" to myself, we just speed up and flop onto the forehand. When I think "1-2" instead, he begins to lift up, and while the trot gets bigger (and yes, a little faster), it isn't as hard to sit as a racing on the forehand medium trot.
Then we worked on the canter, thinking the same thing - maintaining his connection into the canter (by slowing down the trot and then WAITING for him instead of flinging into the aid like a spaz (me)), and then lifting into trot, not plummeting down on the forehand. We also did a bit of using the outside leg to move him onto a 10 meter circle, and then maintain the canter (hard work for him) on the little circle.
As if that didn't fill my head with enough, then we did a few minutes of asking for connection - wiggling both rains erratically(right 3 shakes, left 7 shakes, right 4 shakes, both together, etc.) to get his attention and connection. Then I did the same walking, and then added leg shaking which was truly a feat of multi-tasking. And then, because Mike couldn't see the steam coming out of my ears with my poor brain trying so hard to juggle that much, he added picking up the trot. The goal was Willig, moving forward nicely, but maintaining his connection. The secondary goal was to begin to train my brain to focus on more things at once, so that when we eventually learn flying changes, and it is an inside leg, outside leg, hip, shoulder, hand aid - all at once - I'll have the multi-tasking ability to do it.
Then we went to lateral work, doing leg yields, and then leg yields that turned into shoulder-in. This helps to engage his hind leg, but also helps me with my aids (these were kind of ugly - we got the job done but it wasn't pretty) and not using my leg further back for leg yield or allowing him to bend too much in shoulder-in, but instead, really engage his outside hind leg.
Then we took the lateral work, added canter, and shifted my shoulders to the outside, which made Willig's hindquarters go to the inside, and then to the inside, which made them (sort of) go to the outside. He moved more naturally (most horses do, apparently) to the inside.
*Note - trampoline seat can be done from a slightly forward jumping seat (like a hunter seat), and doesn't need a leaning-back driving seat. The driving seat kind of drives Willig to dive down on his forehand, while, kind of contrary to my common sense at least, the slightly tilted forward softer seat still "lifts" him on the forehand.
Then we went back to canter, not running forward on the up transition, not plummeting down in the down transition, and making a 10 meter circle.
The take-aways were that there is indeed, another layer of the onion, and I've mastered (my thinking) the last layer, and am ready to tackle this layer. But just like sitting trot seemed overwhelming, and heels down seemed overwhelming, and leg yield seemed overwhelming, this new layer of the onion is a whole new world. Which, I have to say, is one of the coolest things about riding.
And then second is just how much easier and more delightful it is to ride when I keep Willig "bundled". And that I can "bundle" him but still do a trot lengthening or a medium (well, try to) trot. I don't have to let him fling out and splay around, and it is so, so, so much easier on my lower back!
And third is to keep pushing it. Because I can consistently leg yield him, now let's take it up a notch and leg yield with impulsion. And then leg yield with impulsion and with the shoulder-in. Keep it challenging for both of us.
It was a great ride with a lot to chew on. Mike said as I work on all these things, they'll gradually become part of the repetoire, and then we'll be able to add more.