Hopeful at Harbins!

God is so kind! And he makes amazing people! So... Liz and I met for a trail ride at Harbins because I had told her about Fleck and how I was worried. She and I both looked at him and between the two of us, we were able to figure some stuff out. Liz is talented! She can really see "energy". She felt like his front end was pretty good. She said he wasn't tight and just felt good. He did have a little tight spot on his front right shoulder line, but I can work that out. So then we went to his back end. Sigh... Liz agrees with me. She thinks it's his hips too. And I'll be honest, Kathryn mentioned it first. And awhile ago. I wish I had listened to her earlier. Fleck just feels really tight and painful at his hip. Both hips! I was able to adjust his back and we looked at his lines and energy and stance. I then adjusted his hips again, but differently this time. He looked like an old man trying to hold his pee in. He's always been narrow behind but he was super narrow and cow hocked. And he was almost standing with his hind legs up underneath himself. Almost like he was stuck in lumbosacral flexion, which is odd.. because he tends to be stuck in extension. So... I showed Liz how he won't let me pull his right leg laterally. So we palpated his hip and again looked at anatomy... We pulled his hip/hind leg back, behind his other hock, and then medially. Fleck got into it and seemed much more comfy. Then we did the other hip. Rather than pushing it cranially, I went more cranial and pushed it more caudodorsally. And that seemed more helpful to him too. So then Liz showed me how to open up Fleck's hips. Basically I put my fist in between his butt cheeks and slowly push. He was tight! Then once I get "in", I can turn my first and essentially be a "thigh master" and help him push his thighs apart. It was not easy and Fleck was a little pissy at first. But after doing that a few times we noticed that he started to stand with his hind legs more spread and with his back legs more behind him. And he just seemed more comfortable.

So we went for a ride and Glory Be!! He seemed HAPPY! He was more outgoing again and more happy and forward and happy to be moving! He even kept breaking into the trot! And the other day, as soon as I took my leg off, he'd break to the walk. He seemed to be moving out better and more evenly and smoothly. Liz agreed. YAY!! So... I don't know what his issue is, but I'm embracing the fact that he feels good today :)

Happy Flecky = Happy Mommy!

lesson with beth

Well crap! Darn, darn, darn. I knew something wasn't quite right with Fleck. But I took him to my Beth lesson because I thought she could help me figure it out. And it's subtle. So I got tacked up and in we went. And we started warming up and suddenly... Fleck was LAME! Like really lame. :( What?!? He wasn't like this before. :( Wahh.....

Beth thought it might be right hind. I felt a little right front but more right hind. Tracking right is worse. And then we cantered, in case it was SI and the canter might perk him up. And ugh... what was happening?!? He was like... really... wrong! It was bizarre. I couldn't tell what he was doing. I think he may have been bunny hopping behind. Sigh. We went the other way and it was better, but still not right. So... Back to the trot we went. He did get a little better with some stretching. So we decided to keep going but to work on specific stuff that wouldn't make him worse.

So we set up three or four ground poles and trotted in a circle through them. We worked on getting lift and sit without racing. I had to slow his gait down. He felt SOOOO slow! (Hee hee... especially after riding Dan). So we did it in both directions and figure 8's. It was helpful for both of us. And Fleck seemed happy to keep going and his lameness improved a good bit. So... sigh...

It was so humid though because it was about to storm. I rode Dan next and Fleck was in the trailer. It started to rain on Dan and I and then lightning too. So we headed for the barn but we had to go and rescue Fleck first. He was grateful. :) 

So.... I'm so sad. I want my big guy back and feeling better. :(

Mothers Day

 

I'm such a lucky momma! 

We hit the trails and just enjoyed our time together and the glorious weather.

 

We're soaking up the magic!

Riding at Home

I loaned Missy my truck so she could take Zhar and Indi to the Arabian show. So... while I had my trailer, I had no way to tow, so Fleck and I were stuck at home. But I wanted to ride, so... off we went. :) We toured the property. We did some work. We had fun.

See... we accomplished some good work. But... Fleck still feels a bit wonky. Nothing I can pinpoint.... He still seems a bit sore in his hip area. When I go to adjust his SI on the right, he clamps his leg down and pulls it in. He won't let me lift it up and out. So... I'm wondering if it's SI joint or hip.... ???

Fleck love

How can your heart not melt seeing this gorgeous hunky face?!?! 

He is my heart and soul..... Man I love him. 

Uncle Fleck babysits

 

Fleck and I met with a client of mine to take her on a trail ride around Ashland. She wants to join and wanted to see the trails. We had a good time. I didn't have a lot of time but it was nice to get out and stretch our legs. Plus it was a GORGEOUS day. Fleck and I had fun. He didn't seem sore after his trot sets yesterday either :) YAY!

We Trots!

So...Fleck and I had a blast! (And despite the photo saying Sunday, it was actually Saturday). Saturday was a long day! So long it felt like Sunday apparently. ;) I showed Danaroo earlier in the day and we were on for a long time because the show was running behind. I finished up and headed home. I was supposed to go watch the Kentucky Derby at a party and knew it would make me late, but... WORTH IT! We had a great time.

It was such a gorgeous day. We decided to do a little trotting. And then, since he felt so good, we did a bit more trotting. We ended up doing 3 sets of 5 minutes each. Not back to back necessarily, but still. :)

And we MAY have done a little canter in the cross country field at the end of our ride. Just because. :) Oh, and... perhaps we trotted up over the downed tree that was in our path too. :)

 

Totally WORTH IT!