How did I get SOOOO lucky?!

I seriously have the most wonderful amazing horse ever. He really is the whole package!
Today we went back to the horse park for another lesson. This time without Sunny and we didn't run into Sham either so poor Flecky was all alone. And they had some race/mud buddy thing going on... which meant in the distance but within view - tents, bounce houses, music, speakers, screaming, laughing, and commotion!!! Fleck was all ramped up!! I tied him to the trailer to tack up and he was literally dancing on the end of his lead rope. He's so good and knows to not pull back, but he used every inch of slack he had playing on the end of it. And he was about 18 hands tall. I almost left my XC bit on my bridle and almost put on my safety vest. He was that amped up. I got on and he was bouncing on his toes, but stayed on all four feet. We found Cindy and went to the warm up area. Bless his heart... once I put him to work he turned back into the Flecky we all know and love... my perfect little man! 

We had a really good ride! Especially after yesterdays. He was soft and supple and I worked on giving with my outside/left rein and he was able to bend around me. It was great! Not perfect, mind you, but great. We even were able to work on me a little. I cannot cannot cannot lean forward into the upward transitions. It's such a bad habit. I don't trust yet that by just lifting my inside seat bone, he'll canter. So I throw my upper body at him (because we all know that is the proper way to ask for a canter...???!!). But today.. I was able to feel myself doing it and stop it midway and then stop myself from doing it. The transitions weren't perfect because both Fleck and I were like "wait, what? You mean it?". hee hee.  BUT.. they were getting there. He was listening and I was waiting. It was great. We also got some nice downwards. 

Cindy had me twist my chest a little with every rise but not lock or jut out my chin. It sounds odd, but it worked. It allowed my shoulders to move when I thought of it that way. I also had to remember to allow with my outside hand and when I wanted to grab... that meant he was falling against my inside/right leg and I needed to do something to fix it. The big thing about today.. is that I was THINKING!! And it made such a big difference. I didn't lose him as much and was able to get him back quicker. So Cindy thinks that this concept will help me in my test. 

It was a good day :) YAY!