Then I saw (his) face, Now I'm a believer

Finally climbed aboard the horse last night for our first ride after the chiropractor adjustment. I sort of half expected not to notice any difference at all ... but ... there was a rather dramatic difference to my delight.

• No twisting in the poll or tilting his head.

• No head shaking and tossing toward the middle of the ride ... or at all.

• Traveled much more straight

• Worked toward the bit, took a hold instead of "ping-ponging" off the contact.

• Forward, fluid, supple, obedient

• Right lead canter back to normal (soft and rhythmic)

Yeah, it was hot and we were both drenched by the end of a reasonably light workout. I even attempted a few steps of shoulder-in each way and pretty much nailed it (just a few steps, though). There is a heat advisory today so I don't know if I will suck it up and ride this evening ... we shall see. But I was pretty happy and it feels like Hampton is happy with it, too.

Now off to shop for horse trailers and a horse show to enter in the fall ...

Get your head on straight

Dr. Ziegler, a local chiropractor (and DVM) was out today to look at Hampton. I told her nothing about the issues I was having, but decided to just wait and see. His withers, back and hips were good ... but when she got to the poll, she spent a little more time there. She informed me he was torqued to the right (which made total sense to me, as that is the direction he was been twisting his head and poll under saddle). I was happy that I had listened to my horse and went ahead and had him examined. I was also impressed that she immediately found the issue. Luckily, it seems we have caught it early enough before it started to affect the rest of his body.

She cracked his head back on straight and the look on his face was priceless! In typical 3-year-old fashion, he was distracted, chewing on the lead rope, fussing around ... then SNAP! And he looked at me like "what the ..." and stood motionless for several seconds, bewildered at what had happened. Then ... licking and chewing. He is so hilarious sometimes.

He'll be rechecked in about a month or so and then put on a regular reschedule for check-ups. I realize some people think it's quackary, but frankly I am a believer in most alternative medicine treatments. Although I do think you should have a DVM perform any acupuncture or chiropractic work.

I'll likely just handwalk and graze Hampton this evening, then work him tomorrow to see if he is better. She said he might have been living with a mild, but chronic headache from being out of alignment. Poor guy. Annnd sticking with my "rule" ... I get to schedule a chiro appointment for myself, since the horse got the royal treatment. (My rule being that if the horse deserves special treatment, so do I!)

Sweating to the oldies

The beast was still mildly off today when I rode. I didn't lunge beforehand so he was also stiff and narly in the neck and mouth. Ugh. But, the good news is that he did work out of the hind end crap. He maintained his opinion that he shouldn't have to bend right, however, for most of the ride. I spent most of the time walking, doing turn on the haunches (hard work, Hampton says!), TOF and transitions. We did some trotting too - more transitions and straight lines. Kept it pretty easy today. (It's stinkin hot so for his sake and mine we took many walk breaks) Hampton will see the chiropractor on Tuesday to make sure that his resistance in the poll is not because he needs adjusted. If he doesn't need an adjustment, then I will get after him more about it. No excuses, buddy.

Oh yeah, and the July 31 show? It's been cancelled. Nice. Way to send out show bills and advertise your show .. and then cancel it. This particular farm does this a lot. I almost expected it. Oh well, there will be another show!

Do I not pay attention enough?

Man I've been on a blogging roll this week. Could be because it's too friggin hot to do much with the horse. He did get his feet trimmed today. Here's the deal. He is wearing his feet faster than they are growing. His hind feet especially get the toe worn down because he drags his hind legs. Normally, I would like "Crap - hock problems!" but he only does this when leading. He does not do it when I ask him to lunge, or ride him or otherwise am working him. So ... I think he's just lazy. He has done this ever since I got him. So, I dunno. I would hate to have a 3 year old with hock problems already. In any case, he might need shoes if this continues. I've always been a barefoot believer, so I don't know if I want to go the shoe route ... he's got good, solid feet .. he's just wearing them off quickly. So ... I dunno.

Here's the other deal. Apparently, about 6 or 7 months ago, Hampton had an abscess pop. There is a distinct mark on the front of his left hind hoof. I heard the farrier say "Hmmm, well his abscess mark is growing out nicely ..." ... and I was like "Uh, what?" I am familiar with how a horse acts with an abscess rears its ugly head. They are normally 3-legged lame, and it shows up suddenly. This has NEVER happened with Hampton. He has NEVER been lame, except for some very mild soreness in his front leg last fall when he clipped his cornet band with his back hoof and then developed scratches. Plus, I know every stinkin' inch of my horse. I never noticed a popped abscess in his foot - no blood, no pus. Nada. Six or seven months ago would have been in winter, so I guess it IS possible that he popped it out on the field, and was lame very briefly perhaps on a rare 2-3 day stint when I didn't make it out to the barn. He certainly lived in muddy, gross conditions where an abscess would thrive. But man. What the heck? I felt stupid when I explained I had no clue about any abscess. derrrr.

Tomorrow I am going to ride. I have to do 5 am barn chores so I might as well stay awake and get a ride in around 7 am. It needs to happen if we are going to have any chance at not embarrassing ourselves at the show on July 31.

Check out photos from today. Woot. He still looks like a heaping mess of legs. But I think the shot with the barn in the background shows how much weight he has gained.

Unmentionables.

So I lunged Hampton briefly this afternoon and he was significantly better. Pretty sure he just stung himself really good. Still no swelling or heat, or reaction when I palpate any part of his leg. *shrug* I don't think I'll try riding until possibly tomorrow or even Friday mostly because of the heat. It's just ... gross. So today I groomed him up and tried to clean his sheath the best I could. He was well behaved for it (he was totally sober, too!) ... but wouldn't allow me "total access." Gelding and stallion owners will know what I mean. Next time he gets his teeth done and is tranq'd, I'll do a more thorough job. But for now it will do.

He's due for a trim tomorrow morning.

Good news - I've got a couple of lessons schedule before the show. This makes me super excited because my instructor always gets the best out of both of us. And we both need a little kick in the butt I think!

**

In other news, I scored:

(to replace the one Hampton broke)

(the brown/rust one)

... and some cool socks ... all from HorseLoverz for $14.99 (shipping was free!). SCORE!

.. I'm still eyeing a new helmet and a new pair of breeches but I'm so picky I can't commit to a decision. Pretty sure I want another IRH helmet ... just can't decide which one!

He's got legs. He knows how to use them.

Found Hampton to be somewhat off on his right hind this morning when I went to lunge. ARAGH! That is the same damn leg he kicked the wall with yesterday. No swelling, marks or heat ... so I'm thinking he probably just bruised or torqued himself. I stopped the lunge session and put him up when I realized the offness wasn't going to work itself out. We did some simple groundwork just so I felt like he did something productive. Hampton thought it was boring.

Sooo ... will probably not ride him tomorrow either. That means he has earned himself a day at the spa tomorrow! Hair cut, clipping, annnnnd (wait for it) .... a sheath cleaning! Oh goodie!

Hopefully he'll be sound again on Thursday and we can pick back up. He's not super lame right now, but better safe than sorry. Sheesh.

"I gotta go!"

Things were going to well today with Hampton until I asked for the left lead canter. At first it was OK, then he got a bit wiggly and sassy and threw in a head toss. Hmmm. Ok maybe I accidently goosed him. So I tried another transition and WHAM! He kicked out, NAILED the letter A (and shattered it) and therefore earned himself a spanking and about 10 minutes of leg yield work. Tried the canter transition again in the same spot and while it wasn't as prompt as I would like, it was calm and obedient. Sheesh. 3 year olds! As soon as I put him back in his stall, he peed. So I'm going to blame that on the reason for his mild hissy fit. Still no excuse. I do not know why, but a lot of young horses seem to do that - they end up getting this "I have to pee" look about halfway through the schooling session. Weird. Otherwise the session was good - he's really getting the hand of stretching down at the free walk. Stretching at the trot is good, too, but his nose could be a little more out. Something to work on. Turn on the haunches is starting to get there, although he is still a little confused. I just take it slow. One step at a time. He's getting it. One of my favorite exercises is "Think turn on the forehand while walking a circle." .. I started doing this with Hampton and it does WONDERS for him. Makes him soft and supple. He's really good at stepping way under himself. While he can't do many steps in a row (he will "protest" and come above the bit and want to stop because the work is hard), I think it's a great exercise for any horse. Even if you just do little bits.

I'll work him probably almost every day this week and really start working on the transitions and making our 20 meter circles smooth and consistent.


***
More from the song challenge:

Day 08 - A song that you know all the words to:

"Disarm" by the Smashing Pumpkins. Every time I pick up a guitar, I almost always play this one. :-)

Day 09 - A song that you can dance to

"2001" by Phish. ... actually just about anything by Phish but if 2001 doesn't inspire you to dance, then,

well, maybe you are catatonic?

Day 10 - A song that makes you fall asleep

"Night Moves" by Bruce Springsteen. Sorry, but it's sleep inducing.

Day 11 - A song from your favourite band

I have to pick just one? OK this time I pick "Tweezer." by Phish

Day 12 - A song from a band you hate

Nickelback has been selected as the band I hate most. I'm not sure I know any of their songs. How about "How you Remind me"