Category: Chiropractic

Posted on

Back Care

Benny slipped over in the field when Mel spun round and he was in the way. I played online with him and he seemed fine at all gaits. A few days later when I went to ride him he seemed a little stiff, walked him round and did a few turns, circles, weave patterns and then smaller circles. He seemed reluctant to go forward and as i had the Light Rider on him I wondered if that was the problem, after changing to the cradle bridle he was no different. Luz got on to see it it was me holding him back and she also found him stiff and slightly lame on the side he fell. it is a good thing we could both recognise his soreness before it got worse.
Pat Carlton was contacted and she came a few days later to check him. After some manipulation for a sore back, poll and shoulder he had a few days of just inhand work.
Just as I was about to organise myself for a ride, Liz was kicked my Mel and has a sprained wrist. So I will ride on Sunday and also ride Smoke Liz’s other horse.

I have been to Sherree Ginger for some confidence coaching and am banishing my negative thoughts, a little at a time I will ride in the school, then the field and finally out on the trail. With a wonderful network of friends and family to support me. It will take time to reconnect my neural pathways to a positive state but I can visualise a time when I would get on anything. It is achievable and once my new western saddle arrives we will be out and about again.

Posted on

Bareback and bridleless

Well after my chiropractic session I am now supposedly straight. I didn’t ride straight away but my daughter got on him bareback in a halter. After mentioning how broad he was and how bouncy in trot she cantered him round the grass arena. He didn’t put a foot wrong. so the next day I thought I would have ago, we did some ground work and he was good apart from one episode of leaving. Then I tried him by the mounting block and he stood still while I climbed onboard. We did a little walk around and I felt a bit wobbly so then just did some lateral flexions and backups and got off. Getting off was not very elegant but he stood quietly for me. It is a little step but I will ride him again with a saddle and halter in the grass arena – I am away at the moment so it will be next week sometime.

I just read a blog about using the word should – I will banish this word and substitute could/can or would/will instead of should. Should indicates that I have to do something instead of wanting or be able to do something. It seems to be a pressure word hence the banishment.

Last week my daughter took him for a hack with a friend as nanny. Benny was very good with all the traffic and even came home without the other horse. My daughter is supremely confident and will come out with me a few times. It is so good to have such a support network – friends and relatives who have been through this unconfident phase with other horses. My daughter lost confidence after her 16.3 mare bucked and reared and injured her several times. This horse was re-started by the late James Roberts and can now be ridden bareback and bridleless – even on the beach.

Posted on

Chiropractic session

Wednesday was spent with the horses – apart from a good lunch with a friend. I rode Benny in the morning whilst my friend watched, he was as good as gold. Didn’t have to do much ground work – just the usual sequence of:-
Let him catch me
Halter with a hug
Touch him all over – whilst grooming
Pick up and place feet – it is important to have control over the feet.
Get a good standstill
Saddle with savvy etc
I do use the rope around his hindquarters to test flexion before mounting, and always ask permission before mounting by testing his standstill and then just putting one butt cheek in the saddle before placing myself in the saddle. I have looked at videos of me in the past mounting and I seem to have done this for some time even before I got involved with NH.

The afternoon Benny had a session with Pat Carlton a chiropractic practitioner. He was out at the poll and a little sore in his nearside wither area, so we saddled to check it was OK. The saddle didn’t seem to pinch or bridge ( I am getting a western saddler out to check to make sure). Then I hopped on board to check out if my position was causing any problems. I know I am stiff on my left pelvic area and can’t always go with the movement – well it was this that was causing the saddle to tip to the right and put pressure on the left of Benny.

So I need to book a session for me with Pat and then Benny will feel much more comfortable.
This is why it is important to check yourself as well as the horse – Pat likes to check horse and rider – I wish more horsey back people would do the same.