Lesson with Beth - riding every step, keeping the contact

Today with Beth in the studio we focused on two areas:  hamstrings and trapezius?  (center of back and just below arms on back).  It turns out I have even been able to "relax" incorrectly.  For the exercise on the foam roller with scarecrow arms, I should start with my arms crossed so that my back doesn't pop too high up (in the sway back arch) so that my shoulders can open in the front.
The hamstrings seemed a little easier to focus on than they have in the past.  It does really help to take the breath and center, and then do the movement.  We worked on egg beaters with my tailbone on a ball at the end, which I need to incorporate into my at home routine.  My legs had different ability to make the "D" shape, so I need to pay attention to that.
Then we also did a few exercises on the reformer which I think I can mimic at home, where I focus the lift from the spot between my shoulder blades instead of from my neck or from my lower back.
For some reason, today I also did a better job being able to feel this when I was on Charlie as well.  It was helpful because when we were sitting the trot, I could think of that spot and "anchor" my shoulders down into my waist.
I got a better appreciation for how to do scarecrow properly - it is much more difficult than the way I have been doing it - so that will be good to see if I improve by next time with this new appreciation for the nuances.
The studio lesson once again fit really well into my riding lesson.  We started with getting Charlie to "march" forward (Beth doesn't call it marching).  I needed the feeling of being able to halt or trot from the walk, and when he had enough forward coming from the hind end, his neck would more naturally round and he would feel heavier in my hand but softer in his shoulders.  I had to either use legs on-off-on-off or use the whip rhythmically.  He would get a little anxious after about five whip taps, so then we would give him a break from the whip but he had to keep moving forward.
From the walk, we did sitting trot with the same rhythmic tapping so that he was a bit more jazzed up than usual.  Then I took the energy (with shorter reins) and thought about his hind legs stepping under him and my seat giving a bigger bounce but with the same tempo. 
From there we worked on transitions, with the emphasis on thinking about the transition a few steps ahead.  For the up transitions, I kind of slip the reins (or push my hands forward) and so I had to really think about not pushing forward.  This confused Charlie (who is used to the release and the plunge downwards) so then I had to think "transition - transition" and give the aid twice.  Then I gave the aid too strong in too quick a succession so he lunged forward, but a lunging forward was a better response than a puking downward.
Then we worked on canter to walk transitions.  We started on a 20 meter circle, then did a 12 meter circle, then Beth would say "1-2-3" and I would think "halt" but we would "walk".  I thought these were pretty good because he almost came to a halt each time.
Beth said that the topline muscle exercises I'm doing are the correct exercises, but the reason we worked on these specific exercises were to ensure that I was practicing quality exercise to help develop the topline.  She said it naturally develops from the engagement.
Charlie's left lead canter was a little hoppy in his left stifle.  I could feel it and Beth could see it, so that is definitely something to watch.
I'm not doing the best job describing the lesson, but essentially, I was able to ride him rounder and with more activity coming from his hind end, and I could take that energy and channel it into being potential energy for an up or down transition instead of it leaking out the front.  This was by riding with more consistent contact, but also by using my aids (on-off) and using my core.  Beth said to pull my legs off his side, feel how deep my seat got, and to try to get that seat.
It was a really great and helpful lesson, and we were able to do most of it sitting too!