Gorgeous Georgeous! (and ugly faces)

I didn't post my blog last week as I had another less than fun lesson. I had Charlie, and although I did learn some things and got to practice on my position, we just did mainly trot flatwork and a canter on each rein. I'm always surprised at how much I get worn out from a long canter! I asked Simon if I could go into the 6.15pm group the next week and do some jumping. I think I knew that this more advanced group will never jump, and I don't want to be that rider in the group making everyone do something they don't want to. 
I got given George for this week's lesson, and I seriously had so much fun that I've decided to move back in to the group before it fills up. 
Simon put the poles out straight away, I saw we were going to be doing a grid of four jumps, exciting! I made sure George was off my leg and listening to me from the start as I really really wanted a good jump. After a 20 minute warm up of trotting around (including standing in our stirrups, which I still majorly suck at!), he put up a small cross pole, only a foot. 
We went over this a few times and gradually he put up the other three jumps. George really didn't seem that interested though, possibly because they were small, and also because we were working on the left rein, which he is weaker on.
Simon started putting up the first and second jump to two foot cross poles and put us on the right rein. George loved it! He started cantering most of the line, but still didn't have enough umph in him and kept slipping back to trot for the smaller jumps. Simon called myself and Audrey into the middle and sent everyone else out on the grid a few times. After 5 minutes of jumping he sent us back out and put them all up to 2 foot cross poles. And finally, George started cantering them all, really whizzing down the line! I was so happy that he didn't really need my help with striding or egging along, and I really got to practice my position. I made sure I kept looking ahead, and it felt really secure and timed well. I wish I got it on video! At one point I was concentrating on my position so much over the jumps that I accidentally let go of the reins! Oops! It made me really want to have a go at jumping with my hands out like an aeroplane though!
On our last couple of times on the grid I managed to canter the grid (almost missed it because George "motobiked" the corner to the first fence), then cantered around the school, and back over the grid! I was so happy! I've never cantered a grid of four jumps, let alone canter the arena afterwards and back over some more jumps! Hopefully we'll be able to do some small courses in the next couple of months. And my goal of 2013 to jump 3 foot is looking more likely!
I love it when a lesson gives you a buzz! 
xx

P.S, here's some pictures from when my sister came up to the stables a couple of weeks ago!