So this past week was a total CrossFit and riding FAIL. To the max. After doing Fran last week, I somehow didn't get my butt in the gym again. Wednesday I actually had an excuse (work thing for DH) but then Friday, I just decided to be lazy and go watch the big horse show that is in town instead. So this week (and the next three weeks) it is back at it because the 5K is coming up. Zombies, mud and lots of running. Gotta be prepared!
As for riding. Well...where to begin. We had a somewhat difficult day on Tuesday where Arwen didn't want to do a simple trot pole exercise. Okay, this is not a normal thing so I wasn't too miffed by it. Wednesday she was then hacked by a junior and then by me on Thursday. She felt okay, a little dull, just not fully herself. And not dull to the aids, she just didn't feel as sparkly or spunky I guess as she normally does? However I decided to chalk it up to being in a super thick fur coat already with temps still in the 90's. Friday we did our first jump school of the week and while she wasn't horrible, she wasn't great. We were having some slight issues with left turns, in fact when I asked her for one left roll back she totally ignored me, braced on that left rein, and kept going straight. Straight over a jump we had just jumped, in fact. Jumped it well though, and the next time through she did the left turn no issues.
But...then came Saturday. Warming up she felt okay, again just a little dull and not herself. But, overall not horrible either. We started jumping some trot lines, which she wasn't thrilled about, but was okay. Then we started to do our course. Singles were okay, she was listening fairly well, not having many issues. But down this one particular line...OMG. It was like iron on the left side of her jaw. It was totally locked, and she was grabbing onto that side and veering right. She was still jumping, but it was starting to get a little annoying. The last time through, I tried to correct it but she was totally in a far away head space. I thought she was still going to go, but at the last second she slammed on the brakes and spun out to the right. I was completely taken by surprise, and flew over her left shoulder into the standard. Ugh. This was probably the worst feeling fall I've had in awhile, because it totally knocked the wind out of me. I should have seen it coming too, what with her locked jaw and it only getting worse and worse as we kept doing that line. But, silly me I just kept going.
At this point I'm a little upset at myself, and at Arwen. Honestly, I know that she has only been like this when something is bothering her. I don't think its her hocks because she just had those done. Could be her coffins, but when the vet checked her hocks he said her front end looked fine. We pressed around her neck/poll area and she was definitely sensitive there, so that could be it. I don't know though-I mean really, how much discomfort is she really in that she can't just carry herself somewhat and be a normal horse? I'm sure that I'm dropping the ball somewhere in my riding her, but then again, so is she. I'm just getting tired of her going well for a few weeks, and then having major back tracking for whatever the reason du jour is. Its annoying, and while forward progress isn't that important to me, I still want this to be fun. And when she is completely un rideable like she was on Saturday, it is NOT fun.
So yea. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Selling is not an option but I am considering giving her a little bit of a vacation to let her body just rest/relax, since really, we are in a training program but aren't really training for anything in particular (since I really never show). Also, definitely going to give the ulcer meds a go. Or giving bute occassionally. Or even giving hormones a try, since I'm wondering if the tight muscles/pain are associated with her cycles. Also in the plan is restarting doing stretches on a regular basis, we did some carrot stretches yesterday and she got a couple nights of full on turn out and already she was feeling a little more limber. We'll see though.
No comments:
Post a Comment