Back to work in San Diego

I suppose I can't have too many nice rest days down here in the sun, so today we were back to work!  I made a few final arrangements for this weekend (ordering shavings, securing my overnight accomodations for my return trip, etc) and rode the boys.  Bolero is getting better, his spookiness is diminishing each day and his overall balance is improving as well. 
Christine came out to Seabreeze Farm today to give lessons to both myself and Shaun McLaughlin (a Washington-based trainer who also made the trip down here for the Del Mar National).  Majek and Victor were both very good, we worked on a few finishing touches for this coming weekend.  I ran through the PSG on both horses, and got some good tips on riding the pirouettes better and presenting the horses better (specifically on the short sides of the arena, where the judges evaluate the horse's overall frame and quality of gait).  Sometimes I will have rhythm bobbles in the extended trot with Majek, and she told me to make sure I kept a good soft contact with both my legs to the horse's hindlegs and keep my seat and hands supporting.  That helped me maintain a steadier rhythm in the trot extensions.  For Victor I need to activate his hind legs a little more after the trot extensions so he doesn't look so strung out on the short side of the arena.
We happened by a bookstore this morning and I picked up a book my Malcolm Gladwell.  I have read Outliers and Blink, and now am reading through a collection of his essays.  I highly recommend Outliers.  It is an engaging and well-written book about successful and high-achieving people and what makes them successful.