Put through her Paces

Kika and I worked in the dressage saddle last night with our new blue saddle pad - happy days (pictures below, ;-) ).
Due to her escapologist inclinings Sunday and Monday I decided against turning her out yesterday as I am back at work and as such cannot get to the barn at the drop of a hat to bring her in if/when she gets out. L let her mare O out about 2pm and said Kika pitched a fit in her stable, trumpeting like an elephant and making a right old scene in her stable - wonder if she'll learn a lesson...probably not, animal brains don't work like ours! She'll just think me mean for not turning her out :(
My latest order of Horelyx Original arrived yesetrday, at 10KG i couldn't carry it up last night so I'll bring it up tomorrow and see if that combined with hay and carrots in her "ball" might keep her in the field tomorrow - that and L isn't in work tomorrow afternoon, she has an early shift - so if the Wagon does go wandering someone can be there within 10mins to bring her in.

Back to last night and these promised photos...I was very happy with how we got on :-D
L had popped her in the walker as she went to bring in her girl, Kika spent about 15-20mins in the walker before I tacked her up and headed off to "our" arena which thankfully was empty by the time i hopped up. Worked a little more in walk at teh start then I typically do getting her to carry herself properly for full rounds of the arena, a couple of circles and some changes of rein before moving up to trot which i am now asking for in correct outline from the start - I don't always get it, but within a stride she is how i want her - so baby steps and we are getting there.
Lots of circles, changes of rein and some serpentines tossed in. We had one or two moments where she thought about arguing with me - but we ploughed on and no "real" argument arose and work continued smoothly - HAPPY DAYS!
Some sitting trot later and back to rising always circling, figures of 8-ing, serpentining and rein changing - with all going well I changed my mind about not cantering and started my sitting trot circle - making sure i had her head/neck bending to the inside so as to ease her transition up to canter. I always ask her for whichever side hasn't been working so well first so that the hardest part will be out of the way and then the easier side can be a reward.
I needn't have worried yesterday, the correct strike of was achieved first time and a few strides later i got the shape i wanted so extended my circle to the whole arena - and while our shape was fluid, meaning it wasn't perfect the whole time she did relent and stop her giraffe/back hollowing and work properly every couple of strides then we'd hit a corner so she'd pop her head back up then settle again. Again far from perfect but we are getting there...I think!
I was then cheeky and changed rein in trot, but then changed back onto the same rein after a circle/serpentine and asked for canter on a diagonal - I got the correct strike off and she went into the shape i wanted on our circle! To say i was happy with our work on our current "bad" side is an understatement I was extatic.
I did a bit more trotting work changeing reins back and forth then asked for canter on our other rein (hope you can follow this) - the other rain used to be our bad rein but of late has been our better rein ;) Go figure! :p
Anyway my joy was compounded as we struck off on the correct lead and maintained our outline in the transition and kept it going for the circle I was on!!!! We lost it slightly as we navigated back onto the main track, but got it back - happy happy schooling session out of me! We then did a bit of walk/trot transitions and then came back to walk and stretched down in walk before walking around for another 10mins to cool off.
Pictures taken (as always) on my phone after all work was done - she was following me around like a puppy dog so although i had a lot more pictures these are the only two where she is not on top of me, lol. A noise caught her attention so i snapped quickly, ;)

Sorry a bit fuzzy

So there you have it, finally the infamous dressage saddle makes a picture appearance and it's accompanied by my long sought after royal blue saddle pad.
Now to get someone to come with some time i'm riding for some pics of me using it, or any ridden pics for that matter! I want to see if i've made any improvement or if it's all in my head! :/
Plan is to pop some poles this evening, asked the RI to leave the course after the jumping lessons this evening - so hopefully she doesn't forget, ;)