Two weeks with John

Charlie spent two weeks with John while we were on our honeymoon.  John said Charlie doesn't have enough muscle on his topline for the flying changes yet, which was incredibly useful to know (and the same thing - in a way - that Major Beale said).  John also said that he got his right side soft, that he jumps better from that bigger canter, and that we need to improve the puking transitions from canter to trot (what Beth had us work on last time!).
So we worked on the flat on the proper feel for when Charlie is using his back, but honestly, it's a bit out of my grasp.  It is having him connected, and moving forward, but forward first.  John said the lower leg position over fences that I asked him about - after reading too many George Morris jumping clinics in a row on the plane - is because I'm trying to get Charlie to go forward.  It's an incredibly consistent - but improper - lower leg, and I got horrified that I was the worst rider ever and would get one of those "you shouldn't be jumping" critiques if we sent in my photo.
So the exercise to work on at home is canter - trot - lengthen.  Trot should be the same speed as canter, not slowing down.
And then the other exercises are getting his jaw to soften - by flexing to the outside and then squeezes - and once it does, then using both legs to move him forward, in both directions.  That sounds like a simple exercise, but I couldn't totally feel when his jaw softened, which is why poor Charlie has gotten away with it.  It also made Charlie work much harder, so the 30-45 minutes of work was way more "efficient" (for conditioning) than the work I do with him at home (where he hardly breaks a sweat).
It was really, really useful, and it was also helpful to have the time off to reprioritize.  My schedule is so jam packed I wouldn't be able to see John again until March 21 (assuming he's free) so I'm going to try to take evening lessons every Thursday - alternating jumping and flat.