My Aching Back

Not mine - although with all of the wacky things happening to me lately, a sore back would fit right in. Actually, I would have preferred that the aches and pains had been mine. Instead, they belonged to Izzy.

Izzy's favorite person is probably CC.

Izzy last saw CC, his personal body worker, at the end of December. For that session, CC worked on Izzy for at least an hour, and even after all that time, CC just didn't feel like he had gotten all of the kinks worked out. There is only so much a horse can take though. When I called CC out last October, he didn't need to do anything, but the two visits before that one, June and April of 2021, Izzy did need work done. The visit before that, way back in July of 2020, no adjustment was needed.

It's really tough to figure out a reliable schedule for Izzy as he can be fine for six months but then need work done every six weeks. CC felt really good about this adjustment though, so I hope Izzy stays put together for a while.

Every time CC comes out, he teaches me something new. Since Izzy's C7 has been the problem lately, CC showed me how to feel when that's an issue. Basically, you can press your fingers into the jugular groove just above the chest. If the horse isn't sore, nothing will happen. If he's sore at the C7, like Izzy was, the muscles will either spasm, or he won't let you press there. That's what Izzy did on Friday afternoon which is why I put out a mayday call to CC.

This was a new stretch.

When CC pulled in on Saturday, Izzy was happy to see him, but in a rough way. He loves CC, but he was not too happy about being touched. Within minutes though, Izzy found immediate relief and happily did whatever CC asked, including the big stretch above. Besides being out at the C7 which is a relatively new thing, Izzy was also sore in his regular spots: the poll and rib heads. New though was some soreness in his lower back. CC did that thing where he drags a blunt tool along the top of the croup which makes Izzy hunch his back and tuck his pelvis. It always works though. Whatever had been spasming along his loins cleared right up.

Izzy is pretty hard on himself. He plays roughly, and when he spooks, it's like getting hit by a truck. As hard as it is on me, it has to be harder on Izzy. I don't know what we would do if we didn't have CC so close by. Of all of the equine chiropractors and body workers that have seen my horses over the years, CC is by far the best. It helps that he's also a horseman himself.

Sometimes he'll say that a particular issue is bothering Izzy due to play, but he also pinpoints training issues that might be causing the discomfort, or he explains how the discomfort has been affecting the work. He is always right. As much as we both love him, I am hoping we don't need him for a while.

Let's try for an injury free March - both for me and Izzy.