A: enter, working trot.

Dressage goals:
1. So far we've achieved a lovely, soft, forward, sane, awesome trot prior to cantering. I'd like that same trot POST-cantering (specifically to the right).
2. Better lateral work. I have not seriously worked on any kind of difficult lateral work since Tanya was my coach and as a result, Sebastian has some straightness-issues and sometimes he bends from the neck, not from the poll/body. I'd like to start getting the following things nailed down: leg yield (which he's already pretty decent at, but he needs to keep his body a little straighter), travers and renvers (also somewhat good at -- his haunches are easier to move on and off the track than his shoulders) and of course, shoulder-in (not so good at -- he overflexes, gets frustrated, snorts and tail-swishes belligerently).
3. Collections. Better collected trot (right now his collected trot is really just more of a stuck trot) and canter (his collected canter is actually not that bad -- he is quite balanced at the canter and surprisingly light -- it's easier for him to lift his withers and use his ass at the canter than at other gaits, but it's still not perfect).
4. Extensions. I feel like if I could just teach him how to really give 'er and then COME BACK AFTER, our canter-trot transitions would improve. Plus he has a lot of potential for a great extended trot. I've seen it when he's at liberty and I've ridden it now and then, but never consistently.
5. The ability to do a dressage test in a 20x40 arena.

Jumping goals:
1. I need him to respect the smaller stuff. The problem with trying to event in the lower levels is that the wee little jumps are just "in his way." He canters around, pausing briefly to pop over them, but he doesn't rock back and actually TRY, because he doesn't HAVE to. As a result, we take rails.
2. As always, working on him not submarine-diving between fences. He has improved leaps and bounds at this, but he needs to learn that just because he's tired, doesn't mean he can just lean and lean and lean and lean on me until my arms finally give out.
3. He could stand to be a little less strong in the bridle. I do like that he takes me to the fences, really goes for it, has a lot of power and is really bold and brave. But sometimes, it's like, okay... WHOA, for crying out loud.

And notes to self:
1. Umm, put your shoulders back, you big collapsing potato-sack.
2. You have nice, long, dressagey legs. USE THEM.
3. Don't be grabby when trying to pick him up while jumping. It looks bad.

All of that being said, I want to mention that I am enjoying my horse more every day. I always thought that the problem was that without Tanya, I was a shitty rider and he was a sucky horse. That's not true. What IS true is that I just need to take lessons every once in a while. I need goals. I need someone to tell me every three seconds what I'm doing wrong. It's not that I'm shitty or he sucks. It's that we've got each other's tickets and we need someone else to keep us accountable.

Everything has been improving so much. He is learning to calm the eff down, and I guess, so am I. Plus he's just so cute.