Wow, it's really amazing how life can take detours. I can't believe how long it's been since I posted on this thread. I am now back to my summer layoff once again and fortunately my trainer has taken me on as a working student while I am off.
My last couple of lessons were pretty rocky. The second to last had highs and lows and the one last night was just mediocre to low. Today while I was driving out to the barn I decided that I was going to have a good lesson and maybe there is something to positive thinking. It wasn't perfect but it went pretty well with some great moments. It helped that Hank seemed to have lots of energy tonight so I didn't have to work as much to get him forward.
We started with trot work and I got him pretty round and thru in not much time so that was nice. Unfortunately on the 20m circle he kept dropping his shoulder as we came off the open side up to the wall. Figured out that I was not keeping contact with my outside leg so he was just falling out. Have to work on that. Well after working on the left for a while at trot and canter my trainer told me to just walk and then he started talking to some people outside the arena. I was very focused on keeping Hank thru and round at the walk and was doing a pretty good job. I knew my trainer was watching and so were others so I was trying to make him and Hank look good. Hank and I walked along the long side to the far wall away from the gate and all the people. Everthing was feeling great. He was forward, round, and on the aids lightly. I thought "I bet we could do a lovely walk/canter transition right now" so I asked and he did it instantly and beautifully. We cantered about 4 strides of canter when I heard like 3 people say "look at that" and my trainer say "that's great Robert now circle 20 meters". I know it's not about impressing other people or putting on a show but it was great to have it all come together without coaching and with witnesses. We cantered for about a minute, did a very nice transition to trot and pranced around for another minute and then my trainer said we should call it quits on this good note. I pretty much floated around the barn for the rest of the evening. It's sad how excited one smooth and effortless transition can make me. Now I just need to work at getting the rides more consistant overall.