First lesson with Beth in 8 months; Jump lesson with John

Yesterday was our first lesson with Beth since the end of June last year.  Today, we took Calo back home and then had a jump lesson with John.

Today's jump lesson John put a flash on Charlie and tightened his nose band (from 2 holes to 5 holes, and he said it could even go one hole tighter).  Charlie DID. NOT. LIKE. THIS.  He decided that if he couldn't open his jaw, he couldn't go forward.  It took a LOT of leg and a LOT of arm to wrastle him into place so he could feel that he could still move.  Then he stubbornly refused to land (or stay) on the left lead after the fence to the left, so for about 100 times, we circled and did these huge leaping ridiculous overblown lead changes.  John said that Charlie just doesn't understand how to push up from underneath, and is trying to figure out what to do with his legs to allow them to do the change.  He gave me a couple pretty good bucks when he was frustrated.  John said it's ok if he's done a circle a few times leaping and hopping around and is starting to get frustrated to just trot, but then to work him really hard on the trot circle - not let him have a break.  Then go back to work.  He also said that it's ok to trot at the show.  He said that so long as I trot within a couple strides after the fence, go back to canter, so I still have like 7 strides of canter before the next fence, it will be ok.  He also said to start working Charlie in the flash, and that before my hands were a little too rough for the flash, but they're better (not great) so it's ok to do.
We spent a lot of time on the flat, trying to get Charlie round and forward, and then we did a vertical, right turn, vertical, left turn, back to the original vertical.  It was sort of a figure 8.  Then John added in a lattice wall, and then the lattice wall at a slight angle to make a straight line to the vertical.
Charlie spent a lot of time in the trailer today, so I wondered if that made him tired and harder to do the changes.  John said it doesn't matter - that Charlie is good, but on his terms - and that he needs to start trying to figure out what we're asking him to do and do it.
I also asked him about my inability to get a two stride line correct at home, and he said that his steps can get off from the beginning to the end of a day, as his hamstrings tighten up, so when I can't get the line right, just measure it with the tape.
He said not to work on the changes at home, just to work in Charlie coming underneath himself with lots of transitions and stuff.
I was pouring sweat.  My hair was wetter than at Inavale last summer, when it was 104 and I rode my dressage test in my jacket anyway.

Yesterday with Beth was a good lesson too, but in a very different way.  Beth gave me three exercises to work on.
First was slowing down the trot so Charlie is basically taking half steps, then going forward again.  She said they have to balance themselves and it builds strength.
Next was walking on a circle, leg yield out to the wall, and trot when we get to the wall.
Third was to work on a 20 meter circle, make a 10 meter trot circle, and then start cantering when touching the wall, canter a quarter or so of the circle, then do another 10 meter trot circle.
She noticed that I twist because I am trying to get Charlie to go forward, and I am using more of my left leg.  She suggested using the whip more than my leg, especially in the corners.
She also noticed the difference between his right lead and left lead canter.  She said his leg is kind of jerky - she described it as "stabbing down", and she suspects he is tight over his back.
My position improvements were:
- At the sitting trot, allow my legs to be softer and my core to be tighter.  I have found a way to sit the trot, but I am gripping way more than necessary with my lower leg.  I can bounce even more softly if I breathe into my leg and relax.
- At the posting trot, think about my left butt coming more toward the center of the saddle, and pushing my right hip forward.  This works better for me if I think about pushing my weight into my right leg when I am posting up.  When I have this correct, it feels like I am corkscrewed around to the left, and my right hip starts to ache.  This one was kind of amazing, as soon as I got "uncrooked", he quit bulging out in his shoulder and just made nice round circles, and I didn't need to nag with my leg nearly as much.
- Finally, she said I need to do more ground work because I am rounding much worse with my shoulders (slumping forward).  John pointed this out today too, so I can't deny it.