Beautiful Bridle

As you are aware i purchased a new saddle back in August - lovely unsual brown colour - kind of mahogany i guess you'd describe it as...

Reminder pic (cos i love pictures!)

Anyways my good friend L decreed upon purchase of above-pictured saddle that i'd simply have to alos buy a shiny new bridle...after the money spent on that saddle and vet fees/osteo etc after Miss Kika's unfortunate kick during the summer (all discussed in detail in earlier posts see May-July additions) the purse strings were a little tight for matchy matchy bridle purchasing, especially as Stubben bridles (saddle make) retail at over 100euros easily! Long story short L was adament (and i wholeheartedly agreed) that i was not going to spend that kind of money on a bridle and that we'd find a reasonably priced one to match.The only time i honestly looked for one was at the Equi Expo in Germany a few weeks back and we found one with reins and a matching breastplate (which i had also been on the look out for) for money i was happy to spend on it.

And you guessed it, I have photos of the Spoiled one modeling it!

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LINK Sorry I know the last one is a bit Fuzzy McFuzzerson, but she had her ears forward and was looking all pretty it was just the photographer's (me) hurry to capture the moment that it all went shaky! Woopsy!

Anyways it is the same colour brown and has white stitching on the nose- and browbands, shall take a pic of it hanging if anyone would like to see a close up ;)

Needless to say that i did ride in it last night, i wasn't sure how she'd react as i also changed the bit. I've always ridden her in a snaffle (when we used to go cross country i used to change it to a three ring snaffle on the snaffle ring), however the go-to bit here is softer and has more links in it...can't remember the name! Shall also get a pic for tack experts to fill me in due to my lack of knowledge! It is also not a steel bit, but one that is made from a sweeter metal which is supposedly tastier for the horses and encourages chewing of the bit...salivating.

Long story (as usual) not so short...she went like a dream! There were two others in the arena with us, one lungeing in the lower half and a girl hand walking her horse so i stuck to the top half of the arena  which meant no cantering for us as it isn't the worlds largest arena and as Kika's canter still needs a lot of work and is difficult for her i didn't want her to be turning so tight. But her trot work was really good (even if i do say so myself) especially by our usual standards! Friend who was handwalking her horse said how good she was, nice and calm despite the winds, rain and noises going on around the arena - personally i think this had very little to do with me and a lot to do with her standing in the middle of my circle with her horse chatting to me as i went around, teehee!
I had had great intentions of placing a pole in each corner of the arena on the diagonals to work on our canter but with all the messing with fitting the bridle it went clear out of my head until i was in the arena with the horse which made moving poles from the outside in decidely implausible!
Office Christmas party is tonight so shan't be getting to see her ladyship (L has offered to let her loose to blow off some steam - she's a godsend that girl!). Friday i shall be flatworking (or at least i intend to) and Saturday I'll set up the poles like last week but spend longer working with them. Had to cut my probatory session short last week due to other engagements. Sunday will depend on the weather but might see if i can get out to the woods for a hack...if not shall deffo be trying with L to get our girls out to the field we've been offered and had tidied up so that we can get the initial trial run over and done with so that i can start popping to the barn on my lunch breaks and letting teh girls out for a bit during the days!

As usual more waffle than inteded, but there ya go...I'm sure at this stage you know what you've signed up for when you start reading a post!