Guarded Optimism – Making Adjustments 2.1

I’m alive! I made it to the other side of paper submissions. Just a few weeks and 2 finals to go. And then I might take a summer course. Glutton for punishment over here… well maybe not. I’ve only got 2 credits to go after this year, so taking something in the summer will make my last year easier. OMG! My last year. I can’t believe I’m almost done.

Don’t be fooled. We’re back to riding inside. Damn Mother Nature!

Anyway, on to the stuff that you might actually be interested in. Tucker updates!

Let’s start with the not so good news. Those wonky steps never went away. But he’s perfect with everything other than the occasional trot step to the right. Because I can’t get to the barn as much as I’d like, I have a friend that rides Tuck for me 1-2 times a week. She can’t feel what I’m feeling. Not everyone can see what I’m feeling.

I’ll take one ticket for the crazy train.

I messaged chiropractor K. I told her it’s possible that I’m completely nuts and/or the cause of the steps. I said I’m turning into one of those crazy horse moms. It doesn’t help that I still have the google search info in my head. She reassured me that being crazy is just part of ownership. And then she agreed to reserve her judgment of just how nuts I am until she comes out to watch him go.

And so we trotted. And trotted big circles and little circles. And changed rein across the diagonal. And trotted more big circles and little circles. And changed rein across the diagonal a bunch more times. And more circles. And a bit of canter right. And then a bit of canter left. And some circles at the canter.

And she didn’t see it. So I completely lost my marbles and I’m typing this while wearing a little white coat. JUST KIDDING! She did see it… a little. I felt it way more than she was able to see it. Maybe that’s good???

We agreed about not wanting to call it a lameness. That made me feel better. Because even though you’ve convinced yourself that it’s not a lameness there’s always that little voice in the back of your head telling you that you’re ruining your horse.

Based on what she saw, she thought that maybe it was in his neck or shoulder. Her theory being that with the hip locked like it was, he wasn’t able to push himself forward so he was pulling himself forward to compensate.

That made total sense to me. Because even though I was still feeling those wonky steps he still felt looser.

She felt around and said his SI joint still felt pretty good. This made me happy because it had only been 2 weeks since his last adjustment. And unless my insurance provider lets me list him as a dependant (which they totally should!! Get on that medical insurance people!!) I can’t afford to have him adjusted every few week.

She spent a lot of time on his back and shoulders. She says she doesn’t see anything that would indicate a problem with the saddle. SO MUCH YAY! She showed me how to do a stretch to help his shoulders and told me to continue to back him up to help build those bum muscles. And then she did an adjustment, that she says she doesn’t do very often, on the bad right shoulder. She stood on his left side on her block and worked over his withers, while I held up his right leg. My fingers were crossed the whole time that this would do the trick. She finished up with another laser treatment and reassured me I’m not that nuts.

Now the (guarded) good news. I had a lesson the next day. We decided to focus on longitudinal work. Getting him to stretch out and compress at the trot and canter. Coach G says this should help to augment the treatment from the day before.

“Enough pictures human!”

Tuck felt sooooo much looser. I could still feel him taking step that weren’t quite right but they weren’t as bad as before. I don’t know how to explain it. You know when your foot goes to sleep and you first start walking on it and it’s awful. That’s like what it was. And then your foot is almost fully awake, just a bit tingly still. That’s like what it is now.

I’m optimistic we’ve finally got this round of NQR solved. Second ride post chiro is tonight. Fingers crossed there’s even more improvement.