Adjustment and K tape

 So... sigh. People suck sometimes. Even when they mean well. And I suck for letting them get in my head. I posted vidoes of Funny's first and second rides and two people made negative comments. One said that she knew I was a chiropractor and it was only her second ride but that she thought Funny looked very uncomfortable. And then another one, who was trying to defend me, said something like "I'm sure that Holly wouldn't be riding her horse if she was lame, even though it does look like she's short in the hind end". Sigh.. And at first... it was fine because... I know my horse. She is fine. She lunged beautifully and is happy. She's just trying to figure out how to balance herself with me on top of her. And she's also a testing bossy mare who is challenging me. She's not wringing her tail or going backwards because she hurts. She's doing it because she's mad I'm telling her what to do! And I replied very politely that she had to take that in context and the horse probably is a bit uncomfortable, mentally and physically, because she's trying to figure things out. And a bunch of other people came to my rescue. BUT.... But... sigh... 

Before she even said that I thought she looked a little short in one hind leg in the first ride, but sort of brushed it off as her just trying to figure out how to balance me. And then I watched the second ride video again and... she definitely needs an adjustment. And maybe she does look short. And... now I'm panicking. And looking at myself and picking myself apart. I didn't have as soft hands as I thought I did. Maybe I shouldn't have pushed her to trot yet. She's clearly braced and not using herself properly like I was hoping, given all the groundwork. Sigh. So now I'm all in my head about it. 

But... she does need to be adjusted as I'm thinking I maybe haven't done her yet since she got hung on the stall wall. So, because it's so hot and our well pump fried so we haven't had water in 3 days... (It returns tomorrow!!!! supposedly!).... rather than do any riding this evening, I opted to adjust Funny. We did a tiny bit of pillar work first. Then I took before and after photos and I do think I made a difference. Although she wasn't any worse off than any other of my patients today. She was a bit sore in both SI joints and both gluteals. And pretty stuck in the right shoulder. But she was a good girl and I adjusted everything and got rid of the soreness. I did notice that when I picked up her right front, she would pick up or cock her left hind. So I did put a needle in to unlock the static restrictions in that fascial chain. And.. it worked! At least she stopped trying to pick up the hind foot when I picked up her front foot! NEAT!

Funny enjoyed herself too. And I ended up taping her also and she got a lot of releases from the tape. Although I'm not sure how long it was hold as it was already starting to peel off. I think with the sweat and humidty and fly spray, it'll be lucky to stick overnight. But we tried. And then I groomed her and trimmed her mane and put her mane and tail conditioner in. 

Please ignore the mess in the barn. Remember, no water! Plus work and life. But... look at the different in those shoulders. And her spine! Also ignore the terribly assymmetry of my tape job. Doh! ha ha. 

 

She looks more narrow and less muscled in the after but she had her head lifted higher. Though I do need to get back to doing our pillar work to get those pecs built back up. BUT... look at the difference in her shoulder points. 

 

She was done with me by this point so she wouldn't stand square but I do feel like her butt is less tipped to the left. :) Go me!!