Major Beale - major fun

I was a little anxious about today's ride with Major Beale.  Charlie got 3 weeks off of work instead of 2, and his right front hoof feels warm to me.  He felt off the last day I tried to ride him (so I quit) and a few days later he was noticeably lame. The one day I got to ride him (two days ago), he was downhill and rushing, and I couldn't tell whether he felt off or not.
And, like every other lesson, with Major Beale, it was miraculous.
First, I come in and loaf around.  No more.  Charlie can walk on a long rein, but he is going to MARCH forward. 
Second, I asked for help on the two 15 meter circles at X for Training Level B.  The problem is the outside shoulder - I'm losing contact in the outside rein, and Charlie's shoulder bulges out, and that's what makes the circle the wrong shape.
Third, I had lengthening the canter all wrong.  It made sense for a horse not round, but for a horse that is connected, there is a different way to ride it.  If Charlie has impulsion, then I don't need to kick, but just let my seat swing bigger - that stretches him out without driving him down.  But to collect it back up, I need to wrap my legs around him and then hold it in front. 
Lengthening the trot is not the same aid as canter.  There, I do need to use leg to lengthen - and also post higher.  But the feeling of bringing it back is similar.
Fourth, I asked for help with the trot stretchy circle, and as I suspected, it's because I'm not riding the right basics.  If Charlie is working over his topline, the stretchy circle is a relief, and he naturally goes round and low to stretch out his topline.  But if he's already downhill on the forehand, he has no reason to stretch, and I have to make him do it.  So after I worked him correctly, and allowed the reins to lengthen, he just naturally went down.
Fifth, when Charlie is tilting his head it means that he's not working symmetrically on both sides.  I can't always feel this, but it's good to know that's the root cause.
Sixth, I need to push Charlie into the halt (or whatever downward transition) with my legs and not pull with my hands.  I have heard this before and thought it was crazy, but today it totally worked.  I just kept my hands steady and used my legs and miraculously we stopped every time - and we stopped with lifted (lofty) shoulders instead of heading downhill.
Major Beale said that we have made definite progress, but that I need to sharpen Charlie up so that instead of it taking 13 steps to make a transition, it takes no more than 3.  He also said because Charlie is lazy and has always been lazy I really have to stay consistent and dedicated to working on making him move forward with impulsion.
He also said that Charlie needs to develop muscles over his topline.  It sounds like a chicken and egg problem.  If Charlie had those muscles, it would be easier for him to do this work, but he needs to do this work to get those muscles.  Mostly a lot of transitions but they need to be from a marching walk and done properly, not puked out onto the forehand downhill stuff.