Quarterly Chiropractic Visit

After getting Izzy's hocks injected for the second year in a row, I decided that I needed a better maintenance plan. Injecting hocks every year is pricey and carries some risks. There's also some doubts as to its true efficacy. In an effort to reduce the frequency of hock injections, I decided to bring the chiropractor out every three months whether Izzy looked sore or not.

I think one of two things will happen. First, Izzy will still need his hocks done in the summer or fall which will mean the chiropractic work kept him happier, but didn't address the hock issue. Or, Izzy won't need his hocks injected which will mean that the general soreness that builds up along his top line is the cause of his sore hocks. 

When CC did the adjustment in August, Izzy was really sore even though he'd been adjusted just three months prior. CC recommended hock injections which I had done in early September. When CC returned in October, the adjustments he needed to do were pretty minor. This week, Izzy was sore in all the usual places, but the adjustments were once again easy to make.

One interesting thing to mention was that even CC noticed how much more mature Izzy has become over the past few months. Our hope is that as he gets broker and less prone to being a wild card, he'll let some of the muscle tension go which should help him feel much better.

Obviously not Izzy. Meet Glee!

The day before the appointment, I was with a friend who was lamenting her horse's sore hocks. I told her my chiropractor was coming out and asked if she'd like him to look at Glee. Since she already had the day off, she figured a chiropractic visit couldn't hurt.

I love watching CC work. Even though my friend was certain the NQRness was coming from the hocks, CC quickly pointed out that he didn't think so. Glee didn't have any of the hamstring tenderness that comes with sore hocks. Instead, he felt confident that she was just body sore.

After asking Glee to stretch throughout her body, he tackled her mid-section. Even a non-horse person would have been able to see that her back and ribs were sore. CC explained that she's probably been sore for a very long time but has been so stoic about it that she just works through it. He went on to say that horses like Izzy are easier to work on because they're so vocal about what hurts. With him, there's no mystery as to where the soreness is coming from.

When he finished working on Glee, her already lovely stride was even longer and more fluid. She clearly felt better. When I texted my friend the next day, she felt pretty sure that Glee was once again sound. Body soreness is definitely better than hock issues.

Unless anything changes, CC will be back in April for Izzy's next quarterly adjustment. Glee might get to see him again as well.