Another great lesson with John

We lucked out with some fabulous fall weather - warm with just a slight breeze - although with his full coat, Charlie got pretty sweaty.
We warmed up and John said to make sure to keep him connected and not to let him get too stiff going to the left or hang on the reins going to the right.  I had to push him forward and then bend him out with the inside leg.  We also did some half halts in the canter and then sending him forward.
Then we did a few tricky combinations.  We ended with an oxer - 5 strides - vertical - 2 strides - hard left turn to oxer - right roll back turn to vertical - 2 strides - hard right turn in 4-5 strides to an oxer - then a left turn to a skinny.
I could NOT get the left lead on the last two (oxer, skinny) so my first homework is just to set up a pole or a small jump and work on my left lead.  I could get it fine when it was just the skinny or just the plank, but not when I was doing it as part of the course.
Instead, I would pull hard on the left rein, but the good news was that I could feel that I was doing it, like that eureka moment when I felt I was pulling back before each fence and could finally stop.
We also worked on doing the line in 5 strides, then 6, but just a little bit.
I also had another eureka moment where I finally got "sit up" around the corner, and I half halted without losing impulsion.  Then, we bounced in and just flew over the fence, instead of kind of chipping over it.
A third eureka moment was when I got too close to the first vertical of the three combination, and how it screwed up the next two and I still didn't get it back together for the skinny.
However, since we haven't jumped since the derby, and John said we just jumped right in and were pushing Charlie, I was really happy with how well we did, considering.
My homework is leads and then to work on three fences in a row (two strides between each) but the center one wonky angled, so that I learn to ride to my spot regardless.
John said that yes Jumpernite is worthwhile - because any time in the arena is.  He said to ride one level below, my level, and if he's going well, the next level up.  So three classes.
He also said that Devoucoux are the best saddles, and there are a couple other good ones (one that starts with A and one that starts with R) but that I don't need to specialize between my xc and sj saddles until my second year at Prelim.  He said that's when I'll feel that with a different saddle, I could go faster.