Craz-ee 8s

Tonight was a lesson with Meg.  John started out while Meg started her warm up by reviewing Charlie's diet.  Since Charlie is loving the oil but still not drinking, John suggested more oats (another 1/2 scoop am and pm and a scoop at lunch if I can), more oil (3/4 cup twice a day), and adding molasses to one of his buckets to see if it will make him drink.  If not, start adding salt to his grain.  John said we can't go to a show and have him not eat.
But, he did agree that Charlie had some extra spring in his step, which I first noticed two days ago but was really obvious yesterday and again today.
He started us both on the flat, and said Charlie needed to be more round and then a bit more bend to the inside.  When I got him both round and bent, then John wanted me to go forward.  I thought Charlie had his own oomph (although it helped John was standing there with a lunge whip), and that also made him feel softer in his jaw to me.
We started with a little vertical, then a 5 stride line, then the same line from the other direction.  We switched direction over the plank wall, and then John went to the craze-ee 8.  It was an oxer in the center of the ring, jumped at an angle, on an angled line (2 strides) to a vertical; then a right hand turn back to the oxer with an angled line to another vertical; then a left hand turn, etc.
I thought angle to angle wouldn't be so bad, but you had to really ride from the outside rein, but forward, but not flat, and get the angle just right to get the whole thing right.  I'm pretty sure I said "EEP" over every fence the first time through.
Then Meg did it, flawlessly, and it really helped my eye see the lines better for the next time.
I would come into the second half (going from right back to left) and half halt, then hesitate, then it was too late, and Charlie would have to spring over it.  John said I have to commit all the way, and to sit up to it.
It was one of those elegant exercises that looks simple but is quite technical (for me) and at the same time, kind of sketchy and then rewarding that we did it.  I did not like angling over the oxer at such an extreme angle, but Charlie didn't mind at all.
I had a nice conversation with Meg afterwards about her former horses and how she has been working with Matty.  He's got some opinions, unlike solid reliable Charlie, who just jumps whatever he's pointed at.  Meg also recommended following Denny Emerson on Facebook and William Steinkraus's book.