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Not-So-Speedy Dressage

From Endurance to Dressage

That's the Spot!

9/19/2015

 
As promised, the chiropractor was out yesterday afternoon. Izzy perked up as soon as he saw him; I am certain that Izzy remembered him.

CC isn't a big talker, so I know to just stand around and let him work. Once he has a feel for where the horse is uncomfortable, he'll start making comments. That's when I know he's ready for my questions. Poor man.
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The real hotspot turned out to be Izzy's poll which was no surprise to me. I knew he was hurting everywhere, but it seems that most of his soreness started in the poll and radiated out.

I thought Izzy would be pretty reactive in his neck, but CC didn't find any big red flags. The shoulders were a problem, especially the right. That's the side he landed on. He suggested I watch the right knee over the next few days as he thinks that Izzy might be a bit sore there still. His knee got scraped up when he fell so again, no surprise.
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Once CC had loosened up Izzy's front and hind ends, he tackled the mid section. Even as he worked the rib heads, Izzy leaned into the pressure, clearly appreciating the body work. You could tell that it hurt in a good way. 
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CC started with the ribs on the left side since Izzy was more reactive on that side. Once he was done though, the right side ended up being the side that was causing the most discomfort. He fell on the right which would explain why. 

CC did say that it can be hard to determine where they are most bothered as his style of adjustment gets the spine moving back and forth. So while the right side might have looked more reactive in the end, it might have had more to do with what Izzy's spine was doing.
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The horses really like CC, and the feeling is obviously mutual. After every stretch or period of work that he does, CC always gives the horses a break. He lets them think over what he's doing while he strokes them or lets them love on him. Izzy really likes this style of body work, and comes back for more when he's ready.

Unlike other chiropractors that I've used, CC doesn't do any kind of sharp movements. Even my own human chiropractor does the quick jerk to get the realignment. CC's method is to put the horse in a stretch while he encourages the horses to simply "let go." During a few of the stretches, I could literally see the moment when the bones/muscles/other soft tissue corrected themselves.

This was most obvious when he worked Izzy's poll. CC stretched Izzy's head over his own shoulder and then kept asking Izzy to relax and let his head rest on CC's shoulder. The moment Izzy accepted the invitation to rest his head on CC's shoulder, the kink in his poll disappeared. I was standing close enough to see the surprise, and subsequent relief, in Izzy's eyes.
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By the time CC was finished, an hour later, Izzy's facial expression revealed a newly relaxed and much happier pony. CC recommended that Izzy just hang out for today, but tomorrow he can go back to work. He might still feel a bit off if he is sore in the knee, but CC suggested I try to push him through it.

For a long time I didn't have a chiropractor who could come out so quickly. I am so grateful that I found CC. Not every problem is related to sore muscles and misalignments, but I think a lot of the pain that out horses experience can be addressed with some kind of body work.

Now I need to see the chiropractor!
Judy
9/19/2015 08:03:21 am

Amazing to see the work in process and how accepting of the treatment Izzy is! He obviously knows he's being helped.

Bakersfield Dressage link
9/19/2015 08:28:39 am

Both of my horses LOVE the adjustments. It is really amazing to watch as even a non-horse enthusiast can see the relief they get.

Emma link
9/19/2015 10:10:09 am

I know a lot of people don't think chiro work helps the horses long term... But idk my mare just seems to love it so much and feel so much better afterward that it feels like a justifiable expense. Glad izzy is feeling better too after his adjustment!

Bakersfield Dressage link
9/19/2015 12:58:18 pm

I'll leave the naysayers to think what they will. I KNOW my horses feel better after some body work. He looked very happy today, but we'll see how he is under saddle tomorrow. My fingers are crossed. :0)

The Aging Pony link
9/19/2015 04:02:47 pm

Really interesting, especially about the hotspot in the poll. I've wanted to get some chiro work done on my horse because I think she's tight in the poll and neck. Thanks for showing us the appointment and how much your horse loves it!

Bakersfield Dressage link
9/19/2015 04:53:37 pm

You are quite welcome. My horses LOVE getting some body work done. If I could afford it, CC would come out once a month. As it is, each horse gets looked at about every 6 - 8 months. They let me know when something is wrong.

In this case, Izzy fell with me at the canter so he saw CC sooner than usual. He was adjusted at the beginning of the summer. My chiropractor charges $125 per horse, but he has looked at my horses and said no work was needed and then didn't charge me. So even though it's a tad pricey for frequent visits, I know CC is fair with his charges.

If you have someone nearby who does equine chiropractics, I would definitely schedule an appointment or at least go see that person work. It's fascinating to see how the horses respond.

A few years ago, I used a different chiropractor when Speedy was younger. He was a lot more nervous about it back then, but I have an interesting video of the process here: http://www.bakersfielddressage.com/educational-items.html The chiropractor in the video had a different technique than CC, but it was also quite effective. CC works more slowly because he doesn't use the tools that the other guys used.

If you find a chiropractor that you like, be open to their style of adjustment. I've used a lot of different people and while they all have a different technique, my horses have always enjoyed the body work.


Comments are closed.

    About the Writer and Rider

    ​I am a lifelong rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
    ​Welcome to my dressage journey.
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    About Speedy G

    ​Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
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    About Izzy

    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at Second Level. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
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  • Home
  • About
  • Horses
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Imperioso
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • Show Results
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    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
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