Lesson Update

Last night I rode in my altered GP saddle and despite an initial discomfort where I felt my stirrups were too short (despite them being as i always rode in them before) and feeling like I was shooting out into space the first few strides of rising trot - all settled back to normality as L gave me a lesson, :)
Kika was good as gold, and we got great work done on our "bad" rein and only mediocre work done on our typically good rein - more than likely my fault more than hers as we worked on the good rein after the bad rein so I was probably tired and less effective in the saddle.

I can tell you right now that my brain and limbs were not cooperating as The Guru tried to have us work on lateral movements from the center line whereby i was to brake/hold the rein with my outside hand and squeeze with my inside leg to have Kika cross her legs and move sideways (dancing as i call it in my non-technical/untrained moron lingo) - unfortunately as I said my brain and limbs weren't understanding one another so our dancing was very stop-start, practically non-exsitant - but we did manage to squeeze a few criss-crossed steps with help from L on the ground with my crop backing up my weak leg aids - so i did get the feel the sensation of what it is to feel like for when i finally manage to master the proper requesting process!
An added bonus is that despite the mixed messages from me which will undoubtably fluster and confuse any horse, Kika has resisted the urge (so far) to show me her displeasure by rearing or even bouncing her front legs in her threatening way. Touch-wood we can keep that phase behind us!

All in all I'm super happy with how we are working together, in both saddles - I intend to ride in the dressgae one this evening and perhaps alternate spins in each saddle. As typically i try to ride two days in a row, so might as well mix it up with saddle styles while I'm at it, ;)

New on my to-buy list along with new larger winter rugs (still on my shoping list have done no purchasing yet, as was unsure what size to go for - now think i'll get a 6ft6 and see how she likes that as current purple rug, see pics in previous post, is 145cms (6ft6) and is deffo a better fit than the 6ft3 ones she ahs been using this winter. However when I measured her from withers to tail she is 147cms - just between sizes as next rug size is 6ft9 = 155cms, which i think will be rather too large!
What to do, what to do?!

Anyways, sorry - got sidetracked!

The latest item on my to purchase list is a black bridle as the new-to-me (secondhand) dressage saddle is balck and my bridle goes with my very non-black mahogany almost GP saddle. Plus I've been swayed by diamontes (slightly) and am looking for a black gem browband - nothing to flashy but a bit of bling all the same. Sure if Kika and I are going to start dancing, we'd best look the part - even if when we do start to move people will fall about the place in fits of giggles.

So currently on my equine shopping list:
- 6ft6 Stable rugs, MW & HW
- Black bridle (understated black bling browband optional - longe finger dream)
- Gaiters and Jodh boots, may order more Mackeys as these ones have served me very well since 2008.
- Newmarket Fleece Rug/Cooler linked in an earlier post.

Plenty spending coming my way from the looks of things!
Was just googling to see if i could find a black bling browdand picture like what i'm hoping to find, understated and not too in your face or tacky (IMO - obviously not shared by everyone!). What can I  say I'm quite conservative at heart. Well i found this website that looks promising, Bling My Bridle, they have a nice black stone wave browbadn, but it has 3 rows of beads i think whereas I'm more on the lookout for something with one row of gemstones if possible.
If anyone reading this knows of somwhere that might have this i'll galdly give them my custom!
I had a quick nosy at Pink Equine, and while i love their stuff and still have my eye on the Royal Blue saddle pad there, they don't have the browbands with black gems I'm after!