2nd jumping lesson; 2'9", two grids, cavaletti and flying changes

I started the lesson by running over one of John's sandbags and then being completely unable to park the trailer or get out of the parking area.  Hot start.
Charlie was fine on Sunday last week, got Monday and Tuesday off, but then was stiff and flat on Wednesday in the dressage saddle, and horrible - completely ignoring my leg - in the jump saddle on Thursday.  I must have whipped him 1000 times.  I changed hands, in case it was raising welts; that's how bad it was; and he would buck instead of just freaking going forward.
So that's what I told John about, and he said that yes, every once in a while Charlie gets in a snit and needs that, and that usually he does it (or Shannon would do it).  He said that everyone thinks Charlie is  a saint, but he's got a dingy halo.  He said it should have improved by the third day.  He also said that I can call or text him when I get stuck, but lateral work would be one way to break the snit and the other way is draw reins.  Charlie shouldn't be doing a lot of lateral work yet, so he said just go get draw reins, and then let Charlie fight the draw reins.
He said it does no good to beat him if he just runs out long and stringy, that I have to get him back a bit on his haunches.
It made me feel about a million times better because I felt awful after riding him and so guilty I didn't ride him Friday, although I was pretty sure that it was one of those things he had to work through or else the behavior would get worse.
We started on the flat with some bending to the outside, then back to the inside.  Then we did work over one cavalleti, then two.  Two that are 9' apart can be cantered or trotted, and it was Charlie's job to figure out where to put his feet, not mine.
Then we did the same grid as last week, a pole, cross rail, and then a pole, vertical.  You had to turn left after this one and Charlie pretty much landed on the right lead every time.  John said once he landed on the left, but went 1 1/2 strides and then switched to the right.
So we went ahead and worked on lead changes, mostly so John could see where he was from last year.  Which was much improved from where he was a year ago when we started working on them, but not as far as at the end of the year.  Charlie had the concept, and changed pretty easily on the front.  I'd usually have to bend him to the outside, and the shift in balance would make him change in the back (or trot and change).  John said that it's a huge improvement, since last year he would just canter 100 circles like he had no idea what a lead change was.
Then we did the other grid, a pole, cross rail, vertical, and oxer.  Charlie jumped the oxer like a rainbow.  It was awesome.  And I forgot to ask John, but I'm still pretty sure my hips are going back better and my lower leg is more stable than last year.
Then we went back and tried the left turn again a couple times, but we still had to do lead changes after.
John said it's ok to work at home on simple changes, like we were doing last year, to start to get it back in his head.
The lesson made my day.  I had been worried I was on a downward slide after our two battle rides and then the horrible parking, but all is now right in the world.
Damn I love those lessons.  John just knows how to deal with everything.