Some Yard Show Pictures

Needless to say Kika and I are well off competing at the moment, but who knows...maybe some day!
Here are some photos I took of the yard show that went on at the livery yard I keep her on today.
Just a low key affair whereby liveries and lesson people could get a feel for competitive environment and prizes were awarded to everyone...it was mostly for feedback purposes, :)

Please excuse the quality of the photos, all taken on my phone which unfortunately does not have a zoom - and i appear to have had shaky-hands-syndrome!
Oopsy!

The dressage arena was laid out in the "main" arena - the largest indoor with full wall of mirrors behind the adjudicators.

Foreground (black) horse is Fabian and his owner/rider S, horse in the distance receiving prize is N and her mare Amy.

Next Amy and N (who I am buying the dressage saddle off all going well - although she didn't ride in her own saddle today) on the way out after their turn

Next we have adorable Layla warming up for her turn under working pupil, A, this fab little mare's owner was unfortunately ill with bronchitis and missed the whole thing!

Next are a few photos i took in my favourite arena to ride in which was the warm up arena for the afternoon's dressage riders. First up we have the other working pupil, H, who competes 3 or 4 of the livery horses in different dressage level competitions during the season. Here she is riding a young horse, Rimbeau.

The next two pictures are again, H on the black horse as above, and a wonderful young rider, L, who is 14-15yrs old and competes at the same level as the working pupil, H!

H and Rimbeau again coming towards me with L and Redford in the backgroound.

L and Redford

Next here is a sneaky peak at our outdoor arena with the RS instructor on her horse (although they may be too far away), can just see the blue of her gilet along the long side on the right of the picture, she is another L and her horse is Tao (beautiful creature and an absolute gent - sorry pic isn't clearer). Please excuse the weather we had a bit of a wet and grey day here today!

And last but by no means least we have a good friend of mine V and her lovely chestnut mare Whoopi Goldberg  (  I love the name!) getting ready!

As a reward for sharing pictures with you I think i should be allowed to post a "little" (inverted comas as it will probably end up being anything but...as usual!) update about last night and my second spin and first lesson in the secondhand dressage saddle I am hoping to buy.
Afraid I have no pics or videos of this - sorry!

We were in the smallest arena (usually used as a lungeing arena), with the "terrifying door" - which isn't actually terrifying just another excuse for Kika to be silly usually!
It went really well, I think, we have a lot to work on but baby steps and we'll get there!
My contact was better but of course concentrating on that allowed my legs go to pot - so have to try multi-task some more. I love the feel of the dressage saddle, much easier to sit into than my GP - I found the sitting trot was much easier even on our bad side!
We tried some canter too, but as the arena was small Kika stuck her head up and hollowed her back something awful on the bad rein (to a lesser extent on the good rein) yet she is well capable of cantering under saddle (without a rider) on the lunge - so we'll have to work on this defence also...starting in the bigger arena and working back down to this small one to give her the room she needs to improve her canter with a rider - mental block for us both at this stage, but another goal to work towards!

I gave her today off as with the yard show there was just too much going on, so tossed her out for some turn out with the "ball" full of carrots, her buddy O and some hay - best way to stop Miss Kika making faces at all the poor un-assuming and unsuspecting horses that had to pass her box to get the the warm up arena. Keeping her out of mischief - and by proxy myself out of trouble for having a cranky-assed horse! 
Win-win in my book!

I am also having a bit of a shopping crisis - perhaps you could post your opinions in the form of comment(s) and perhaps help me chose!
I was nosying through websites looking at rugs (Have I mentioned that Kika has outgrown all the rugs I currently have for her and have to re-invest in rugs 2 sizes bigger as she is just between sizes! Typical, eh?!  ) and I'm after falling in love with both of these fleeces - I can't decide which one I like best or if I should be bold and splurge on both (maybe over time as simultaneously now would be a massive expense considering I have stable rugs to get still!)
Here they are, lemme know what you think please!
First one (more expensive but heavier for cold winter months!) - Horseware Rambo Grand Prix Fleece Rug - I like both colour options, although leaning slightly more towards the brown...
Second - Horseware Newmarket Cooler - I have always loved the blue in this, but now I also find myself swayed by the brown!
I swear since getting the brown tack in August/November - I keep finding myself drawn more and more towards these colours - maybe it's more to do with my love of eating chocolate!
Hahahaha!

Please help me decide!