Careful Cantering + Circles = Cheers!

I had a wonderfully detailed post written out and then lost it *rant*, so sorry if this isn't up to my usual standard of novel writing - but then again it'll probably be refreshing for those of you who have been following to have something less substantial to read, ;-)

Made new appointment with saddle fitter, he is now coming tomorrow (thursday) at 11am to coincide with the osteo's visit to the yard. So now all going well and we find a saddle that fits us, the osteo can check it out on her straight away.
The next step prior to saddle fitting and Kika and my return to work was to remind her ladyship how to canter with a person on her back. This has long been a bone of contention between K and myself in that on her "bad" rein when she is not muscled enough to cope with such work can lead to rearing and general stroppyness and bad behaviour! Conscious of this fact and that i have been using a saddle pad to ride her in we braved some cantering last night, including the dreaded (for her and by consequence me) circling on our bad rein in canter - we actually attempted circling on her bad side prior to circling on her good side which is unusual for me, I'm not sure what came over me! :p I'm not usually that brave! *blushing*

She was as calm and controlled as she has been on the lunge of late - an accidental 40mins in the walker (was chatting to friend abouther lame horse - poor sod has had an awful two months on/off of lameness which vets and farrier ahven't been able to pin-point probkme!) and 10 mins on the lunge possibly helped her in the calmness stakes. Not an iota of fuss was made about the cantering, which just goes to show that as usual it was over-analysis on the rider's part!

Before i finish up I just want to say how proud I am of Kika and how well she has taken back to work. She does still attempt to throw the occasional wobbly when i first sit up and ask her to do something, but attempt is all she has done so far. Thankfully she hasn't resorted to the bad behaviour i was privy too last autumn/winter. I hope that this kind, courteous, willing lady sticks around as this is the horse I know and love! She worries me when she turns and goes all sullen and crancky, hopefully it will not be a re-occuring autumn/winter lack of turn-out problem! But i guess we'll cross that bridge if and when we get to it!
I hope that I do not paint her in too bad of a light online, she really isn't as bad as i sometimes make her out to be! I guess i am particularly harsh on her (and myself by proxy) to keep us grounded so that we don't get ahead of ourselves or above our stations.
Wow how my posts take odd twists and turns!
I am gutted that i lost my initial post and that you are left with this pathetic excuse for a contribution!

The silver lineing about our cantering is twofold; 1) we worked in our "bogey" arena (possibly more my bogey than hers as that is the arena we first ran into rearing troubles - same spot three days in a row!) with all the distractions of it being surrounded by boxes so horses coming and going, being fed, calling - as well as big double doors onto the parking where people come and go, opening and slamming car-doors, chatting laughing, and playing with their yappy dogs add to this the main road just beyond it and there are plenty distractions readily available for a mare who when the mood takes her is well capable of messing!
And 2) we cantered circles last night, :-) *dance*

Fingers crossed all now goes well with saddle fitting! I shall lunge her in the first saddle first before sitting up, so that if she doesn't like it or it pinches she can let us know that way first! :p