Physio

Let me begin by explaining why it's been a bit quiet on here recently. For the last week, Vallu hasn't been quite right. Nothing major, there was no lameness and nothing that anyone else spotted at first - he just wasn't enjoying everything like he normally does, it was as if the sparkle had gone out of him... After two days of thinking over everything that it could be, I had nearly everyone at the yard looking at Vallu, and the general consensus was that he was taking a shorter step with his left hind leg. Not properly lame so we didn't call the vet and Vallu got two days of nothing but turn out. But trying the natural route of give him time to heal himself didn't work. He was still not right from behind and looking a bit uncomfortable in his skin. More light work just to keep him sane, more turnout and I attempted more massaging and used the solarium everyday to try to help him. It's a very helpless feeling when you just don't know how to make them feel better.  

 By the end of the week/beginning of the weekend, he started to even out. Still not better but feeling more like himself. I kept him in very light work, lots of straight lines and long and stretchy work. Luckily our new physio came on Monday to look at him. She's a McTimoney chiropractic and I immediately liked her. 

For those who don't know what a McTimoney does, "a McTimoney chiropractic will align and balance the animal's musculoskeletal system, so optimizing the individual's dynamic flexibility and helping the nervous system to function at its highest level. By adjusting those misaligned joints throughout the whole body whilst paying special attention to the spine and pelvis, health, soundness and performance may be restored and maintained." (taken from their website)

 She thinks Vallu might have slightly twisted his pelvis either in his stable or in his paddock, and this resulted in him taking the shorter step with his left hind leg and also twisting it slightly as he walked. And then because it hurt he overcompensated with his right side, which would explain why there was more tightness on the right side than the left. Vallu was very reactive to all of her work and you could immediately see a difference in the way he walked after her treatment.

So now Vallu gets two days off, then two days of light work where we only do straight lines, long and low walk and trot work. By the weekend I can start introducing slightly more collection and canter, and then next week back to lateral work. She said not to worry, no saddle issues (as had been suggested by some) and that he was good otherwise and his immediate improvement suggested that he was already feeling better. She is coming again in four weeks time, and hopefully he'll be much better by then.