Sitting trot success, now on to the canter...

Had an "extra" lesson today- I'm going to try to lesson twice a week for the next few weeks, since I have no idea how I'm going to be able to ride after I graduate and (hopefully) get a real job. I rode Radar, who was his usual wonderful self. Worked on getting him bending by doing nose-to-the-rail bends down the quarter lines turning into true bend through the short ends. That was very successful so we went into the sitting trot, wow! It has improved so, so much over the past few months! My hips have gotten so much looser in the trot that I can really let myself follow the horse's bounce and still be able to influence the horse. Unfortunately, I also learned that my hip looseness hasn't quite helped me at the canter! I literally completely tighten up my hips in the transition, which definitely doesn't help Radar's so-so canter in the first place. Mia said I need to work on thinking about rounding my back a bit more in the canter (not ideal, but just for now) because that slightly releases the hip angle. That did work, and our last canter was better.